Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6)

Reader reviewed by Becca

In this part, being book number six of this heptalogy Harry Potter makes his way back to school and the unexpected occurs. For this pint-sized boy who has finally reached the age of sixteen finds himself stuck inbetween everything in life from romance to his lessons in order to defeat Voldermort and all at once trying to find himself in all this mess aqnd still stay sane against all odds. This may sound interesting to some but I literally mean that this is what he spends his time doing throughout the whole entire six hundred page hunk of literature. I found that she left out the heart stopping twists and turns which I search for the most in a good novelists creations. I found that there were less battles bringing on anxiety and anxiousness and that she left out everything she used in the other books to make it relatable and mystifying. There was really only one big poart where.... well I eouldn't like to become a spoiler to where something devastating occured. Of course If she used her brilliance from the other scenes in the other novels I might have been found with a fit of tears streaming out of my awaitful eyes but instdead I was just at first angry at the event. Maybe if he had a better ending with more of a part to it I would have thought of it as justifiable but it wasn't at all means. The rest of this gruesome tale for book six was boring with just usless information being poured in from all ends. I found it boring to watch Harry undergo his hormonal reapperance and learn about defeating Voldermort by sitting around in a gothic styled castle while doing nothing at all. But yes I must cut J.K some slack because it must be pretty challenging to weave out the correct structure to be built for the best epic and unforgettable ending possible. Nonetheless I did find her other books spectacular and perfect for any young adult and maybe an adult at the least looking for a getaway trip to thde little suite called Hogwarts. But I found the the romance was utterly distastefull. As unsupportive as an untied shoelace upon a shoe.I didn't feel that fluttery feeling in the pit of my stomach as I normally do and it was boring with little emotional words to be put forth into it. But of course if you are a person like me to expect every human being to be given the gift of describing love as fondly as Hunger Games author Suzzane Collins does you will never find any book romance to be quite appealing. But i still urge you to read the series for the other books are the complete opposite of this one which left me with a bad taste in my mouth. For the book still showed beautiful writing skill and artiste. I believe that igt also helps build Harry's character but at the same time make him more realistic which in turn reveals to me his vulnerability. I give my sorry to J.K who I inspire though dislike her one book but hoew can you make seven perfect books in a row? Impossible which I could never achieve and I give any Harry Potter fan the permission the rant on my findings even so being a huge fan myself and probably knowing the same or more than them about the book- Becca's reviews Please ignore spelling mistakes due to bad typing skills and no spell check.

Reader reviewed by BuXx

THIS BOOK WAS SO DARK N IT SORTA KEPT GOIN ON BWT TINGZ LYK VOLDERMORT..HARRY SPENT MOR TYM IN DUMBLEDOORZ OFFICE DEN NEWHER ELSE...I LUV DA DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CASTLE AND THE FOOD BUT THIS BOOK CENTRES ALL AROUND HARRY AND DUMBLEDOOR NOT LEAVING ROOM FOR ANYONE OR ANYTHING ELSE.. I WAS DISAPPOINTED AS THERE WAS A BIG BUILD UP...

Reader reviewed by missy

The book moved rather on the slow side. Nothing much seemed to aspire through out the whole book. To me it seemed rather on the bland side. I personal only read it for the stake of the series. The next one will be better. The writing seems to have decayed somewhat as far as the quality.

Reader reviewed by kris math

this is Definitely one of the good harry potter books but it does lack some spark trying to folow is prequil; harry potter and the order of the pheonix.
the last one consisted of many great aspects and you could not link your eyes onto another objsct or book...
but this one left me wanting something better. there was no idea that kept consistent. i liked the idea, though, of the half blood prince, but was desapointed in the fact that little to do with the half-blood prince is shown. All it is is a book owned by the guy, yet nothing to black about it...
i really do hope that the next (the last) book is better for this one left on an odd note, a note that i am now not sure whether i , personally, would pick up the next book.
though i do look forward to the movies, for they may fill in the gaps that were left behind in the book.
***-three stars but i am hoping that the next one is better then an old potion book as the main topic...

Reader reviewed by Elljay

Where to start?


