J. K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Hi

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth book in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.
My gorgeous copy has 542 pages and I got it as a gift from my husband.
You can find every Harry Potter review here.

                                *   SPOILERS   *

We get more information on Voldemort and I could almost understand why he became a sociopath. Though it doesn’t redeem him in any way, it only means I could see where he comes from. I really loved those parts. The story gets more nuance this way.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a much darker novel. It’s still witty and there are quite a few laugh-out-loud scenes but it’s definitely more grownup than the previous ones. It’s not as action-packed either. The story is quieter and it’s only in the last few chapters where we get an amazing and chilling climax, but the threatening, ominous feeling is there throughout the book.

Dumbledore is not telling Harry a thing (as usual) and I got really angry at him for that. He decides Harry is big enough go find a horcrux but not big enough to get in on all the secrets? I don’t get it.
His death crushed me though. Every time. It’s so hard to read those last few chapters because I feel so sorry for those left behind. And Fawkes’ reaction is heartbreaking.

I honestly felt sorry for Draco. He had no choice but to do what Voldemort wanted him to. He wouldn’t have killed Dumbledore, we know because he lowered his wand. I’m sure he wouldn’t. I don’t like him but no-one deserves to be in his place. As a teenager I loved to hate him, but now I just find it very sad. What choice did he ever have with parents like his?

I loved the parallels Rowling draws between our political situation and the situation The Ministry of magic finds themselves in. Their policies and actions are clearly ineffective and superfluous but they want to keep up a façade. Thought-provoking.

One thing that has bothered me in every book though is the magical folks’ inability to understand muggles and act like them. How can they not know where to wear a bathing suit? They have to go to the same stores as muggles for some things? Those parts really make me cringe they’re so ridiculous. And refilling a drink? How is that even possible? Why are people going hungry if this is an option?

I wish Harry had noticed Ginny in the previous book too instead of Cho. It would make their romance much more convincing. Plus I never liked the Cho-storyline.

I loved it. Now I have to badger my husband into giving me the last one for our wedding anniversary this month.

Happy reading!
Helena