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The Deathly Hallows Lectures: The Hogwarts Professor Explains Harry's Final Adventure
The fastest-selling book in publication history, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS was a critical success and is loved by fans around the world. In THE DEATHLY HALLOWS LECTURES, John Granger reveals the Potter finale's brilliant details, themes and meanings. Even the most ardent of Harry Potter fans will be surprised by and delighted with the Hogwarts Professor's explanations of the three dimensions of meaning in DEATHLY HALLOWS to include why Ms. Rowling chose to make Lily's eyes green, why Harry buried Moody's eye where and when he did, and why Ollivander prefers the three wand cores he does. Ms. Rowling has said that alchemy sets the "parameters of magic" in the series; after reading the chapter-length explanation of DEATHLY HALLOWS as the final stage of the alchemical Great Work in THE DEATHLY HALLOWS LECTURES, the serious reader will understand how important literary alchemy is in understanding Rowling's artistry and accomplishment. The other seven chapters explore, among other things, the five writing tricks Ms. Rowling uses to work her story magic, the deciphering of the "Triangular Eye" symbol for the three Hallows, Harry's "struggle to believe" in Albus Dumbledore, why Ms. Rowling revealed that she "always thought" of the Headmaster as gay, and the more than 25 echoes of her first book, PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, in DEATHLY HALLOWS. Did you wonder why Fred died in the end? Why Harry went underground seven times in Deathly Hallows? Granger explains how Ms. Rowling's story formula required these twists - - - as well as two trips to King's Cross and two meetings with Albus Dumbledore at story's end. John Granger, the Hogwarts Professor, has spoken about the meaning and magic of Harry Potter at major universities from coast to coast and as a Keynote Speaker at fan conventions in the United States and Canada. Enjoy these lectures to learn the ins and outs and fascinating depths of DEATHLY HALLOWS - - - information unavailable anywhere else!
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
January 26, 2011
If reading through the Harry Potter series didn't alert you to the genius that is J.K. Rowling, this book will certainly set off the alarms. If you already knew the books were brilliant, this book will open your eyes further and tell you how much genius you missed. It's evident after reading the Harry Potter series that Ms. Rowling had her stories planned from the beginning, throwing in tantalizing hints about future story lines and bringing everything to a close by the end of the Deathly Hallows. However, after reading this book, I learned that I hadn't even scratched the surface of how much detail, hinting and planning are in the Harry Potter series. Now, like many other scholars, Mr. Granger may have found patterns that Ms. Rowling wasn't even aware of herself, but his analysis of the series is phenomenal. Whether you read this book as a scholar or simply as a Harry Potter fanatic, you will be amazed at the secrets you missed and will find yourself ready to re-read the entire series with renewed enthusiasm.
December 4, 2009
For serious readers of Harry Potter. Granger is an excellent writer and critic, and does a close reading of the Deathly Hallows. The book pays attention to detail, but wanders into very esoteric areas in the last three chapters and it seems Granger may be trying to claim more territory than is possible to do. He ventures into detailed discussions of Coleridgian "natural theology," the inner-self/logos, and a highly technical discussion of the Eastern Orthodox view of images/iconographic symbolism. That said, many of the points in these esoteric back chapters still made solid observations about the books themselves, once you have plowed your way through the technical discussions of lit theory, the four traditional layers of meaning, etc. Still a very good book, and fascinating reading regardless of how much you agree with his conclusions.
May 19, 2009
Excellent literary analysis of The Deathly Hallows. Some parts are more readable than others, but Granger's analysis is spot on. He does a great job covering all three layers of meaning in this book -- the surface level, the moral/edifying level, and the alchemical/metaphysical level.
Some of his thoughts on the seeing eye/I struck me as seemingly pantheistic, e.g., the unicity of all things or seeing beneath the surface of things to behold the Logos/Christ there. But on further reflection, it does make some sense given the Scripture that God is the one in whom we live and move and have our being. This part was harder to follow, and I would have liked to have some more exposition of how this way of thinking fits in with the Scriptures.
For an eye opening analysis of the whole Harry Potter series, I recommend Granger's _How Harry Cast His Spell_.
Some of his thoughts on the seeing eye/I struck me as seemingly pantheistic, e.g., the unicity of all things or seeing beneath the surface of things to behold the Logos/Christ there. But on further reflection, it does make some sense given the Scripture that God is the one in whom we live and move and have our being. This part was harder to follow, and I would have liked to have some more exposition of how this way of thinking fits in with the Scriptures.
