Reminder that all of my Harry Potter reviews contain unmarked spoilers, and lots of ’em. If you’re one of the two people on Goodreads who hasn’t read this series, this review is not for you. So, my dear underside-of-a-rock-residing friends:



https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...

This review will be interesting, because this book was far (far, far) from perfect, and yet I am utterly determined to give it 5 stars. (Which I have only given to the first book in this series.)



God, how do you talk about this book? It’s really amazing. It is really hard for me to feel anything while reading a book or generally living my life. For example, I felt nothing when Sirius died. Nothing throughout most of this series, actually. And nothing in this book, because nothing happened and everyone survived and everything is sunshiney and joyful!



Ugh. I tried. The last hundred-ish pages of this book really tore me apart. Okay, even that’s not true. I’ll just come out and say it: I’m really f*cking sad that Dumbledore died. I love him so much. He’s high up in my top 5 characters. (Do I even have a top 5?) I’m devastated, which makes me even more upset, because I have a life to live today and can’t just lay around and wallow in fictional pain.



I’m going to move on in the hopes that I just. Forget. Because I don’t like this at ALL.



Here, we see Harry Potter - who, I think few will argue, has been a fairly mediocre character up to this point - become AMAZING. He’s motivated solely by his need to work against injustice and evil. He realizes his parents’ legacy within himself. He denounces the sucking up of others. He works hard in school! He is a good friend even when his two BFFS are being childish to one another plus refusing to believe him. In short, he’s really, really, five-star-level great here. Gorgeous character development in 650 pages.



I didn’t think I liked Ginny much, because I didn’t remember this book well...like, at all. But she is so great! So funny. I wish there was more of her in this book.



Also, I’ll fight anyone who says Dumbledore is ~the real villain~ of this series. He’s really not. (Cough, Snape is, cough.) AND YOU'RE NOT EDGY, PEOPLE WHO HATE DUMBLEDORE BUT LOVE SNAPE. YOU'RE JUST DUMB. I fell deeply in love with the guy. (Dumbledore, not Snape. BLEH.) AND I F*CKING MISS HIM. Goddamn it. Trying to forget didn’t last very long. Anyway.



I missed Hermione and Neville. Hermione was absolutely not well-represented here at all. Maybe it’s a good thing she’s not a Ravenclaw (#RavenclawPride) because she works fully against logic throughout this book. And when she’s not she just, like, refuses to believe Harry.



Ron is soooooooooo annoying! Is he anyone’s favorite character? He’s like, Fred or George if one of them was totally childish and attention-starved and mean. In fact, Ronald is a pretty impressive character for the number of gross character traits he embodies despite being supposed to be a good character. Mean, immature, rude, jealous, definition of an inferiority complex. Bleh.



Harry and Ginny I’m totally for, BUT THE OTHER RELATIONSHIPS IN THIS BOOK ARE SO BORING. Can we do Hermione and Fred instead? Ron and Luna would be cute. Or, God forbid, some LGBT representation? WE KNOW YOU’RE A SUPPORTER, JOANNE. Don’t even get me started on Lupin and Tonks.



Speaking of supposedly-good characters’ downfalls: I’m no longer a Hagrid fan. It started with the last book and came fully around here. Like, at a certain point, the man needs a character trait. Liking weird animals, making bad food, and being humongous don’t count. Harry and Hermione’s constant stubbornness is annoying. Plus makes the plot repetitive once in a while. Also, Tonks. You know what, I guess I AM going to get started on Lupin and Tonks! She was a hilarious badass in the last book, totally depressed and weak in this one. I know I sound like a total emotionless asshole here, but that’s who I am, and she’s annoying in this book. AND IT’S TOTALLY FINE BECAUSE SHE’S JUST BEING A SPINELESS IDIOT OVER SOME DUMB SHABBY MAN. Kill me, please. Then I can see my beloved Dumbledore again.



Too much Snape. (Cannot WAIT to write the rant on him.) Too much Draco. (Why do people romanticize that little weirdo so much? I guess I get the temptation, but he’s a bully at best and a spineless traitor at worst.) I hate Kreacher and I hate Dobby...I hated Winky, too...I might hate house elves. If that makes me racist against a species of fictional character, SO BE IT, I GUESS.



