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

Voldemort is out in the open. No longer trying to hide his return, he and his Death Eaters are committing atrocities left, right and centre. Once again the magical community is under threat from his tyranny and so they have to unite if there is any hope of defeating him.

Harry wants to fight as well, but as he is still a student he is limited in what he can do. But with the help of Professor Dumbledore he can learn all about the man who now calls himself Lord Voldemort. Learning about his past means learning his weaknesses.

A rumour has been circulating through the masses. That Harry will be the one to kill Voldemort in the end. Well, the rumours aren't wrong.

n  Neither can live while the other survivesn




This story is much slower paced than the others but I still enjoyed every moment. Even though they are in danger now that Voldemort and Co. are killing openly — we get to see normal life at Hogwarts for Harry. And honestly I could read another 600 page book about normal everyday Hogwarts life.

The atmosphere of this book is very different from Order of the Phoenix. Harry is more at ease now that the wizarding community believes him.

I mean yes, there were still some terrible things going on, but things are now sort of calm at Hogwarts.

The humour in this book is so great. From Slughorn, Lavender Brown and Cormac Mclaggen — this book is seriously entertaining every time.

n  “Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”n

Harry's lessons with Dumbledore were from my favourite scenes. And I think that's what makes the last few chapters completely GUT WRENCHING.

Fun fact: this book is the first one that ever made me cry. I vividly remember 13 year old me crying into my pillow at 2 AM.

If snape hadn’t killed Dumbledore I would have killed him myself

3rd read: August 2018 - audiobook
I will never get over Stephen Fry's narration. It's simply magical ✨

2nd read: Jan - Feb 2018
ROONIL WAZLIB

Issues:

1. Harry doesn’t have to be the greatest wizard of his time but that he peaked in third year with mastering the patronus charm is quite sad. It’s also sad that he doesn’t feel he needs to work at magic. The idea that Harry could have been in Slytherin or Ravenclaw is laughable - he has no drive, and no intellectual curiosity. Draco grasped occulumency in two months in order to guard himself against Snape, an ally. Harry won't do it to protect himself against Voldemort, even though having failed to do so resulted in Sirius' death. Harry doesn't try even when new skills are obviously useful - not with occulmency, not with wordless magic. Harry turns out to be good at a few discrete things - the patronus charm, resisting the imperius curse - but that never extends, kind of like how Ron's chess skills never extend to any type of application in real life.

2. I'm not opposed to Sirius' death but I am opposed to how it means nothing in this book. Harry reassesses nothing. Again, we see Draco taking his responsibilities seriously, Draco questioning authority and learning independence, while Harry continues to prioritize quidditch and his chest monster, and follows whatever Dumbledore says even though he knows Dumbledore is keeping things from him once again. (It also is a little annoying that everyone keeps on saying that one should trust Dumbledore's judgment of Snape; Dumbledore didn't realize that a Death Eater was impersonating one of his close friends for a year). It's a little disgusting that the big reveal with Tonks is that she couldn't care less about Sirius; she's upset that Lupin won't marry her. Not a soul cares about Sirius. Mrs. Weasley doesn't even think to speak of Sirius' death when she sees Harry. Given what happens/doesn't happen with Remus as well (he doesn't form any type of familial bond with Harry, has a totally out of the blue romance plot, reveals himself to be a coward, then dies), I think JKR dislikes the idea of messy, non-blood related, non-nuclear families and finds it easier to dispose of these characters, leaving the core characters to marry into the 'real' family (Weasleys). Sirius had to die, and Remus had to fail to step up, so that Harry would be left with neatly marrying into the Weasleys. I feel confident in this view having seen JKR say that Lupin had to die because she decided to let Arthur Weasley (a total nonentity who has no value other than being part of the Weasleys) live. It's easier to kill off these survivors and imagine them all smiling down on Harry in the afterlife than to imagine that they could ever have a place in society.

3. Harry/Tom Riddle parallels were unceremoniously dumped. Instead of going with what she already had developed, JKR chose to make TMR a born inbred sociopath with a “bestial” expression who at age 11 says things like “I can make them hurt if I want to.” JKR has also said in an interview that TMR couldn’t feel love because he was born of rape. Why develop the parallels / choices vs abilities theme only to abandon it? And though I understand what she was doing with the pureblood-inbred insanity thing, frankly, no one wants to read that degeneration shit. It's not compelling in a villain.

4. Good v bad women. Bellatrix saying she wishes she had children so she could sacrifice them to Voldemort vs Narcissa desperate to save her son; Lily dying to save her son vs Merope dying despite her son. The reconstruction Dumbledore does of Merope’s life based on 80% guesswork could not be more patronizing. Having a scene where two male characters discuss how pathetic a woman was for dying during childbirth is not great.

