Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince ***SPOILER***
 

Okay - I know some other Ledgies are reading/have read it!

So spill - thoughts??

I have just finished it and well I laughed, I cried, I got mad. I loved it.

I thought this was a great book, lots of adventure - and very touching.

I won't put any spoilers in this initial post- I'm more interested in who's read it - who's reading it etc....:D

I haven't read it yet. Hubby just finished reading it and I'll be starting on it over the weekend. I'll let you know what I think when I'm done!

Pip

I'm dying to read it but I haven't read it yet. A friend is hopefully just finishing up the book and then I'll get to read it.

Deb just received her copy...
 

yesterday (Early birthday present), So she should have it completely read by Saturday.

Brian "Irrational/Stressed" j.

borrowing it from a friend who finished it in 3 days :shocked:
I started reading yesterday, I think I can understand those three days though, it goes nicely fast :D so, please, no spoilers!
This is the English version though, I have to get used to a lot of names that were translated in Dutch to different names. Muggles, huh? Oh.. Dreuzels! etc.

I'll let you know in about six months... I haven't read any of them so I'll have to start at the beginning! :lol:

I finished it the day it came out :shocked: , it was that good! I think this book was hands down the best in the series, as Deanna said, it will make you both laugh and cry. If you haven't done so yet, go pick it up! :thumbsup:

Not having read the books or seen the movies, I'd like folks to tell me what they love so intensey about the series. Characterization? Plot? Escapism? Humor? Something else? From the outside, I'm not getting it.

- Jake

I finished it on Monday. It's truly a great book and it might be my fav so far, but OMG the last few chapters tore me apart. J.K. Rowling has a knack of killing off my favorite characters. :distress:

There must be retribution in book #7!! :mad:

I finished it on Saturday night, and called my best friend in tears. She hadn't finished it yet, so when she finished it last night, she called ME in tears. I think I cried for an hour after I finished it.

Can we actually talk about the plot and spoilers in this thread? Because there's just so much to discuss.

Yes - I say we should go for it.....

ok ......so......from here on out: SPOILERS
































:D

Oh but first - Jake....

She is an amazing writer. I was pulled in from book one. She writes characters really well and I feel that all are very well developed. There are characters you love, characters you hate etc. ANd you get very attached to the title character who just has an amazing story.

These books have all you mentioned, Characterization, great plot, humor, escapism - drama = they're just fantastic.

I finished it last night and I also cried. Actually I pretty much cried through the last two chapters.

Anyone else shocked about Snape??? I was. I'm also just pissed. Don't these people know to pay attention to Harry's instincts by now lol - but NO everyone is dismissing him about Malfoy and Snape :mad:

I can't even believe it about Dumbledore...I was so sad.

That bring me to my absolute favorite moment in the book....

After they come out of the cave and Harry tells Dumbledore not to worry and Dumbledore says, "I'm not worried, Harry, I'm with you" OH MY GOD!!! I cried...that was such a great moment...

I have 100 pages left. Maybe I'll be able to finish it tonight!

I finished reading 'Half-Blood Prince' on Sunday night, and WOW. I was totally impressed, it was so much greater than I had expected it to be. Like Deanna said, it has it's funny moments, but it also has its sad ones too.

Deanna, you basically just took the words right out of my mouth, lol..... I had my suspicions about Snape from Chapter 2, I KNEW there was something bad about to happen, but I would NEVER have expected him to be the one who killed Dumbledore. :mad: I was bawling my head off through the last two chapters, including when Dumbledore said "I'm not worried Harry, I'm with you." Probably one of the best (and most touching) moments in the whole series.

I was pretty shocked after reading the second chapter. Snape (curse him) harboring Peter Pettigrew and making the "Unbreakable Vow" to Narcissa Malfoy? BOOO!

I still can't believe Dumbledore is gone. He's been my favorite since I started reading the books when I was 14 (I'm 22 now). I hated how he died too. If he wasn't already weakend Snape wouldn't have a chance in hell of killing him. One thing that doesn't make sense to me though, is why didn't Dumbledore disarm Malfoy or magic his own wand back to him? We know he can do magic without a wand. :confused:

About R.A.B.- The initials written in the locket. The only person I can think of with the initials R.B. is Regulus Black, Sirius Black's brother, where coincidentally, a locket was found in Grimmauld Place that nobody could open. Maybe that's the true Horcrux?

