Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2006) - Plot & Excerpts
Here's the thing about the Harry Potter books...They're awesome.Deep, huh? Well, deep or shallow, it's the truth. I waited a long time to read the Harry Potter books because I wanted to experience them with my own children. My son (8) and I just finished the sixth book, my first daughter (6) and I are working on the first, and my youngest child (3) is content to commandeer her siblings' wands and run around shrieking, "I have a Harry Potter stick!"In other words, we all enjoy it.I could write a great deal about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but it's a tough book to write about without giving things away. And though I loved this novel for many reasons, I find it quite difficult to separate it from the other tales. This, I think, speaks to J.K. Rowling's ability to connect the stories in a such a way that they each have their own identity while still continuing to trace a gigantic glowing arc through the sky along which the reader is able to ride from the first book to the seventh.So before I tell you a few things I loved about the novel, please know that there might be spoilers below. Not huge spoilers, mind you, but I'm always afraid of letting something slip. So...be forewarned. Don't read on if you haven't read this book yet. And if you haven't read the book, why are you reading a review of it by a writer whose skills don't yet approach J.K. Rowling's? Seriously. Get off the danged Internet and read this amazing series!Some delights and terrors and sorrows...1. Fenrir Greyback: Bet that surprised you a little. I know that this character played a relatively minor role, but on the page he was a scene-stealer, a flesh-chewer, and a perfect foil for one of my favorite character, Remus Lupin.An aside: About a year before I began reading the series, my Creative Writing class was discussing characterization. The kids began talking about the Harry Potter books. One remarked that the supporting characters were as interesting as the leads, which led another student to bring up Remus Lupin. She was halfway through her cataloging of his merits as a character when she stopped and looked up at me, as if seeing me anew. She then said, "Mr. (Insert real name here). You sort of remind me of Lupin." When I later found out he was a werewolf, I was a little bit shocked (and secretly pleased). But when I really got to know the character, I found the remark incredibly gratifying.Back to Fenrir Greyback (with whom I hope I have nothing in common)...What made Greyback so incredibly interesting to me was not only the sheer ferocity of his behavior, but the diabolical simplicity of his motives. If the Harry Potter books were likened to Lord of the Flies and Voldemort's ambition were compared with Jack's (the leader of the hunters), then Greyback would be Roger, the sadist. This powderkeg of a character lives only to rend flesh and to guzzle the steaming lifeblood of his victims. Greyback doesn't want to rule the world; he simply wants to terrorize it. I don't know what kind of a role he plays in the seventh book (if any), but his unreasoning brutality added just the right note of menace to a book that largely---and sensitively---focused on the romantic relationships of its teenagers.2. Fleur's Surprising Reaction: I admit to falling prey to a stupid prejudice here, and I feel awful about it. But I wrongly assumed Fleur Delacour was a pretty face without a soul. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire she was the object of many male desires (Ron's particularly), and though she was skilled at wizardry, she wasn't an especially affecting character. She did seem affected, however, and when she showed up again in Book Six, I, like Mrs. Weasley, rolled my eyes and dismissed her as a fluttery, vapid future supermodel.How wrong I was.One mark of a great writer, I think, is the ability to surprise the reader without cheating. That's J.K. Rowling. When something terrible befell Fleur's fiance, I was all set to mentally berate her for her superficiality. But rather than making a caricature out of Fleur---as I fear I unknowingly did---Rowling transformed her and made her deeply endearing with a couple elegant lines of dialogue.And I loved that. So here's to continual reminders to not judge people by appearances or even their seeming personalities. People can still surprise us, and we need to give them the opportunity to do so.*takes a deep breath*And lastly...3. Dumbledore: If you've read this far, you've only been assailed by minor spoilers. I don't want to spoil this plot twist, but I don't know how to talk about it without spoiling it. And the fact is, I don't want to talk about it.Rarely has a fictional character so resonated with me the way Albus Dumbledore has. In the first book he was wise, eccentric, and a constant source of comfort. As the series has developed, he has persisted in exhibiting those traits, but he has also grown more than most might think. He has revealed a penchant for trusting others too much. He has admitted how fallible he is, how prone to mistakes. He has been injured, accused of wrongdoing, and generally fed through a physical and emotional woodchipper.And he has come through it all with an open, caring heart and an enormous capacity for love. One passage in particular, I think, summarizes this