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-->The trio arrive in Hogsmeade. Albus Dumbledore's brother, [[Aberforth Dumbledore|Aberforth]], helps them to secretly enter Hogwarts from behind picture of of his dead sister Ariana. Harry alerts the staff to Voldemort's impending invasion. The Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, and former Hogwarts students that are of age,arrive as Voldemort's forces, the death eaters attack; as a fierce battle ensues, casualties mount, including [[Fred Weasley]], [[Remus Lupin]], [[Nymphadora Tonks|Tonks]] and [[Colin Creevey]]. Harry remembers seeing the Diadem in the [[Room of Requirement]] and goes there to search for it. Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione enter the [[Chamber of Secrets]] to retrieve [[Basilisk (Harry Potter)|basilisk]] fangs to eliminate Horcruxes with; Hermione destroys Hufflepuff's Cup with one. In the Room of Requirement, the three are assaulted by Draco, [[Vincent Crabbe|Crabbe]], and [[Gregory Goyle|Goyle]]. But Crabbe mishandles the powerful [[Fiendfyre]] spell, killing himself and inadvertently destroying the Diadem.
-->The trio arrive in Hogsmeade. Albus Dumbledore's brother, [[Aberforth Dumbledore|Aberforth]], helps them to secretly enter Hogwarts from behind picture of of his dead sister Ariana. Harry alerts the staff to Voldemort's impending invasion. The Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, and former Hogwarts students that are of age,arrive as Voldemort's forces, the death eaters attack; as a fierce battle ensues, casualties mount, including [[Fred Weasley]], [[Remus Lupin]], [[Nymphadora Tonks|Tonks]] and [[Colin Creevey]]. Harry remembers seeing the Diadem in the [[Room of Requirement]] and goes there to search for it. Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione enter the [[Chamber of Secrets]] to retrieve [[Basilisk (Harry Potter)|basilisk]] fangs to eliminate Horcruxes with; Hermione destroys Hufflepuff's Cup with one. In the Room of Requirement, the three are assaulted by Draco, [[Vincent Crabbe|Crabbe]], and [[Gregory Goyle|Goyle]]. But Crabbe mishandles the powerful [[Fiendfyre]] spell, killing himself and inadvertently destroying the Diadem.


Harry glimpses Voldemort's thoughts again. The trio sneak into the [[Shrieking Shack]] where they overhear Voldemort telling [[Severus Snape|Snape]] that he believes Snape became the Elder Wand's master when he killed its former owner, [[Dumbledore]].{{HP6}} Convinced that Snape's death will cause the wand's allegiance to pass to him, Voldemort orders [[Nagini]] his evil pet snake, who is also a horoclux to kill Snape, then leaves. As he is dying, Snape gives Harry his memories; they reveal that Snape was loyal to Dumbledore, motivated by his lifelong love for [[Lily Evans|Lily Potter]], Harry's mother. Dumbledore, doomed to die after being cursed by [[Horcrux#Marvolo Gaunt's Ring/Resurrection Stone|Gaunt's ring Horcrux]], had ordered Snape to kill him, if necessary, to spare Draco from fulfilling Voldemort's task. It was Snape who sent the doe Patronus to lead Harry to Gryffindor's sword. The memories also expose that [[Horcrux#Harry Potter|Harry himself]] is a Horcrux; Voldemort cannot die while Harry lives.
Harry glimpses Voldemort's thoughts again. The trio sneak into the [[Shrieking Shack]] where they overhear Voldemort telling [[Severus Snape|Snape]] that he believes Snape became the Elder Wand's master when he killed its former owner, [[Dumbledore]].{{HP6}} Convinced that Snape's death will cause the wand's allegiance to pass to him, Voldemort orders [[Nagini]] his evil pet snake, who is also a Horcrux to kill Snape, then leaves. As he is dying, Snape gives Harry his memories; they reveal that Snape was loyal to Dumbledore, motivated by his lifelong love for [[Lily Evans|Lily Potter]], Harry's mother. Dumbledore, doomed to die after being cursed by [[Horcrux#Marvolo Gaunt's Ring/Resurrection Stone|Gaunt's ring Horcrux]], had ordered Snape to kill him, if necessary, to spare Draco from fulfilling Voldemort's task. It was Snape who sent the doe Patronus to lead Harry to Gryffindor's sword. The memories also expose that [[Horcrux#Harry Potter|Harry himself]] is a Horcrux; Voldemort cannot die while Harry lives.


