Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.

The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.

A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham

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Begin at the Beginning

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Hardcover Paperback

Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him. * When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists. * Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards. * Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius. * Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother. * The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'. * Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children. * The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them. * Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it. * Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge. * Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming. * Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone. * Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager. * Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape. * Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* The introduction of the Horcrux. * Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur's answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles. * Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling's most ingenious inventions. * Fred and George Weasley's Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!" * Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator. * The effects of Felix Felicis.

Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Did You Know?

The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child.

Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author.

Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer.

A Few Words from Mary GrandPré

"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Reallllllllllyyy gooooooood
Comment: Before the seventh and final Harry Potter book came out I reread the 5 and 6 books so I would be more familiar with the facts.The cliffhanger at the end of the 6 book is huge there are hundreds of questions one could ask himself,is Dumbledore dead,is snape good,will Harry kill Voldemort,and there are countless others.The seventh book was really awesome It came out Friday night I read it sunday night.The plots and escapes are good and the book once you read it you feel as if it could be true,the everbody talks it amost sounds as if J.K. Rowling just copied down a story that really happened.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A thrilling & satisfying end
Comment: I watched the movies (1-4) before I read any of the books, but one day I saw the first book in my mother's office and I started to read it half-heartedly. I couldn't put it down. I then ordered the paperback set (Books 1-6) and read them all in a couple of months, while working 60+ hours a week. Sometimes I neglected to sleep. I ordered the last book the day I started reading book 6. I finished book six the day before book 7 came in the mail and I was chomping at the bit. I read it (all 700+ pages) in less than 48 hours. I cried and laughed and was horrified and overjoyed. The entire series is amazing and I recommend it to adults and children alike. I think some aspects are a little too scary for younger children.

My only complaint is that I would have liked a more detailed epilogue. You do get a glimpse at the end of the future of some of the remaining characters, but I would have liked a bit more detail and a bit more description as to how they got there and what happened to everyone else. I may have just had a hard time letting the characters go. As with any good fiction, you come to love and care for the characters and become emotionally invested in their journey so much that it almost becomes your own. I wasn't ready for it to end.

A wonderful enthralling read and a mostly satisfying end to a fantastic series. I would recommend it to anyone!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Fantastic read.
Comment: The seventh book in the Harry Potter series does not disappoint. Harry's adventures in the Deathly Hallows allow the reader to experience Harry's coming of age in a powerful and profound way. Many of the themes that have been laced throughout the first six books are drawn forth in this final installment and readers find themselves feeling more in this book than they had in the previous six.
In the Deathly Hallows, Harry takes on many characteristics of a completely grown man. Because Rowling had done such an excellent job of allowing the readers to follow Harry's maturation, this installment's coverage of Harry's character is impressive. He has really become a man who others can look up to. For a young reader Harry is a fantastic role model. His willingness to put others first speaks volumes about the kind of person he is. Without giving the end of the story away (though I am certain others may have done so) Harry goes to great lengths to ensure that others will be fine whether he is present or not.
Of course, Harry's partners in crime add just as much to this seventh installment as they had the previous six. The familial relationship created between Ron, Hermione, and Harry is a really great thing for the reader to be a part of. Most readers are able to relate to the type of friendship they have and as they read the text are able to put themselves in these young peoples' shoes. Would you give up an easier existence in order to be with your friends? It is certainly a testament to the quality of the characters in Rowling's text.
As usual, the reading level of the text and the depth of thought required to fully digest it has increased as Harry and the others have aged. For the middle and elementary school reader, many of the themes might begin to be over their heads. However, the general storyline and character development is still such that a young reader could find a great deal of enjoyment in this text. Though this seventh book is perhaps the darkest of the series, it is still a manageable read that interested readers will devour.
I would recommend this series, and this book in particular, to anyone I know with a love for fiction. It is difficult to remove oneself from the drama that consumes Harry and his friends and return to life in the real world. Once you pick up the book it will be difficult to focus upon anything else until you have completed the series and discovered the fate of Harry and his friends. For those of us who appreciate a tying up of loose ends, Rowling does not fail. You can close the book and rest well knowing the fate of all your most beloved characters.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Book Seven is Doomsday for Voldemort
Comment: J.K. Rowling once again pulls the reader into the world of Hogwarts, but this time Harry, Ron and Hermoine are on the run. Rowling did a wonderful job capturing the paranoia and fear of Voldemort that was parallel to the Nazi take over in 1940s Germany. Harry and his trusty posse do not know who to trust and their world seems to spin out of control in front of their very eyes. Beautifully crafted so all loose ends are tied, but a sadness is left as the characters move on as the story comes to a close. The book is hard to put down from Chapter One.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter - 7
Comment: I have not yet tackled this book but I'm sure it is as exciting as the previous ones.

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