The First Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Review!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hasn't been made available to the press yet, but the Baltimore Sun obtained a copy and has posted a review (link not necessarily spoiler-free) (SPOILER-FREE QUOTE!):

Readers could enjoy Rowling's temporary, folksy fix for chasing away the blues (eat chocolate) while applauding the more permanent balm she offers: Concentrate with all your might on the events and people that have made you happy.

Book seven is no less penetrating, but it lacks much of the charm and humor that distinguished the earlier novels. Even the writing is more prosaic, less fanciful.

But, how could it be otherwise?

By book seven, Rowling is no longer inventing her magical world. Here, characters are accustomed to it, so it holds few surprises for them -- and by extension, for us.

In addition, Harry and his friends are no longer children. The early books, in particular, were enchanting because we could watch Harry and his friends struggling with exceptional powers, which they had not yet mastered. So a young witch or wizard would mount a broomstick for the first time and promptly be bucked off. It wasn't unlike watching real boys and girls take their first steps or learn to read -- skills every bit as magical and mysterious as casting a Summoning Spell.

Spoiler stuff below the fold for the brave amongst you!

I am a spoiler whore, so I have been scouring the interwebnets for DAYS looking for whatever I can find. Not to spoil others with, just because I am IMPATIENT. You should have seen me before Ep I of Star Wars.

Highlight to read the spoiler stuff, I don't want people spoiled inadvertantly!

The review seems to confirm the epilogue .jpgs posted all over the web, and if it's true, that means there WON'T be a dent in my wall come Saturday afternoon, because BY GOD if Ron or Hermione dies, I will hurl the book in whatever direction happens to be the way I am facing.

Also, FWIW, I've read through about 1/3 of the "carpet" book (700+ jpgs purported to be the real deal. No, I won't give you the link, it's been taken down since I downloaded it anyway) and if it's not the real deal, whoever wrote it should get a contract. Seriously.

If it turns out to be a fake, and Ron or Hermione DOES bite it, I'm going to print out the .jpgs anyway, and read that version instead. FOR EVER.

No shit.

Anyway, with regard to the "carpet" book leak, so called because of the nasty carpet behind the book, and to distinguish it from another DIFFERENT purported leak that first appeared on flikr, wow. There's character development, and plot twists and unexpected deaths and all kinds of moments where you feel yourself sucked in, like Harry in the Pensieve. If it isn't real, someone did a hell of a job faking it, and I haven't even read the middle of it yet.

Yes, I read the beginning and then skipped to the end. I wanted to know who lived and who died. Sue me.

The living (in this version):
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, McGonagall, Hagrid, Malfoys (all 3), Mr & Mrs Weasley, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, George (minus an ear), Ginny, Pigwidgeon, and others.

Notable deaths (in this version):
Hedwig, Moody, Snape, Remus, Tonks, Fred Weasley, Nagini, Tom Marvolo Riddle, Dobby (I have heard, I haven't read that part yet.

And Hermione turns out to be right: being kind to house elves IS important. Kreacher turns out to be very important.