Resigned to his fate, Harry goes alone to the [[Locations in Hogwarts#Forbidden Forest|Forbidden Forest]] where Voldemort awaits. The Snitch opens to reveal the [[Deathly Hallows (objects)#Resurrection Stone|Resurrection Stone]]. Harry summons the spirits of [[James and Lily Potter|his parents]], [[Sirius Black]], and [[Remus Lupin]], who provide comfort and accompany him Voldemort's camp. He then willingly allows Voldemort to strike him with the [[Avada Kedavra]] curse. Awakening in an otherworldly place, Harry is uncertain whether he is alive or dead. Albus Dumbledore appears and explains that, just as Voldemort cannot die while his soul fragment remains in Harry, Harry cannot be killed while his blood resides in Voldemort's body; however, Voldemort's soul fragment within Harry has been destroyed by the killing curse. Harry is given the choice to "go on" or return to the living world.
Resigned to his fate, Harry goes alone to the [[Locations in Hogwarts#Forbidden Forest|Forbidden Forest]] where Voldemort awaits. The Snitch opens to reveal the [[Deathly Hallows (objects)#Resurrection Stone|Resurrection Stone]]. Harry summons the spirits of [[James and Lily Potter|his parents]], [[Sirius Black]], and [[Remus Lupin]], who provide comfort and accompany him Voldemort's camp. He then willingly allows Voldemort to strike him with the [[Avada Kedavra]] curse. Awakening in an otherworldly place, Harry is uncertain whether he is alive or dead. Albus Dumbledore appears and explains that, just as Voldemort cannot die while his soul fragment remains in Harry, Harry cannot be killed while his blood resides in Voldemort's body; however, Voldemort's soul fragment within Harry has been destroyed by the killing curse. Harry is given the choice to "go on" or return to the living world.

Revision as of 20:44, 4 August 2007

Template:Current fiction Template:HPBooks

"HP7" redirects here. For the UK postal code, see HP postcode area.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series of novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The book was released on July 21, 2007, bringing to a close the series that started with the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 10 years previously in 1997. This last book chronicles the events directly following the previous book in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005), leading to the long-awaited final struggle between Harry Potter and his allies, and the ever-more-powerful and influential Lord Voldemort and his servants, the Death Eaters.

Deathly Hallows is published in the UK by Bloomsbury Publishing, in the USA by Scholastic Press, and in Canada by Raincoast Books. It was released globally in 93 countries. The book broke sales records becoming the fastest-selling book ever, selling more than eleven million copies in the first twenty-four hours following its release. The previous record, nine million in its first day, had been held by Half-Blood Prince.[1]

Before settling on "Deathly Hallows" as the title, Rowling also considered the titles "Harry Potter and the Elder Wand" and "Harry Potter and the Peverell Quest".[2]

Epigraph

All the books in the Harry Potter series have dedications, but Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the only book in the series to also have an epigraph. The epigraph consists of two quotes on the themes of death and friendship. The first quotation is a translation of a passage from The Libation Bearers by the 5th century BC Ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus.[3] The second quotation is from the work More Fruits of Solitude (1682) by William Penn, the Quaker author and founder of Pennsylvania.[4]

Plot

Leaving the Dursleys

The book opens with Lord Voldemort and his followers plotting to ambush Harry Potter, who is about to leave Privet Drive for the last time. Shortly before his protection at the Dursleys' home expires on his 17th birthday, the Order of the Phoenix arrive to move Harry and the Dursleys to separate safe locations. Before leaving, Dudley surprisingly expresses his gratitude to Harry for saving him from the Dementors.Template:HP5 Order members escort Harry, but despite using six Harry-lookalike decoys, the real Harry is identified en route and attacked by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Harry and the others narrowly escape to The Burrow, although Hedwig and Mad-Eye Moody are killed, and George Weasley's ear is severed by a glancing spell.

A few days later, the Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour arrives to give Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger bequests from Albus Dumbledore's will: Ron is given Dumbledore's Deluminator, Hermione receives a book of fairy tales, and Harry inherits Godric Gryffindor's sword and the Snitch he caught in his first ever Quidditch match. The sword is withheld, however; Scrimgeour asserts it is a historical artefact belonging to the Ministry.

Search for the Horcruxes

During Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding reception, Kingsley Shacklebolt sends a Patronus warning that, "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." Death Eaters soon arrive. Harry, Ron, and Hermione escape by Disapparating and eventually take refuge at the deserted Black family home. While there, Harry notices that Sirius Black's late brother (and former Death Eater) Regulus has the same initials as the "R.A.B." who removed the locket Horcrux from the hidden sea cave.Template:HP6 Hermione recalls once seeing a locket at Grimmauld Place, and Harry sends Kreacher the House Elf to fetch Mundungus Fletcher, who admits he stole the locket and bribed Dolores Umbridge with it. Positive this is the Horcrux, they infiltrate the newly Death Eater-controlled Ministry of Magic by using Polyjuice Potion. They escape with the locket but are unable to destroy it.

When their hiding place at Grimmauld Place is discovered, the trio go on the run. After several months, they happen to overhear that Gryffindor's sword has been secured in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault at Gringotts Bank, although the Ministry is unaware it is a replica; the real sword's whereabouts is unknown. Harry knows the sword can destroy Horcruxes and wants to search for it. Emotionally affected from carrying the locket, Ron fears for his family's safety and is frustrated that Harry has no real plan for finding either the sword or the Horcruxes, and he decides to leave. Harry and Hermione go to Godric's Hollow, hoping that Dumbledore hid the sword there. However, they are ambushed by Voldemort and his snake Nagini. During their escape, Hermione accidentally breaks Harry's wand.