For an eye opening analysis of the whole Harry Potter series, I recommend Granger's _How Harry Cast His Spell_.
September 2, 2014
As most other reviewers have noted, this book suffers from being slapped together and badly needs a revised edition with serious editing. That being said, it does bring together most of Granger's deep insights into JKR's literary methods and intentions. It's well worth reading, especially if you haven't read Granger's earlier 5 Keys book.
The only really disappointing lecture for me is Chapter 6: "I always thought Dumbledore was gay". While Granger's basic thesis is correct that authorial additions aren't necessarily canonical, he goes out of his way to present a (hopefully unconscious)picture of what "gay" means that is offensive and wildly out of date. He seems a bit desperate to distance JKR from any association with gay rights in order to preserve some form of "traditional" Christian attitude toward sexual orientation. As a gay man, I got that Dumbledore was probably homosexual long before JKR announced it. It's obvious in many ways that Dumbledore was one of those "perpetual bachelors" common to his generation and that his friednship with Grindelwald was, at least on Dumbledore's side, homoerotic.
JKR's Christianity seems well advanced over the type that cherry picks verses to clobber opponents and she certainly rejects any traditions that justify oppression in the name of religion. Why Granger can celebrate that in all other areas than the inclusion of one gay character (and a flawed one at that) says more about him than about JKR or Harry Potter.
The only really disappointing lecture for me is Chapter 6: "I always thought Dumbledore was gay". While Granger's basic thesis is correct that authorial additions aren't necessarily canonical, he goes out of his way to present a (hopefully unconscious)picture of what "gay" means that is offensive and wildly out of date. He seems a bit desperate to distance JKR from any association with gay rights in order to preserve some form of "traditional" Christian attitude toward sexual orientation. As a gay man, I got that Dumbledore was probably homosexual long before JKR announced it. It's obvious in many ways that Dumbledore was one of those "perpetual bachelors" common to his generation and that his friednship with Grindelwald was, at least on Dumbledore's side, homoerotic.
JKR's Christianity seems well advanced over the type that cherry picks verses to clobber opponents and she certainly rejects any traditions that justify oppression in the name of religion. Why Granger can celebrate that in all other areas than the inclusion of one gay character (and a flawed one at that) says more about him than about JKR or Harry Potter.
August 3, 2011
This provided some good insight into the final book in the Harry Potter series. I learned why JK wrote the way she did, along with more specific things like why Harry and Lily's eyes are green (why Harry has his mother's eyes). In order to find these things out, however, you really need to plow through a ton of information. I felt like I was reading a text book, but the book was filled with terms I didn't quite understand. So, I had to skim most of it and get the gist of what the writer was saying. I ended up not finishing it, because I think the things I learned weren't really worth shoveling through all the other crap. You really need to know your literary terms and all about alchemy (which I knew nothing about before reading this) if you want to tackle this one.
dnf
August 28, 2021I read the first chapter and the FAQs (at the end) but decided not to read the rest of the book. The chapter that I did read is a combination of literary analysis and Christian apologia.
August 9, 2011
I want to start by saying that this book needs a really good edit - get someone on that John!
What started out as an amazingly wonderful look at the pure genius that is JK and her writings seemed to turn more into a "grasping at straws" book in some of the chapters. The first three chapters and the fifth, I found to be super interesting and they left me wondering whether JK is even more of a literary god than I ever thought possible or whether it all just happened to fit. I now really wonder how much of what John Granger pointed out did JK mean to do.
The fourth chapter specifically was the low point in this book. I disagree with everything he said, and it was around this point that it started to become quite academic and a little hard to sift through being a layperson in the world of symbolism and anagogical interpretation.
Overall, if you're a huge Harry fan, I'd recommend it however, please try to remember to take some of this information with a grain of salt.
PS. The author photo of John Granger on the back cover is quite delightful...it makes me giggle everytime I look at it.
What started out as an amazingly wonderful look at the pure genius that is JK and her writings seemed to turn more into a "grasping at straws" book in some of the chapters. The first three chapters and the fifth, I found to be super interesting and they left me wondering whether JK is even more of a literary god than I ever thought possible or whether it all just happened to fit. I now really wonder how much of what John Granger pointed out did JK mean to do.
The fourth chapter specifically was the low point in this book. I disagree with everything he said, and it was around this point that it started to become quite academic and a little hard to sift through being a layperson in the world of symbolism and anagogical interpretation.
