81 of 84 people found the following review helpful:
The Star Wars Episode I Equivalent of the Harry Potter novels
While the proceeding five novels of the Harry Potter sequence had interesting stories in their own right, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE, much like Star Wars Episode I, felt much more like a trailer to upcoming events than an interesting story in its own right.
While EPISODE I was undeniably a train wreck, especially with that travesty of Jar Jar...
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
half
Although I am not a child any more, I am a Harry Potter fan and was looking forward to HP 6 eagerly, hoping it will be better than HP 5 which was a disappointment after the tension created in HP&GOP. Well, it was better than HP 5 but fell short of the first four novels.
The first four books were truly entertaining & exciting, complete in themselves. I loved the...
While the proceeding five novels of the Harry Potter sequence had interesting stories in their own right, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE, much like Star Wars Episode I, felt much more like a trailer to upcoming events than an interesting story in its own right.
While EPISODE I was undeniably a train wreck, especially with that travesty of Jar Jar Binks, the movie introduced all the key characters of the new trilogy. EPISODE I's principal function was this introduction, and setting into motion the events that would lead the characters to their ultimate destiny. In this regard, EPISODE I and the sixth Harry Potter are remarkably similar.
Of course, the real difference is Rowling had five full novels before hand, whereas Lucas had only one movie to introduce his new set of characters. While the other books in the series always advanced the overall story's arc, Rowling always managed to have succinct, stand-alone novels that stood remarkably well on their own right. HALF BLOOD PRINCE is very much the exception to the rule in this regard. HALF BLOOD PRINCE is so exposition heavy, setting all the foundation work for the seventh book, that it relegates its own plotline as largely secondary. Let me elaborate.
In the proceeding five novels, each title drove the book's overall plot. In PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, the principal mystery was what was the stone and how to protect it. In the second book, the chamber had been reopened and there was a dangerous basilisk on the prowl. The third (and in my opinion the best), Azkaban's escaped prisoner was the fuel driving the events of that novel. Just as much as GOBLET was about the Triwizard Tournament and ORDER OF THE PHOENIX about the resistance to Voldemort, one would expect this trend to continue with HALF BLOOD PRINCE.
To this book's detriment, that is not the case. While there is certainly some mystery to who this prince is, and who ultimately figures in heavily with the book's climax, HBP is much more about the seventh book than anything else. In the American cover art, you have Dumbledore and Harry looking at the Pevensie, which turns out to be the real meat of the book anyway. HBP is far more about laying the seventh book's final outcome than having anything to do with some half-blood prince.
It is disheartening to say that you could actually excise the entire HBP subplot (a subplot is really all it is), and still have largely the same novel. The same could not be said of any of Rowling's previous work. Of course, the irony in all this is once Harry figures out who the HBP is, he does figure very heavily in the plot, but not because he is a half blood prince. Actually, Harry doesn't even really figure out who he is, but now we're getting into spoiler territory so I will say no more.
As far as the death goes (there are two deaths, but the first no one will care about), it is both devestating and shocking. Without revealing to much, it is both tremendously sad and incredibly strange that she would write out such an important and humanizing character. But following the Joseph Campbell mythological plot line that the hero must face his ultimate nemesis alone, without guidance, the death makes sense.
As for the people saying Rowling was stealing from LORD OF THE RINGS with some of the events in this book, I'd say "Yeah, and? What do you think the dementors are? They're just ring-wraiths tweaked a little bit." Without giving to much away, I think Rowling did quite an interesting job with Voldemort's method to immortality.
Ultimately, all HBP does is build up for the final confrontation with Voldemort in Book VII. No other book in this series is anywhere near as exposition heavy as this installment. While Rowling needs to set up the events for the last book, it would have been nice to have a more self-contained novel than this is, which is what the others are.
Overall, I give the book three stars, but that is only for this weakness in the plot of the book itself. I must confess I enjoyed this much more than PHOENIX. I remember buying that two years ago, anxious to return to Hogwarts to see familiar faces, old friends, and exciting times. Unfortunately, Harry was extremely moody and pretty much a flat out ass to everyone, and I felt like why did I want to come back to see such petty bickering? I was thrilled to see HBP did not continue this trend, even if it forget to have its own, more-or-less self contained plot.
