I am done reading, but can't re-enter the muggle world just yet..

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IF YOU HAVE NOT READ/NOT FINISHED READING HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At first, I could not understand why people wanted to write reviews for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. However, after reading the book, I understood why. Having read something THAT phenomenal, all you want to do is talk about the book and commiserate with fellow fanantics, because a part of you simply does not want to accept the fact that the series is over.

I loved it...no wait, thats a major understatement. I loved it enough to push it to my list of top 5 books ever read. Is it perfect? Ofcourse not. It meanders for a good 350 pages, there are weeks and months that go by without major events happening. But eventually, the pace picks up, and before you know it, you have plunged headlong into the action faster than Harry jumps into pensieves. This post is not intended to be review - there are more than 800 reviews in amazon, covering every bit of the story admirably (and while you are at it, check out the discussion threads too)

The book reads like the screenplay to a blockbuster movie. I laughed, oohed and aahed, and then cried for 10 minutes non stop when a much loved character dies (i really did, no other book has even elicited such a reaction from me).

Here are some of my pet peeves with the book -

* Harry makes the connection between Godric's hollow and Godric Gryffindor only much later in the book. Duh?!!!!

* After building up Luna, Ginny and Neville's characters book after book, they are grossly under-used in this finale

* Other than Bill Weasley developing a taste for rare steaks, there is no other mention of how he is affected by Greyback's attack

* So many peripheral actors are killed, you dont feel death's impact beyond a point

* I always hoped Harry and Hermione would become a couple. After all, Hermione truly cares for Harry and her intelligence is the perfect match for Harry's guts and there is a tantalizing scene at Godric's Hollow where Rowling makes us think just for a few minutes that they could be together. However, in the next chapter, Harry says she is like his sister. I know, i know, Rowling never ever gave any hints about anything other than friendship between the two characters, but still...I was hoping there would be something more.

* The epilogue - I HATED IT! So everyone marries their high school sweethearts and live happily everafter with a 100 kids each? After all that drama, Ginny and Hermione become suburban soccer moms content with getting babies after babies? (not that there is anything wrong with it, but hey, this is supposed to be fantasy fiction...why bring in the mundane stuff?) So what does Harry do? Does he become an auror, or are aurors now passe cos he-who-must-not-be-named is no longer around? Does he become the minister of magic and help foster a new age of friendship between wizards, goblins, centaurs, elves and all magical creatures alike? Does Hermione not do anything at all for the rights of elves?

And this is what i loved about the book -

* When Hermione finally professes her love for Ron - this is arguably the cutest moment ever created in modern literary history/pop culture. Read the book just for this!

* The Weasley twins' radio commentary about Snape and shampoo and their Mr.Holey jokes

* The brilliant twist in the plot leading to you-know-who's end (i had to read this section a couple of times and then refer to the Half blood prince to fully grasp what had happened)

* The transformation of Kreacher (the little flashback with Regulus, Kreacher and the inferi was truly spine chilling)

Rowling perfectly ties together elements from all the previous 6 books, making you think that she had figured out the entire story 10 years ago. To me, that is the biggest triumph of the Harry Potter series - seven perfect books coming together, with all loose ends tied, plus little insights into characters that you didnt even think of giving much attention to.

Every character's strengths and weaknesses are revealed, and that probably explains the immense popularity of the series. There is no absolute good or absolute evil (with the exception of Voldy perhaps). There are no perfect characters - Harry becomes painfully aware of the failings of all the father figures in his life - Sirius, Dumbledore, and James.

The only absolute truth that wins is love. Plain, pure, simple, unconditional love. To Harry, at first, it seems too simple (he even says "yea love, big deal" to Dumbledore), but when giving Dobby his last farewell, and feeling nothing but love in his heart, Harry pushes away all the doubts and uncertainties in his mind and finally moves forward.

So, when Time magazine loftily proclaimed that the one who dies in Harry Potter is God, they could not have been further from the truth. Harry find his God, in Love - true unconditional love felt towards muggles, witches, wizards, elves, hippogrifs, giants, thestrals, and goblins alike. To Harry, love is God.