I did my best to remain spoiler-free so I could enjoy the full impact of this novel. Alas, that was not to be. The ending was spoiled for me by some ditz at work, and so I hope if you're reading this review you have already read the book or have no wish to remain spoiler-free. Be warned!

It seems with each book that J.K. Rowling writes in the HARRY POTTER series she delves further and further into ze darkness of her sooooul. In this part of the series death is common place, but not in the "accept it and roll with it" way, instead in the fact that each character is faced with loved ones and friends biting the big one. Of all the books in the series thus far this one gives us the most insight into Dumbledore, and for good reason. The, now infamous, leak that Snape kills Dumbledore was a twist I could have never imagined. Even now I feel myself trying to explain away his actions...just as everyone else besides Harry tried to do. J.K. so intricately wove her characters that she had me fully convinced that, despite the evidence we as readers were presented with...first hand info on Snape's underhandedness...I still believed Dumbledore knows best. If Dumbledore can trust him, then so can I. Nothing in the end scene leads the reader to believe that Snape is in any way redeemable for his actions, and yet I still find myself searching for how he and Dumbledore set up and planned his death to give Voldemort a false sense of securtity, or other wild fantasies. I applaude you, J.K., for your ability to mold the reader's brain to your whim.

I'll be first in line to pick up the 7th and last installment in this series. And I'll bet you the cover price that it'll be the best one in the series yet.

- Katie Wilks
September 6th, 2005