The Half Blood Prince
The sixth Harry Potter book released worldwide at 12 GMT on Saturday, July 13, and I got the book from my local library on Monday, which is not a bad achievement. Needless to say, I finished by book by Tuesday evening, and here’s my review of J.K. Rowling’s latest addition to the saga of her character.
Verdict: SO – SO
The book, like Rowling promised, answers a lot of questions that were raised throughout the series. This, of course, is its first fault. Methinks it would have been better to keep the suspense high till the final book. The sixth book is solely for the purpose of finishing the series…it ties up several loose ends neatly and conveniently, and then kills off the only person who knew all the answers.
But then Dumbledore had to die. He was the mentor, and literature offers too many parallels…Obi Wan Kenobi for one, and I’m told something similar happens in Tolkein’s LOTR. Yes, Dumbledore has left us, but before that he told his protégé whatever he could, and so outlived his usefulness.
While the book began and ended well, the middle was horribly boring. In an effort to tie up some things, Rowling gave her character too much purpose for an interesting story. Besides, the pages in the middle could have been used to add tidbits to several other characters: Dean Thomas, Luna Lovegood, Hermione [yes, where’s the background].
The choice motif, and Dumbledore’s speech on choice had shades of the Matrix.
Ending was fantastic, though, with that R.A.B. touch, whom I’m betting will be introduced to us the first chapter next book. My bets are on Aberforth Dumbledore or Rufus Scrimgeour. Anyway time and Rowling will tell..
Verdict: SO – SO
The book, like Rowling promised, answers a lot of questions that were raised throughout the series. This, of course, is its first fault. Methinks it would have been better to keep the suspense high till the final book. The sixth book is solely for the purpose of finishing the series…it ties up several loose ends neatly and conveniently, and then kills off the only person who knew all the answers.
But then Dumbledore had to die. He was the mentor, and literature offers too many parallels…Obi Wan Kenobi for one, and I’m told something similar happens in Tolkein’s LOTR. Yes, Dumbledore has left us, but before that he told his protégé whatever he could, and so outlived his usefulness.
While the book began and ended well, the middle was horribly boring. In an effort to tie up some things, Rowling gave her character too much purpose for an interesting story. Besides, the pages in the middle could have been used to add tidbits to several other characters: Dean Thomas, Luna Lovegood, Hermione [yes, where’s the background].
The choice motif, and Dumbledore’s speech on choice had shades of the Matrix.
Ending was fantastic, though, with that R.A.B. touch, whom I’m betting will be introduced to us the first chapter next book. My bets are on Aberforth Dumbledore or Rufus Scrimgeour. Anyway time and Rowling will tell..
posted by Dispatcher | 18:56
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