Harry Potter and the Half - Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling

...sense of bravery to leave Harry in the background at last and move new issues into the forefront, namely what's happening in the Muggle (non-magic) world, and what's going on behind enemy lines. Only in one other book has JK Rowling written a first chapter independent of Harry, and still he makes a brief appearance right at the end.

…LOVE STILL SHINES A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS.

Old issues remain in the back of your mind, ...
...Headmaster of Hogwarts, reveals to Harry the ultimate weapon against Voldemort... "an ancient magic of which he knows, which he despises, and which he has always therefore underestimated - to his cost. I am speaking, of course, of the fact that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection he never expected, a protection that flows in your veins to this day." Dumbledore recognises the ultimate sacrifice of Love. Lily ... more

WARNING: There are possible spoilers if you haven't read the end of book 4 onwards... but congratulations for getting this far!

IN DARKEST EVIL…

So Lord Voldemort's back. Mysterious disappearances are occurring left, right and centre. Witches and wizards have been murdered in their homes. The Death Eaters are recruiting followers. The Giants look like they've joined the Dark Side, and the Dementors have abandoned the Wizard Prison Azkaban. In short, it appears that an age of darkness and fear has begun that is as bad as when Voldemort came to power all those years ago. And the question remains... Is Hogwarts still the safest place in the world?

JK Rowling reveals in this book a greater maturity of style, and a better exploration of narrative techniques that sets it apart from her earlier books. For example, the first two chapters are written in the third person with new viewpoint characters. She shows a sense of bravery to leave Harry in the background at last and move new issues into the forefront, namely what's happening in the Muggle (non-magic) world, and what's going on behind enemy lines. Only in one other book has JK Rowling written a first chapter independent of Harry, and still he makes a brief appearance right at the end.

…LOVE STILL SHINES A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS.

Old issues remain in the back of your mind, especially those from the end of the last book (Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix) where Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, reveals to Harry the ultimate weapon against Voldemort... "an ancient magic of which he knows, which he despises, and which he has always therefore underestimated - to his cost. I am speaking, of course, of the fact that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection he never expected, a protection that flows in your veins to this day." Dumbledore recognises the ultimate sacrifice of Love. Lily Potter gave her life to save Harry, and with her death the curse that should have killed Harry deflected off him, leaving Voldemort barely alive, and Harry 'The Boy Who Lived'.

JK Rowling, though not promoting spiritualism or managing to avoid criticism from the Pope, still embodies Christian values at the heart of her books… that Love is the greatest power of all. At times her writing is truly poetic; "…a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature… that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all." I believe some of Harry's talks with Albus Dumbledore are perhaps the most heart-warming and enlightening moments of the series.

GROWING UP
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Up to this point we've seen Harry grow up from a curious eleven-year-old who learns he's a wizard, to a confused and hormone-riddled teenager. Finally, at the age of sixteen, he has become someone who is learning to understand the powers and talents he has developed, having faced Voldemort five times (more than many adult wizards will ever do), and is learning to deal with the weight of responsibility… that in the end it will be up to him to rid the world of Voldemort once and for all.

This is what we discover in a Prophecy at the end of the last book which plays a big part in 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince'. In a nutshell it says that Harry has been marked as Voldemort's equal, and in a final showdown one must vanquish the other for neither can survive while the other lives. This dominates the next book as Harry is revealed from the very start as 'The Chosen One' and Dumbledore gives Harry the weapons needed to destroy the Dark Lord when that time comes.

Yet the books have grown up too. The children who read the original books are now older, and have grown up with Harry. JK Rowling has held our interest for almost a decade and her series has grown darker, covering more adult issues, her style maturing accordingly. This means that her books are still compelling for both adults and children who have come to expect a lot from her books (she hasn't let us down yet). But as a downside, I don't think that it's possible to classify her books as 'Children's books' anymore. Her subject matter, especially regarding death and evil, may no longer be appropriate for younger children, even though the message is one of Good conquering Evil… there are still people who are killed in the fight and at times it seems a hopeless battle.

I have further criticisms of her writing, because as JK Rowling's books go on they have inevitably gotten longer and longer. This book at 607 pages is thankfully shorter than her last epic 766 page novel, yet I'm still torn between wondering if her stories are dragging along at a slower pace or if I'm merely getting my money's worth. In earlier books (around the 300 page mark) the story is fast flowing, the action is thrilling and you are compelled to read… just another chapter… just another few pages.