I miss Fred and George, and the fun people from the Order (if they existed), and Hermione and Neville aren’t here nearly enough. The price of Harry’s amazing and concise character development is WAY too many bad characters, not nearly enough of the good ones. EXCEPT DUMBLEDORE. UGHHHH. I’M SO SAD. (I think my inability to cry is making this worse. Maybe if I just creepily sobbed in front of my roommate for a few minutes I’d feel better. Damn you, my lack of emotions! Just kidding love you.)



But I want to give this book five stars more than anything. It was so compulsively readable, more than any other book since the first for me. And it’s the last book where our pals are attending Hogwarts. That makes me so sad. It’s such a gorgeous setting and I’m going to miss it so much. WHY IS THIS BOOK SO SAD?! If Deathly Hallows is any sadder I’ll be seriously impressed. And also seriously screwed.



And, okay, even though I was a harsh critic of these books...I’m really going to miss this series. I’ve been rereading it on and off (obviously) for three months, and it’s been a fun ride. This is one of the greatest settings of all time. And since I’m rereading it after 10 years, it’s like saying goodbye twice. AND I HATE ENDINGS.



Bottom line: Okay, THIS is my favorite Harry Potter book. (Anyone else’s?) Unreal character development + tragic and lovely adieu to a gorgeous setting + ability to make me feel real, deep emotion + compulsively readable? An absolute dream.

----------ORIGINAL REVIEW---------------

Ron and Hermione's will-they-won't-they is a total snoozefest. I propose Fred & Hermione and Ron & Luna instead. Also seven more books!

Reading this book for the 9th time, I don’t need to tell you how much I love it. I will add though that much of my enjoyment comes from the amazing Stephen Fry reading it; I don’t think I have ever loved an audiobook more.

As for this particular installment, I do believe it is my favorite one of the whole series. Having long left the children’s-book feeling behind, the emotional stakes are just so much higher. I also always enjoy gaining more insight into Voldemort’s character and background and how Dumbledore prepares Harry for his fate. The omission of many of those memories is actually one major issue I have with the movie; it feels like it missed out on making Voldemort more interesting and showing Dumbledore has a plan for Harry.

Now, I’m setting out once more to join Harry, Hermione, and Ron on this last leg of their journey. Onward!

ENGLISH (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) / ITALIANO

«It was nearing midnight and the Prime Minister was sitting alone in his office, reading a long memo that was slipping through his brain without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind»

Due to numerous attacks of Death Eaters, the new Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour, duly appointed, decides to meet the muggle British Prime Minister... It's the first time that the Muggle world and the magic one come bluntly face to face. J.K. Rowling chooses that the first chapter of this novel is the right time for this interaction, highlighting the dramatic situation and the necessary cooperation to stem the enemy of all: Lord Voldemort.

The bedtime reading for my daughter became less lighthearted and more serious by now. Luckily, for some difficult questions Dumbledore bails me out every time:

«It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more»

We're almost there, the end of the journey is close. Unfortunately, it will never be the same.

Vote: 9

«Era quasi mezzanotte e il Primo Ministro stava seduto da solo nel suo ufficio, a leggere una lunga relazione che gli scivolava via dalla mente senza lasciare la minima traccia»

A seguito dei numerosi attacchi dei mangiamorte, Il nuovo Ministro della Magia Rufus Scrimgeour, fresco di nomina, decide di incontrare il Primo Ministro britannico babbano... E' la prima volta che il mondo babbano e quello magico si trovano ad interloquire senza mezzi termini. J.K. Rowling decide che il primo capitolo è il momento giusto per questa interazione, a sottolineare la drammaticità della situazione e la necessaria collaborazione allo scopo di arginare il nemico di tutti: Voldemort.

Oramai la lettura serale per mia figlia si è fatta decisamente meno spensierata e più impegnata. Per fortuna, per alcune questioni spinose c'è sempre Silente a togliermi le castagne dal fuoco:

«È l'ignoto che temiamo, quando guardiamo la morte e il buio, nient'altro»

Ci siamo quasi, la fine del viaggio è vicina. Purtroppo per noi, però, non sarà più come prima.