Overall, if you're a huge Harry fan, I'd recommend it however, please try to remember to take some of this information with a grain of salt.
PS. The author photo of John Granger on the back cover is quite delightful...it makes me giggle everytime I look at it.
Read
May 28, 2016We read excerpts from this for my Children's Literature class, and I loved them so much that I went on to buy the book. Mr. Granger's style is very engaging. His analysis is far-reaching but interesting.
February 16, 2013
Fantastic. simply wow
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2017
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Harry Potter!!!
Age Recommended: Everyone!
Think you know Harry Potter? Think again.
This book focuses on the last book of the Harry Potter installment, The Deathly Hallows. Divided into 7 chapters, each chapter aims to help you dig deeper into a section of the Harry Potter finale, with discussions on topics such as Alchemy in Harry Potter, Christianity in The Deathly Hallows, and even whether or not J.K.Rowling is one of the greatest authors in history (there are more reasons supporting this than one would think).
The sheer depth of this novel is sure to astound you and leave you wanting more. And fear not, for John Granger has written 5 more books on the Harry Potter series and one on the Twilight Saga as well.
--
My favorite chapter- Chapter two: The Alchemical End Game.
This chapter shows how the Deathly Hallows, where events come to a close and Harry Potter reaches a deeper understanding of himself, is the literary rubedo of the Harry Potter series. (Confused? Please read on…)
The book has three distinct alchemical parts: the nigredo, the albedo, and the rubedo (The black, white, and red stages). These stages typically show the transformation of a character through dark times (nigredo), to a renewal or purification (albedo), and ultimately a stage where all contraries are resolved through strife or bloodshed (rubedo).
All three stages are present in The Deathly Hallows, but as a whole, the Deathly Hallows is the rubedo of the series for three key reasons:
In the Battle of Hogwarts we see the resolution of conflict by combat.
This is by no means a bloodless war, because more than 50 witches and wizards die to help Harry succeed.
Harry beats Voldemort but chooses to renounce the Hallows afterward, showing a deeper understanding of the world.
You’ll have to read the book to find out the rest of the reasons and so much more!
—
Genre: Harry Potter!!!
Age Recommended: Everyone!
Think you know Harry Potter? Think again.
This book focuses on the last book of the Harry Potter installment, The Deathly Hallows. Divided into 7 chapters, each chapter aims to help you dig deeper into a section of the Harry Potter finale, with discussions on topics such as Alchemy in Harry Potter, Christianity in The Deathly Hallows, and even whether or not J.K.Rowling is one of the greatest authors in history (there are more reasons supporting this than one would think).
The sheer depth of this novel is sure to astound you and leave you wanting more. And fear not, for John Granger has written 5 more books on the Harry Potter series and one on the Twilight Saga as well.
--
My favorite chapter- Chapter two: The Alchemical End Game.
This chapter shows how the Deathly Hallows, where events come to a close and Harry Potter reaches a deeper understanding of himself, is the literary rubedo of the Harry Potter series. (Confused? Please read on…)
The book has three distinct alchemical parts: the nigredo, the albedo, and the rubedo (The black, white, and red stages). These stages typically show the transformation of a character through dark times (nigredo), to a renewal or purification (albedo), and ultimately a stage where all contraries are resolved through strife or bloodshed (rubedo).
All three stages are present in The Deathly Hallows, but as a whole, the Deathly Hallows is the rubedo of the series for three key reasons:
In the Battle of Hogwarts we see the resolution of conflict by combat.
This is by no means a bloodless war, because more than 50 witches and wizards die to help Harry succeed.
Harry beats Voldemort but chooses to renounce the Hallows afterward, showing a deeper understanding of the world.
You’ll have to read the book to find out the rest of the reasons and so much more!
—
November 24, 2020
Just like every other collection of essays this one has its hits and misses. John Granger is the self-proclaimed "Potter Professor" and has collected his lectures and essays about the final book in this bind up. The issue being these weren't originally intended to be seen back to back and read so they often come across as redundant with the same point being explained over and over again in different essays.
I have read John Granger's other works, about one or two outside of this collection, and my biggest critique is how long-winded he is. He definitely brings up some intriguing points like the Dante references in the Snape/Lily story but I don't need every small detailed hashed out of the metaphor...like, an overview is enough thank you. But he does this with almost every point he makes and again, when the essays were originally for different lectures he gave his points on alchemy and how the basic principles apply not only to the series as a whole but the final book would be fascinating …but when they're a point in multiple essays it got frustrating.