While her later books are still compelling I did feel that parts were slow moving and with no real 'mile posts' to indicate the passage of time or to look forward to (such as the events of the Triwizard Tournament or exciting Quidditch matches) the action just seems to drift along. In a similar way to the previous book there is a lot of repetition during Harry's lessons with Dumbledore. Yet this is a vain attempt to give some kind of structure. As I've said before, this doesn't have the same 'tightening' effect as in her earlier books, slowing down the action rather than speeding it up.

MUGGLE RELATIONS
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JK Rowling's books spread out as we discover more and more about her Universe. In the first book we learnt about Harry's first experience of the Wizard World, in Book 3 we discover the Ministry of Magic (sort of Wizard government), and in Book 4 we are introduced to Wizards from different countries. But this is the first book that shows a link between the Wizard world and the familiar world of us Muggles. The book starts with the Prime Minister's problems, his government being blamed for all kinds of strange events… collapsing bridges, murders, and freak hurricanes.

The arrival of Fudge, ex-Minister for Magic, reveals that Lord Voldemort is back to full strength and is creating this havoc which is affecting both Magic and Muggle worlds. This is a very subtle way of JK Rowling telling us where we are up to in the series, informative for new readers and a reminder for more regular readers. It is a refreshing change from "…but Harry was no ordinary boy. He was a wizard whose parents had been murdered by the darkest sorcerer in the world."

BEHIND ENEMY LINES
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Ever since the first book there has been open speculation about whose side Severus Snape is on. Professor of Potions at Hogwarts, and one of Harry's worst enemies, we discovered a while back that he was a Death Eater, a member of Voldemort's secret army of supporters. However we also know that towards the end of Voldemort's last reign of terror he defected, becoming a double-agent for Dumbledore, spying on Voldemort for the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's army of Aurors (Dark Wizard catchers).

However, with Voldemort's return, Snape has resumed his role as double-agent. In the second chapter, never has it been more difficult to tell whose side he's really on. I was surprised what a good case he made. On the other hand, there is only Dumbledore's word… "I trust Severus Snape". But the previous book has shown that Dumbledore is only human, and everybody (including Snape) makes mistakes.

This chapter also reveals that Lord Voldemort is working on a plan that involves another of Harry's enemies, Draco Malfoy, his jealous classmate, whose father Lucius Malfoy was imprisoned for being a Death Eater at the end of the last book. Suspense is kept throughout the book as to what this plan might be, and only Harry seems to be the one who suspects Malfoy enough to find out for himself what's going on.

DIVERSIONARY TACTICS
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JK Rowling, as ever, introduces new characters and new details that deepen our knowledge of the Wizarding World. Her addition of new details helps her world grow, but also has the effect of distracting us from the main plot line (of a secret plot) which adds to the suspense. New additions aren't as numerous as in previous books but a few are definitely worth a mention.

HORACE SLUGHORN AND "THE SLUG CLUB"

Horace Slughorn, a previous teacher at Hogwarts, is brought out of retirement by Dumbledore (with a little encouragement from Harry). Slughorn seems loath to return to work, pretending to be a sofa to avoid detection. A fat balding man with a great love of crystallised pineapple, Slughorn seems to operate through a network of favouritism. By taking advantage of highflying pupils he is able to manipulate particular people of power, e.g. certain departments of the Ministry of Magic, and famous members of Quidditch teams.

Of course he invites Harry to join 'The Slug Club' because of his fame in defeating the Dark Lord the first time round, and Hermione for her academic brilliance. Ron, however, is left feeling a little left out even though Harry hates it and avoids going to meetings whenever possible. Dumbledore's motives for bringing Slughorn out of hiding are obscure at first, but after a little thought the main reason seems to be to stop the Dark Side from procuring a powerful ally . Yet as the book goes on we realise he holds greater importance for Dumbledore's own plan.

N.E.W.Ts… NASTILY EXHAUSTING WIZARDING TESTS

We discovered at the end of the last book that it is Harry's ambition to be an Auror, one of the Dark Wizard catchers that work for the Ministry of Magic. By a very fortunate change in Staff arrangements Harry is able to take Potions with Professor Slughorn. He hasn't done too badly in his O.W.L's (Ordinary Wizard Levels) and the amount of homework seems to have eased off a bit since the last book.

