My Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Let me start by saying that my introduction to the Harry Potter franchise was listening to Jim Dale read the first book on tape as I was traveling with my wife and children. I will forever hear Mr. Dale’s portrayal of the characters when I read the books.
We purchased the most recent installment on Saturday 16 July 2005. My younger daughter Sarah had dibs by virtue of some lottery or some such to which I was not privy. I did however get the second crack at the book, and so Sunday morning dove into the book admittedly with some trepidation. You see, I never really cared for the fifth book. By now all of you know that Harry’s godfather dies in the course of the book, a vehicle which I anticipated but never really liked. In the main though my complaint with book five had to do with Harry himself. I’ve never liked whining much and he was carrying on throughout the book. Ok, he’s feeling put upon and overwhelmed, I understand that, but it doesn’t make being a whiner any more appealing to me.
Within the first couple of chapters I discovered that I liked Harry much more in this book than I did in the previous one. He’s not comfortable with being the hero, or the “Chosen One” as he’s been dubbed by the “Daily Prophet”, but he’s no longer whining about it. He still has some growing to do some of which is forced on him in the course of this book, but he seems to me to have turned a personal corner.
I am trying studiously to avoid spoilers for those of you who have not read the book yet, but I do have a few things to say.
Severus Snape – That figures.
Teenage Romance – Enough already (more on this topic in a minute) I do realize that it’s the central factor in the lives of most teenagers, and for most teenagers life is a constant soap opera, but enough already.
Buckbe … err Whitherwings – Yay …
Draco – heh heh heh.
The ending of the book – Ok, when I finished the book I literally flung it.
All in all, Rowling’s best work to date as far as I’m concerned, and she has managed to accomplish something with this book that she did not with book five. She made me want to read the last one.
Just my thoughts on the subject, but as always your mileage may vary.
We purchased the most recent installment on Saturday 16 July 2005. My younger daughter Sarah had dibs by virtue of some lottery or some such to which I was not privy. I did however get the second crack at the book, and so Sunday morning dove into the book admittedly with some trepidation. You see, I never really cared for the fifth book. By now all of you know that Harry’s godfather dies in the course of the book, a vehicle which I anticipated but never really liked. In the main though my complaint with book five had to do with Harry himself. I’ve never liked whining much and he was carrying on throughout the book. Ok, he’s feeling put upon and overwhelmed, I understand that, but it doesn’t make being a whiner any more appealing to me.
Within the first couple of chapters I discovered that I liked Harry much more in this book than I did in the previous one. He’s not comfortable with being the hero, or the “Chosen One” as he’s been dubbed by the “Daily Prophet”, but he’s no longer whining about it. He still has some growing to do some of which is forced on him in the course of this book, but he seems to me to have turned a personal corner.
I am trying studiously to avoid spoilers for those of you who have not read the book yet, but I do have a few things to say.
Severus Snape – That figures.
Teenage Romance – Enough already (more on this topic in a minute) I do realize that it’s the central factor in the lives of most teenagers, and for most teenagers life is a constant soap opera, but enough already.
Buckbe … err Whitherwings – Yay …
Draco – heh heh heh.
The ending of the book – Ok, when I finished the book I literally flung it.
All in all, Rowling’s best work to date as far as I’m concerned, and she has managed to accomplish something with this book that she did not with book five. She made me want to read the last one.
Just my thoughts on the subject, but as always your mileage may vary.
posted by OOPLord at 08:36
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