Another two years of torment begin... (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Adult edition) - J.K. Rowling)

Member Name: Elioclya

Product:	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Adult edition) - J.K. Rowling
Date:	09/09/05 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Mature, well written

Disadvantages: Darker than the other books

It's been a long time coming, but now it's here there seems to be a mixed reception of this book.

Personally I loved it. It arrived in the post on the Saturday morning, and I read it in six hours. Unfortunately that six hours was interrupted half-way through by a family party, which I couldn't enjoy quite as much as I'd have liked due to constantly wondering what would happen next. If it hadn't been for the party, I don't think I'd have eaten until I'd finished the book.

One aspect to consider about this book is that it is undeniably a lot darker than the others. In fact, it would probably be true to say that it's just a lot more mature in all senses. It has to be; the characters are growing up, and the original readers are now a lot older than they were when it first came out. It's a shame that the books haven't been able to be published yearly - there are people who felt at first that they were growing up not only with the books, but also with the sense that they were growing up with the characters, year by year, following them through school. Regardless, the series has grown to the point where there is genuine horror for the reader in some places, and some younger readers may not be able to follow it right through until they are older.

The story in this book is in some ways very shocking, not only in terms of its darker feel but also in what are by some seen as very emphatic twists. Things are changing dramatically for Harry, Ron and Hermione as they continue through Hogwarts, and this book ends with heavy indications that the last book will be very different to the others.

In terms of writing itself, Rowling's style is very distinctive and has matured along with the content of the books. I myself noticed a few minor problems with the way some sentences flowed, which annoyed me somewhat, and the start of the book seemed slightly obscure (as often seems to happen with these series) but it all came together. For me, it was a very worthwhile read, and my biggest problem is how long it will be before the final book appears.



© Elioclya 2005

Summary: Well written with twists, but darker than the other books