Deconstructing Harry: A Review in Seven Parts (Part 1)

Part 1: Pages 1 - 100

Author's note: I have not read ahead in the book. The "thoughts-per-page" posted are the exact thoughts I had while reading that very page. They have not been edited in retrospect or changed in hindsight. Many of my guesses could be wrong. More could be right. I will hold off on giving my opinion (review) on the book until I'm finished reading it. Without further adieu, here are my thoughts on the first 100 pages of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

Page 3 - Severus Snape revealed to be a bad guy? Could Albus Dumbledore have been that wrong about him in the last book?

Page 11 - "We shall cut away the canker that infects us until only those of the true blood remain." Voldemort's hatred of Mudbloods is an even stronger racial allegory in The Deathly Hallows than it was in the previous books. I wouldn't be surprised if he went after Mudbloods marrying purebloods, claiming that it destroyed the "sanctity of marriage."

Page 12 - "The dwindling of the purebloods is ... a most desirable circumstance.... She would have us mate with Muggles...." Can't say I was surprised.

Page 12 - "Dinner, Nagini ..." Looks like this one's going to be the darkest Potter book yet.

Page 13 - Harry never learning to repair wounds will definitely come into play later in the book. Gives Hermione something to do, other than to stand around looking pretty.

Page 15 - Sad watching Harry put his school things behind him. Who else is going to miss Hogwarts?

Page 22 - Rita Skeeter up to her old tricks, but this time even nastier than before. In the 4 weeks since his death, she's written a nine-hundred-page biography on Albus Dumbledore titled, "The Life and Times of Albus Dumbledore." This includes "an entire chapter" on the "unhealthy" Potter-Dumbledore relationship. "Dumbledore's legions of admirers may well be trembling at what is soon to emerge about their hero."

Page 29 - "If anything was certain, it was the bright blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore would never pierce (Harry) again." Somehow I doubt that.

Page 30 - More fun with the Dursley family. The bumbling and tumbling group is as funny, hard-headed and cold-hearted as ever, but this time the humor leaves a bittersweet aftertaste. Esp. when Dudley performs an about face and is kind to Harry and thankful to the young wizard for saving his life.

Page 44 - Harry's getting nostalgic for the Dursley home he grew up in. Going as far to feel a slight tinge of remorse over leaving the small closet he was forced to sleep in under the staircase for so many years of his life. Seems about as realistic as a Jewish person longing for Auswitchz. But whatever, it's fiction.

Page 47 - Convinced that Voldemort doesn't expect Harry to be moved until the 30th, Mad-Eye Moody and the gang arrive to rush Harry out of his home.

Page 50 - Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Fleur and a reluctant Mundungus drink the Polyjuice Potion, turning themselves into visual clones of Harry Potter. This is to distract the Death Eaters that Voldemort has patrolling the skies. Why not just change Harry's looks and save all the trouble? They may be magical, but these magic types sure aren't practical.

Page 55 - Headwig Dead. We hardly knew ye, ya silly Owl.

Page 56 - AMBUSH! Someone let Voldemort know that Harry was leaving prior to the 30th and Harry and Hagrid find themselves surrounded by at least 30 Death Eaters.

Page 59 - Harry is recognized as the real Potter. Which sends ...

Page 60 - ... Voldemort directly at Harry. Voldemort has no use for petty accessories such as brooms, flying motorcycles or the Nintendo Wii Balance Board. This nasty bastard has the power to fly on his own, thank you very much. "Voldemort was flying like smoke on the wind, without broomstick or thestral to hold him. Not even a Wii Balance Board, for that matter." I made up the "Not even a Wii Balance Board, for that matter" part of the quote.

Page 61 - Hagrid's dead? I don't buy it. It's too early in the book and he's too big a character (literally and metaphorically).

Page 69 - George finally shows up at the Burrow (replacing number twelve, Grimmauld Place as the Order's HQ) worse for the wear. His ear is missing and his face is covered in blood.

Page 73 - It's revealed that there has been a mass breakout at Azkaban that the Ministry of Magic has covered up. For some reason it seems like that reveal came a couple of books ago, but maybe I'm remembering incorrectly. Sort of like the back of a sweetened cereal box, without the impending cavities.

Page 73 - Was it really Snape that took off George's ear? I'm having trouble believing that. So far, if The Deathly Hallows has any reason for existing, it's to hear Albus Dumbledore say, "I told you so!" from beyond the grave. Although, knowing Albus, he'd just politely wink and then change shape from Richard Harris to Michael Gambon.

Page 74 - It's nice to find that George can still crack a bad joke and remain in good spirits with one of his ears removed. If my ear were removed, I'd be crying and whining like the little bitch that I am.

Page 78 - Mad-Eye Moody dead? Killed by Voldemort?

Page 81 - "The suddenness and completeness of death was with them like a presence." Yep, Mad-Eye Moody is dead. But did Voldemort really kill him?

Page 83 - Harry's wand acted of its own accord, casting its own spell to stop Voldemort from killing young Potter? Hmm. I'm guessing someone else cast the spell for him. Wands don't perform their own magic. The self-preserving wand was a cover-up.

Page 89 - Mrs. Weasley tries her best to keep Harry, Ron and Hermione apart. She's upset the three are leaving school to go after the horcruxes (receptacles where a dark wizard has hidden fragments of his soul, hoping to achieve immortality) and Voldemort himself. And to think, my mom was pissed when I skipped first hour photography class to eat pancakes at the tiny greasy-spoon located in Small Town, USA.

Page 91 - Mad-Eye Moody's body cannot be found. Could he be the member of the Order of the Phoenix who let Voldemort know Harry was leaving prior to the 30th? Is Mad-Eye a villain? J.K.'s gone down this path before and I'm going to be severely disappointed if she goes down it once again.

Page 92 - "Why in the name of Merlin's saggy left ..." - Ron Weasley

Page 96 - Hermione's gotten her hands on Mad-Eye's whole stock of Polyjuice Potion. That'll come in handy!

And now, back to reading. Part 2 of Deconstructing Harry will be up soon!
--Alex Sandell