One night, a doe-shaped Patronus appears near their camp and leads Harry to Gryffindor's real sword. As Harry tries to retrieve it from an icy pond, the locket Horcrux tightens around his neck, nearly strangling him. Aided by the Deluminator, Ron returns and rescues Harry and destroys the Horcrux with the sword. Ron warns them that Voldemort's name is now magically Tabooed: uttering it summons "Snatchers", bounty hunters searching for Muggle-borns and other Voldemort enemies.

The Deathly Hallows

The trio go to Xenophilius Lovegood, Luna's father, to ask him about a symbol they have encountered several times. He tells them it represents the Deathly Hallows, three legendary objects that conquer death: the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone, and Invisibility Cloak. Harry is convinced that his Invisibility Cloak is one of the Hallows. When the trio become suspicious about Luna's absence, Lovegood admits she was abducted by Death Eaters. Hoping she will be released if he cooperates, he has alerted the Ministry that the trio are there, but they escape just as Death Eaters arrive.

Snatchers capture the trio at their camp after Harry inadvertently speaks Voldemort's name. They are imprisoned at Malfoy Manor, along with Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Ollivander the wandmaker, and Griphook the goblin. Finding the sword among the trio's possessions, Bellatrix Lestrange suspects they have broken into her vault at Gringrotts Bank and tortures Hermione for information. Dobby apparates into the cellar to rescue the prisoners. Peter Pettigrew enters to investigate the noise and begins choking Harry. When Harry demands he repay his life debt,Template:HP3 Pettigrew loosens his grip, but is then murdered by his own silver hand in retribution. Harry and Ron rush upstairs to rescue Hermione, and Harry captures Bellatrix and Draco's wands. The group escapes by apparating with Dobby to Shell Cottage, Bill and Fleur Weasley's home; unfortunately, Dobby has been fatally stabbed by Bellatrix.

While at the cottage, Ollivander confirms the Elder Wand's existence and says that wands can change their allegiance if the previous owners are defeated or disarmed. The trio plot with Griphook to infiltrate Gringotts, convinced another Horcrux is hidden in the Lestrange vault. Disguised with Polyjuice potion and aided by Griphook, the trio gain entry into the vault and retrieve Helga Hufflepuff's cup Horcrux; Griphook takes the sword, and the trio barely escape with the Cup. Voldemort now realises that his Horcruxes are being destroyed, and through his mental link with Harry, he unintentionally reveals that one is hidden at Hogwarts. Harry soon learns that it is Ravenclaw's Diadem.

The Battle of Hogwarts

The trio arrive in Hogsmeade. Albus Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth, helps them to secretly enter Hogwarts from behind picture of of his dead sister Ariana. Harry alerts the staff to Voldemort's impending invasion. The Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, and former Hogwarts students that are of age,arrive as Voldemort's forces, the death eaters attack; as a fierce battle ensues, casualties mount, including Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Tonks and Colin Creevey. Harry remembers seeing the Diadem in the Room of Requirement and goes there to search for it. Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione enter the Chamber of Secrets to retrieve basilisk fangs to eliminate Horcruxes with; Hermione destroys Hufflepuff's Cup with one. In the Room of Requirement, the three are assaulted by Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. But Crabbe mishandles the powerful Fiendfyre spell, killing himself and inadvertently destroying the Diadem.

Harry glimpses Voldemort's thoughts again. The trio sneak into the Shrieking Shack where they overhear Voldemort telling Snape that he believes Snape became the Elder Wand's master when he killed its former owner, Dumbledore.Template:HP6 Convinced that Snape's death will cause the wand's allegiance to pass to him, Voldemort orders Nagini his evil pet snake, who is also a Horcrux to kill Snape, then leaves. As he is dying, Snape gives Harry his memories; they reveal that Snape was loyal to Dumbledore, motivated by his lifelong love for Lily Potter, Harry's mother. Dumbledore, doomed to die after being cursed by Gaunt's ring Horcrux, had ordered Snape to kill him, if necessary, to spare Draco from fulfilling Voldemort's task. It was Snape who sent the doe Patronus to lead Harry to Gryffindor's sword. The memories also expose that Harry himself is a Horcrux; Voldemort cannot die while Harry lives.

Resigned to his fate, Harry goes alone to the Forbidden Forest where Voldemort awaits. The Snitch opens to reveal the Resurrection Stone. Harry summons the spirits of his parents, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin, who provide comfort and accompany him Voldemort's camp. He then willingly allows Voldemort to strike him with the Avada Kedavra curse. Awakening in an otherworldly place, Harry is uncertain whether he is alive or dead. Albus Dumbledore appears and explains that, just as Voldemort cannot die while his soul fragment remains in Harry, Harry cannot be killed while his blood resides in Voldemort's body; however, Voldemort's soul fragment within Harry has been destroyed by the killing curse. Harry is given the choice to "go on" or return to the living world.

