[alwaysconservative]

I agree with your comments. And I found the HP books MORE enjoyable than the LOTR, since (IMHO) Tolkein couldn’t write a sympathetic female character no matter how hard he tried. They also don’t have the cutesy, “look at how clever I am” asides that you find in the Narnia books.

Look at how beautifully JKR created likeable and/or interesting women: her Hermoine, Luna, Mrs. Weasley, Winky, Ginny, Minerva M, Fleur, and Sybill Trelawney are each distinctive and, in their own ways, likeable. And her secondary male characters, like the twins, Neville, Draco, etc., all touch something within each of us as well.

Was anyone else hoping that Neville’s parents were released from their maladies upon the death of Bellatrix, as Harry was released from the paralyzing charm when DD died?

[null and void]

Was anyone else hoping that Neville’s parents were released from their maladies upon the death of Bellatrix, as Harry was released from the paralyzing charm when DD died?

Me.

I was also hoping that Hermione would develop a potion to cure werewolfs. (Obviously you need the hair of the dog that bit you)...

[Maigrey]

I would have enjoyed seeing that chapter in the Potter Extraverse: Seeing Gran Longbottom, along with Neville, walking into St. Mungos along with The Gryffindor Sword, and seeing his parents healed. Tho, that might have been too much, and not enough hankies to do it right. They might not have been healed, but they could have had a moment of lucidity to know that Neville had avenged them in their sacrifice.

[grellis]

Funny thing is, and I haven't read LOTR in a while, I can't think of any female characters apart from Galadriel and Eowyn. Galadriel is only sympathetic if you've read The Silmarillion, and although I'm glad that Faramir was rewarded with a loved one (I adored Faramir, by far my favorite character) it didn't feel like a fitting end for Eowyn. She kind of went from being Joan of Arc to the Duchess of York.