5. Ginny is unbearable. Instead of giving her a character arc that would follow from the previous books (she did become a whole different character in OOTP but there’s little continuity even from OOTP to HBP), she’s become the school’s punk rock princess, developed entirely to be Harry’s gir- trophy wife to the jock king. She’s a cool girl. She'll fight Hermione, her only depicted friend to defend Harry's honour #standbyyourman. She'll accept Harry dumping her to protect her from Voldemort even though she's written as hating being condescended to and patronized. She's whatever Harry needs, whenever Harry needs her.

6. All the love plots in this book involve women losing their powers or control of themselves because they’re in love. Tonks, Merope, Hermione. Pass. Snape has been an incel for decades without any loss of powers.

7. Ron is written as a misogynist ass and he and Hermione are fundamentally incompatible. They should have realized that and moved on. Really, they come together to parent Harry. Without that, there's not a lot there.

8. Luna becomes Ginny’s pity project. There is a definite shift in Luna’s character from doing her own thing to sad misfit and I think that’s a decidedly negative change. Ginny tells people off for calling Luna names in this book when she was doing the exact same thing a year ago, having at the time known Luna for years.

Hello, 911? Yeah, I just witnessed an illegal activity. Draco cried.

I am not fine. I am not okay. I am distressed. FIX DRACO, ROWLING, I BEG YOU.

n  n    “You said to us once before," said Hermione quietly, "that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?”n  n

The Half Blood Prince was a journey in itself; a relentless one at that. The last few chapters came as a complete shock to me, as I’m sure they did to everyone. To say I wasn’t ready would be an understatement.

Where do I begin? I’m really starting to enjoy the dark turn that this series is taking, especially since The Order of the Phoenix. The entertainment factor is definitely increasing for me now that we’re receiving more information on Voldemort’s past life. While the first couple of books seemed to have their own individual storylines, now that Voldemort is being explored often the plot feels more continuous, as this will surely be important for the rest of the series.

I take back everything I said in previous reviews abut Draco growing more malicious each book. This instalment really made me feel for him, especially after discovering the motive behind his actions. He’s still a teenager, and it’s awful what he’s forced to endure.

I find as the cast of characters matures and grows older, I can relate to them more and find a better connectivity to the story. This is perhaps why I’ve enjoyed the later books in this series significantly more, as Harry and his friends are further from children. Harry’s emotions are becoming more complex as he ages, which has allowed me to sympathize with him more easily.

The romance has definitely become more prominent in this book, though I will admit I don’t care much for any of the canon pairings. (Wolfstar is the only couple I could have cared for if it happened). This being said I don’t disagree with any of the ships, either. I’m definitely more invested in the plot itself which leaves me with little to care for in terms of the characters’ love lives.

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

The Half Blood Prince was a great penultimate book; I’m really looking forward to the series conclusion! JK Rowling better do her best and deliver a finale worth the while.

Note: The author of this book is extremely transphobic and she uses her platform to attack trans people. Please try to buy this book used or rent it from the library so that less money is going directly into her pocket. Please also consider donating to a nonprofit that supports trans people. Here is a link to one of them: https://transponder.community/get-inv.... TransPonder provides support for trans people, they have a directory of trans inclusive health care providers, and they provide inclusivity trainings to businesses.

Times read: 4

One of the best books in this series. It does a great job of combining fun humor with action and heartbreak. My favorite movie is also based off of this book so of course this one will always hold a special place in my heart (although the movie should've included the Room of Requirement subplot because without that, there's a scene in Deathly Hallows Part 2 that doesn't make sense-).

The funeral in this book hits harder every time I read. The specific character's death isn't what makes me sad - it's everyone else's reactions, especially Hagrid's. The character (though controversial) meant a lot to so many of the characters and this series wouldn't be the same without him.

If you're in the middle of reading this series for the first time, keep reading until you get to this one so that you can experience the highs and lows of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. You'll find out about so much stuff that the movie left out and this book is way more fast paced than some of the previous installments.