Apparition Tests are the wizard equivalent of Driving Tests, the ability to disappear and reappear somewhere else. Even though Harry is too young to take the test he learns a useful new skill. An upside is that all this academic stuff takes our mind once more away from Malfoy and his secret plot, leaving JK Rowling room to build up the tension once more.

ROMANCE BLOSSOMS, LAVENDER'S BLUE

Never has their been such romantic tension in the air. There are love triangles all over the place. Shame that Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, because of their constant bickering, fail to see that they are made for each other. Ron is jealous of Hermione for writing to International Quidditch Player Viktor Krum. Meanwhile Ron has a fling with Lavender Brown to make her jealous. In return Hermione goes out with obnoxious Cormac McLaggen. To make things worse Harry has started feeling unfamiliar pangs of jealousy over Ron's sister Ginny, who has shown herself to be just as fiery and mischievous as her twin brothers Fred and George. Complicated? That's teenage life for you.

DUMBLEDORE... THE ONLY WIZARD YOU-KNOW-WHO EVER FEARED
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Harry truly does become the Sorcerer's Apprentice, taking special classes with Professor Dumbledore, where he is taught all that Dumbledore knows. While these episodes keep you guessing as to what we will learn next, they do become quite repetitive with Harry going up to Dumbledore's room, Dumbledore taking out a memory (a small bottle full of silvery liquid) and putting it into the Pensieve where it swirls "neither gas or liquid". This happens about four times or five times, and gets quite annoying.

However the action is quick to follow. Dumbledore gives Harry the means to discover Voldemort's weaknesses. They use memories of different people to follow Voldemort's life, from before his birth, to his time at Hogwarts fifty years ago, to his adventures afterwards that have turned him into the power-hungry Dark Wizard he is now. The similarities between Harry and Voldemort have never been so noticable, with the link between them growing steadily clearer. Both are orphans, who think of Hogwarts as their true home. Both can speak Parseltongue (Snake Language). They are similar in appearance, and both share a feather from the same phoenix in their wands.

Dumbledore and Harry's time together also reveals what we learnt at the end of the last book, that Dumbledore is much more than a teacher to Harry. He is a friend, guardian and father-figure, perhaps the most influential person in Harry's life. Dumbledore is often acknowledged as the greatest wizard in the world. What is more, there is a strong bond between them...Love. This is the reason why Harry experienced so much heartache in the last book, because Dumbledore left Harry in ignorance in order to protect his happiness. But it only meant that the truth delayed was all the more painful. Dumbledore's weakness then was Love, but it is to be Harry's strength.

One of the most moving speeches in the book belongs to Dumbledore. He explains how the Prophecy is to be interpretted, and just how Harry's love has shielded him from Voldemort's temptation. When Harry asks if he's GOT to kill Voldemort, Dumbledore replies..."not because of the Prophecy! Because you, yourself, will never rest until you've tried." It is a moving moment when Harry realises the difference between being dragged into the battle arena, and walking into it with his head held high.

THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
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One of the great mysteries of the book is the identity of The Half-Blood Prince. I would never have guessed, yet it seemed so obvious once revealed. The Prince in question is the owner of a battered old Potions Book that Harry aquires. He discovers the margins filled with helpful hints on potion making and other spells that the Prince seems to have made-up. Soon he is a better potion-maker than Hermione, must to her dislike.

The book seems to become Harry's guide and reference book. Even though Hermione is convinced it contains dangerous dark magic, Harry has found the Prince to be almost like a friend. The hints help Harry win a bottle of Felix Felicis, a gold potion otherwise known as 'Liquid Luck' which plays a very useful part in the story.

I don't think the identity of the Half-Blood Prince makes much difference to this story, although it is a nice little riddle. But I expect that it will have a greater significance in the next book.

HARRY'S OBSESSION WITH MALFOY
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This isn't the first time that Harry's instinct has been sparked. But he does seem to develop a very unhealthy obsession with Draco Malfoy, following him around while invisible, watching where he's disappearing to, sending house elves to spy on him. And his constant theorising gets very annoying for Ron and Hermione, never mind the reader.

Yet it does seem suspicious that Malfoy is often alone without the company of his two bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle. When strange attacks on pupils start to occur Harry keeps an even closer eye on Draco. With constant hints about Draco's mission we are kept guessing right to the end what will happen.