Harry revives, although he pretends to be dead and is carried to Hogwarts as a trophy by Voldemort's army. As the fighting breaks out again, Harry covers himself with the Invisibility Cloak. Neville pulls Gryffindor's sword from the Sorting Hat and beheads Nagini, destroying the final Horcrux. In the continuing battle, Molly Weasley fatally curses Bellatrix Lestrange to protect Ginny. As Harry and the Dark Lord confront one another, Harry knows that Voldemort does not command the Elder Wand's allegiance. When Draco Malfoy disarmed Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower, Draco unknowingly won the Elder Wand's allegiance; when Harry later captured Draco's own wand, he became the Elder Wand's new master. Voldemort casts Avada Kedavra as Harry simultaneously conjures Expelliarmus, but protecting its master, the Elder Wand rebounds Voldemort's curse, killing him.

After the battle, Harry visits Dumbledore's portrait. He tells the professor that he will keep the Invisibility Cloak, but to prevent anyone from reuniting the Deathly Hallows, the Resurrection Stone will be left where it was dropped in the Forbidden Forest, and the Elder Wand is to be returned to Dumbledore's tomb. If Harry dies undefeated, the Elder Wand's power will be extinguished with his death. Dumbledore nods his approval. Before placing the Elder Wand into the tomb, Harry uses it to repair his own wand.

Epilogue

Nineteen years later, Harry and Ginny Weasley have three children: James, Albus Severus and Lily. Ron and Hermione have two children named Rose and Hugo. The families meet at King's Cross station, where a nervous Albus is departing for his first year at Hogwarts. James is the eldest and already familiar with school while Lily will start in two years' time. Harry's nineteen-year-old godson, Teddy Lupin, is found kissing Victoire Weasley (Bill and Fleur's daughter) in a train compartment. Teddy is apparently very close to the Potters, with Harry remarking, "He already comes round for dinner about four times a week." Harry spots Draco Malfoy and his unnamed wife with their son Scorpius at the station; Malfoy acknowledges Harry with a curt nod, then turns away. Harry comforts Albus, who is worried he will be sorted into Slytherin, by telling him that his namesake, Severus Snape, was a Slytherin and probably the bravest man he ever met. Neville Longbottom is now the Hogwarts Herbology professor and is close friends with Harry. The book concludes with the words: "The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well."

Rowling's commentary and supplement

In an interview[5] and online chat,[2][6][7] Rowling gave additional information on the futures of the main characters that she chose not to include in the epilogue of the book.

  • Harry became an Auror and later head of the Aurors' department, under Kingsley's recommendation. He owns Sirius's bike, which Arthur Weasley fixed up for him. He is married to Ginny. Due to the destruction of the piece of Voldemort's soul that resided in him, Harry can no longer speak Parseltongue.
  • Ron worked for a time with George at their store, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and eventually became an Auror. He is married to Hermione.
  • Hermione began a career at the Ministry of Magic at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and greatly improved life for house-elves and their ilk, but later moved to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; she helped ensure the eradication of oppressive, pro-pureblood laws. She is married to Ron. She also found her parents and removed the memory modification charm she put on them.
  • Luna Lovegood has become a naturalist of sorts, searching the world for odd and unique creatures. She eventually marries Rolf, the grandson of Newt Scamander.[7]
  • Ginny Weasley played for the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team for a time, then left her athletic career behind for marriage and family with Harry. She eventually becomes the lead Quidditch correspondent for the Daily Prophet.
  • George Weasley names his first child Fred.
  • Slytherin has become more diluted, and is no longer the pureblood bastion it once was. Nevertheless, its dark reputation lingers.
  • Voldemort's jinx on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position was broken with his death, and there is a permannt (unnamed) DADA teacher. Professor McGonagall, who was briefly the interim Headmistress, did not assume the position after Snape. An unnamed Headmaster was appointed.
  • Firenze was welcomed back into his herd, who acknowledge that his pro-human leanings were not shameful, but honourable.
  • Kingsley Shacklebolt became the Minister for Magic, with Percy Weasley working under him as a high official.
  • As part of the changes introduced by Kingsley Shacklebolt, Azkaban no longer uses Dementors. As a result, England is now a "much sunnier place."
  • Dolores Umbridge was arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned for crimes against Muggleborns.
  • The Quibbler has returned to its usual condition of "advanced lunacy", and is appreciated for its unintentional humour.