My favorite quotes/moments from the book:
-"'Will you, Severus, watch over my son, Draco, as he attempts to fulfill the Dark Lord's wishes?'
'I will,' said Snape.
A thin tongue of brilliant flame issued from the wand and wound its way around their hands like a red-hot wire.
'And will you, to the best of your ability, to the best of your ability, protect him from harm?'
'I will,' said Snape.
A second tongue of flame shot from the wand and interlinked with the first, making a fine, glowing chain.
'And, should it prove necessary... if it seems Draco will fail...' whispered Narcissa (Snape's hand twitched within hers, but he did not draw away), 'will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?'
There was a moment's silence. Bellatrix watched, her wand upon their clasped hands, her eyes wide.
'I will,' said Snape.
Bellatrix's astounded face glowed red in the blaze of a third tongue of flame, which shot from the wand, twisted with the others, and bound itself thickly around their clasped hands, like a rope, like a fiery snake."
-"'Judging by your look of stunned disbelief, Harry did not warn you that I was coming,' said Dumbledore pleasantly. 'However, let us assume that you have invited me warmly into your house.'"
-"'I would assume that you were going to offer me refreshment,' Dumbledore said to Uncle Vernon, 'but the evidence so far suggests that that would be optimistic to the point of foolishness.'"
-"The Dursleys, after quick, scared looks at one another, tried to ignore their glasses completely, a difficult feat, as they were nudging them gently on the sides of their heads. Harry could not suppress a suspicion that Dumbledore was rather enjoying himself."
-"'You are the rightful owner of number twelve, Grimmauld Place and of Kreacher.'
'Do I - do I have to keep him with me?' Harry asked, aghast as Kreacher thrashed around at his feet.
'Not if you don't want to,' said Dumbledore. 'If I might make a suggestion, you could send him to Hogwarts to work in the kitchen there. In that way, the other house-elves could keep an eye on him.'"
-"'Hagrid will be delighted,' said Dumbledore, smiling. 'He was thrilled to see Buckbeak again. Incidentally, we have decided, in the interests of Buckbeak's safety, to rechristen him 'Witherwings' for the time being, though I doubt that the Ministry would ever guess he is the hippogriff they once sentenced to death."
-"'You have not asked me, for instance, what is my favorite flavor of jam, to check that I am indeed Professor Dumbledore and not an impostor.'
'I didn't...' Harry began, not entirely sure whether he was being reprimanded or not.
'For future reference, Harry, it is raspberry... although of course, if I were a Death Eater, I would have been sure to research my own jam preferences before impersonating myself.'"
-"And without warning, Dumbledore swooped, plunging the tip of his wand into the seat of the overstuffed armchair, which yelled, 'Ouch!'
'Good evening, Horace,' said Dumbledore, straightening up again.
Harry's jaw dropped. Where a split second before there had been an armchair, there now crouched an enormously fat, bald, old man who was massaging his lower belly..."
-"...he was a big pal of your father's at school. The whole Black family had been in my House, but Sirius ended up in Gryffindor! Shame - he was a talented boy. I got his brother, Regulus, when he came along, but I'd have liked the set."
-"All ex-students, all signed. You'll notice Barnabas Cuffe, editor of the Daily Prophet, he's always interested to hear my take on there day's news. And Ambrosius Flume, of Honeydukes - a hamper every birthday, and all because I was able to give him an introduction to Ciceron Harkiss, who gave him his first job! And at the back - you'll see her if you just crane your neck - that's Gwenog Jones, who of course captains the Holyhead Harpies... People are always astonished to hear I'm on first-name terms with the Harpies, and free tickets whenever I want them!"
-"I hope you will forgive me for mentioning it, Harry, but I am pleased and a little proud at how well you seem to be coping after everything that happened at the Ministry. Permit me to say that I think Sirius would have been proud of you."
-"'It was cruel,' said Dumbledore softly, 'that you and Sirius had such a short time together. A brutal ending to what should have been a long and happy relationship.'"
-"'It's just hard,' Harry said finally, in a low voice, 'to realize he won't write to me again.'"
-"'...I reazlied I can't shut myself away or - or crack up. Siris wouldn't have wanted that, would he? And anyway, life's too short... Look at Madam Bones, look at Emmeline Vance... It could be me next, couldn't it? But if it is,' he said fiercely, now looking straight into Dumbledore's blue eyes gleaming in the wandlight, 'I'll make sure I take as many Death Eaters with me as I can, and Voldemort too if I can manage it.'
'Spoken both like your mother and father's son and Sirius's true godson!'"
-"Don't count your owls before they are delivered..."
-"'Arthur, is that you?'
'Yes,' came Mr. Weasley's weary voice. 'But I would say that even if I were a Death Eater, dear. Ask the question!'
'Oh, honestly...'
'Molly!'
'All right, all right... What is your dearest ambition?'
'To find out how airplanes stay up.'"
-"'What do you like me to call you when we're alone together?'
Even by the dim light of the lantern Harry could tell that Mrs. Weasley had turned bright red; he himself felt suddenly warm around the ears and neck, and hastily gulped soup, clattering his spoon as loudly as he could against the bowl.
