BYtheSEA

This was my favorite until recently (book 7 has taken over the top spot). It was such an emotional book.

Poor Harry having to deal with Voldemort invading his mind and having to deal with what Voldemort was feeling ... it was almost too much for him to handle. That's why he was under so much stress and yelling all the time. In addition, being left in the dark for so long and Dumbledore seemingly ignoring him, it's understandable where Harry was coming from and why he was acting that way ... at least for me it was.

The most emotional part of the book for me was Harry trying to deal with Sirius' death ... him raging against Dumbledore was heartbreaking. Practically from the moment he realized what had happened to Sirius, to attacking Bellatrix, to Dumbledore and Voldemort's duel, to Voldemort trying to possess him, to destroying Dumbledore's office, to finding out the full meaning of the prophecy was just ... I don't even know how to describe it ...

Initially, after I had read it, I just knew the movie would not live up to the book ... or at least the part where Dumbledore explains the prophecy to Harry would not be done right. And I was correct ... sort of. Surprisingly, I think the movie does work (some things it does better than the book), but it could have been much better, deeper.

The only thing I knew for sure was I did not want to have it fresh in my mind before seeing the movie, but I'm okay with going back to it now. I need to re-read the whole thing. I re-read parts of it after the movie came out, but another full read is required.