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Ok, as I couldn't sleep, here's a more complete summary of events. First part has no spoilers, but there WILL be major spoilers later, under the cut.
I went to the midnight sale for this book, which has not happened before, but as siblings were flying back home in the morning, they obviously needed a copy of HBP to read on the airplane, so I bravely and generously volunteered to go get a copy for them, and while at it, one for me too. ;D So I got there circa nine-thirty, bought a small book for the waiting in line, and was out around twelve forty-five.
Came home and said to self, Self? The smart thing to do here is to leave the books in the bag, go to sleep, and read in the morning.
Self whined back, But I really really really want to read it! Pleeaase, just a little?
No, self, you know perfectly well 'just a little' will turn into 'the whole thing'!
Yes -- well -- it might not! And I really really want to read it!!
-----
So I read the whole thing. Finished @ eight fifteen, then out the door to take Dad and sibs to airport, where we waited at the curb for my brother to finish the last five pages of a library book he'd checked out on my card here, and then said goodbye and drove home. Had to work from eleven to seven-thirty, but only got, I dunno, twenty minutes sleep before then. Came home, slept twelve hours, went to work again, read internet reactions, exchanged opinions with sibs (who had finished with a couple hours to spare on the flight using the special New HP Book Technique of putting the book flat open between them and holding some pages straight up in the air so that both could read at their own pace) and now am finally getting around to posting my own reactions to the book.
BEYOND THIS POINT THERE BE SPOILERS
Okay, start with what I wasn't surprised by.
1. Snape was the HBP. I guessed it was either him or Dumbledore when JKR first released the title and that it wasn't Harry or Voldie, and nothing since really changed my mind (well, maybe that one theory that it had to be the love child of half-kneazle Crookshanks and half-snidget Pig ...) and I was fairly consistently leaning towards Snape, too, especially right before it came out. Moment of certainty? When the Potions book had 'Property of HBP' written in it.
2. Dumbledore died. I have been expecting either Dumbledore or Hagrid, possibly both, to die since GOF, and it was pretty obvious since Dumbledore had such a big role in the book that he was a goner. I did wonder if Hagrid would be the one at times, but by the time they set off after the Horcrux, I would have been really gobsmacked if Dumbledore lived to the end of the book.
3. Snape taught DADA. This one, though, wasn't my idea; thanks goes to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lizardlaugh's theory, which totally convinced me when I read it, though later I doubted it and figured in the car on the way to the bookstore that the odds weren't in favor of that happening, though it was a narrow margin and if it happened I would be only slightly, and quite pleasantly, surprised. But I did notice in the book when Dumbledore avoided mentioning what position his old friend would be teaching. :g:
4. Ron/Hermione and Harry/Ginny. C'mon, this was fairly obvious, though I am not particularly invested in either ship.
Okay, on to things I was surprised by.
1. I was honestly expecting the lion-man to be on Dumbledore's side and teaching at Hogwarts, while someone, well, familiar became Minister. Good going, JK.
2. The whole Horcrux plot. Well done, and I liked muchly.
3. The nature of Draco's mission. I don't quite know how I missed this, since I guessed right away that the poison Ron drank was meant for Dumbledore, but I was really shocked when Snape killed Dumbledore.
4. Remus/Tonks. Meh. Not the greatest moment of the book (though I did love Fleur in that last scene!)
Things that made me laugh:
1. Luna ROCKS! Both with the Auror plots and the Quidditch commentary, omg I was kinda meh about her in OotP but she's definitely a favorite of mine now!
2. Quidditch tryouts, when Harry has to chase Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws off the pitch -- I don't know why that struck me as so funny, but it did, possibly because the Hufflepuffs didn't even register at first and I had to go back several sentences and reread before I realized what the problem was. I love jokes that make me do that, although this one was possibly due to fatigue.
3.Neville and McGonagall discussing his schedule, and Gran's failing Charms! *cackles*
4. OMG the Bloody Baron's favorite pastime! I practically choked laughing at that one!
I'm sure there are more I'm forgetting, like Harry had that one-word deadpan answer that was just perfect but I can't recall what it was, oh and Filch *gleefully* Not Happy! but I seem to be going in fours so on to ...