'Mollywobbles,' whispered a mortified Mrs. Weasley into the crack at the edge of the door.
'Correct,' said Mr. Weasley. 'Now you can let me in.'"
-"A young woman was standing in the doorway, a woman of such breathtaking beauty that the room seemed to have become strangely airless. She was tall and willowy with long blonde hair and appeared to emanate a faint, silvery glow. To complete this vision of perfection, she was carrying a heavily laden breakfast tray."
-"'You remember my seester, Gabrielle? She never stops talking about 'Arry Potter. She will be delighted to see you again.'
'Oh... is she here too?' Harry croaked.
'No, no, silly boy,' said Fleur with a tinkling laugh, 'I mean next summer, when we - but do you not know?'
Her great blue eyes widened and she looked reproachfully at Mrs. Weasley, who said, 'We hadn't got around to telling him yet.'
Fleur turned back to Harry, swinging her silvery sheet of hair so that it whipped Mrs. Weasley across the face.
'Bill and I are going to be married!'"
-"Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right..."
-"Then there was a loud bang and Hermione vanished behind a puff of black smoke.
'Hermione!' shouted Harry and Ron; the breakfast tray slid to the floor with a crash.
Hermione emerged, coughing, out of the smoke, clutching the telescope and sporting a brilliantly purplle black eye.
'I squeezed it and it - it punched me!' she gasped.
And sure enough, they now saw a tiny fist on a long spring protruding from the end of the telescope."
-"He spent most of his days playing two-a-side Quidditch in the Weasleys' orchard (he and Hermione against Ron and Ginny; Hermione was dreadful and Ginny good, so they were reasonably well matched) and his evenings eating triple helpings of everything Mrs. Weasley put in front of him."
-"And they've found Igor Karkaroff's body in a shack up north. The Dark Mark had been set over it - well, frankly, I'm surprised he stayed alive for even a year after the Death Eaters; Sirius's brother, Regulus, only managed a few days as far as I can remember."
-"'Did you hear about Florean Fortescue, Remus?' asked Bill, who was being plied with wine by Fleur. 'The man who ran-'
'-the ice cream place in Diagon Alley?' Harry interrupted, with an unpleasant, hollow sensation in the pit of his stomach. 'He used to give me free ice creams. What's happened to him?'
'Dragged off, by the look of his place.'"
-"WHY ARE YOU WORRYING ABOUT
YOU-KNOW-WHO?
YOU SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT
U-NO-POO -
THE CONSTIPATION SENSATION
THAT'S GRIPPING THE NATION!"
-"There were bins full of trick wands, the cheapest merely turning into rubber chickens or pairs of briefs when waved, the most expensive beating the unwary user around the head and neck, and boxes of quills, which came in Self-Inking, Spell-Checking, and Smart-Answer varieties."
-"'Patented Daydream Charms...'
Hermione had managed to squeeze through to a large display near the counter and was reading the information on the back of a box bearing a highly colored picture of a handsome youth and a swooning girl who were standing on the deck of a pirate ship.
'One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic, thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens. You know,' said Hermione, looking up at Harry, 'that really is extraordinary magic!'
'For that Hermione,' said a voice behind them, 'you can have one for free.'
A beaming Fred stood before them, wearing a set of magenta robes that clashed magnificently with his flaming hair."
-"'And our Decoy Detonators are just walking off the shelves, look,' said Fred, pointing at a number of weird-looking black horn-type objects that were indeed attempting to scurry out of sight. 'You just drop one surreptitiously and it'll run off and make a nice loud noise out of sight, giving you a diversion if you need one.'"
-"She was pointing at a number of round balls of fluff in shades of pink and purple, all rolling around the bottom of a cage and emitting high-pitched squeaks.
'Pigmy Puffs,' said George. 'Miniature puff skeins, we can't breed them fast enough.'
-"'That's three Galleons, nine Sickles, and a Knut,' said Fred, examining the many boxes in Ron's arms. 'Cough up.'
'I'm your brother!'
'And that's our stuff you're nicking. Three Galleons, nine Sickles. I'll knock off the Knut.'"
-"...Bill and I 'ave almost decided on only two bridesmaids, Ginny and Gabrielle will look very sweet togezzer."
-"...their departure the following morning was smoother than usual. The Ministry cars glided up to the front of the Burrow to find them waiting, trunks packed; Hermione's cat, Crookshanks. safely enclosed in his traveling basket; and Hedwig; Ron's owl, Pigwidgeon; and Ginny's new purple Pygmy Puff, Arnold, in cages.
'Au revoir, 'Arry,' said Fleur throatily, kissing him good-bye. Ron hurried forward, looking hopeful, but Ginny stuck out her foot and Ron fell, sprawling in the dust at Fleur's feet."
-"...indicating Neville's bottom, which was sticking out from under the seat again as he groped around for Trevor, and Luna, who was now wearing her free Spectrespecs, which gave her the look of a demented, multicolored owl.
'They're friends of mine,' said Harry coldly."
-"Zabini, who was interrogated after McLaggen, turned out to have a famously beautiful witch for a mother (from what Harry could make out, she had been married seven times, each of her husbands dying mysteriously and leaving her mounds of gold)."
-"You want to be careful, Blaise! I saw this young lady perform the most marvelous Bat-Bogey Hex as I was passing her carriage! I wouldn't cross her!"
