All praise HBP
Holy fuck, I just finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Speaking as one of the few fans who actually enjoyed Order of the Phoenix, I was worried that JKR might not be able to top herself. Top herself indeed, she absolutely blew Order of the Phoenix out of the water. HBP is tighter, more emotional, and with a few small quibbles, without a doubt the best-written book of the series.
WARNING: HUGE GIGANTIC SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT THEM! Oh, and this is very long too.
Oh my, oh my, where to start? I'll warn you, this will be a random arrangement of thoughts.
I'll do a tiny bit a gloating first because for once I actually made a correct prediction. From the end of chapter nine I KNEW THAT SNAPE WAS THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. I mean, duh. I actually thought of him as one of the more likely candidates before the book was released anyway. A minor quibble though, how it was revealed was SO lame. "Well, since we've now lost Captain Exposition, Harry, I am the Half-Blood Prince!" Yeah, like Snape would have really just blurted it out like that to Harry while he was trying to escape.
Speaking of which, people seemed annoyed that it was the title, claiming that the Half-Blood Prince wasn't that important to the plot. My arguments: A. The whole thing with Harry learing from Snape's notes will probably be important in Book 7. B. She needed a mysterious-sounding title and the Half-Blood Prince had never been mentioned before. C. What other major important plot-thing was she going to name it after? Maybe the Horcruxes? Or "Harry Potter and the Life and Times of Lord Voldemort"?
Speaking of which, she was right about how this book mirrored Chamber of Secrets. I absolutely LOVED all the Tom Riddle exposition. Man, that kid had one screwed-up family. I love villian exposition.
Did anyone else double-take when JKR actually used the word "slut"?
Or when the password was "Absitinence" during the orgy-of-shipping chapters?
I also loved how funny this book was. So many things, from Arthur's secret ambition to the Twins' latest "constipation sensation." All the little things like "Won-Won" the Cauldron of Boiling Love song, the porno-daydream thingies. Oh, and the shipping.
ETA: I can't believe that I forgot wonderful Luna! Her commentary of the Quidditch match was perhaps my favorite part of the book and actually made Quidditch amusing.
I can't help but wonder if JKR put in the Orgy-of-Shipping just to shut up her annoying fans. (Hell, I don't blame her. She asks why no-one's asked why Voldemort didn't die because they're too busy arguing if Harry's going to end up with Hermione or Ginny or Draco or Snape, etc.) I have to admit, it was very amusing to read (a little too much like real life at times) and I can't wait to see the fandom wanking over this. I'm sorry, but I really don't understand the people who claim that "there's no canon evidence for Ron/Hermione." Um, try from day one! I'm glad that JKR made Ron and Hermione clear but still didn't make it easy for them (loved the crazy Ron/Lavender stuff). I'll admit, I was never too hot on Harry/Ginny (and no-one seems to have a problem with Ginny cursing anyone who annoys her, but if it's a Slytherin then it's different), but I did like their first kiss scene. He just kisses her right there! At least it was a nice change form the Harry/Cho fiasco. As for Bill/Fleur, I always thought it was a given and I never paid it much attention, but I adored Fleur's pronouncement at the end. Just because she's kind of stuck-up doesn't mean that she won't stand by her man. And then . . . the last one. Okay, trust me, I'm not one of those crazy R/S fans who are convinced that it was canon. My brain went "pop" at the Remus/Tonks thing at the end, not because it ruined the "twue wuv" of Remus/Sirius, but because it was so damned OUT OF NOWHERE. I mean, even Bill/Fleur had a few throwaway lines in Gof and OotP to establish them, but that one? Hell, I want to be happy that Remus is getting some loving because that man just has far too much angst in his life, but after this book I'm not so hot on Tonks. I really liked her in OotP, but here she seemed rather pathetic, and I thought it was SIRIUS she was angsting over. Having it be Remus makes her even more pathetic in my eyes.
Fanfic ships that I'm predicting: Rampant Narcissa/Bellatrix incest, Gaunt family incest, Draco/Moaning Myrtle (giggles), Slugworth/everyone (he is such a whore, literally), super angsty Dumbledore/anyone, and probably some really gross Inferti porn fics (ewwww).
Speaking of which, was anyone else disturbed at the mere thought of Dementors breeding? I sure was.
Sirius is dead! Ha ha ha! Unless JKR pulls something in Book 7, then he's gone for good and in good-writing sense I'm glad for it. Death is a very serious thing in the Harry Potter series, and JKR will not mess it up just because some fans are pissed that she killed a hot guy.