Pre-release history

Choice of title

Shortly before releasing the title, J. K. Rowling announced that she had considered three different titles for the book.[8][9] The final title, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" was released to the public on December 21 2006 via a special Christmas-themed hangman puzzle on Rowling's website, confirmed shortly afterwards by the book's publishers.[10] The particular date has given rise to some interest, due to two prophecies included in Order of the Phoenix, that state "...at the solstice will come a new... and none will come after..."[11]

When asked what 'Deathly Hallows' means, J.K. Rowling responded, "Any clarification of the meaning of 'Hallows' would give away too much of the story – well, it would, wouldn't it? Being the title and all. So I'm afraid I'm not answering." She also declined to say what her other shortlisted title had been, at least until after publication. The phrase "Deathly Hallows" was trademarked under the name "Stone Connect (UK) Limited" on December 5, 2006, along with 5 other phrases.[12] It was later denied that any of the others had ever been contenders for the actual title.[13] The word "hallows" had already appeared in phrases registered by representatives of Warner Brothers before publication of Half-Blood Prince. "Hallows of Hogwarts" and "Hogwarts Hallows" were registered as trademarks by Seabottom Productions Ltd in 2003-2004, amongst a number of fake titles.[14][15] Asked during a live chat as to the other titles she had been considering, Rowling mentioned Harry Potter and the Elder Wand and Harry Potter and the Peverell Quest.[2]

Marketing campaigns

The launch was celebrated by an all night book signing and reading at the Natural History Museum in London which Rowling attended along with 1700 guests chosen by ballot.[16] Rowling intends to tour the USA in October, where another event will be held at Carnegie Hall in New York with tickets allocated by sweepstake.[17]

Scholastic Inc., the American publisher of the Harry Potter series, launched a multi-million dollar "THERE WILL SOON BE 7" marketing campaign with a 'Knight Bus' travelling to forty libraries across the United States, online fan discussions and competitions, collectible bookmarks, tattoos, and the staged release of seven Deathly Hallows questions most debated by fans.[18]

Scholastic also hosted "Harry Potter Place" - a magical and interactive street celebration at Scholastic headquarters in New York City, where the first U.S. signed edition of Deathly Hallows were unveiled on July 20.[19] The festivities included a 20 foot high Whomping Willow, face-painting, wand-making, fire-eaters, magicians, jugglers and stilt-walkers.

Several bookstores set up small kiosks displaying free-to-take bookmarks. The bookmarks show reasons why Severus Snape should be considered a friend or a foe on opposite sides along with the Deathly Hallows logo at the bottom.[20]

J. K. Rowling arranged with her publishers for a poster bearing the face of the missing Madeleine McCann to be made available to book sellers when Deathly Hallows was launched on 21 July and said that she hoped that the posters would be displayed prominently in shops all over the world.[21]

Rowling on finishing the book

Rowling has said that she had written the last chapter of the book "in something like 1990".[22] As of 1999, she revealed that the last word was to be "scar".[23] But she noted that she constantly rewrote; in the event "scar" appeared in the last line of text, but was not the last word. The final version of the book contains "scar" in the second-to-last sentence, the last being "All was well." Rowling finished the book in January 2007, and in a statement on her website, she said, "I've never felt such a mixture of extreme emotions in my life, never dreamed I could feel simultaneously heartbroken and euphoric." She compared her mixed feelings to those expressed by Charles Dickens in the preface of the 1850 edition of David Copperfield, "a two-years' imaginative task." "To which," she added, "I can only sigh, try seventeen years, Charles..." She ended her message, "Deathly Hallows is my favourite, and that is the most wonderful way to finish the series."[24]

Spoiler embargo

Rowling made a public request that anyone with advance information about the content of the last book should keep it to themselves, in order to avoid spoiling the experience for other readers.[25] To this end, Bloomsbury invested GB£10 million in an attempt to keep the book's contents secure until the July 21 release date.[26] Arthur Levine, U.S. editor of the Harry Potter series, denied distributing any copies of Deathly Hallows in advance for press review, but two U.S. papers published early reviews anyway.[27] [28]

Online leaks and early delivery

File:Carpet book.jpg
The title page of the leaked book.

In the week prior to its release, a number of texts purporting to be genuine leaks appeared in various forms. On July 16, a set of photographs representing all 759 pages of the U.S. edition was leaked to the Internet and was fully transcribed prior to the official release date.[29][30][31][32] The photographs later appeared on websites and peer-to-peer networks, leading Scholastic to seek a subpoena in order to identify one source.[33] This represented the most serious security breach in the Harry Potter series' history.[34]

Scholastic announced that approximately one ten-thousandth (0.01%) of the U.S. supply had been shipped early—interpreted to mean about 1200 copies.[35] Some of the early release books soon appeared on eBay.[36]

Price wars and other controversies

Asda,[37] plus several other UK supermarkets, had already taken pre-orders for the book at a heavily discounted price. Asda then sparked a further price war two days before the book's launch by announcing they would sell it for just GB£5.00 a copy (about US$10). Other retail chains also offered the book at discounted prices.[38] In Malaysia, a similar price war brought about controversy regarding sales of the book.[39] The book's early Saturday morning release in Israel was criticised for violating the Sabbath.[40]