Things I would have liked more of:
1. Neville. Specifically, Neville vastly improving when not hampered by his dad's old wand.
2. Watching Snape teach DADA
3. Snarky!McGonagall
4. Firenze, Remus, the old DA crew, and other assorteds. (Filch/Pince, omg *gigglefits*
But not really big complaints. My only real beef, I guess, is the mediocre romance everywhere. To me it was tolerable but not much more than that, and H/G in particular was depressingly similar to a large number of mediocre fanfics which I overdosed a bit on in the days of my fandom youth. But then, that's really my fault and not JKR's, isn't it.
OK, on to the good stuff: Predictions for the Next Book:
1. I guessed almost immediately that RAB was Regulus, but it took fandom to point out that Harry and co. will most likely have to return to 12 GP, where there was an unopenable locket mentioned in OotP.
2. Harry will decide not to be an Auror, but will at least visit Hogwarts if not enrolled, and Significant Things will happen there.
3. Snape: so not teh evo1. I just cannot, absolutely cannot, picture anything other than him having planned the whole thing through with Dumbledore. Very possibly this means I have become a Snape fangirl, am deep in denial, and ought to check myself into the nearest mental ward at the earliest opportunity, but dammit I think I am right. Although I probably ought to start working on believing that cover story, in case enjoyment of the seventh book hinges upon believing JKR when she told us that yes, he is teh evo1, because she was not counting on the legions of weird internet people who think Snape is the sexiest thing in literature.
I also think there will turn out to be more to him and Lily than meets the eye, ranging from them being Potions partners to romantic interests, although if JK pulls a Severitus' Challenge on us I may have to go spork my eyes out and drown myself in a lake. Also, Draco and Peter will redeem themselves and die; Snape will redeem his reputation and live, though will remain a hateful bastard.
4. There will be at least one unforeseen twist in the whole Horcrux issue. There's got to be. "Unknown relic of Gryffindoor or Ravenclaw," bah. I don't suppose the Sorting Hat has occurred to anyone else?
ETA: I almost forgot! The Trio at the end? *insert fangirly sqeeage here* OMG awesome!
I may post more as I think of it, perhaps upon my second reading, but that's it for now. *waves merrily and heads off to bed*
I went to the midnight sale for this book, which has not happened before, but as siblings were flying back home in the morning, they obviously needed a copy of HBP to read on the airplane, so I bravely and generously volunteered to go get a copy for them, and while at it, one for me too. ;D So I got there circa nine-thirty, bought a small book for the waiting in line, and was out around twelve forty-five.
Came home and said to self, Self? The smart thing to do here is to leave the books in the bag, go to sleep, and read in the morning.
Self whined back, But I really really really want to read it! Pleeaase, just a little?
No, self, you know perfectly well 'just a little' will turn into 'the whole thing'!
Yes -- well -- it might not! And I really really want to read it!!
-----
So I read the whole thing. Finished @ eight fifteen, then out the door to take Dad and sibs to airport, where we waited at the curb for my brother to finish the last five pages of a library book he'd checked out on my card here, and then said goodbye and drove home. Had to work from eleven to seven-thirty, but only got, I dunno, twenty minutes sleep before then. Came home, slept twelve hours, went to work again, read internet reactions, exchanged opinions with sibs (who had finished with a couple hours to spare on the flight using the special New HP Book Technique of putting the book flat open between them and holding some pages straight up in the air so that both could read at their own pace) and now am finally getting around to posting my own reactions to the book.
BEYOND THIS POINT THERE BE SPOILERS
Okay, start with what I wasn't surprised by.
1. Snape was the HBP. I guessed it was either him or Dumbledore when JKR first released the title and that it wasn't Harry or Voldie, and nothing since really changed my mind (well, maybe that one theory that it had to be the love child of half-kneazle Crookshanks and half-snidget Pig ...) and I was fairly consistently leaning towards Snape, too, especially right before it came out. Moment of certainty? When the Potions book had 'Property of HBP' written in it.
2. Dumbledore died. I have been expecting either Dumbledore or Hagrid, possibly both, to die since GOF, and it was pretty obvious since Dumbledore had such a big role in the book that he was a goner. I did wonder if Hagrid would be the one at times, but by the time they set off after the Horcrux, I would have been really gobsmacked if Dumbledore lived to the end of the book.