Ah, Capslock Harry, we mourn the loss of thee. Just kidding! I personally thought that Harry's Madd-Emo-Spell in OotP was a big part of his growing up and this book proves it. Losing Sirius really makes him open up his eyes and I'm glad of it. It's nice to actually see Harry mature and at least attempt to be subtle and clever, but I actually felt relieved that his prejudices against Draco and Snape were still in full force. He's just not Harry without that.
Definately not enough Remus, though I loved his convo with Harry at Christmas, especially the werewolf info (and Fenrir was pretty freaking creepy). I understand how Remus must be pretty busy with the Order, but come on! He's all Harry has left! At least write letters or something!
Slugworth was interesting. It was nice to get a Slytherin who isn't a total jerk and got into the house mainly because of ambition instead of racism. He is SUCH a whore and that amuses me.
Chapter two alone will fuel several thousand fanfics no doubt. It was nice to see Narcissa actually get some character beyond trophy wife, and I love how insanely batshit Bellatrix is. Very interesting how she doesn't trust Snape any more than Harry does. Man, talk about incorrect predictions, when the Unbreakable Vow was made I was certain that Snape wouldn't make it out of this book alive, which was doubled when he finally got Defense Against the Dark Arts (and I loved the little detail with Voldemort about this. No wonder it's jinxed!).
Draco, Draco, Draco. Totally did not see this coming. He actually gets a character beyond spoiled bully, and it is wonderful, not because he's oh so evil! or oh so angsty!, but because he's real. He's a kid who got in over his head to save his family, who has never faced such challenges before, and he's also a bastard. Maybe he was a coward because he couldn't kill Dumbledore, but so are most people in life. I really want to see what happens with him in Book 7.
You know, I really thought JKR was leading us along with the whole "why Voldemort didn't die" thing. I figured it'd be something lame like the Prophecy, but no, she comes up with a great plot device, the Horcruxes. This sets up Book 7 very well, and we can see that it's not going to be easy for Harry.
R.A.B. Harry you idiot! Regullus Black! Look in your new house Goddammit!
The last few chapters where so intense. The potion/Inferti scene creeped the hell out of me. "GAHH!!!! ZOMBIES!!!!"
He may be a manipulative bastard, but I actually liked Dumbledore a lot in this book, as JKR obviously intended it to be. I actually got a little choked up when Dumbledore told Harry that he wasn't worried because he was with him. And the death, wow. I had Dumbledore pegged for the big Headmaster's office in the sky since day one (you know, Obi-Wan and all) but I was not prepared for the way in which he would go. Huge OMGWTF?!?!?! moment for me. And JKR finally gets a big death right. With Cedric was like "Wow, that's sad, but I thought she said it'd be an IMPORTANT character" and Sirius was obviously "WTF CURTAINS?!?!?!" Dumbledore's death was both sad and shocking, just how it should be.
Which brings me to the last thing: Snape Snape Snape Snape Snape. I really think that's why this book was titled "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." It's all about Snape. The guy's such a good double agent you're not really sure whose side he's on, if any side at all. When the "look of digust and hatred" at Dumbledore was mentioned, I just figured he was covering his ass in front of the Death Eaters. Then the next page threw me for a loop. NEVER would I have envisioned Snape killing Dumbledore. For a few pages I was in shock. "No! This can't happen to Snape! He's not really evil! He's just a bastard!" but I still felt betrayed until the other Death Eaters wanted to do Harry in and he stopped them because "He goes to the Dark Lord." Right. Also notice that while Harry was trying to curse him, Snape only blocked the spells. He only attacked him when Harry called him a coward because for all his life experiences, he's as sensitive and petty as a litte girl (but that's why I love him). No, Harry's just being his single-minded self again. Snape is the definition of ambiguous, he's still not in cut-and-dry land. I'm certain that JKR has a few more tricks up her sleeve with him. One can't help but wonder if Dumbledore was already dying from either the ring curse or from the potion and he had an understanding with Snape to A. put him out of his misery and B. prevent Draco from becoming a murderer. Dumbledore's pleading seemed very out of character to me, so there's definately something more going on here that we don't know about.
Dumbledore's funeral = SO SAD!
I loved the ending with Harry truly owning up to what he now must do.
I'm going to be so sad when Book 7 is finished! No more Harry outside of crack fanfiction. But at least we'll always have HBP, a truly amazing book.
