Originally Posted by Elphaba

I just finished the book, savored each chapter, and reread a chapter or two to make sure I wasn't missing something. I don't know how to do the spoiler tags, but I doubt they are needed at this late date.

The great charm of JR's series of good vs. evil lies in her multifacited characters. None of them are purely good or evil, including Tom Riddle. Harry was a petulant, self-absorbed teenager at times, Snape could still shed tears for his lost love, and Dumbledore's avarice for the dh's as a teen, became his undoing as an adult. Every character was flawed in some way which gave them greater depth and interest.

The ending met my expectations of redemption, and good over evil. The later books in the series seem a bit dark for children, but I agree with Charlatan that they can be a good source for discussion about life.

I fully enjoyed my fantasy escape that the HP series provided over the years. I will leave any criticism to the parents of the children for which it was intended.