Sales

Queue in London at Waterstone's near Picadilly Circus; some people camped outside the bookseller for over two days to be among the first to get the book

On 21 July 2007, all English language editions, except for the American and Canadian editions, were released at one minute past midnight (00:01) BST; the American and Canadian editions were released at one minute past midnight (00:01), local time.[41][42] It was released globally in 93 countries.[43] The book reached the top spot on both the Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble best-seller lists just a few hours after the date of publication was announced on 1 February 2007.[44] In July 2007 the U.K. newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported that it had been bought by more than 10% of the British population in the 5 days since its release.[45]

Retailers such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Borders reported that more orders had been placed for this book than for any other in history,[46] with Amazon.com stating that advance orders of the book reached 2.2 million worldwide,[47] breaking the record set by the sixth book of 1.5 million.[48] Scholastic announced an unprecedented initial print run of 12 million copies.[18]

A bookstore in the United States just before the midnight release.

On the book's first day of sales, it sold 11 million copies in the UK and U.S., breaking the record of 9 million held by the sixth book.[49] In the U.S., 8.3 million hardcovers were sold during the first 24 hours, breaking the record of 6.9 million set by the sixth book.[50] In addition 400,000 copies were sold in Germany in the first 24 hours,[45] all 250,000 copies made available in Holland and Belgium,[45] 170,000 in India,[51] and just over 573,000 copies in Australia;[52] while in Canada over 800,000 copies were sold in the first two days.[53] Barnes & Noble, the largest U.S. book chain, reported all-time record sales of 1.8 million copies in the first two days including 560,000 in the first hour - a rate of more than 150 copies per second. The audiobook broke records as well, with 225,000 copies sold in the first two days, according to Random House Audio's Listening Library.[54] Borders reported record sales of 1.2 million copies on the first day, breaking the record of 850,000 set by the sixth book.[55]

During the run-up to the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Bloomsbury's stock lost more than £151M in value. Investors were reacting to the end of the publisher's key product.[56] In the last financial year in which no Harry Potter book was released, Bloomsbury's profits dropped by 75%.

Critical reception

The Baltimore Sun's critic, Mary Carole McCauley's, praised the entire Harry Potter series as "a classic bildungsroman, or coming-of-age tale." She noted that "[b]ook seven... lacks much of the charm and humor that distinguished the earlier novels. Even the writing is more prosaic", but then observed that given the book's darker subject matter, "[h]ow could it be otherwise?"[57]

The New York Times's critic Michiko Kakutani wrote "The world of Harry Potter is a place where the mundane and the marvelous, the ordinary and the surreal coexist...and people's lives are defined by love and loss and hope — the same way they are in our own mortal world."[58]

Reviewer Alice Fordham from The Times writes that "Rowling’s genius is not just her total realisation of a fantasy world, but the quieter skill of creating characters that bounce off the page, real and flawed and brave and lovable." Fordham concludes, "We have been a long way together, and neither [Rowling] nor Harry let us down in the end."[59]

By contrast, Jenny Sawyer of the Christian Science Monitor says that while "There is much to love about the Harry Potter series, from its brilliantly realized magical world to its multilayered narrative," however, "A story is about someone who changes. And, puberty aside, Harry doesn't change much. As envisioned by Rowling, he walks the path of good so unwaveringly that his final victory over Voldemort feels, not just inevitable, but hollow."[60]

Translations

Main article: Harry Potter in translation

Following a pre-release question from the Swedish publisher about the difficulty of translating Deathly Hallows without having read the book, Rowling revealed an alternative title from which non-English editions could be translated: Harry Potter and the Relics of Death.[61] Translation of the book is underway in a range of languages.[62]

Editions

File:Harry Potter Deathly Hallows stack.JPG
Stack of the Scholastic version displayed at Comic Con 2007
Bloomsbury (United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, etc.)
  • ISBN 0747591059 Hardcover
  • ISBN 0747591067 Hardcover (adult edition)
  • ISBN 0747591075 Hardcover (special edition)
Raincoast (Canada, etc. - Same as Bloomsbury editions)
  • ISBN 1551929767 Hardcover
  • ISBN 1551929783 Hardcover (adult edition)
Scholastic (United States, etc.)
  • ISBN 0545010225 Hardcover
  • ISBN 0545029376 Deluxe Hardcover