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For once, the critical reception is correct - this is probably the best-written, and best overall, Harry Potter book so far.
For the first time, the series truly feels like an epic, one big story. Things suddenly become very clear that were just there unconsciously before. Were you wondering why on earth Riddle's diary was important in Chamber of Secrets? It's all here. Why Ginny Weasley kept one-upping Cho Chang in Order of the Phoenix, and why Harry got a lump in his throat when talking to Ginny in that book? That takes off like a rocket in this one. The series now feels like a saga, one story told over seven chapters, rather than a series of vaguely connected seperate novels.
The central theme of this book is choice - who do we choose, and why do we choose them? It's a theme which has been present throughout the series, but really comes to the forefront in this book, and permeates all of the main plots.
The backstory on Voldemort is fascinating, and comes at just the right point in the series. We finally learn exactly why Voldemort and Harry are such opposites, and the choices they - and people around them - made to get them to this point. Would Voldemort have become evil had his mother not capitulated, and had survived to raise him? Had he choosen to heed Dumbledore's advice at Hogwarts, let him take him under his wing? Voldemort always had choices, always had a chance to turn back ... but he chose to isolate himself, cut himself off from human warmth and compassion, and love only himself. It cannot be a coincidence that we discover this in the book in which Harry falls in love - the difference between the two is made very explicit. One can love, one cannot. Rowling's device for Voldemort's immortality is wonderful, and demonstrates the pure evil of what somebody would be prepared to do in order to gain immortality.
The Snape-Malfoy murder plot is particularly fascinating, since the issue of Snape's loyalty is still left a little ambiguous at the end of the novel. Whether he is working for Voldemort or not at this point, he remains a complex character with mysterious motives, and nobody can predict which way he will go in the next book. Malfoy also, for the first time, becomes a complex characters, with conflicting motives. He is given a choice at the end - Dumbledore or Voldemort? It will be fascinating to see where Rowling takes this in the next book - perhaps Draco isn't just a token bully after all! The death at the end of the book is the most tragic and emotional yet - I dare you not to have a tear in your eye during the final chapter.
The romance is an absolute delight - sweet, funny, but very, very realistic. For anyone paying any attention to the foreshadowing in Books 1, 2 and especially 5, Harry and Ginny's romance has been a long time coming, and it has been worth the wait. The way Rowling has structured this romance, where the two have to grow up a lot emotionally before they are READY to fall in love, has been done sensitively, intelligently and realistically. Rowling's device for Harry's feelings - the "monster in the chest" - certainly brings back memories of what it is like to feel that initial rush of falling in love! Her ability to accurately describe the feelings of teenage boys is amazing! Ginny has been a fiesty breath of fresh air in the last two books, and it's great to see her coming into her own here. The romance feels real, and right for teenagers, but it also feels deep - their final scene together in the book is the most romantic thing Rowling has written in her novels, and is truly heart-wrenching.
Then there is Ron and Hermione. Quite probably the most obviously hinted-at romance in the history of English literature, they are still crawling towards the inevitable conclusion. Ron has to realise, in this book, that a relationship based purely on lust is not particularly enjoyable. There has been criticism of Hermione's character in this book, but if you have actually paid attention to her character in Books 1-5, and not been influenced by fanfiction or the films and elevated her to Super Logic-Woman, she actually hasn't changed. Hermione is probably the most insecure, and often emotionally unbalanced, character in any of these books. She nearly has a nervous breakdown over her school-work in Book 3, so her reaction to being spurned by the boy she has been in love with for three years seems very real, and certainly in-character.
This is the first Harry Potter book to end on a cliffhanger, and what a cliffhanger it is. This is Part 1 of 2 - "to be continued". Will Harry kill Voldemort? Will he survive? Where do Snape's loyalties lie? Will Harry and Ginny be reunited, and Harry allowed the live the happy life he wants? I, for one, can't wait to find out. JK Rowling has been getting better and better each time; if she carries on like this, the completion of this tale might be something very special indeed.
