Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Pretty good. Not up to the standards of the last three books; overall lacks the levity and fun of them, and spends a loooooot of time on exposition. I agree with the comments that it mostly feels like setup for the grand finale.

 

I too figured that Snape is still deep cover. Too little resolution as to why Dumbledore trusted him all these years makes it almost a certainty in my mind.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Did anyone catch Slughorn calling Ron "Rupert". I thought that was a nice little inside joke.

[spiny norman 0]

Did anyone catch Slughorn calling Ron "Rupert".  I thought that was a nice little inside joke.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I noticed that too - excellent.

 

I did quite like the book. Very story-driven, but not quite so as Order of the Phoenix. Probably my third favourite after OotP and GoF (I know everyone loves Prisoner of Azkaban, but I found it was not quite to the later book's level).

 

I can't see how the final book can be less than 1000 pages long.

[Mik 0]

I've been saying the same thing to all of my friends. Not only 1000 pages long, but with very little dead space.

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

I also subscribe to Snape still being undercover. I think we'll learn in the next volume just why Dumbledore trusted him so much...and also Snape may well be one of the deaths of the next book.

[Angel_Grace_Blue 0]

Few thoughts and such, and I'm sure I'll get many things wrong as it's been a while since I've re-read any of the previous books, but who cares?

 

1. I was very glad that there wasn't a "Last time at Hogwarts" thing. Seems like in every book after Philosopher/Sorcerer's Stone, Harry had to re-introduce everyone and mention what they did. If I'm reading the 6th book, there's a good chance I've read the other five.

 

2. Why/how are the memories (Not just from the Pensieve, but also Riddle's diary), in third person? I was going to mention the thing with Snape's memory from Order of the Phoenix, but decided against it, due to this being a discussion on Half-Blood Prince.

 

3.

Speaking of which, that discovery was a total Robot Devil-type revelation. "You can't just have your characters say how they feel. That makes me feel angry!"

 

3a.

Regarding Harry's inability to learn from Snape: He did say that during the O.W.L. exam, he felt more confident without Snape around, so I think he can learn from Snape, but gets nervous/intimidated around him.

 

4.

Harry won't die in the 7th book, because how would he make it into "Harry Potter and the Balance of Earth" by Al Gore in 3000?

 

5.

I kind of figured that Voldemort wouldn't be involved in this one (Not a direct conflict, anyway), as he wasn't in the 3rd, and aside from 6/2=3, both have a person in the title, and um...stuff

 

6.

I think Dumbledore is dead, but, I think the phoenix Harry thought he saw will be important. Member of the Order use Patronuses to contact each other (As evidenced by Tonks), and Dumbledore's Patronus is a phoenix. Maybe, just maybe, he conjured a patronus and sent it to someone far removed/not even mentioned yet, in kind of the same way that some dead people still have movement. Or I'm completely batshit crazy, which is very likely

 

7.

Godric's Hollow could play a very important role. It is named after one of the founders of the school, afterall.

 

More later, maybe, but probably not. Good read, though.

[Guest xSarahx]

Finished the book today and I really enjoyed it. I should of gone back and read the 5th book since it's been so long but I caught on pretty quick.

 

I was kind of surprised that Hagrid was phased out of this one. In the past books, he played a big part but in THBP, Harry and the gang didn't seem too concerned with him. They were down-right mean when Aragog died.

 

I thought the "private lessons" with Dumbledore and learning the past of Tom Riddle was interesting. Rowling does a good job tying things together so they make sense.

 

How in the world is the story going to end in just one more book? The whole horcrux thing makes it possible for an entire book by itself. Also, if Harry isn't going to continue at Hogwarts, what about Ron and Hermione? At the end, it seemed like they were going to help Harry, but does that mean that they'll go to school or stick with him? And would we get to read about both Harry and his adventures and Ron/Hermione's final year at Hogwarts (if it opens)? What about Harry's apparition test?

 

Overall, it was pretty good. It certainly left a lot of possiblities open and I can't wait for #7.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

awesome book.

It felt much "fuller" than GoF or OoTP. Both of those imo dragged at times and could have been shorter. This one, I felt like could have easily been longer. I think it was just that there were way more plot and character threads to jump around to so it didn't dwell on one, the way OoTP had scene after scene after scene of Umbridge being a an oppresive tyrant (yeah we get it, she's awful).

 

I thought it was interesting how the big reveals were, not so much out-of-left surprises, but more surprises in the sense that it was exactly what Harry thought, it was Malfoy all along, Snape was evil all along*, they did pull off their plan when Dumbledore left the castle. It just felt different (in a good way), sometimes our hero(es) arent complete idiots, harry's instincts were right all along which is a surprise in of itself.

I also, surprisingly, even liked the romantic subplots. ron/hermoine has pretty much been obvious since GoF, though Harry/Ginny kinda came out of left field, it was cool.

I had sorta guessed that Snape was the half blood prince though, he is the potions master after all.

 

For book 7 i'd just as soon they say 'fuck hogwarts' and go all out adventuring in search of the horcruxes, kicking death eater ass along the way.

[CBright7831 0]

http://pottercrash.ytmnd.com/

 

 

CAUTION: THIS YTMND PAGE GIVES AWAY A HUGE SPOILER

[Anakin Flair 0]

I was kind of surprised that Hagrid was phased out of this one. In the past books, he played a big part but in THBP, Harry and the gang didn't seem too concerned with him. They were down-right mean when Aragog died.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

It wasn't so much that they were trying to be mean, it was the fact that it was a GIANT SPIDER THAT TRIED TO EAT THEM (well, Ron and Harry, anyways...), plus the fact that they didn't want to risk getting in trouble being caught out after hours. But I will admit that Hagrid did play a very small role in this book, smaller than ever before.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

count me as one of the ones happy about that. I've always hated Hagrid. So fuckin annoying. I hope he dies.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Where the fuck was Moody in this one? I don't even recall a Moody sighting in the final chapter for fucks sake.

[Guest xSarahx]

Where the fuck was Moody in this one? I don't even recall a Moody sighting in the final chapter for fucks sake.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think Moody was mentioned like once in the whole book.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

He was at the Christmas dinner where we first saw Lupin this time around, wasn't he?

 

Too insular on the three kids and Dumbledore this time.

[Guest xSarahx]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure he was there. It was such a small mention, I don't even know if he said anything.

[Anorak 0]

He was at the Christmas dinner where we first saw Lupin this time around, wasn't he?

 

Too insular on the three kids and Dumbledore this time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That would be my main gripe this time around as well. I thought the last book did an excellent job of creating a wider circle of allies to even the odds fighting on Harry's side but most didn't get a great look in. I thought Neville and Luna might be revealed as having some untapped potential hidden up their sleeves going into this installment but it wasn't to be. Roll on number 7....and 8 if it's needed.

[Guest Biggles]

By far my favorite book - it use to be Azkaban. My one disappointment was that the first two chapters weren't from Harry's point of view and that's what I've always enjoyed about the books.