Uncovered!

Thanks to Susan, I learned first thing this morning that the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows cover art has been released. I'm posting the full unfolded cover for the full dramatic effect.

In the U.S. version, we're clearly looking at the showdown between Harry and Voldemort. But where are they? It appears, as Susan and I discussed, that they are in some sort of coliseum with spectators. And how creepy does Voldemort look? Looks like there's already some damage done to the battlegrounds. There's a lot of tension here - an eerie sky, Voldemort looking like he's attacking from the shadows (is that the veil there?) and Harry looks calm but focused. Very intriguing. If we go by the clues of other cover art, we can assume this is probably the climactic scene. An end scene has been featured on books 2, 3, 5 and 6.


And here's the U.K. version. I posted it because it offers the dust jacket copy - although, don't get excited. It doesn't reveal anything you hadn't already guessed but does confirm that Harry will be at Privet Drive at the beginning of the book (duh) and will be retrieved once again by the Order of the Phoenix. The cover art also features a stag, which leads me to believe Harry's patronus will be invoked once again. The hole that the characters are spilling out of is reminiscent of the passageways in the Chamber of Secrets. And while I though Ron was holding the sword of Gryffindor, it actually (as a very clever Susan pointed out) is a house elf, possibly Dobby. Let's hope it's not K reacher. The U.K. also puts out an "adult" cover, which features the locket of Salazaar Slytherin rumored to be hidden at Grimauld Place.


Although we had all guessed it, these little clues are tantalizing reminders that the 7th book will be a round up of the who's who and what's what of the Potter universe. Susan will confirm that I literally clapped my hands with glee.