Overall, I think it has some really neat points. Granger has researched this and many a topic quite thoroughly and gives very textbook analysis of scenes. His Christian background does make itself prominent in a few of his essays...again, this didn't bother me because the Christian allegory has been made from multiple historians for Harry Potter, but I felt like he just kept nailing that point to an unnecessary extent. Ron as John the Baptist was a unique perspective for sure but it was glossed over for an over explanation of the more obvious Harry as the Christ-figure dying and being reborn.
Recommended to skim or to read one or two and come back to the rest later.
I have read John Granger's other works, about one or two outside of this collection, and my biggest critique is how long-winded he is. He definitely brings up some intriguing points like the Dante references in the Snape/Lily story but I don't need every small detailed hashed out of the metaphor...like, an overview is enough thank you. But he does this with almost every point he makes and again, when the essays were originally for different lectures he gave his points on alchemy and how the basic principles apply not only to the series as a whole but the final book would be fascinating …but when they're a point in multiple essays it got frustrating.
Overall, I think it has some really neat points. Granger has researched this and many a topic quite thoroughly and gives very textbook analysis of scenes. His Christian background does make itself prominent in a few of his essays...again, this didn't bother me because the Christian allegory has been made from multiple historians for Harry Potter, but I felt like he just kept nailing that point to an unnecessary extent. Ron as John the Baptist was a unique perspective for sure but it was glossed over for an over explanation of the more obvious Harry as the Christ-figure dying and being reborn.
Recommended to skim or to read one or two and come back to the rest later.
August 2, 2025
Granger overstates his case at times; however, he still makes a compelling argument that Rowling ought to be included among the great authors of the western literary tradition.
“…the magic of staged drama as essentially alchemical. If we . . . are all watching what’s going on up on the stage and everything is working the way it’s supposed to, the subject-object distinction dissolves, inasmuch as we identify with the characters and their agonies. As they go through their changes, like the metals in a crucible, we identify with them and pass through the same cathartic moment. . . . The alchemy of storytelling is about the blurring of the distinction between the subject who is reading and the object hero being read about, if not identification of reader and hero, and how the transformation of the story character affects and transforms the other.”
~ John Granger, The Deathly Hallows Lectures, Chapter 1.
“…the magic of staged drama as essentially alchemical. If we . . . are all watching what’s going on up on the stage and everything is working the way it’s supposed to, the subject-object distinction dissolves, inasmuch as we identify with the characters and their agonies. As they go through their changes, like the metals in a crucible, we identify with them and pass through the same cathartic moment. . . . The alchemy of storytelling is about the blurring of the distinction between the subject who is reading and the object hero being read about, if not identification of reader and hero, and how the transformation of the story character affects and transforms the other.”
~ John Granger, The Deathly Hallows Lectures, Chapter 1.
April 24, 2019
My first reaction "THANK GOODNESS THAT IS OVER!"
I hated this book so much. Too long and repetitive, for one. Secondly, Granger tries to pull the most obscure things and make them "symbolic". Sometimes I honestly wonder how I was an English major because I like to read books for their story, not their deep underlying meaning. So I did not appreciate the way Granger picks a part my favorite book series and tries to push forth an "agenda" that Rowling may or may not have actually intended. *CUE GIANT EYEROLL*
I hated this book so much. Too long and repetitive, for one. Secondly, Granger tries to pull the most obscure things and make them "symbolic". Sometimes I honestly wonder how I was an English major because I like to read books for their story, not their deep underlying meaning. So I did not appreciate the way Granger picks a part my favorite book series and tries to push forth an "agenda" that Rowling may or may not have actually intended. *CUE GIANT EYEROLL*
February 2, 2021
This was the first analytical book on Harry Potter I've read, and I enjoyed it. The sections on the alchemical symbolism and the storytelling "keys" were super interesting to me.
I found the rest to be rather repetitive, and kindof harping on the Christian undertones/symbolism in DH. Fair points made, but it got old after the third or fourth time reading the same points.
All in all, I would recommend this to people who are interested in a close analytical read of Harry Potter 7-- especially if you only read one or two chapters that sound interesting to you.
I found the rest to be rather repetitive, and kindof harping on the Christian undertones/symbolism in DH. Fair points made, but it got old after the third or fourth time reading the same points.
All in all, I would recommend this to people who are interested in a close analytical read of Harry Potter 7-- especially if you only read one or two chapters that sound interesting to you.
