Butterbeers All Around!

And an especially cool, tall, frothy one for J.K. Rowling, who has brought such beauty into the world with the marvelous Harry Potter books.

I finished Deathly Hallows at 2 am on Sunday. Since then, I've been spending all the time I can re-reading favorite scenes, starting the read-aloud with my dear husband, thinking, writing, and finally beginning to check in at some favorite sites. I also posted my review of the book (written for a fairly general audience and without any real spoilers) over at Epinions.

That the series is over is still hard to believe, except that this book really felt like and ending. Well, an ending and a beginning. Although there were a few places where I found myself wishing the story didn't have to be so rushed, overall I am amazed at what Rowling delivered here. The themes that I think of as the "golden snitch" of these stories were all powerfully present: the reality of sin, evil, death, but the fact that they never have the final word; self-sacrifice; mercy; reliance on grace; the need for community; the power of love; the reality and importance of the soul, and so much more. All there, all working on so many levels. And just a powerful, cathartic ending!