LORD VOLDEMORT'S PLAN
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The dramatic climax of the book as always occurs at the end. In some cases this means that JK Rowling really has to stretch out her story line to make it last a whole year. I remember one part of this book when I thought Harry should have been given an answer straight away, but instead is given lots of detentions by Snape, so that the story drags on a good month or so longer than it should have! Yet we are kept guessing right to the end, and when the secret plan is revealed I was honestly sure I would never have guessed. JK Rowling's imaginative conclusions are usually very well thought out.

I must say, this was the saddest ending of any Harry Potter book I've ever read. I used to have a theory that a book is only good if it moved me to tears. None of the previous Harry Potter books had managed it, but when I finished this book the flood-gates opened. It's very difficult when characters are so well-established to remember that they're not real people. I think I shared in some of the grief and disbelief. As with JK Rowling's previous death I was plagued by a hundred "What if's" and "If only's". But as she has said before, death is final. You can't reverse death, not even in the wizard world.

DARKER AND DARKER THE SHADOWS FALL...

It may seem that all hope is lost, that Voldemort is winning, that his reign of terror will continue. There is speculation as to wheher Hogwarts will have to close in Book 7.

...BUT THE LIGHT HAS NOT GONE OUT.

But thanks to Dumbledore's mentorship, Harry has his own plan, his own destiny to destroy Voldemort. As long as there is hope and loyalty to Dumbledore, evil has not won.

WHY ONLY 4 STARS?
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This is an exciting and action packed book at times. At other times I was left wondering when the pace would pick up again. While JK Rowling is becoming a better and more adventurous writer there are still some things which really made me cringe.

One problem is that she has a habit of using the phrase "Harry told them everything that had happened". In a book of this length this means that there is no need for lengthy explanations. But it is very repetitive, especially when Ron and Hermione aren't speaking to each other because JK Rowling then has to write this particular phrase twice.

I actually laughed out loud at the beginning of Chapter 24 where on the same page is written..."Harry told Ron and Hermione everything that had happened..." and "...'Wow', said Ron, when Harry had finally finished telling them everything." It may be just me, but I found this VERY annoying, and slightly hilarious, just as funny as JK Rowling making bad jokes and then having her characters laugh at them.

Also, JK Rowling's dialogue seems to have taken on a more cringe-worthy edge at times, particularly with Hagrid. In an attempt to make his phonetic accent a bit more modern no doubt, JK Rowling has added the word 'innit' which just makes me think of modern pop culture. I have a teenage cousin who says that all the time! e.g. "Git away from him! He'll have yeh fingers - oh. It's yeh lot..." and "Very amusin'. That's me outsmarted, innit? All righ', come in then, yeh ungrateful little...'
Perhaps JK Rowling is just a little out of practise will Hagrid's character, but I swear that first example doesn't sound right phonetically.

OK, so they're just minor imperfections. But this, coupled with the book's length and inconsistent action, just seems to stop it really shining as one of JK Rowling's best books. Unfortunately I just don't think it's as strong as her third book, which will always be my favourite.

DO I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK?
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I would definitely recommend this book as it is an exciting read most of the time, with lots of details to spark your curiosity. It took me three days to read, on and off, and I found my attention held most of the time. Towards the end, the book was especially addictive and the climax wasn't a let down after so many pages of waiting.

However I would recommend reading the other books in the series if you are new to Harry Potter. Only then can you appeciate a lot of details that are taken for granted or not explained in very much detail. There is an awful lot to take in for a first time reader.

Also, it has never been more important than now, when the books have become so much darker and the content more adult, to read the book in advance if you are a concerned parent. If planning to read the book to a younger child there are certain issues such as death, murder and sometimes horrific creatures that may need an explanation or support to questions that may undoubtedly come up. JK Rowling has always believed that children should not be shielded from adult issues in the world, believing children to be very versatile and often underestimated. Yet guidance by parents is always very important.

Overall, this is an excellent book, with many cliffhangers that leave you waiting desperately for answers in the next book. Unfortunately, that may be a two year wait. But there is enough to analyse in this book to keep fans going in the meantime.

PRODUCT INFORMATION
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Published in hardback form by Bloomsbury in July 2005
607 pages
Original Price: £16.99
Amazon Price: £8.99  

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