3. Snape taught DADA. This one, though, wasn't my idea; thanks goes to
lizardlaugh's theory, which totally convinced me when I read it, though later I doubted it and figured in the car on the way to the bookstore that the odds weren't in favor of that happening, though it was a narrow margin and if it happened I would be only slightly, and quite pleasantly, surprised. But I did notice in the book when Dumbledore avoided mentioning what position his old friend would be teaching. :g:4. Ron/Hermione and Harry/Ginny. C'mon, this was fairly obvious, though I am not particularly invested in either ship.
Okay, on to things I was surprised by.
1. I was honestly expecting the lion-man to be on Dumbledore's side and teaching at Hogwarts, while someone, well, familiar became Minister. Good going, JK.
2. The whole Horcrux plot. Well done, and I liked muchly.
3. The nature of Draco's mission. I don't quite know how I missed this, since I guessed right away that the poison Ron drank was meant for Dumbledore, but I was really shocked when Snape killed Dumbledore.
4. Remus/Tonks. Meh. Not the greatest moment of the book (though I did love Fleur in that last scene!)
Things that made me laugh:
1. Luna ROCKS! Both with the Auror plots and the Quidditch commentary, omg I was kinda meh about her in OotP but she's definitely a favorite of mine now!
2. Quidditch tryouts, when Harry has to chase Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws off the pitch -- I don't know why that struck me as so funny, but it did, possibly because the Hufflepuffs didn't even register at first and I had to go back several sentences and reread before I realized what the problem was. I love jokes that make me do that, although this one was possibly due to fatigue.
3.Neville and McGonagall discussing his schedule, and Gran's failing Charms! *cackles*
4. OMG the Bloody Baron's favorite pastime! I practically choked laughing at that one!
I'm sure there are more I'm forgetting, like Harry had that one-word deadpan answer that was just perfect but I can't recall what it was, oh and Filch *gleefully* Not Happy! but I seem to be going in fours so on to ...
Things I would have liked more of:
1. Neville. Specifically, Neville vastly improving when not hampered by his dad's old wand.
2. Watching Snape teach DADA
3. Snarky!McGonagall
4. Firenze, Remus, the old DA crew, and other assorteds. (Filch/Pince, omg *gigglefits*
But not really big complaints. My only real beef, I guess, is the mediocre romance everywhere. To me it was tolerable but not much more than that, and H/G in particular was depressingly similar to a large number of mediocre fanfics which I overdosed a bit on in the days of my fandom youth. But then, that's really my fault and not JKR's, isn't it.
OK, on to the good stuff: Predictions for the Next Book:
1. I guessed almost immediately that RAB was Regulus, but it took fandom to point out that Harry and co. will most likely have to return to 12 GP, where there was an unopenable locket mentioned in OotP.
2. Harry will decide not to be an Auror, but will at least visit Hogwarts if not enrolled, and Significant Things will happen there.
3. Snape: so not teh evo1. I just cannot, absolutely cannot, picture anything other than him having planned the whole thing through with Dumbledore. Very possibly this means I have become a Snape fangirl, am deep in denial, and ought to check myself into the nearest mental ward at the earliest opportunity, but dammit I think I am right. Although I probably ought to start working on believing that cover story, in case enjoyment of the seventh book hinges upon believing JKR when she told us that yes, he is teh evo1, because she was not counting on the legions of weird internet people who think Snape is the sexiest thing in literature.
I also think there will turn out to be more to him and Lily than meets the eye, ranging from them being Potions partners to romantic interests, although if JK pulls a Severitus' Challenge on us I may have to go spork my eyes out and drown myself in a lake. Also, Draco and Peter will redeem themselves and die; Snape will redeem his reputation and live, though will remain a hateful bastard.
4. There will be at least one unforeseen twist in the whole Horcrux issue. There's got to be. "Unknown relic of Gryffindoor or Ravenclaw," bah. I don't suppose the Sorting Hat has occurred to anyone else?
ETA: I almost forgot! The Trio at the end? *insert fangirly sqeeage here* OMG awesome!
I may post more as I think of it, perhaps upon my second reading, but that's it for now. *waves merrily and heads off to bed*