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The clock has struck 13, the train has left platform 9¾ and term is starting at Hogwarts. The media razzmatazz has swamped Edinburgh, and millions of children around the (English) speaking world gathered at their local bookshops close to midnight to get their hands on the literary equivalent of a golden snitch. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
Just to make things clear if you didn't like any of the Harry Potter series, if you subscribe to the view that children's books are for children, or if you are just a cynical crusty then this review will not reinforce your position. This is a review of the new Harry Potter book from the view point of an adult fan. Having said that I too was once the cynical observer of this mass phenomon until I actually read one. And was hooked.
So has Ms. Rowling done her best? Is it really worth the wait? Surprisingly largely yes. The new book continues in the vein of the series, growing heftier and darker, dealing with weightier issues and becoming more immersed in a growing, almost suffocating, world of magic. Things are not well in the world of wizards. Whilst the majority of muggles only see freak accidents and weather conditions, magical families are in varying states of panic as he who shall not be named stalks the land once more.
In the middle of this crisis there is an apparent oasis of calm and normality. Hogwarts is still open for business, and Ron, Hermione and of course Harry will be returning to Gryffindor tower for the first year of their NEWT exams. This is the penultimate book, and following the school life they have finished their OWLs (GCSEs), and are now studying for their 'sixth form' exams.
The curriculum is not all that has changed. Whilst Rowling hints at the kids growing up in the previous books, it is in the Half Blood Prince that the threshold is crossed and the children become adults. This is one of the few reservations in the book. Is the development a little forced? Rowling is at pains to demonstrate the emotional turmoil that threatens to rip apart friendships. And like all teenage problems it all becomes a little, well, tedious. Fortunately this only fills in the middle, and by the end Rowling is once more romping towards an unputdownable finale.
What is also clear is that this book marks an important development in the Potter story arc. One criticism is that it leaves so many threads dangling - necessary for the final book to tie up, but annoying for the reader having to wait two years for the finished product. However it is nice to see Hogwarts and the Potter universe having a coherency and direction that mark the series as being a whole.
The Half Blood Prince marks a significant development in the series, as it becomes truly dark. No one is spared pain, and it is a fine example of the grand tradition of children's stories that do not spare the gruesome and dark. In a world of happily ever after this return to Grimm and Anderson is welcome. Rowling's writing is strong, has sufficient pace to grip the adult and child reader, is vivid and, well, for want of a better word magical. I finished it in a few sittings spread over two days, and it was as blissful and purely entertaining as any film or TV programme.
Many people have criticised Rowling, but millions more have praised her for creating books that have captured imaginations, got children reading and have forged a magical world. This latest book should dispel more critics, and cement Rowling's reputation as a pre-eminent children's, and adult's, author. It is proof that the series is complete, that the story arc is gripping and that Harry Potter will captivate generations to come. In a word, magical!
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J.K Rowling has done it again. She has gone back to the magical world of Harry Potter and delivers an exciting and well thought out portrayal of his world in "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince". This book is darker than the others and focuses more on Harry growing up and the fight against the Dark Lord Voldemort, that finally has been accepted by the Ministry of Magic. This book is a page turner that can only be expected of Miss Rowling and should be loved by all true Harry fans. Although her puns and ideas are spot on and original, I found the first few pages not as engaging as previous books and found it hard to want to reread it as much as I did the others. Whether this has to do with the new "darker" Harry that has become a typical teenager or whether the chapters are simply not as interesting, I do not know. J.K Rowling has cut down on the size of the book (although it is massive it still went too quickly!)which should come as a relief to some Harry fans but the ideas are still flowing and it still remains a brilliant piece of fiction. Most people should love this welcome escape into Harry's world but others, I fear, will either be left wanting more or left wanting none at all.
