Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling Series: Harry Potter #6
Published by Scholastic Press (1.1.2005)
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Format: Hardcover, 652 pages
Source: I own it
It is the middle of the summer, but there is an unseasonal mist pressing against the windowpanes. Harry Potter is waiting nervously in his bedroom at the Dursleys' house in Privet Drive for a visit from Professor Dumbledore himself. One of the last times he saw the Headmaster was in a fierce one-to-one duel with Lord Voldemort, and Harry can't quite believe that Professor Dumbledore will actually appear at the Dursleys' of all places. Why is the Professor coming to visit him now? What is it that cannot wait until Harry returns to Hogwarts in a few weeks' time? Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts has already got off to an unusual start, as the worlds of Muggle and magic start to intertwine...
J.K. Rowling charts Harry Potter's latest adventures in his sixth year at Hogwarts with consummate skill and in breathtaking fashion.
My thoughts
CAUTION: SPOILERS
I actually can’t believe I’m on the last book already. I was always intimidated by the size of this series (and the size of the books in it), but it has flown by! So fast in fact that I don’t want it to end. I am in awe at how much this series has gotten under my skin! I’ve tried to read other things in between, instead of just binge reading, but I’ve found that I have trouble getting into anything else because all I can think about is continuing the series. And I know I’m going to have a book hangover from this series! It’s definitely special, and it’s going to be hard to read something that compares after this!
I have to say I was kind of underwhelmed with the reveal of Snape being the Prince. I mean, it made sense after Hermione explained it, but there wasn’t really a big revelation there. It was just kind of like, Oh, I’m the Half Blood Prince…and then was barely mentioned again even though the book is named after him and the Prince’s book was a major part of the whole story.
Also DUMBLEDORE OMG. I had trouble believing it at first, which is ridiculous – I remember his death very clearly in the movie, so I *knew* he was dead but even still, it didn’t seem real! I still can’t get over it. I did eventually start crying when they were all talking about it, and again at his funeral. I CANNOT DEAL. *sobs*
FINALLY, Harry and Ginny get together! I didn’t realize how late in the series it happened. I kept waiting for it! Also, I kinda wanted to bash Ron’s and Hermione’s heads together. They clearly have the hots for each other!
Something I absolutely love about this series is that there is never a love triangle between Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Harry and Hermione are never more than just best friends. It’s so rare to see platonic love in stories, and I wish there was more of it! Boys and girls CAN just be friends, people. I love that Harry and Hermione prove it. And it’s absolutely beautiful! They are as close as brother and sister and I love it so much! I think their friendship is one of my favorites in fiction. I want a platonic friendship as deep as they have.
Favorite quotes
“And now, Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”
“It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.”
Overall assessment
Plot: 4/5
Premise: 5/5
Writing style: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
World-building: 4.5/5
Pace: 4.5/5
Feels: 4/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Previous books
THIS BOOK. OH THIS BOOK. I read it when it was originally released, so the Dumbledore thing was a complete shock. I remember that I was awake reading it at 2 a.m. because I had to find out how it ended, and I shook my then-boyfriend, now-husband awake because I was crying so hard and I needed a hug!
I love Harry & Hermione’s platonic friendship as well, and I really liked a couple of the scenes they added in the movie with the two of them, especially the dancing in Deathly Hallows.
And yeah, I was shocked about Dumbledore, having somehow manged to miss that spoiler for years.