-"'He saw me hex Zacharias Smith,' said Ginny. 'You remember that idiot from Hufflepuff who was in the D.A.? He kept on and on asking about what happened at the Ministry and in the end he annoyed me so much I hexed him...'"
-"...she waved her wand; an immense silvery four-legged creature erupted from it and streaked off into the darkness.
'Was that a Patronus?' asked Harry, who had seen Dumbledore send messages like this."
-"'I would rather die than betray his trust.'
'That's not saying much, seeing as you're already dead,' Ron observed.
'Once again, you show all the sensitivity of a blunt axe,' said Nearly Headless Nick..."
-"'My grandmother thinks Charms is a soft option,' mumbled Neville.
'Take Charms,' said Professor McGonagall, 'and I shall drop Augusta a line reminding her that just because she failed her Charms O.W.L., the subject is not necessarily worthless.'"
-"'Yes,' said Harry stiffly.
'Yes, sir.'
'There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor.'"
-"Dear Harry, I would like to start our private lessons this Saturday. Kindly come along to my office at 8 P.M. I hope you are enjoying your first day back at school.
Yours sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
P.S. I enjoy Acid Pops."
-"They chose the one nearest a gold-colored cauldron that was emitting one of the most seductive scents Harry had ever inhaled: Somehow it reminded him simultaneously of treacle tart, the woody smell of a broomstick handle, and something flowery he thought he might have found at the Burrow."
-"Good lord, it's clear you've inherited your mother's talent. She was a dab hand at Potions, Lily was! Here you are, then, here you are - one bottle of Felix Felicis, as promised, and use it well!"
-"...he caught a sudden waft of that flowery smell he had picked up in Slughorn's dungeon. He looked around and saw that Ginny had joined them."
-" Hissy, hissy, little snake,
Slither on the floor,
You be good to Morfin,
Or he'll nail you to the door. "
-"Any Dark object would have been found, I know for a fact Crabbe had a shrunken head confiscated."
-"...Harry watched Ginny Weasley playing with Arnold the Pigmy Puff for a while..."
-"Harry had already attempted a few of the Prince's self-invented spells. There had been a hex that caused toenails to grow alarmingly fast (he had tried this on Crabbe in the corridor, with very entertaining results); a jinx that glued the tongue to the roof of the mouth (which he had twice used, to general applause, on an unsuspecting Argus Filch); and, perhaps most useful of all, Muffliato, a spell that filled the ears of anyone nearby with an unidentifiable buzzing, so that lengthy conversations could be held in class without being overheard."
-"POinting his wand at nothing in particular, he gave it an upward flick and said Levicorpus! inside his head.
'Aaaaaaaargh!'
There was a flash of light and the room was full of voices: Everyone had woken up as Ron had let out a yell. Harry sent Advanced Potion-Making flying in panic; Ron was dangling upside down in midair as though an invisible hook had hoisted him up by the ankle."
-"'There is no way they'd let me be a Death Eater!' said Ron indignantly, a bit of sausage flying off the fork he was now brandishing at Hermione and hitting Ernie Macmillan on the head."
-"There is a fund at Hogwarts for those who require assistance to buy books and robes."
-"Amidst all the yelling and clapping Harry could distinctly hear the roar of Luna Lovegood's famous lion-topped hat."
-"A tall, skinny blond boy with an upturned nose was standing there, talking into the magical megaphone that had once been Lee Jordan's; Harry recognized Zacharias Smith, a Hufflepuff player whom he heartily disliked."
-"...Ginny sped right on past them until, with an almighty crash, she collided with the commentator's podium. As the crowd shrieked and laughed, the Gryffindor team landed beside the wreckage of wood under which Zacharias was feebly stirring; Harry heard saying blithely to an irate Professor McGonagall, 'Forgot to brake, Professor, sorry.'"
-"As he was ducking toward the drinks table, he walked straight into Ginny, Arnold the Pygmy Puff riding on her shoulder and Crookshanks mewing hopefully at her heels."
-"She was sitting on the teacher's desk, alone except for a small right of twittering yellow birds circling her head, which she had clearly just conjured out of midair."
-" 'Oppugno!' came shriek from the doorway.
Harry spun around to see Hermione pointing her wand at Ron, her expression wild; The little flock of birds was speeding like a hail of fat golden bullets toward Ron, who yelped and covered his face with his hands, but the birds attacked, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could reach."
-"'Or d'you think she overheard you being rude about Filch? I've always thought there might be something going on between them...'
'Oh, ha ha...'
Enjoying the fact that they could speak normally again, they made their way along the deserted, lamp-lit corridors back to the common room, arguing about whether or not Filch and Madam Pince were secretly in love with each other."
-"They had just embarked upon the immensely difficult topic of human Transfiguration; working in front of mirrors, they were supposed to be changing the color of their own eyebrows. Hermione laughed unkindly at Ron's disastrous first attempt, during which he somehow managed to give himself a spectacular handlebar mustache..."
-"'A bit lonely without the D.A. Ginny's been nice, though. She stopped two boys in our Transfiguration class calling me 'Loony' the other day-'"
-And many more that I can't fit here!