October 23, 2021
I had a very hard time getting into this book. I've read the first 200 pages at least three times, and can't seem to get past Granger's heavy language. Maybe I'll try again when I'm not exhausted from having small children and no sleep.
August 23, 2017
Pretty deep, I think I like just reading the stories better.
November 30, 2017
The theology sections are fascinating, although the alchemy analysis quickly loses its luster after abfew chapters. Worth the read, though you can skim the FAQ at the end.
May 31, 2018
really a wonderful book to read.
December 13, 2023
Chapter 3, "Choosing to Believe", is for anyone out there who still thinks Harry Potter is Satanic instead of full of Christian symbolism and meaning.
June 3, 2025
Granger brings up some good insights, which is worth some of the parts where he overreaches.
June 16, 2015
This is a dense read and is definitely not for your casual reader. It is an in depth literary analysis that made me feel like I was back in my college class on aesthetics and interpretation. If you ever need a resource for some snooty type who just dismisses Harry Potter as a surface level children's tale, however good or popular of one, point them to this book and other's by John Granger. If you personally are looking for an easier to read literary-lensed analysis of Harry Potter, I would suggest Harry Potter's Bookshelf by this very same author.
Cons - Being published only a year after the Deathly Hallows, I think this must have been rushed to publication. The cover and back cover designs just scream cheap and their are a noticeable amount of types/spacing errors within the text. Also, many of the chapters are adaptations of actual lectures and that sometimes shows. Also-also, chock full of big, unfamiliar literary criticism vocab that can be alienating.
Pros - It pointed out a lot of symbols, parallels, and nuances of the text that I had missed and has gotten me re-excited for a reread of the Harry Potter series, realizing that there is more to be mined from not just another reading, but a close reading. The FAQ section in the back is really great. Really illuminating and great to see someone who takes the text of the Harry Potter books, not just the Pottermania, seriously. Despite any cons and the dense text, I read to the very end.
Cons - Being published only a year after the Deathly Hallows, I think this must have been rushed to publication. The cover and back cover designs just scream cheap and their are a noticeable amount of types/spacing errors within the text. Also, many of the chapters are adaptations of actual lectures and that sometimes shows. Also-also, chock full of big, unfamiliar literary criticism vocab that can be alienating.
Pros - It pointed out a lot of symbols, parallels, and nuances of the text that I had missed and has gotten me re-excited for a reread of the Harry Potter series, realizing that there is more to be mined from not just another reading, but a close reading. The FAQ section in the back is really great. Really illuminating and great to see someone who takes the text of the Harry Potter books, not just the Pottermania, seriously. Despite any cons and the dense text, I read to the very end.
December 29, 2018
Interesting exploration of religious themes in Harry Potter series. Disagreed that the author intentionally made all the religious allusions as described. However, an intellectual study of a beloved series.
December 1, 2010
The Deathly Hallows Lectures by John Granger
Zossima, 2008
276 pages
Non-fiction; Harry Potter
2/5 stars
Source: Library
Summary: An examination of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to look at its multiple layers and meanings and argue for the greater significance of these children's books.
Thoughts: I had read some other Granger books and while there were some boring sections, I thought it would be worth it to read some more. I was wrong-I was so bored and I struggled to finish it (I'm not sure why I didn't just give up). I liked the parts where he actually talks about Harry but not the long discussions about alchemical literature and I did not enjoy the exhortations to buy his other books.
The part I liked the most was the FAQ at the end. It was shorter and focused more on the books instead of the possible influences.
Overall: Boring; not recommended.
Cover: Combines Harry with lecturing in a cute way.
Zossima, 2008
276 pages
Non-fiction; Harry Potter
2/5 stars
Source: Library
Summary: An examination of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to look at its multiple layers and meanings and argue for the greater significance of these children's books.
Thoughts: I had read some other Granger books and while there were some boring sections, I thought it would be worth it to read some more. I was wrong-I was so bored and I struggled to finish it (I'm not sure why I didn't just give up). I liked the parts where he actually talks about Harry but not the long discussions about alchemical literature and I did not enjoy the exhortations to buy his other books.
The part I liked the most was the FAQ at the end. It was shorter and focused more on the books instead of the possible influences.
Overall: Boring; not recommended.
Cover: Combines Harry with lecturing in a cute way.
