"Underneath the moon, the tumult forces me to action" - Breakbeat Era, Breakbeat Era
**This is my non-spoiler thoughts on the book so as not to face the wrath of Death Eaters, Dementors or any Unfavorable Curses that you slow readers might attempt to throw at me.**Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling (Scholastic). So, Bill & Fleur, huh?
I enjoyed it more than Order of the Phoenix but not as much as Prisoner of Azkaban. Harry is likeable again. I was wrong in my guesses about who the half-blood prince was and no, I don't take the ending at face value.
Of course, highly highly highly recommended. Reading time (minus distractions, work and other annoyances) about 12 hours.
Feel free to discuss at length in the comments. Those who haven't read to the end, enter the comments at your own risk.
When you say you don't take the ending at face value, are you talking about the death itself? The true motives of the killer? Both?
I heard this theory from a friend who's also finished the book: S agreed to the Unbreakable Vow in order to save face, but is still on the side of good. If he hadn't agreed, he would have almost certainly been killed on the spot by Bellatrix. D knew of all this, which is why he froze Harry, and also why he became fearful only when S entered the room. What this means for book 7, I'm not sure, but I can imagine S's redemption taking the form of self-sacrifice and death at V's hands.
Also, if the portrait of Phinneas Black in the headmaster's office is always talking and interfering, shouldn't the newest portrait be able to do the same? I was a bit disappointed that the subject was simply at rest.
Posted by: Gwen | July 19, 2005 at 02:01 PM
I'm reading it (on page 480 at the moment) and I can't help wondering, "Okay, when does the book become interesting? Granted, I'm not a big Harry Potter fan - I'm reading it just to make it through the series - but it's not at the same quality as Azkaban or GOF.
Posted by: Cecily Walker | July 19, 2005 at 03:18 PM
Gwen,
I might not take the death itself but I definitely don't take the true motives of the killer at face value. The idea that Harry has been right all along about him. That all of the work to protect Potter in the previous books was all an elaborate ruse doesn't ring true for me.
I believe that, in the end, Snape is the ultimate protector/ally of Harry and will serve to help him destroy Voldermort.
And, yes, I would presume, if we don't see him living again, we will see a talking Dumbledore from behind a portrait, soon.
Cecily, while not as 'magical' and 'fantastic' as the earlier books, I appreciated the "Beverly Cleary" tone of this one. That all this young love is erupting amongst the turmoil in the wizarding world is exciting and feels true to me. I also really appreciate the subtle tonal shift in the book in which the 16 year old Harry is now questioning his elders in a slightly more rational way. Snape seems less fearsome, Dumbledore less shiny.
My conceit after finishing the book is still feeling like Potter, for all his power, bravery and heart, is still a punk kid who doesn't know half of what he thinks he knows. Rowling has never truly played that card though. What she could be explaining in this story is the real truth...that adults don't know that much more than kids. That they make mistakes, grave ones, and that in the face of all the plodding bullshit of the world and those who might doubt us and take us less seriously, we should follow our instincts, trust our hearts and do what is necessary, honorable and right.
Posted by: Jason Toney | July 19, 2005 at 04:07 PM
I keep saying I'm going to read some Potter ... and then I never do ...
Posted by: Danyel | July 22, 2005 at 12:06 PM
I don't believe that Dumbledore was fearful of Snape, but that he was pleading with him to kill him. Dumbledore's patronus is, after all, a phoenix. Perhaps Dumbledore is animagus as well. A phoenix has to die in order to be reborn (the flash of fire at the funeral?). I believe we'll see Dumbledore again, but not just through a painting.
I also believe that Snape is not as evil as he seems now. "Killing" Dumbledore should ease suspicions among the Death Eaters as to Snape's loyalties and it allowed him to keep his Unbreakable Vow.
Posted by: LaDonna | July 23, 2005 at 08:09 PM
Heck, I just don't want Snape to die. Because he is *such* a badass. I mean, either way, he's fooled either Voldemort or Dumbledore, the most powerful wizards in friggin' history.
That and I love me the Machiavels. Dayum.
Posted by: Anony Miss | July 23, 2005 at 08:18 PM
A friend and I compared Dumbledore's death to that of Tupac's. Some say he's not really dead, some say he is, and some say he's in Russia. As far as the book itself goes though, I was impressed with it until the end. I think the whole 'fight' sequence really didn't do justice to any of the events leading up to it.
Posted by: OhOhColleenOh | July 25, 2005 at 04:15 PM
The book was awesome, but my comment is more about a much previous post. Dude, you MUST get Bloc Party's 'Silent Alarm.' It is key. Much more key than, say, 'The Emancipation of Mimi,' but that's just my two cents.
Go forth. My personal fav's are 'Banquet,' 'Like Eating Glass,' and 'Pioneers'
peaces,
nicholas
Posted by: Nick | July 29, 2005 at 02:15 AM
I don't know whether or not I believe Snape is evil, but I do believe that it's very unlikely we'll see Dumbledore again. And this isn't because I'm not a Dumbledore fan- it's because Rowling has said publically that she doesn't want to give kids the idea that once you're dead, you can come back to life.
Posted by: -leslie.- | August 01, 2005 at 07:58 PM
I liked HBP; mind you, it's not my favorite - Goblet of Fire holds that distinction. Of course, I think there's more to the Snape-Dumbledore situation than meets in the eye, in the sense that there was more going on behind the scenes with that relationship than we know about yet. But I do think Dumbledore is really dead.
I view HBP mainly as a book that moves the action along and its main purpose is to set up what's going to happen in the last book.
Posted by: Anitra | August 04, 2005 at 08:46 AM
"I believe that, in the end, Snape is the ultimate protector/ally of Harry and will serve to help him destroy Voldermort." - Compelling idea, by the way. Snape - although I still think he's a greasy, bullying, insecure snit - is shaping up to be one of the most interesting characters in the series. More on what JK Rowling has said about Snape - http://www.madamscoop.org/themes/snape.htm
Also, in interviews, JK Rowling says that Book 7 won't be as long as Order of the Phoenix. She has a quite a bit to wrap up; I don't know how she could do all that in a book that is shorter than OotP!
Posted by: Anitra | August 04, 2005 at 09:07 AM
There's a lot of behavior I'd put up with, however, there are somethings that you just don't do to people and betraying them to their deaths is one of them. Snape saved his own neck, like the other Slytherins because that's what they do. He proved himself undependable in a crisis. I hope he gets caught and killed.
Posted by: selah9 | October 27, 2006 at 10:37 AM