Well, okay, lets start with the fact that I was shocked by how much the word "snogging" seems to crop up. It seems to me JK Rowling is trying much too hard to insert that "teenager" thing into the series. I can understand that the trio is growing up, but there's are limits as to how far you should go.

Next, I was wondering when a plot-line would appear. Not much really happens until the end, other than the neverending snogfest. I won't reveal anything for the sake of those who haven't read it yet, but the first chapter has nothing to do with the rest of the book, and I can't say I'm surprised JKR couldn't locate its place in the series.

Lastly, I just thought I'd throw in the fact that the films may be influencing JKR's writing of the books. For instance, when Harry is in the dungeon during Potions, it's mentioned that he'd never seen Malfoy so angry since Hermione PUNCHED him, yet if I remember correctly, she actually SLAPPED him. It is in the film that the punch takes place.

My conclusion: it's good, but not nearly up to the standards of the previous books I did enjoy it, but NOT as much as the others. It seemed more like a place-setter than a plotted, gripping novel. True, it does leave us knowing of exactly where we'll be when the seventh book comes out, but the storyline is missing. Truth be told, I don't know whether to say I loved of hated it, because I'm hanging between both. But I will say this, it did rather reminded me of an implausible fanfic.

My advice: if you're a fan of the series, read it. If you're not and you're just browsing, then I'd advise you to read the others first, then you can judge your own opinion.

Reader reviewed by shiningsaba

A slight dissapointment... for one, it is rather short, and for another, the langauge is much more complex. The first chapter was a bore, and Dumbledore's death was not drawn out enough. In ch. 6, Draco Malfoy sounded rather mature and not like himself. However, there was plenty of Romance, although the end of Harry/Ginny was rather abrupt. The end of the story is left hanging, not at the end of the year, but rather at the middle, and I don't like the idea of Harry not returning to Hogwarts.

Reader reviewed by Cynthia

I didn't think HBP was as good as the others. It seemed to be written more in script like a movie than a book. Harry made a drastic change in attitude during the summer that caught me off guard. I mean, his godfather just died! He should have been at least a little more mournful. He kept having nightmares and withdrew into himself and became angry when Cedric died, and he didn't even know him other than a fellow student and triwizard champion. It just didn't seem like the Harry that I fell in love with. Hermione acted alot more bratty about Ron, which I guess can be blamed on hormones, but really... Hermione is smarter than that. And Ron was a prat as always and blind. And the language! I wouldn't have thought any of the three to have foul language other than maybe bloody hell (which Ron says alot). When I compare HBP and the previous five books, I just don't see the quality as much. Sure, it's by JK Rowling, but it seemed more like it would be better on film than in a book. Which after reading HBP they should have a pretty good film for it.

I was shocked that Snape had been the half-blood prince, but it had crossed my mind a time or so during the book, but I was leaning more towards Lily. Well, after that spell on Draco, I kind of scratched her name out of it. I thought Draco had to try to kill someone. I had decided it had to have been Dumbledore, Harry, or someone close to Harry. Albus died! And by the hand of Snape! I was actually starting to like Snape... Now I see I shouldn't have. Hopefully though he'll be punished for either blowing his cover or doing Draco's job. Draco did seem to be coming around right before the DEs came. I almost thought he would assent to Dumbledore and turn to the light. I still don't think Draco is DE material, but what do I know? JK is the one who decides it all. I absolutely loved the background on Tom. It's nice to know that the whole Slytherin family was foul and not just Tom. It's in their genes. It works. I didn't much like Slughorn, but he's alright. Ginny! At the end of the book, Ginny is not what I've always pictured her as at all. She LET Harry LEAVE! Somehow I just don't think Ginny would do that sort of thing. Harry's an idiot. She should know that. The horcrux idea is brilliant. It explains why no one could ever kill Voldemort before and how Harry blew him up when he was little. Though splitting the soul is a bit wrong. "There are worst things than death, Tom" Dumbledore said. Well, that's one of them. Slitting your soul I mean. To never live as a whole ever again. It just isn't right. The centaurs paying their respect was a great idea. And how Fawkes died along with Dumbledore. That answers the question I've had since I met fawkes. What will happen to him when his owner dies? Will Harry get him? Someone pure of heart? Or did anyone have him before Dumbledore? I think that's all I have in my head right now. Thanks for listening.