References

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference sales was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c "Bloomsbury". Webchat with J. K. Rowling. 2007-07-30. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
  3. ^ The Libation Bearers is the second in a trilogy of tragedies called the The Oresteia. See Oresteia#The Libation Bearers. The wording of the quotation depends on the translation used - Rowling used the Robert Fagles translation published by Penguin Classics.
  4. ^ More Fruits of Solitude is the second part of the work Fruits of Solitude (1682), a collection of aphorisms published by William Penn. The full Penn quote used in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows consists of the last four lines of the aphorism titled Union of Friends.
  5. ^ Brown, Jen (2007-07-25). "Finished Potter? Rowling tells what happened next". MSNBC. Retrieved 2007-07-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Toler, Lindsay (2007-07-30). "Rowling Answers Fans' Final Questions". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-07-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ a b "Rowling Answers Fans' Final Questions". MSN Entertainment. 2007-07-30. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  8. ^ "Rowling considering two titles". Mugglenet. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
  9. ^ "J.K.Rowling Official Site". News Archive. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
  10. ^ "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". Bloomsbury Publishing. 2006-12-21. Retrieved 2006-12-21.
  11. ^ "HP Lexicon". Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
  12. ^ "HP Lexicon". Dec 2006 News Archives. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
  13. ^ "Titles registered alongside Deathly Hallows". Mugglenet. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  14. ^ Langford, David (2006). The End of Harry Potter?. Gollanz. ISBN 0575078758.
  15. ^ "December 2006 News Archive, research into the title". HP-Lexicon. 2006. Retrieved 2007-04-18.
  16. ^ "Harry Potter". scholastic. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
  17. ^ "USA open book tour". Retrieved 2007-06-15.
  18. ^ a b "Scholastic Announces Record-Breaking 12.1 Million First Printing In United States Of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows". Scholastic. 2007-03-14. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
  19. ^ "Scholastic to Host 'Harry Potter Place'". Scholastic. 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
  20. ^ "Laminated Harry Potter Deathly Hallows 7 Snape Bookmark". 2007-06-26. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |acessdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "Rowling in Madeleine poster plea". BBC News. 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2007-07-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ ""Rowling to kill two in final book"". BBC News. 2006-06-27. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ The 25 Most Intriguing People Of '99: J.K. Rowling, People magazine, 31 December, 1999
  24. ^ "Rowling reacts to Potter's end". USA Today. Associated Press. 2007-02-06. Retrieved 2007-07-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ "J.K.Rowling Official Site". J K Rowling. 14 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
  26. ^ "10 million pounds to guard 7th Harry Potter book". Rediff. 16 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
  27. ^ "Editor Says 'Deathly Hallows' Is Unleakable". MTV Overdrive (video). July 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  28. ^ There was speculation that some shops would break the embargo and distribute copies of the book early, as the penalty imposed for previous installments — that the distributor would not be supplied with any further copies of the series — would no longer be a deterrent."Potter embargo 'could be broken'". BBC News. 12 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  29. ^ "Harry Potter Fans Transcribe Book from Photos". TorrentFreak. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  30. ^ "New Potter book leaked online". Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax newspapers. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  31. ^ "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows leaked to BitTorrent". TorrentFreak. 17 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  32. ^ "Harry Potter Spoiler Count". Los Angeles Times. 20 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  33. ^ "New Did the Times Betray Harry Potter Fans?". New York Times. 30 July 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |access date= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ "Web abuzz over Potter leak claims". 17 July 2007. Rowling and her lawyer admitted that there were genuine online leaks.Malvern, Jack (2007-07-19). "Harry Potter and the great web leak". Times. Retrieved 2007-07-19. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) Reviews published in both The Baltimore Sun and The New York Times on July 18, 2007 corroborated many of the plot elements from this leak, and about one day prior to release, The New York Times confirmed that the main circulating leak was real."Web abuzz over Potter leak claims". 17 July 2007.
  35. ^ "Publisher slams book on "Harry Potter" distributor". Newsday. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-18. One reader in Maryland received a copy of the book in the mail from DeepDiscount.com four days before it was launched, which evoked incredulous responses on the part of both Scholastic and DeepDiscount. Scholastic initially reported that they were satisfied it had been a "human error" and would not discuss possible penalties."The spell is broken". The Baltimore Sun. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-18. However, the following day Scholastic announced that it would be launching legal action against DeepDiscount.com and its distributor, Levy Home Entertainment."Press release from Scholastic". PR Newswire (from Scholastic). July 18, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-18. Scholastic has filed for damages in Chicago's Circuit Court of Cook County, claiming"Distributor mails final Potter book early". MSNBC Interactive. July 18, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-18. that DeepDiscount engaged in a "complete and flagrant violation of the agreements that they knew were part of the carefully constructed release of this eagerly awaited book."
