Has anyone finished it yet? I just did and wow.... I think she's back to the great form of the 3rd book. Anyhoo, if and when anyone wants to put up some thoughts, I'm dying to share...
Hope all had a nice 4th of July, where ever you are,
I read through it like a hot knife through butter...it just flowed. Just when you think its getting unbearably grim, along come the Weasley Twins to make you laugh out loud. And, hey, how many Dolores Umbridges have YOU had in your life? What a great depiction of the abuse of power. Loved how Prof. McGonagall cut her down to size...
Maybe because I work in DC I found the description of the Ministry of Magic wonderfully evocative of well oiled bureaucracy (ok, I can't spell it, but you know what I mean!) - loved the flying memos!
But the big joy, surprise, hook, whatever, is the new information on Prof. Snape, Harry's absorbing what it means about his parents, and what I suspect will happen over the course of the next 2 books... a redemption, of sorts...?
I thought the same as you about the Ministry of Magic. Very much the well-oiled government machine.
The biggest joy for me, though, was more the answered questions, not necessarily just the info about Snape because I had an idea about that from an earlier book, but having alot of them finally answered. Why Harry has to go home every summer, for example. Found the prophecy very interesting, too.
I have the book but I read them aloud to my kids and right now we're in the middle of The Return of the King by Tolkien. So we have to wait before we start #5. I loved the 3rd on the best so it's good to hear that she's done this one along that line.
She's got such a great creativity and from her writing she shows also to have got a large culture.
)to wear this HP stylish hat! 
Then I had to pay him with 2 biscuits!