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Monday 27 April 2015

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

Synopsis:

As the Dark Lord’s sinister forces amass, a spirit of gloom and fear is sweeping the land. Harry Potter waits nervously in his bedroom at the Dursleys' for Professor Dumbledore to arrive. One of the last times he saw the Headmaster was in a fierce duel with Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic. Why is the Professor coming to visit him now? What is it that cannot wait until Harry returns to Hogwarts? In his sixth year, Harry will discover the secret behind the Half-Blood Prince, as Professor Dumbledore prepares him to face his destiny.

My Initial Expectations: 

After having such a difficult time reading the last Harry Potter book, I wasn't that excited to pick this one up. Nevertheless, I was already more than half way done with the series and I knew I couldn't just stop without all my questions having been answered. 

In addition, the film adaptation for this one was the only Harry Potter movie I had seen prior to starting the series. I knew the big event that happened at the ending. I even laughed so hard during the ending that me and my friends almost got kicked out of the theater. (Before you hate my guts, please know that I wasn't laughing because of what happened. I was laughing because of a sarcastic comment one of my friend's made regarding it. No, I can't remember what she said. The me from back then was clearly an ignorant twat that is nothing like the me from today.)

My Thoughts: 

This is the first Harry Potter that a thoroughly enjoyed. Of course I loved the last two; but this one was the first to truly fit in with the image of the Harry Potter series that I had built up in mind over the past several years. 

For the first time, Harry was not only tolerable, but admirable. I was so glad that he stopped screaming at everyone every five pages. Even when he did go on a bit of a screaming rampage, it was justified and the people he screamed at definitely deserved it. Harry was finally being the leader people told me he would be. The only disappointment was that it took six books for him to grow from his mistakes. His maturity made me take both him and the plot much more seriously than before, because up until this book I wasn't as invested as I wanted to be. 

Another big thing that I loved about this book was the insight we finally got into the lives and minds of some of the bad guys. Up until this book, the Death Eaters were made out to be pure evil. I saw them as barely human-their lives basically worthless. But after getting just a few minor glimpses at their lives and their relationship with others, I find myself pitying them. No matter what they've done, they are all human at the end of the day. They have family that they love and want to protect just as much as the good side. 
In the end I don't blame Draco for the way he acted. He had no other choice-or at least that was what he was raised to believe. 

On a lighter note, I was also relieved to get some legit romance. One romance I obviously saw coming from a hundred miles away; the other I was surprised at how much it made sense. I knew that both couples were going to get together eventually, but the latter involving Harry was something that I just never understood until now. 

Overall, this book finally got me hooked. I felt more connected to the characters, good or bad, than I'd ever imagined I would be. When I finally got to the event at the end, the event that I had once laughed at uncontrollably, I cried so hard it took me quite a few hours to compose myself (and an ungodly amount of ice cream sandwiches.) 

Favorite Chapters:
Chapter 5, An Excess of Phlegm 
Chapter 7, The Slug Club
Chapter 14, Felix Felicis 
Chapter 16, A Very Frosty Christmas
Chapter 18, Birthday Surprises
Chapter 24, Sectumsempra
Chapter 30, The White Tomb

Reading Progress:


I gave this book 5/5 stars on Goodreads!
Would I recommend it? Hell yeah! 
Would I re-read it? Of course! A thousand times over.

What did you guys think? Did your feelings about the Malfoys change after reading this? Did you cry as much as I did at the end?

1 comment:

  1. Great review. This book is one of my favorites in the series. I also really like the third one and the very last one.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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