[supercat]

Only read up to p. 330 so far, but there seems to be a bit of a Second-Amendment undertone (or, to put it another way, the book seems to be modeled on what happens when a government like Her Majesty's throws the right to bear arms for self-defense out the window). Does that undertone hold through the rest of the book?

[padfoot_lover]

I just finished it this morning. Couldn't put it down. I think portraying Harry as an angry teenager was perfect; look at all he has been through and he felt so helpless not knowing what was going on. Professor Umbridge was truly a despicable villian. I loved the fact that Harry prepared the students for their upcoming battle with defense against the dark arts classes, and the whole battle against the Voldemort and Death Eaters. Am glad Harry did not end up with Cho, and was not as upset about Sirius dying as I would have been if it would have been Dumbledore, one of the Weasleys, Hermione, etc.

I think by the seventh book, Harry will be an Auror apprentice and will kill Voldemort; Harry and Ginny Weasley will be dating; and Ron will be head boy and captain of the Quidditch team and engaged to Hermione. (Hey, I'm a woman, I like a little romance in a book.)

[HairOfTheDog]

Ping

[JenB]

Well, Harry has never been my favorite character but I liked some of the responsibilities he tried to shoulder, particularly the DA. He was, however, incurably stupid.

I'm extremely depressed over Sirius' death. Sirius was the coolest, best-drawn character in the series, and all the stuff we learned about him - coming from a dark pureblood family, running away to live with the Potters, even that he and James really were arrogant gits some of the time - just made him more so. I felt his death was very wrong. It just didn't fit.

Other than that... can you say Neville Longbottom! That kid amazed me. His poor parents, though. Dumbledore is clearly manipulating matters for his own reasons. I'd really like to know what the Order was up to all year, and where Dumbledore went. Oh, and anyone else think Remus took Sirius' death remarkably well? I don't think I'd have been so calm if my last, best friend in the world died.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Loved it. May even read it again.