Speaking as one of the few fans who actually enjoyed Order of the Phoenix, I was worried that JKR might not be able to top herself. Top herself indeed, she absolutely blew Order of the Phoenix out of the water. HBP is tighter, more emotional, and with a few small quibbles, without a doubt the best-written book of the series.
WARNING: HUGE GIGANTIC SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT THEM! Oh, and this is very long too.
Oh my, oh my, where to start? I'll warn you, this will be a random arrangement of thoughts.
I'll do a tiny bit a gloating first because for once I actually made a correct prediction. From the end of chapter nine I KNEW THAT SNAPE WAS THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. I mean, duh. I actually thought of him as one of the more likely candidates before the book was released anyway. A minor quibble though, how it was revealed was SO lame. "Well, since we've now lost Captain Exposition, Harry, I am the Half-Blood Prince!" Yeah, like Snape would have really just blurted it out like that to Harry while he was trying to escape.
Speaking of which, people seemed annoyed that it was the title, claiming that the Half-Blood Prince wasn't that important to the plot. My arguments: A. The whole thing with Harry learing from Snape's notes will probably be important in Book 7. B. She needed a mysterious-sounding title and the Half-Blood Prince had never been mentioned before. C. What other major important plot-thing was she going to name it after? Maybe the Horcruxes? Or "Harry Potter and the Life and Times of Lord Voldemort"?
Speaking of which, she was right about how this book mirrored Chamber of Secrets. I absolutely LOVED all the Tom Riddle exposition. Man, that kid had one screwed-up family. I love villian exposition.
Did anyone else double-take when JKR actually used the word "slut"?
Or when the password was "Absitinence" during the orgy-of-shipping chapters?
I also loved how funny this book was. So many things, from Arthur's secret ambition to the Twins' latest "constipation sensation." All the little things like "Won-Won" the Cauldron of Boiling Love song, the porno-daydream thingies. Oh, and the shipping.
ETA: I can't believe that I forgot wonderful Luna! Her commentary of the Quidditch match was perhaps my favorite part of the book and actually made Quidditch amusing.
I can't help but wonder if JKR put in the Orgy-of-Shipping just to shut up her annoying fans. (Hell, I don't blame her. She asks why no-one's asked why Voldemort didn't die because they're too busy arguing if Harry's going to end up with Hermione or Ginny or Draco or Snape, etc.) I have to admit, it was very amusing to read (a little too much like real life at times) and I can't wait to see the fandom wanking over this. I'm sorry, but I really don't understand the people who claim that "there's no canon evidence for Ron/Hermione." Um, try from day one! I'm glad that JKR made Ron and Hermione clear but still didn't make it easy for them (loved the crazy Ron/Lavender stuff). I'll admit, I was never too hot on Harry/Ginny (and no-one seems to have a problem with Ginny cursing anyone who annoys her, but if it's a Slytherin then it's different), but I did like their first kiss scene. He just kisses her right there! At least it was a nice change form the Harry/Cho fiasco. As for Bill/Fleur, I always thought it was a given and I never paid it much attention, but I adored Fleur's pronouncement at the end. Just because she's kind of stuck-up doesn't mean that she won't stand by her man. And then . . . the last one. Okay, trust me, I'm not one of those crazy R/S fans who are convinced that it was canon. My brain went "pop" at the Remus/Tonks thing at the end, not because it ruined the "twue wuv" of Remus/Sirius, but because it was so damned OUT OF NOWHERE. I mean, even Bill/Fleur had a few throwaway lines in Gof and OotP to establish them, but that one? Hell, I want to be happy that Remus is getting some loving because that man just has far too much angst in his life, but after this book I'm not so hot on Tonks. I really liked her in OotP, but here she seemed rather pathetic, and I thought it was SIRIUS she was angsting over. Having it be Remus makes her even more pathetic in my eyes.
Fanfic ships that I'm predicting: Rampant Narcissa/Bellatrix incest, Gaunt family incest, Draco/Moaning Myrtle (giggles), Slugworth/everyone (he is such a whore, literally), super angsty Dumbledore/anyone, and probably some really gross Inferti porn fics (ewwww).
Speaking of which, was anyone else disturbed at the mere thought of Dementors breeding? I sure was.
Sirius is dead! Ha ha ha! Unless JKR pulls something in Book 7, then he's gone for good and in good-writing sense I'm glad for it. Death is a very serious thing in the Harry Potter series, and JKR will not mess it up just because some fans are pissed that she killed a hot guy.