n  n
Grab this beauty of a book cover that I'm selling on my depop here, created by cover illustrator Jonny Dudley, who I commend for taking one of the most painful moments in the book and creating such lovely artwork out of it.

n  “Parry Otter, the Chosen Boy Who — well — something of that sort.”n  
n  
n  n

This reread of n  Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince - nthe last book in my minimal book collection - came as a saving grace during the many (many) holidays of Tishri. The stillness that accompanies sitting with your own thoughts during the countless rest days is painstakingly growing on me, so I needed something to look forward to, other than the many family-talks speculating about what's ahead.

I'm giving myself permission to sidetrack first into a bit of a backstory, given that this book did the same with its rather long "Previously on Harry Potter" starting point, catching the reader up on the 411.

Back in late 2014 - THE year I started reading Harry Potter for the first time and the same year I promised myself I'd finish the series - I made the hefty mistake of picking up the fifth book, n  n    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenixn  n, from the library on its own right before Hanukkah, meaning that the sequel wouldn't be available for another week. I then dutifully devoured the fifth book by day two and convinced my mom that the only thing I wanted, nay needed, was the sequel, which I promptly completed in time to take the finale from the library.

(Spoilers: I finished the series with two days to spare of 2014 in which I also finished To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before to provide me some of that lightheartedness, as I mention in my review.)

I personally had a rocky start with reading the series. The first book took me multiple times to pick up and complete; it took me months of what I usually read within a week. I remember now really getting into the series with the fourth and fifth book, though I can't recall now which works better in my favor.

n  n    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenixn  n is probably my favorite because I'm a sucker for dreams and nightmares being interpreted and taken seriously. The minute you start paying attention that's when you start seeing more clear signs that can easily give answers to your own personal situation.

This sixth book seemed promising to me, as well, because of the Pensieve and its many memories we dive into. This is the only way to do flashbacks... especially given the unbiased perspective to these unfolding events, like getting an introduction into Voldemort's family line from someone employed by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and then slowly piecing together bits of information through the many reveals.

But before all that can happen, the book starts off where Harry feels most at peace: The Burrow. I love me some good ol' family dynamics with the Weasleys (and being a united front against Phlegm Fleur).

“Well, all I can say is that it was a lucky day for the Weasleys when Ron decided to sit in your compartment on the Hogwarts Express, Harry.”

Harry is slowly starting to view Ginny as a safe haven; she represents all good and safety in the world for Harry, which he desperately seeks with the upheaval that is his own life. I laughed when my mind associated Harry's choice of Ginny Weasley with that scene from Parks and Rec with the Saperstein twins:



n  n    Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Princen  n centers on the more obsessed-like state of Harry with Malfoy, Hermione sulking away from Won-Won, Roonil Wazlib making a mighty comeback, the frustration when no one believes Harry's valid suspicions, and so much more which I feature below in my favorite points:

• The sly insert when Slughorn dismisses Ron's name with: “...after what happened to your poor friend Rupert.” Clearly, filming for the Harry Potter series was well underway.

• This particular book in the series feels like the inspiration behind Baz and Simon in Fangirl (and Carry On) what with the slow-moving plot till the characters arrive onto school grounds, and the aforementioned nemesis-watching from afar and following their every move.

“Levi sat back, hugging the pillow again. “They are kind of gay, aren’t they? What with all the watching each other sleep … and the ignoring Penelope.”

I'm personally not into the whole Draco/Harry ship, given Draco literally smashed Harry's face in just because (this ruthlessness is what's so vivid in my mind, so much so that the hurt of that scene traveled through back four years when I first read it and I felt the exact same shock) and also the simple fact that Draco Malfoy is a terribly cruel character. Those types need to stray far, far from humans until they acquire some anger management tools. He's basically a reincarnation of Snape (the only reason they get along) what with all the sulking and pettiness (Snape with Lily, and Draco with his need to acquire power). Just because you've marked a certain person/goal as "MINE" in your head doesn't make it so it's yours. So the author trying to make me feel sorry for either of them won't work in my favor. Like, "Woe is me. All I want is the approval of the Dark Lord."

It's also the reason why I'm not rushing to reread the following book given the frustrations whenever an author dismisses the actions of an evil character, like Snape, for "Oh, Love..." You've painted your picture for the whole series, making us not only hate but despise Severus Snape, so you can't just drop this pent-up anger with one scene in the seventh book. Snape "loving" (more like, marking his territory) a certain someone who chooses not to settle for him doesn't justify his following actions, no matter what storyline tries to redeem him.

• The one thing that really settled with me was when Harry and Dumbledore were discussing destiny and "the prophecy" and how it's neither here nor there: Voldemort sculpted his own enemy, by choosing to believe that prophecy he molded you into his enemy. I listened to a lecture on the topic that voiced a similar idea that in order for there to be good in the world there needs to be evil to defeat.