Voto: 9

5 Sterne oder auch ein "O" für "Ohnegleichen"

Ich werde diese Reihe, sowohl die Bücher als auch die Filme, immer lieben! Losgelöst von allem was man von der Autorin halten mag, ist Harry Potter einfach Kindheit. Ein Buch dieser Reihe aufschlagen und von Hogwarts, Winkelgasse, Fuchsbau & Co. lesen ist jedes Mal wie Nach Hause kommen und hinterlässt immer ein warmes Gefühl der Geborgenheit in mir.

Ich finde es immer wieder bewundernswert wie eine ganze Generation zusammen mit Harry, Ron und Hermine aufgewachsen und erwachsen geworden ist. Vermutlich wird es das in diesem Ausmaß nie wieder geben.

Die Geschichte ist einfach so gut durchdacht und jedes Wort am richtigen Platz. Emotionen kommen hier absolut nicht zu kurz, muss hier am Ende immer weinen, egal wie oft ich das Buch lese/den Film schaue. Und egal wie oft ich die Geschichte auch konsumiere: es wird nie langweilig, sodass ich für den Reread dieses Wälzers auch nur knappe 3 Tage gebraucht habe. Man kann das Buch einfach nicht weglegen, da man so in dieser magischen Welt gefangen ist. Always...

No quiero que esto termine.

↳ "Lo único que nos da miedo cuando nos asomamos a la muerte y a la oscuridad es lo desconocido."

Créanme cuando digo que, en verdad, intento ser más crítico y no tan obvio, pero las cinco estrellas vienen impregnadas a cualquier libro de esta saga. La facilidad y velocidad con la que termino estos libros es particular, nunca fluí tanto como con estas novelas.

¿Qué distinguió a Harry Potter y el misterio del principe del resto de la saga?

1. ¿Recuerdan ese primer libro, infantil, basado en unos niños inocentes en un mundo de magia misterioso? Olvidenlo. Ya no quedan rastros: la sexta entrega se caracteriza por su oscuridad, no teme ser siniestro ni despiadado: muertes, historias siniestras, injusticias. La evolución es inmensa.

2. Luego de Harry Potter y la orden del fénix y toda la euforia que nos dejó, es evidente que este sexto libro es, probablemente, el que más carece de esa acción (a pesar de que el final debería ser suficiente). Sin embargo, se aprecian las historias complejas y bien estructuradas, por lo que, la novela, se destaca por alimentar la trama y nutrirla de cierta complejidad. Es el caso de la historia de Voldemort, donde se puede entender que el pasado siempre es relevante para entender el presente.

3. Aquí, el romance entre los personajes, finalmente, aparece como algo serio. Vemos formalizar a las parejas favoritas (y no tanto) de esta saga. Funcionan como una buena subtrama, como siempre, sus interacciones siempre te quitan más de una sonrisa. Si no no es una sonrisa, es un llanto, sino es un llanto, una indignación. Pero cada parte del libro se siente necesaria.

Ya todos a esta altura de la saga, se sienten familiarizados con sus personajes. Cada uno se destaca y diferencia del otro, así como cumple su rol perfectamente. En mi opinión, el destacado de este fue Dumbledore, simplemente impresionante.

↳ "Y ahora Harry, adentrémonos en la noche y prosigamos esta peligrosa e indeseable aventura."

El final está a un libro, y no estoy seguro de querer acabarlo. Pero debo hacerlo. Así que pronto volveré luego de haber enfrentado, lo que deduzco que será, una conclusión difícil de olvidar.

Un libro tan emocionante como doloroso, me tomaron por sorpresa todos los sucesos que acontecen en este libro. Reí y me emocioné muchísimo con el 90% del libro, pero cuando llegué a las últimas páginas todo fue dolor y sufrimiento.

Terminé destrozada

Reseña Completa: http://bastvilard.blogspot.com/2015/0...

Always been my favorite out of the seven.

Blog Review: https://passthefeels.wordpress.com/20...

The Half Blood Prince is yet another incredible installment in the Harry Potter series, but you all knew that already. It may be my favourite so far, in fact yes I believe it is, even though the emotions are so real right now. (I know I said Order was my favourite so far, but this one has overtaken it)

I once again, loved every minute of reading this. It was perfect, and also had me lol'ing throughout the whole thing..eh, mostly. not the end.

