Post Potter

So, the final book has been released, read in one joyous straight-through 18-hour marathon, re-read in a more leisurely fashion, lovingly tucked into the bookcase beside books 1 - 6, and now, in the aftermath, I am left with a curious combination of satisfaction, sadness and ennui. And, of course, the inevitable question:

What's next?

Although Rowling is smart enough to never say "never", I'll be very surprised if she writes another Harry Potter story. The coda she put on the series caps things nicely and as she put it in the final chapter (before the epilogue), Harry's earned a rest. Certainly, the world of magic she created is large enough for her to set other stories in it, but will she?

It's unfortunate - and, once again, inevitable - that everything she writes from now on will be compared to the HP series and will likely, at least by some, be found wanting. No matter. Harry Potter will be read by children and adults alike for generations to come. Whatever else she writes, her legacy is secure.

For the record, I loved Deathly Hallows. Having re-read the first six books before tackling book 7, it's clear how much the series had grown from her initial imaginings. Like the children she wrote about, the books became older, wiser, deeper and darker than I suspect she ever realized they would. The kids grew up and the world she created grew with them.

Taken as a whole, the Harry Potter series is an immense achievement. It has been an enormous pleasure to be among the first to read these books and the only appropriate thing to say right now is: Thank you, J.K. Rowling. I will be forever grateful to you and your creation.

And now, onward.