“Imagine, please, just for a moment, that you had never heard that prophecy! How would you feel about Voldemort now? Think!’
Harry watched Dumbledore striding up and down in front of him, and thought. He thought of his mother, his father and Sirius. He thought of Cedric Diggory. He thought of all the terrible deeds he knew Lord Voldemort had done. A flame seemed to leap inside his chest, searing his throat.
‘I’d want him finished,’ said Harry quietly. ‘And I’d want to do it.’
‘Of course you would!’ cried Dumbledore. ‘You see, the prophecy does not mean you have to do anything! But the prophecy caused Lord Voldemort to mark you as his equal … in other words, you are free to choose your way, quite free to turn your back on the prophecy! But Voldemort continues to set store by the prophecy. He will continue to hunt you … which makes it certain, really, that -‘
‘That one of us is going to end up killing the other,’ said Harry. ‘Yes.’”

• The main plot-propelling point is circling around the Pensieve, which at the time of reading I found so fascinating and wondered what memories I would store away. However brilliant the first memory from Bob Ogden, sooner than later these flashbacks start feeling like a contrived set up for a grander plot-device, especially when Dumbledore speaks like he's looking through a crystal ball; Professor Trelawney seems tame in comparison.

“Why?’ said Harry at once, looking up into Dumbledore’s face. ‘Why did he come back? Did you ever find out?’
‘I have ideas,’ said Dumbledore, ‘but no more than that.’
‘What ideas, sir?’
‘I shall tell you, Harry, when you have retrieved that memory from Professor Slughorn,’ said Dumbledore. ‘When you have that last piece of the jigsaw, everything will, I hope, be clear … to both of us.”

This was so defeating to read the first time, being held on a leash with the information that could be released, but on this reread, knowing what's ahead, I could relax and take in all the suspense and foreshadowing.

• It's unfortunate, though, that the author deems all these important adult figures in Harry's life valuable only long enough to serve him in the grand scheme of things. Children need adults to look up to for longer than a semester period. I noticed that even when I was having a good time reading, half-way through a thought would creep in to remind me that half of the characters wouldn’t survive this series… and then it felt somehow wrong to laugh at something they said.

•Which leads me to discuss the one thing that I dreaded and put-off...


I'd forgotten that rereading Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince meant reliving this emotional trauma of a chapter all-over again. I honestly can't believe I got fooled twice into believing that Snape would come to heal Dumbledore. I was utterly and positively assured that when Severus Snape came running down towards Dumbledore it was to cure him of his wounds. My brain somehow managed to repress the memory of that scene and fooled me into believing the same damn thing I thought the very first time... Evidently, the events of this series have all mixed into one for me so that certain scenes from the last book I expect to show up in here. Though nothing prepared me for this line that broke everything:

n  ‘I am not worried, Harry,’ said Dumbledore, his voice a little stronger despite the freezing water. ‘I am with you.’n

If nothing else, I'll certainly miss his sage sayings:

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n    n      ‘Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right,’ said Hermione.n    n  

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I commend the cover illustrator, Jonny Duddle, for taking one of the most painful moments in the book and creating such lively artwork out of it:



The illustration on the back cover, in particular, had me staring back and forth to take it all in: the tired eye-bags, the sullen face, the grip on his left arm. SO MUCH DETAIL.

And on that chipper note, I'll conclude by saying that taking my time with this reread made the journey so worth it. Let me know in the comments below if there's a particular favorite book in the series you'd want me to reread and review!



If you’re interested in buying Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, just click on the image below to go through my Amazon Affiliate. I’ll make a small commission!

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This review and more can be found on my blog.

n  Second Reread Review:n


REVIEW TO COME SOON

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
5 GLOWING MAGICAL STARS!

n  'Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right,' said Hermione. 'I heard him telling your mum, Ron.' n

I'm really enjoying this series so far but this series gets darker and darker. the first three of this series were so funny and cute even though there were sad scenes on them and the fourth, fifth and sixth books contained so much pain and I even shed more tears for these book than I did for the the first three. I have lost a favorite character that always made me laugh and smile. this character is Sirus Black. I even still can't get over his death. but let's admit it that maybe there's a death of character that we will never get over.

*takes deep breath* okay let's talk about this book

・。・゜★・。・。☆・゜・。・゜。・。・゜★・。・。☆・。・゜★・。・。

n  PHLEGMn

I have never liked Fleur Delacour very much since I first saw her on the book four and then I saw her again on the book four as Bill's girlfriend or Fiancee and I also laughed when Ginny called Fleur Phlegm. I also still don't how Bill fell in love with her but yeah, she is pretty but I thought Bill deserved someone better than her. I like Bill so much. he is so cool with his red long hair. maybe I didn't like Phlegm because I was jealous hahahaha okay it is not maybe, I was jealous. but look at this scene :

''E is always so thoughtful,' purred Fleur adoringly, stroking Bill's nose. Ginny mimed vomiting into her cereal behind Fleur. Harry choked over his cornflakes and Ron thumped him on the back.

ugh ... how could I like her if she acted like that?!?