Ah, Capslock Harry, we mourn the loss of thee. Just kidding! I personally thought that Harry's Madd-Emo-Spell in OotP was a big part of his growing up and this book proves it. Losing Sirius really makes him open up his eyes and I'm glad of it. It's nice to actually see Harry mature and at least attempt to be subtle and clever, but I actually felt relieved that his prejudices against Draco and Snape were still in full force. He's just not Harry without that.
Definately not enough Remus, though I loved his convo with Harry at Christmas, especially the werewolf info (and Fenrir was pretty freaking creepy). I understand how Remus must be pretty busy with the Order, but come on! He's all Harry has left! At least write letters or something!
Slugworth was interesting. It was nice to get a Slytherin who isn't a total jerk and got into the house mainly because of ambition instead of racism. He is SUCH a whore and that amuses me.
Chapter two alone will fuel several thousand fanfics no doubt. It was nice to see Narcissa actually get some character beyond trophy wife, and I love how insanely batshit Bellatrix is. Very interesting how she doesn't trust Snape any more than Harry does. Man, talk about incorrect predictions, when the Unbreakable Vow was made I was certain that Snape wouldn't make it out of this book alive, which was doubled when he finally got Defense Against the Dark Arts (and I loved the little detail with Voldemort about this. No wonder it's jinxed!).
Draco, Draco, Draco. Totally did not see this coming. He actually gets a character beyond spoiled bully, and it is wonderful, not because he's oh so evil! or oh so angsty!, but because he's real. He's a kid who got in over his head to save his family, who has never faced such challenges before, and he's also a bastard. Maybe he was a coward because he couldn't kill Dumbledore, but so are most people in life. I really want to see what happens with him in Book 7.
You know, I really thought JKR was leading us along with the whole "why Voldemort didn't die" thing. I figured it'd be something lame like the Prophecy, but no, she comes up with a great plot device, the Horcruxes. This sets up Book 7 very well, and we can see that it's not going to be easy for Harry.
R.A.B. Harry you idiot! Regullus Black! Look in your new house Goddammit!
The last few chapters where so intense. The potion/Inferti scene creeped the hell out of me. "GAHH!!!! ZOMBIES!!!!"
He may be a manipulative bastard, but I actually liked Dumbledore a lot in this book, as JKR obviously intended it to be. I actually got a little choked up when Dumbledore told Harry that he wasn't worried because he was with him. And the death, wow. I had Dumbledore pegged for the big Headmaster's office in the sky since day one (you know, Obi-Wan and all) but I was not prepared for the way in which he would go. Huge OMGWTF?!?!?! moment for me. And JKR finally gets a big death right. With Cedric was like "Wow, that's sad, but I thought she said it'd be an IMPORTANT character" and Sirius was obviously "WTF CURTAINS?!?!?!" Dumbledore's death was both sad and shocking, just how it should be.
Which brings me to the last thing: Snape Snape Snape Snape Snape. I really think that's why this book was titled "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." It's all about Snape. The guy's such a good double agent you're not really sure whose side he's on, if any side at all. When the "look of digust and hatred" at Dumbledore was mentioned, I just figured he was covering his ass in front of the Death Eaters. Then the next page threw me for a loop. NEVER would I have envisioned Snape killing Dumbledore. For a few pages I was in shock. "No! This can't happen to Snape! He's not really evil! He's just a bastard!" but I still felt betrayed until the other Death Eaters wanted to do Harry in and he stopped them because "He goes to the Dark Lord." Right. Also notice that while Harry was trying to curse him, Snape only blocked the spells. He only attacked him when Harry called him a coward because for all his life experiences, he's as sensitive and petty as a litte girl (but that's why I love him). No, Harry's just being his single-minded self again. Snape is the definition of ambiguous, he's still not in cut-and-dry land. I'm certain that JKR has a few more tricks up her sleeve with him. One can't help but wonder if Dumbledore was already dying from either the ring curse or from the potion and he had an understanding with Snape to A. put him out of his misery and B. prevent Draco from becoming a murderer. Dumbledore's pleading seemed very out of character to me, so there's definately something more going on here that we don't know about.
Dumbledore's funeral = SO SAD!
I loved the ending with Harry truly owning up to what he now must do.
I'm going to be so sad when Book 7 is finished! No more Harry outside of crack fanfiction. But at least we'll always have HBP, a truly amazing book.