Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling's acclaimed Harry Potter series. It follows the protagonist, Harry Potter, as he navigates a dark and perilous world, hiding from the dark wizard Voldemort, who seeks to eliminate him. After his protective spell expires on his seventeenth birthday, Harry embarks on a quest with his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger to find and destroy horcruxes—objects containing pieces of Voldemort's soul that grant him immortality. The narrative intensifies with the introduction of the "Deathly Hallows," legendary magical items that could influence the outcome of their struggle.
As they face relentless threats, the trio faces difficult choices about prioritizing their goals amid a backdrop of escalating conflict, culminating in a siege of Hogwarts. The battle represents not only a fight for survival but also a moral examination of sacrifice and bravery. Themes of friendship, loyalty, and the struggle between good and evil are prevalent throughout. Ultimately, the story explores profound questions about mortality, power, and the bonds that tie individuals together in the face of overwhelming darkness. The resolution of these conflicts is pivotal to the series, marking a turning point in Harry's journey and the broader fight against tyranny.
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of World Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 2007
Type of work: Novel
The Work
Following another deeply troubled year at Hogwarts, described in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, at the end of which Dumbledore is killed by the ever-deceptive Severus Snape, Harry begins the final volume of the series in hiding. When the spell that has kept him safe until his seventeenth birthday expires, he and his helpers are immediately attacked by Voldemort, suffering casualties.
Unable to return to Hogwarts, Harry is forced to go on the run with Ron and Hermione, hunting desperately for the “horcruxes” that contain fragments of Voldemort’s soul and thus maintain his invulnerability. The search for the horcruxes is complicated when Harry learns of the existence of another set of magical objects—the “deathly hallows”—which might also be vital to the settlement of the final battle. Voldemort is unable to give his complete attention to the quest to kill Harry because he is searching for one of the hallows: an undefeatable wand.
Uncertain as to whether to give priority to the remaining horcruxes or the hallows, Harry continues to evade death, albeit narrowly, until he is forced to return to Hogwarts in order to complete his search. The castle housing Hogwarts Academy then becomes the last fortress holding out against Voldemort’s rise to power, subject to intensive siege and violent bombardment.
The remnants of Dumbledore’s Army and the Order of the Phoenix mount a heroic defense of Hogwarts in the attempt to win Harry enough time to finish his quest, suffering heavy casualties in the process. The conflict reaches the limit of desperation when it becomes evident that Harry harbors one of the fragments of Voldemort’s soul in his own flesh. It appears that Harry cannot kill his enemy without sacrificing himself in the process, but that sacrifice might also make Voldemort invincible.
Review Sources
Entertainment Weekly, no. 948 (August 17, 2007): 30-34.
Horn Book Magazine 83, no. 5 (September/October, 2007): 551-553.
Kirkus Reviews 75, no. 16 (August 15, 2007): 810.
The New York Review of Books 54, no. 14 (September 27, 2007): 32-35.
The New York Times Book Review 156 (August 12, 2007): 1-11.
Newsweek 150, no. 5 (July 30, 2007): 60.
Publishers Weekly 254, no. 30 (July 30, 2007): 83.
Weekly Standard 12, no. 45 (August 13, 2007): 35-37.