amazing character for me. In a scene that chronicles how Tom Riddle became Lord Voldemort, Dumbledore attempts to gird Harry's resolve and confidence in the inevitable battle with his nemesis:"Yes, you have," said Dumbledore firmly. "You have a power that Voldemort has never had. You can---""I know!" said Harry impatiently. "I can love!" It was only with difficult that he stopped himself adding, "Big deal!""Yes, Harry, you can love," said Dumbledore, who looked as though he knew perfectly well what Harry had just refrained from saying. "Which, given everything that has happened to you, is a great and remarkable thing. You are still too young to understand how unusual you are, Harry.""So, when the prophecy says that I'll have 'power the Dark Lord knows not,' it just means---love?" asked Harry, feeling a little let down."Yes---just love," said Dumbledore.The above passage will strike some as too direct, too naive, or worst of all, too emotional.It struck me as incredibly beautiful. There are all sorts of belief systems in the world, and no two people are exactly alike in their beliefs. But what Dumbledore says here is something that, were it adopted by more people, would alter our world for the better. Harry, for all his flaws, usually acts with good intentions. He befriends Luna Lovegood (another one of my favorite characters in all of fiction), gives of himself to others, and is willing to suffer so that others won't have to experience the same pain. In other words, Harry loves.And so can Dumbledore. Which is why this book was so memorable, wonderful, and painful to me.I'm going to go now. My wife is making a delicious supper. My son and first daughter are ready to wrestle. And my three-year-old is racing around the house casting spells on the furniture with her Harry Potter stick.And for that, J.K. Rowling, I thank you.
Some books instantly remind me of winter, this is one of them; but it is much more than the fact that I started reading this one next to a wood burning stove, covered in blankets. This book is cold. There is a tinge of bitterness and melancholy since the beginning, really; you can feel it while reading, some parts even make you feel sad. What happened at the end of Order of the Phoenix brought with it a promise of global change and it's almost palpable now. There is no safe place anymore, Harry can trust very few people and even some of those he trusted to be friends still refuse to believe what he says about Voldemort, even though there could not be clearer evidence of his return. Nonetheless, I absolutely enjoyed this book from start to finish; I love how Rowling changed the whole pattern of the books from "summer time; Hogwarts; problems; adventures" to a real quest to defeat Voldemort.Differently from previous books, on this one nothing of particular impact happens to Harry before the new semester at Hogwarts begins. The only significant event that I can recall is Dumbledore using him as a human magnet to attract a new, supposedly, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. So we are introduced to Slughorn, which I liked from minute one. In my opinion, he is one of the most believable characters that Rowling ever created. Most of the wizards (not considering Harry, his friends and the majority of the Weasleys) display a certain stoic behavior; some of them, like professor McGonagall, for instance, don't even express much emotion during the entire series. Slughorn, on the other hand, is a Russian roulette of conflicting emotions since his introduction. He feels proud of most of his acquaintances, ashamed of some, afraid of others. He feels attracted to the opportunity of being a teacher which would allow him to meet even more talented people, but afraid of what impact the exposure as a teacher would make in his life now that the world of wizards is being set upside down.Well, after this events, Harry is sent to the Weasleys', where nothing really meaningful happens. Then we have the customary travel to Hogwarts, where some enmities are reinforced, we might say. I must say that the atmosphere at school is utterly different from any of the other books. Some students didn't even return to school, so afraid they were, which I don't quite remember happening before, even when the Chamber of Secrets had been reopened on book two.As soon as the semester starts, Dumbledore starts inviting Harry to private conversations at his office, so we start to realize what this book is really about: send normal school affairs to the dumps, let's investigate Voldemort's past so we might come up with some way to defeat him. I found it great how Rowling added rebellious teenager behavior to back up Harry not caring much about school anymore, focusing on his new found mission. It added a much more believable sense to the character and to the whole story itself. Anyway, during the whole book we get to know, through collected memories of people who interacted with Voldemort during some points of his existence, a lot of unimaginable and priceless information which helps us understand what drove him to become what he is now: a monster.Setting Harry's mission apart for an instant, I would like to mention how fun some parts of this book were, due to the tinge of "sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll" that Rowling displayed. There are constant love conflicts, hormones are exploding