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I have to say, this book will sort the men out from the boys when it comes to Harry Potter fans. With such a huge backstory to complete and many characters to wrap up, The Halfblood Prince will match Order of the Phoenix for narrative power - almost to the book's detriment, as Harry's magical adventures take a backseat to exposition and lengthy conversations. Halfblood Prince is an odd book - with a dramatic revelation as early as Chapter 2 and several drastic plot points in the first hundred or so pages (with some chilling hints about the coming war) Rowling does an admirable job in raising the Harry Potter experience away from its literature-lite roots. I do believe that those who hated Order of the Pheonix will hate this book. It has the long conversations, a 600+ page count and to the casual reader, not much happens. To the more seasoned reader, conversations are littered with red herrings, little jokes - references to each of the books in turn. Background characters as far back as Philosopher's Stone suddenly get increased roles, as do regulars such as Ginny Weasley who is rapidly becoming as involving as Harry/Ron/Hermione. Do I love this book? Yes. Do I reccomend it? Yes. Just don't go into it with your hopes up.
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is faster-paced, more intriguing and more mysterious that all its predecessors - out of this world. Where in previous Harry Potter books J.K. Rowling has had one primary storyline with slight deviations here and there to mix up the mood, this sixth adventure finds our young hero juggling various different storylines, all expertly interweaved by the author. Whilst the dastardly Draco Malfoy seems to be up to no good, Harry is summoned to Dumbledore to take trips into the pensieve to discover more about his arch-enemy Voldemort (these bits are marvelous, I might add). Whilst Harry battles the new-found feelings he has for one particular young lady (hilarious moments), he is intrigued to learn more from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince whose potions book Harry stumbles upon. With attacks left, right and centre and the culprit all too wily to be caught, Harry and his friends have no time to relax and neither does the reader - it is a non-stop rollercoaster ride that I never wanted to end.
It is truly spectacular - from start to finish this will have you on tenterhooks, with bits to make the reader gape in horror, groan in pity, sigh in relief, breakdown in hilarity, weep in happiness and outright cry in sorrow. J.K. Rowling has truly outdone herself - the only question is, can Deathly Hallows be better - it would be hard-pressed to be, I can tell you that.
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It was always going to be hard for JK Rowling to live up to all the hype surrounding the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but I think that she has managed it. Darker than the earlier episodes, the sixth book nevertheless has many humorous moments and plenty of Rowling's brilliant one-liners.
Many of the problems suffered by book five were avoided here. The pacing is much better, without any sense of dragging or redundancy. If anything, the detail is a little sparse, rather than overdone. The plot is also kept in sight at all times, with Harry receiving instruction from Dumbledore as the major plotline, and shifty behaviour from his old enemy Draco Malfoy as the secondary line.
As with Order of the Phoenix, there is a strong ending, including a couple of blinding plot twists that have left fans astounded. While the major character death isn't a complete surprise, the circumstances surrounding it and the consequences are - not to mention the identity of the Half-Blood Prince!
Some characters introduced in earlier books here are rather neglected, probably felt most accutely as this story is plot-driven while the previous installment was much more character-driven. There are a few new characters, including a new teacher who is one of Rowling's most interesting creations.
Maybe the best thing about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for me is the number of answers given to some of the series' most puzzling mysteries. While Order of the Phoenix promised answers but didn't deliver, this story is much more satisfying, whilst still leaving plenty to puzzle over before the next book.
While there is plenty of humour in this story - the Quidditch commentary by dreamy Luna Lovegood being a particular highlight - there are also references to much darker happenings, including several deaths and injuries. The final climax has a high emotional impact and hankies may well be needed!
Inevitably, some critics will knock the book, and some fans will be disappointed by some plot developments not panning out as they expected. But this stands out to me as one of the best installments in the Harry Potter series, and I would highly recommend it to readers of all ages from ten upwards.