January 19, 2019
Review - I actually found this quite hard going, especially at first. I preferred the likes of The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy: Hogwarts for Muggles, which was much easier to read and I found it more enjoyable. Perhaps I didn't like this one so much because it spent a lot of time linking everything to god and religion, and I have to admit I don't really believe in god or have a religion so to speak, and I'm not particularly interested in it. I like to know about the symbolism and the possibility of what is behind Rowling's fantastic novels, but linking everything back to religion seems too much to me, though there are some interesting points made.
General Subject/s? - Literature / Harry Potter / Religion / Magic
Recommend? – Maybe
Rating - 15/20
General Subject/s? - Literature / Harry Potter / Religion / Magic
Recommend? – Maybe
Rating - 15/20
September 25, 2023
"Rereading a book isn’t the sign of a fanatic or someone who just can’t get it the first time; it’s the hallmark of a serious reader."
I love the idea behind this book (as a huge Harry Potter fan, how could I not?), but I feel like their was something off with the flow of the chapters. The chapters didn't mesh well sliding into one another, which made the read very choppy and hard to keep up with. Chapters fluctuate between being so incredibly interesting that I don't want to stop reading for even a second, and then it would suddenly be textbook-boring: so dull and boring I had to force myself to read it (which is something I'm unaccustomed to concerning Harry Potter).
The material and information is all there for this book to be fantastic, it just needs to be cleaned up a bit and made more concise.
I love the idea behind this book (as a huge Harry Potter fan, how could I not?), but I feel like their was something off with the flow of the chapters. The chapters didn't mesh well sliding into one another, which made the read very choppy and hard to keep up with. Chapters fluctuate between being so incredibly interesting that I don't want to stop reading for even a second, and then it would suddenly be textbook-boring: so dull and boring I had to force myself to read it (which is something I'm unaccustomed to concerning Harry Potter).
The material and information is all there for this book to be fantastic, it just needs to be cleaned up a bit and made more concise.
July 29, 2011
A little unfortunate that it was thrown together so hastily (I try not to complain about this, but the editing is really terrible), but the content is great. John Granger is awesome! I plan to read his other ones about the Harry Potter books as well.
His basic point is the evaluate Deathly Hallows and all the books seriously, as they should be. He shows convincingly the various literary/religious/philosophical backgrounds upon which she draws to writer her books. Seeing the books in this light is extremely interesting and helps to see the amazing depth that Rowling put into her books.
I would recommend this author to anyone, but this particular book needs to be re-edited and then put out again.
His basic point is the evaluate Deathly Hallows and all the books seriously, as they should be. He shows convincingly the various literary/religious/philosophical backgrounds upon which she draws to writer her books. Seeing the books in this light is extremely interesting and helps to see the amazing depth that Rowling put into her books.
I would recommend this author to anyone, but this particular book needs to be re-edited and then put out again.
August 10, 2011
This was the second book I picked up by John Granger, the self-titled Hogwarts Professor. In anticipation of the final movie coming to theaters, I thought this would be a good choice, but I was not left with that same joy I felt after reading "Harry Potter's Bookshelf." That book felt more like a treasure hunt, while this was dense and repetitive especially as it related to the alchemical interpretation of the novel. While Granger is clearly a smart man and careful reader, I did not feel this book was well planned and would recommend one of his earlier books to anyone looking to crawl around inside J.K. Rowling's brain for a while.
August 30, 2011
John Granger unlocks some of the more hidden, deeper meanings in The Deathly Hallows as well as the whole popular Harry Potter series. Reading this book gave me a greater awareness of J.K. Rowling's remarkable achievement in writing these books. The arguments he makes for his theories about these books are backed up by a rich understanding of literature, knowledge about Alchemy and traditional Biblical symbolism. After reading Granger's book I have a whole new appreciation for the Harry Potter series.
May 1, 2013
I didn't enjoy this book as much as Granger's other two that I've read. That said, he deals with a lot of deeper issues and advanced philosophical and theological concepts that I've barely encountered before (particularly in the last few chapters when he focuses on the eye as image and symbol). Overall, this was another good analysis of the deeper structure and meaning of the Harry Potter books, and it rekindled my desire to finish rereading the series. The biggest drawback was that it suffered from the lack of a good editor, something I haven't noticed with Granger's other works.
February 24, 2010
I am just not ready to let go of Harry Potter. This was a very interesting analysis of the writing styles used by J.K. Rowling in the books. I am not sure if everything he claims was intended by Ms. Rowling, but reading this book has taught me some about literature in general. I am not a literary mind by nature, so I appreciated the education. It has helped me glean more from books that I have read since.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews