First-response HBP comments
I will probably write a more detailed review later, after I've had time to process everything, but in the meantime, I just want to get down some of my initial impressions before I read what anyone else has posted.
No, I don't believe Snape is evil. I am, however, more convinced than ever that he is doomed in Book 7. Doomed-doomed-doomed with a capital D, which stands for Dumbledore.
Wow. JKR actually did something I thought was almost impossible: she made canon!Draco interesting to me.
R.A.B. is Regulus Black. I'll bet any amount of money on it.
I wonder what'll get finished earlier -- this post, or the first Lupin/Grayback angsty non-con darkfic.
I can't believe I got all misty-eyed for Dumbledore! I didn't even like the old coot. And I'd been expecting him to buy it, either at the end of this book or at the start of Book 7, ever since GoF, so it wasn't even a shock. But damn, JKR, she got me.
I heart Fleur. "I'm good-looking enough for both of us!" Hee! You tell 'em, girl.
I wonder if anyone in the Order will ever stop to consider the fact that Malfoy's ability to get Death Eaters into Hogwarts was all Fred and George's fault.
When all the shippy stuff started in the middle of the book, I was afraid I'd hate it, but I actually found it rather humorous.
Except for the Lupin/Tonks. I could've done without the Lupin/Tonks.
I could, however, have done with more Lupin in the book.
Would've liked to see more than a cameo appearance from Wormtail, too.
Last book, we found out Blaise Zabini was definitely a boy, now we find out he's black! What will be the big revelation in the next book?
Lily was brilliant at potions! Well, there's one bit of fanon confirmed. Makes up for Blaise Zabini, I suppose.
Slughorn had some interesting aspects, and it was nice to see a major character be both Slytherin and non-evil. But somehow he just didn't make a very vivid impression on me.
Overall, I greatly liked this book. Tighter and cleaner writing than OotP, good pacing, lots of great character and backstory stuff. Nothing in it had the devastating emotional impact that Sirius' death had on me, but that might actually be a good thing, as The Death threw such a disproportionate shadow over OotP that it was hard to properly judge the other elements of the story. This book seemed much... better balanced, I suppose. And the last few chapters definitely had me at the edge of my seat all the way through.
It was a fanficcers dream, too, wasn't it? Dialogue for Narcissa! Snape's home! The werewolf who bit Lupin! Hints of Draco-redemption! Harry actually noticing the hints of Draco-redemption! Let the fics begin!
No, I don't believe Snape is evil. I am, however, more convinced than ever that he is doomed in Book 7. Doomed-doomed-doomed with a capital D, which stands for Dumbledore.
Wow. JKR actually did something I thought was almost impossible: she made canon!Draco interesting to me.
R.A.B. is Regulus Black. I'll bet any amount of money on it.
I wonder what'll get finished earlier -- this post, or the first Lupin/Grayback angsty non-con darkfic.
I can't believe I got all misty-eyed for Dumbledore! I didn't even like the old coot. And I'd been expecting him to buy it, either at the end of this book or at the start of Book 7, ever since GoF, so it wasn't even a shock. But damn, JKR, she got me.
I heart Fleur. "I'm good-looking enough for both of us!" Hee! You tell 'em, girl.
I wonder if anyone in the Order will ever stop to consider the fact that Malfoy's ability to get Death Eaters into Hogwarts was all Fred and George's fault.
When all the shippy stuff started in the middle of the book, I was afraid I'd hate it, but I actually found it rather humorous.
Except for the Lupin/Tonks. I could've done without the Lupin/Tonks.
I could, however, have done with more Lupin in the book.
Would've liked to see more than a cameo appearance from Wormtail, too.
Last book, we found out Blaise Zabini was definitely a boy, now we find out he's black! What will be the big revelation in the next book?
Lily was brilliant at potions! Well, there's one bit of fanon confirmed. Makes up for Blaise Zabini, I suppose.
Slughorn had some interesting aspects, and it was nice to see a major character be both Slytherin and non-evil. But somehow he just didn't make a very vivid impression on me.
Overall, I greatly liked this book. Tighter and cleaner writing than OotP, good pacing, lots of great character and backstory stuff. Nothing in it had the devastating emotional impact that Sirius' death had on me, but that might actually be a good thing, as The Death threw such a disproportionate shadow over OotP that it was hard to properly judge the other elements of the story. This book seemed much... better balanced, I suppose. And the last few chapters definitely had me at the edge of my seat all the way through.
It was a fanficcers dream, too, wasn't it? Dialogue for Narcissa! Snape's home! The werewolf who bit Lupin! Hints of Draco-redemption! Harry actually noticing the hints of Draco-redemption! Let the fics begin!