everywhere; even Hermione, which I could never guess cared much about people, was found crying in the corners, feeling alone and betrayed. Again, giving young wizards a little bit of "muggle" adolescence hell was very well done in the sense that it makes the story much more believable.As the story goes on, Dumbledore and Harry get closer and closer to uncovering Voldemort's deepest secret, which leads them to go outside Hogwarts in search of evidence. Unfortunately, the results of their little adventure are disastrous. Getting advantage over Dumbledore's momentary absence from Hogwarts, the dark forces find their way into the castle and things get really bad. Rowling is not afraid anymore, so the signs of her advanced "George R. R. Martin syndrome" are firmly displayed, which makes me take a star out of this book. The ending is bitter and sad, setting a clear path to what we can expect on the final book. Interesting quotes that I didn't include in the review: It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more. Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right. The Last Passage(view spoiler)[ ‘We’ll be there, Harry,’ said Ron.‘What?’At your aunt and uncle’s house,’ said Ron. ‘And then we’ll go with you, wherever you’re going.’‘No -’ said Harry quickly; he had not counted on this, he had meant them to understand that he was undertaking this most dangerous journey alone.‘You said to us once before,’ said Hermione quietly, ‘that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We’ve had time, haven’t we?’‘We’re with you whatever happens,’ said Ron. ‘But, mate, you’re going to have to come round my mum and dad’s house before we do anything else, even Godric’s Hollow.’‘Why?’‘Bill and Fleur’s wedding, remember?’Harry looked at him, startled; the idea that anything as normal as a wedding could still exist seemed incredible and yet wonderful.‘Yeah, we shouldn’t miss that,’ he said finally.His hand closed automatically around the fake Horcrux, but in spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path he saw stretching ahead for himself, in spite of the final meeting with Voldemort he knew must come, whether in a month, in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with Ron and Hermione. (hide spoiler)]
What do You think about Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2006)?
Since pretty much everyone I know has read these books, I figure reviewing them is pretty pointless. But with the new book coming out in a couple of days, I have to go through them beginning to end. To make the reviews more entertaining, I will be doing them in a variety of unexpected formats. For this review, I will be writing as a power ballad.(Intro: Piano and strings)You were always by my sideYou will always be my guideBut the road I'm onGoes on and onAnd I've left you beHIIIIIND!(Big crunchy electric guitar)(DUMBLEDORE!)I will never forget the strength you showed!(DUMBLEDORE!)I will never forget the debt you're owed!(DUMBLEDORE!)And when I face the final hour(DUMBLEDORE!)I will call on all your power!(Guitar solo)There's no way back againBut if I can find a friendTo see me thoughAnd remember youI'll make it to the EEEENNNND!(DUMBLEDORE!)When I finally catch that snake in the grass(DUMBLEDORE!)You will be able to rest at last!(DUMBLEDORE!)You know he never will escape(DUMBLEDORE!)I'm comin' for you SNAAAAAAAAPE!!!!(Guitar solo)(Guitar solo with children's choir singing "Run, Snape, Run!")(Guitar solo with fireworks)(Drums explode)EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes, I know, it's horrible. I'm not proud....
—Chris
These books are breaking me. I admit it. I'm addicted to a children's book series. So sue me. This book isn't as action packed as the other books in the series. It tells more of the back story and it's when I saw Harry truly grow up. My heart is completely broken over this little story. The only fault I could give this book is that it doesn't have as much of my boyfriends George and Fred as the other books. So I'll just add them here. Really people if you are one of those and yes I was one..that had only seen the movies. Run don't walk and get these books.
—Shelby *wants some flying monkeys*
This is when Rowling really focused on the finish. No more f-ing around. This woman had a job to do.In a way, I was glad the sports championships, tournaments and other silly asides were done with. On the other hand, the story became singleminded in scope. As readers we were no longer inhabiting the world of Harry Potter, we were now on a quest. As much as I've complained about those silly asides, I realized after finishing this book (and especially after the next one) that I missed them. Diversions done well are a nice relief and can add so much depth to story and character. If there is something to be said about the story and character of Harry Potter, it's that our boy is all growed up. Book #6 is a far cry from #1.A big and important step is taken in the The Half-Blood Prince. Rowling shows she is not afraid to kill off her most precious babies. Some would say the series had to end at some point and that the killings were not so bold. Ah, but many a publishing and movie executive would disagree and cry out, "Why?! Why kill the cash cow?!?!" Well, she did. Finally Rowling did kill it. She brought this whole satisfying series to an end, and this is its beginning.
—Jason Koivu