  36. ^ In one case being sold to Publishers Weekly for US$250 from an initial price of US$18."I Was an eBay Voldemort". National Review Online. 20 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  37. ^ In the UK, supermarket chain Asda claimed that the retail price of the book (GB£17.99, equivalent to about US$37 at the time of release) was "holding children to ransom". The publisher responded by threatening to withdraw Asda's supply of the book, claiming a previously unpaid debt."Potter book firm clashes with supermarket over price". Times Newspapers. 2007-07-17. Asda issued an apology and settled the debt, and its supply of the book was restored. http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,2128891,00.html
  38. ^ At these prices the book is a loss leader, but attracting large numbers of customers to their stores. This caused uproar from traditional UK booksellers who argued they had no hope of competing in those conditions. http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah6148.shtml Access Hollywood. Independent shops protested loudest, but even Waterstone’s, the UK's largest dedicated chain bookstore, could not compete with the supermarket price. Some small bookstores hit back by buying their stock from the supermarkets rather than their wholesalers. Asda tried to counter this by imposing a limit of two copies per customer to prevent bulk-buying. Philip Wicks, a spokesman for the UK Booksellers Association, said: 'It is a war we can't even participate in. We think it's a crying shame that the supermarkets have decided to treat it as a loss-leader, like a can of baked beans." Michael Norris, an analyst at Simba Information, said: "You are not only lowering the price of the book. At this point, you are lowering the value of reading."
  39. ^ "Harry Potter and the ugly price war". The Star Malaysia. 21 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-21. Four of the biggest bookstore chains in Malaysia, MPH Bookstores, Popular Bookstores, Times and Harris, decided to pull Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows off their shelves as a protest against Tesco and Carrefour hypermarkets. The retail price of the book in Malaysia is MYR 109.90 (about GB£16), while the hypermarkets Tesco and Carrefour sell the book at MYR 69.90 (about GB£10). The move by the bookstores was seen as an attempt to pressure the distributor Penguin Books to remove the books from the hypermarkets. However, as of 24 July 2007, the price war has ended, with the four bookstores involved resuming selling the books in their stores with discount. Penguin Books has also confirmed that Tesco and Carrefour are selling the book at a loss, urging them to practice good business sense and fair trade."Bookstores end 'Harry Potter' boycott". The Star Malaysia. 24 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  40. ^ Trade and Industry Minister Eli Yishai commented that "It is forbidden, according to Jewish values and Jewish culture, that a thing like this should take place at 2 a.m. on Saturday. Let them do it on another day.""Plans for Sabbath sales of Harry Potter draw threats of legal action in Israel". International Herald Tribune. July 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-18. Yishai indicated that he would issue indictments and fines based on the Hours of Work and Rest Law."Yishai warns stores over Harry Potter book launch on Shabbat". Haaretz. July 21, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  41. ^ Rowling, J. K. (2007-02-01). "Publication Date for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". J. K. Rowling Official Site. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
  42. ^ "Official Raincoast Harry Potter page". Raincoast Books. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  43. ^ "Potter books fly off the shelves". BBC. 2007-07-21. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
  44. ^ "'HPDH' reaches no. 1 on U.S. Amazon & BN lists". HPANA. 2007-02-01. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
  45. ^ a b c Issue number 47,318 Tuesday 24th July 2007 p9 New Harry Potter book in over 10pc of homes
  46. ^ Blais, Jacqueline (2007-05-03). "After final 'Harry Potter' book, can anyone fill the void?". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-05-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  47. ^ 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' Sells 2.2 Million Online
  48. ^ 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' Breaks Online Record
  49. ^ "Harry Potter finale sales hit 11m".
  50. ^ 'Deathly Hallows' sells 8.3 million in first 24 hours. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  51. ^ Potter magic: 1.7 lakh copies sold, The Hindu, 22 July, 2007
  52. ^ Bloomsbury Says `Harry Potter' Sold 573,845 Copies in Australia , News.com.au, 21 July, 2007
  53. ^ Canadian Potter sales up 25 per cent over No. 6, Globe and Mail, 24 July 2007
  54. ^ 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' Breaks Records. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  55. ^ Final Harry Potter book posts spellbinding sales. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  56. ^ "Harry Potter and a nightmare for the high street bookshops". The Independent. 2007-07-23. Retrieved 2007-07-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  57. ^ McCauley, Mary Carole (July 18, 2007). "An inevitable ending to Harry Potter series". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  58. ^ Kakutani, Michiko (July 19, 2007). "An Epic Showdown as Harry Potter Is Initiated Into Adulthood". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  59. ^ Fordham, Alice (July 21, 2007). "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". The Times. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
  60. ^ Sawyer, Jenny (July 25, 2007). "Missing from 'Harry Potter" – a real moral struggle". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
  61. ^ "Släppdatum för sjunde Harry Potter-boken klar!". Tiden. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  62. ^ The languages include Vietnamese (tentatively titled Harry Potter và tử thần tích expected to be released in mid-October, 2007 Template:Vi "Thông tin từ NXB Trẻ về Harry Potter 7". Trẻ Publishing House. July 24, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-26., French (as Harry Potter et les reliques de la mort with an expected release date of October 26, 2007 Annonce officielle de la version française du tome 7, German (Harry Potter und die Heiligtümer des Todes, October 27, 2007 www.carlsen-harrypotter.de) and Finnish (name yet undisclosed) March 7, 2008www.tammi.net/harrypotter . The Hebrew translation is due to appear in Israel in December 2007. (Chicago Jewish Star, July 27, 2007).
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