that was really annoying and Ginny also found it disgusting. Hermione and Ginny didn't even like her. but she changed my mind on the the end of this book because when Bill was attacked by ... that werewolf guy who bit Remus when he was a kid. Bill is no longer as handsome as he used to be but Fleur still loves him. she doesn't care about how he looks and I even thought she would leave him after he was attacked but she didn't and that time I changed my mind about her. She is the right girl for Bill, even though I am a little bit jealous hahaha xD

n  Ron and Hermionen

I ship these two so much and I really really like Ron. Ron and Hermione are always funny. they always bicker about something and I think the first time Ron fell in love with Hermione was on the book four because he was so angry when he knew Hermione went to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum and in this book Ron hurt me so much. He thought that Hermione kissed Krum and he was so angry and jealous because of this and he kissed Lavender in the common room that was full of people and it also broke Hermione's heart.

Harry looked into the corner she was indicating. There, in full view of the whole room, stood Ron wrapped so closely around Lavender Brown it was hard to tell whose hands were whose.

And I was so angry in that moment



'Er - my - nee,' croaked Ron unexpectedly from between them.

but all my anger was gone when he was poisoned and he said that while he was asleep. I think he was trying to say Hermione, so that meant he dreamt about her and I forgave him that exact time and he also didn't really like Lavender anymore since then. he even pretended to be asleep when Lavender came to visit him in the hospital wing. so that meant he didn't like her anymore and I don't think he actually liked Lavender before he was poisoned. I think he just kissed Lavender because he wanted to make Hermione jealous and feel hurt, which he successfully did.

n  Harry And Ginnyn

have you ever thought why Ginny had relationship with quite many guys? wait ... not many guys because she just dated two boys, Dean and Michael. But she always got a boyfriend as soon as she split up with her ex and my thoughs about this is probably right because Ginny said this to Harry on the end of the book

'I never really gave up on you,' she said. 'Not really. I always hoped ... Hermione told me to get on with life, maybe go out with some other people, relax a bit around you, because I never used to be able to talk if you were in the room, remember? And she thought you might take a bit more notice if I was a bit more - myself.'

I think Ginny always dated a guy as soon as she split up with her ex because she always tried to forget Harry, so maybe if she had a boyfriend, she wouldn't love Harry anymore. But according to what she said she never really gave up on Harry so that means she has always loved him.
I was a bit sad when Harry said they can't be together again because Harry was afraid if something would happen to Ginny if they kept seeing each other. he was afraid if Voldemort used Ginny to get him. but I didn't angry with him because this just proved how much Harry loves Ginny and I am sure they will be together again. I hope so ...

n  Dumbledore's deathn

I admit that Dumbledore is not one of my top favorite characters in this series but I always found him funny and a bit weird, in a good way, of course. But his death left me in shock because he was actually pleading to Snape but Snape killed him with The Avada Kedavra curse and I thought Snape was on the good side. What will happen now after Dumbledore died?! He is the only one Voldemort is afraid of.
I have this feeling that I'll to lose my favorite characters again ...

thank you so much for reading and liking my review. hope you all have a great weekend, guys!

OK. I'm prepared to admit I've read it. As someone once said about Jeffrey Archer novels, it's rather like a packet of stale chips. You keep taking them out and eating them, hoping that the ones at the bottom are little better. But they're not. After a while, you notice that the bag is empty, and you feel rather disgusted with yourself.

She claims the whole story was planned from the beginning. Yeah, right. Though, to be fair, she's in good company; Proust said something similar about A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu. He didn't come across as very credible either.
_________________________

If you still don't believe me about the links between Proust and Potter, look here. If that doesn't convince you, I give up. There's such a thing as being too sceptical for your own good.

three or four
three or four
three or four

i have no idea but i do know that j.k.rowling should be banned from writing from this day forward. STOP. HURTING. MY. FAVS.

RTC
3.5 stars!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i just have two things to say

1) why are these books so HUGE ???? halp
2) i'm convinced this is gonna be the best from the series so, much pressure

TAKE THAT, PRAG

JUST WHEN YOU THINK THE PAIN CANT GET ANY WORSE

Through this book Rowling works on the plot that will lead to the finale, makes it tricky, spell bounding and twisted.

Snape, the half-blood prince is shown working as a double agent for both Voldemort and Dumbledore. Draco is given a task to fulfill in order to gain Voldemort’s sympathy, as his father Lucius has repeatedly not been able to finish his tasks. Sirius, Harry’s Godfather leaves all his gold, house and the elf for him.

Together, Dumbledore and Harry start going through Voldemort’s past. Voldemort created 7 Horcruxes with his soul to remain immortal and they should be destroyed before he can be killed forever. While two, his diary and a ring are destroyed, the remaining need to be found and dismantled.

Dumbledore and Harry go on with the search of other Horcruxes, upon their return Snape kills Dumbledore (if you didn’t cry, don’t know what else will make you) which leaves the mission for Harry and his friends to complete.

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