The school and classes scenes were also amazing, that's weirdly one of the things I love most about these books. Hogwarts just being Hogwarts.

If I'm being honest, weirdly again, the Quidditch scenes sometimes become a little tedious to me sometimes, but I even loved those in this book, they were just so funny. Thankyou Liquid Luck. (that was amazing, hahaha)

The Apparition lessons were also a great laugh!

J.K. Rowling is brilliant in everything she does; the humour, suspense, mystery... I mean, she even had me guessing and confused even though I've seen the movies a billion times.

I loved getting to delve deeper into the motives and life of Voldemort, it was just so interesting to learn about his past, and what makes him such a complex character. As well as seeing the relationships, or lack of, with him and other people.

The love aspect of this book, oh the loveeee, was so cute to read about. I mean, between Ron and Hermione, and Harry and Ginny, how could it not be good? You could really see them growing up throughout this novel, which I also enjoyed.

The relationship between Harry and Dumbledore grew even more in this book (which made the ending that much harder) I've always loved reading about the dynamic between those two. Such a bond.

Malfoy, well he was such an interesting character in this one, right from the moment when he stepped on Harry's nose *wince*, that was intense. It was so cool to be able to read about the mystery behind this guy, and try to figure him out a bit more. Draco has always fascinated me, which is probably half to do with Tom Felton, let's be real.

Snape, uhm, I'm still kinda confused where I stand in regards to if I like or don't like him, at the moment it's a bit of both. I guess the Deathly Hallows will help me out, but I do really enjoy reading about Snape, even if he makes some...questionable decisions.

Can't forget to mention Slughorn! He was a great addition to the story, I really enjoyed his character, and all that he brought to the novel.

Once again, the friendship between Ron/Harry/Hermione warmed my little heart, and also tore at it a bit over the course of the novel *cough* thanks Lavender *cough*. But they never fail to make me smile. I feel like even though there was still a bit of it, the angst levels were much lower in this one, haha.

Also, how can you not love Fred and George? I adore those two, they're like me in twin boy form.

All-in-All, this was yet another solid addition to this amazing series, and it's just incredible how much more I'm getting out of the books than the movies, I really didn't expect to learn this much. Admittedly, I didn't even truly know what a Horcrux was until this book...oops.

Can't believe it's time for the final journey...

An unexpected death left me reeling!!!
What will happen next?

Magical Creature Scandal! Giant Spider Expires on School Grounds!: "I'm pretty sure the potions master was implicated. He had an extensive supply of acromantula venom after this dreadful incident!" - Hogwart's Herald

"It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more."

Well said, and the story progresses as it must, into grief and heartfelt purpose. Harry loses his greatest mentor and turns to face the terrifying evil of Lord Voldemort...

But not alone, for there are those of great heart who will stand with him to the very end, whatever end that may be.

Five stars (4.75 rounded up) well earned, despite the occasional lapse of pace, and the tropey 'gloat speech,' of Malfoy's that was used to illuminate what had been happening throughout the story. I get the last, Malfoy had to display his hesitation, and the speech provided him time to do that... but gloat speeches just don't sit well with me.

As always, let's see if the main man himself would like a quick word, what follows might be a bit contentious - so read it at your own risk.

Dumbledore: "Yes, well, my contract with Hogwarts has expired, and I have to move on. But, I'm not quite ready for retirement, I'm starting a new class in 'Incredible Wizarding Heroics,' all are of course most welcome to join."

And there you have it 5 'Beware the Tragic Potion,' stars.

Reread this in April/May 2023 with the fine folk over at Nightmares and Dreamscapes.

Always a 5 star

n  n

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. 

There were some things I truly loved about this one. I loved how the bulk of the book, nothing crazy happened. It felt like some of the older books and I love that feeling. All the Harry and Dumbledore time we got, the memories of Voldemort’s past (which were very interesting) and of course Harry and Ginny, who I’ve shipped for a while now finally got their shot.

That’s the good. There is also a lot of sadness and despair. A very important and influential character dies. Sides are chosen. People you trust turn out to be not who they say they are (or so we think…) The last 2 hours of this 18 hour audio book broke my heart. I almost want to wait a while to do the final book, but I really want to finish these books by the end of 2016 so I better start it straight away. Wish me luck! I know I’ll need it xoxo