| Product: |
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling |
| Date: |
12/10/07 (30 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Gripping, amusing,entertaining. All in all magical.
Disadvantages: The thirst for information is not fulfilled but further increased.
WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NO READ IT!
Magic, Magic and more Magic! We have come to expect nothing but pure brillianc formt he harry potter series and this Bokk does not dissapooint.
Having read this book on numerous occasions I can with ease say that it is the best in the series so far. It follows on from where the Order Of the Phoenix finished, the wizarding world now practically at war. The opening chapter of the book is very well placed, it may not be the most exciting opening but it certainly makes perfect timing by telling us about relations between the muggle authoirities ( ie the prime minister, who makes an appearance- though not in the form of Tony Blair) and the ministry of magic. From here onwards begins the progression of the story, there are a couple of main questions or plots which are present throughout the book.
Namely IS SNAPE EVIL?
Well this question is not actually answered in the book, although some might disagree. Yes snape does kill a certain someone in the book, but there remain doubts about this loyalty and intentions which undoubtebly will be answered in the next installment The Deathly Hallows. Snape also VERY surprisingly turns out to be the Half blood prince! Now who saw that coming! Yes the half blood prince who Harry was very fond of, this obviously before he knew it was snape. This was due to harry now having snapes old potions book, using which he was able to claim undeserved recognition as a geat potion maker.
Malfoy is more prominent and has a much bigger role to play than in the other books. Halfway through the book when harry finally finds out where Malfoy is going and begins to pace around the room of requirement constantly in order to gain entry to it and discover malfoy in the act can be a little annoying. Especially as he seems to do this every day. However it does press upon the reader the fact that Harry probably hates malfoy equal to how much he hates snape.
Another brilliant theme is the information on VOLDEMORTS PAST, my particular favourite moment here is where we see Tom Riddle as he was then visited by Dumbledore in the Orphanage. Even at this young age we saw some sighns of what can only be described as cruelty edging toward evil in the boy Voldemort. Here again J.K Rowling asks us a question, CAN SOMEONE BE BORN EVIL? The answer I think is....NO...yes I said NO! This is because in the HBP we see that even thought Voldemort was an heir to Slytherin it was his circumstances and choices which made him what he is.
LOVE AND REALTIONSHIPS, are explored in much more depth than before. Hopefully now al those Harry/Hermione shippers will realise as i did Prisoner of azkaban onwards that it was always destined to be Ron and Hermione. The love stories I feel are handled very well, and the progress even though abit slow is a light relief to all the other depressing events. Harry also FINALLY realises his feelings for ginny.
Some excellent moments for me were those between Dumledore and Harry. We are as readers very happy to see that Harry has another almost parent like figure again after Sirius died, But saddly this does not last for long as dumbledore is taken away from us..........He is defiantely dead (as confirmed by non other than J.K Rowling herself)
As far as a down point goes, I can Happily say there are very few. The only dissapointing thing for me were some unanswered questions from the previous books and information we really wanted to hear, such as:
INFORMATION ABOUT LILY AND HER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LUPIN AND SNAPE. DID SNAPE LOVE LILY? AND WAHT ABOUT LUPINS SOFT SPOT FOR HER?
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NIGHT ON WHICH HARRYS PARENTS WERE MURDERED, AND WHO ELSE WAS PRESENT IN GODRICS HOLLOW.
However one question whic is answered is how Why voldemort survived. The answer: HORCRUXES. This again shows the brilliance of J.K Rowling, such imagination and inginuity is unprecedented. Who would have guessed it,. I certainlt did not. Not only does this tell us why voldemort did not die, but as opposed to the other books It gives us a very good outline of more of what we can excpect to see in The Deathly Hallows. For we know now that Harry has to go and find AND destroy all the horcruxes.
Along with all the deatha nd despair we have the usual and very enjoyable humour. There are humourous moments, many of which include Luna lovegood and Ron Weasley. Personally I was delighted that we saw Luna in the book, I was however hoping we would see alot more of her.
Also in the installment there is a new Defence against the dark arts teacher, which very surprisingly is non other than our very own potions master snape. Naturally this means we have a new potions professor in the form of Slughorn, whos relevance to the story is later revealed. We see the forming here of a club calle the "Slug club". One for the favourites of Slughorn whic Harry falls into.
The ending of the book is spectacular and very very sad. Yes there is another battle this time in our very own school Hogwarts. This was defiantely tear jerking stuff, especially the moment when dumbledore was killed. The Burial ceremony I felt was very well handled and written.
Overall this book can be said to be simply EXCELLENT. It is a book I would reccomend to all whether or not they have read the previous installments. It is gripping throughtout Its 607 pages, and you find youself wishing it was a couple of hunderd pages longer. This book for me does not dissapoint in the slightest and as a penultimate book in the series it is perfect. The things to look fowrward to in the next book are obvioulsly all those unanswered questions, the list of which seems to have grown sincc the half blood prince. Also the much awaited ending o see if it will be Harry or voldemort who dies...or both. Heres awaiting the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Summary: A MUST READ FOR ALL BOOK LOVERS!!!
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