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After having read some of the reviews of this book i feel compelled to refute some of the comments made. I am someone who read the first 2 before the hype began and I have to say that the hype has greatly changed public perception of this series since the release of book 3. JKR has personally never promised the best addition to 21st century culture since the mobile phone, nor has she claimed that they are the best thing written since beowulf. However I would say that the Half-Blood Prince is the best written book of the series so far. The plot was as action packed as could be expected given that is the penultimate chapter. Unlike the other books, JKR had to at last answer questions instead of keeping us in the dark. Yes the death is expected, as are the long overdue romances but reviewers seem to have forgotten two things.
Firstly, the main storyline is Harry/ Voldemort which has required us to wait 5 books for adult Harry to emerge so that he is in a position to fight him.
Secondly, the 'dispensable', 'unnecessary', 'missed-in-editing' subplots are what make Harry Potter books stand out from the rest of their neighbours in the Fantasy section. This is a character driven series. JKR has used standard narrative devices, mythological ideas and the wizard/magic genre in all her books and combined them with an ordinary school lifetime. One doesn't have to delve far into the Net to find fans passionate about fan-fiction; who are passionate about the weasley family, or Snape, or Sirius or any of them. Every character and every subplot is what makes the series so well rounded and so universally appealing. If you want good and evil, read Lord of the Rings or just wait and read the 7th Harry novel.
In the end, Harry Potter is about love, friendship, family, loyalty, power, prejudice, racism, terrorism - you name it, it's in there. Half-Blood Prince is a gift for those who appreciate the sub-plots, and i think you will find that most of the fans probably care more about what Ron and Hermione's wedding will be like, or whether Snape will ever be redeemed, than they do about the final Harry/Voldemort showdown.
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JK Rowling has surpassed my expectations with an exceptional addition to the Harry Potter series after the disappointment of The Order of the Phoenix.
I think that the last book was rather too slow and with Harry's angry displays far too frequent and vehement, but I appreciate that Rowling was attempting to show his unsteady passage through adolescence.
But Rowling has now seemed to have perfected Harry's aging character so that he acts more like an adolescent and less like a child afraid of girls and the mere mention of alcohol.
JK Rowling has opened this book like she has none other, the inter-lapping of the mundane and arcane governments and the dark second chapter that put me upon a false trail throughout the rest of the novel.
To those who disdain this book as being too frank and blunt you must realise that both the audience and characters are aging and to expect Harry and co. to remain childlike and innocent is false.
Upon reading another few reviews, on the Amazon site, I am shocked at people saying that: 'Talk of snogging, the use of alcohol to get information out of people and at least one example of language that the youngest potter fans shouldn't hear.'
The series is about a boy who is orphaned after his parents are cruelly murdered by an evil wizard and Harry only survives because his mother chose to sacrifice her life for his. How dare people say that simply plying adults with alcohol to drag information from them and a few kisses is something children should not hear. This series has a darker side: if you dislike showing a child that the world is not all happiness and daises then never let him interact with another human being and wrap him in the proverbial cotton wool.
I am nearly 16 and was approximately 10 when the first Harry Potter book came out, like Harry I have grown older and I praise J K Rowling for this piece of work which has proven to me that she has matured her novels to an extent that they still hold an appeal to all ages. But trust me she has definitely toned down the actual activities of a group of fifteen year olds as no doubt most readers already know.
Phillip Fernandes London, Barnes
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J K Rowling's increases the pace considerably in the Half-Blood Prince. Containing less background history than Order of the Phoenix, this story is action packed. It clearly maps out the terms for the final confrontation which will occur in the next book. The ending is more tantalising than ever, as we are left with a clear idea of what the final book will entail.
This book is the most adult yet, in terms of violence, the teenagers' love lives and the overarching themes. There is more consideration of the grey areas between good and evil, the world of politics and the fallability of human nature. The mood is increasingly dark and resolute, though there are still some brilliant comedy moments that had me laughing out loud.
Finally, I found this book shocking. Many of the mysteries hinted at in the previous books are finally laid bare. I won't say what the revelations are, but they do include much more about the prophesy, whether Ron or Harry will end up with Hermione and of course the identity of the half blood prince.
Overall I thought this book was fantastic. Even though it may rule out some well argued theories about various characters and relationships, I cannot imagine that any fan will be disappointed.
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