One more thing- I know I'm the only one who was hoping for a Harry/Hermione pairing, so BOOO! again. :p

I'm still convinced that Snape killing Dumbledore was not what it appeared. I mean, he killed him- but perhaps Dumbledore KNEW that Snape had to make that Unbreakable Vow to protect Draco in order to not cast suspicion upon himself amongst the Death Eaters, and Dumbledore knew that Draco had been trying to kill him. Maybe Dumbledore and Snape knew this was the only way. I have no idea what I'm talking about.

I just have to hope that there's more to Snape doing what he did. I can't accept him becoming a villain like that. I mean- don't you think Snape killing Dumbledore will have now cemented Voldemort's belief in him in a way that wasn't possible before? Possibly now allowing Snape access to him in a way that the Order of the Phoenix could have NEVER gotten before? I think I was comforted by the fact that he didn't really strike back at anyone when he was escaping with Draco- he HAD to have known Harry was up on the roof, because there were two broomsticks, and Snape is obviously quite familiar with Harry's invisibility cloak. Also, instead of really trying to curse Harry during his escape, he just deflected all of Harry's curses. Like he didn't want to hurt him. Which may be because Voldemort wants him for himself- who knows. I'm the queen of wishful thinking.

I do think that R.A.B. is Regulus Black. I also think that he may not be dead, but that he's still alive based on what Dumbledore told Draco about being able to hide him and make everyone think he's dead. I also instantly remembered the locket in Grimmauld Place- and I think that Mundungus Fletcher may have stolen it from the house to sell. I can't think of any other concrete reason for J.K. to have included that scene with him in the book if it's not setting up something for the next one.

I loved Harry & Ginny. I've been waiting for that. I think Ginny's it for him, and they'll get married and he'll be a Weasley and a part of a family. And as upset as I was over the way this book ended, it really was the only thing they could've done to keep the story moving instead of stagnant. And the idea of a Year 7 where there may be no school, and where they're basically going on a quest to find Voldemort and avenge Harry's parents and Dumbledore? Nothing but awesome.

omg, that was the world's longest rant on this stuff. Years ago, no one would've ever been able to convince me that I could get this upset/vehement/emotional about kids books.

Harry and Hermione!?! NO WAY! I've always known it would be Ron/Hermione and Harry Ginny - there are too many similarities between Ginny and Harry's mother :)

Good theory on the horcrux!!!

Dumbledore, knew that Malfoy would not be able to kill him - which he was not - that was a crazy scene too - Malfoy's weakening.

Then the other Death Eaters mentioned that the orders were for MALFOY to kill Dumbledore - so they couldn't do it. Snape was also communicating w/ Voldemort - so perhaps he had free reign as well. And apparently Dumbledore didn't think Snape would kill him - "Severus please..." or whatever he was saying to him.

It was just heartbreaking!

OMG _ that is EXACTLY what I though initially - which is also why Dumbledore immediately made it so that Harry was imobilized!!! Everyone else I've shared that theory with discounts it!!!

And ITA aboutHarry/Ginny :nod:

Oh - and yeah - I can't even think of another book I have felt this passionate about :laugh: I'm so attached to those characters.

That was EXACTLY my theory!! Everyone I know who's read the books is just saying "Who on earth is R.A.B?" and when I tell them that it could be Regulus, they never seem to remember him. Maybe they just haven't read Order Of The Phoenix yet.... :shrug:

After giving it much thought, I'm starting to believe that too. Here's my theory--

By raising his wand at Dumbledore and killing him, Snape has finally delcared complete loyalty to the Order. Killing his true master, is an act that should silence all Death Eater's mistrust of him and convince them that he's truly on their side. Dumbledore's pleas to Snape, "Severus....please...." were not begging him to spare him, but to finish him, in hopes that Snape will remain in the most important position, able to, when needed, turn on Voldemort and help the Order finish him. Afterall, I have to believe Dumbledore was right in trusting Snape.

Okay. Thanks. :)

- Jake

I guess I'm alone in this, but I found Half Blood Prince to be rather poorly written. To me, only the beginning and ending chapters are of any worth. The entire middle section is endless "snogging," arguing, FILLER. It didn't help that the plot felt so forced either. I think Rowling is losing her touch.

Oh yeah? Well..um Ewan MacGregor sucks ;)

I'm very surprised by that reaction to the book actually - but to each their own. I found her writing to be superb in this book - best yet!

OMG I CRIED!

Add me to the "It ain't goin' down like dat" club! You guys have thought through it more than me, but yeah, Snape must have had a deal with Dumbledore.

I thought it was well written, but I always think these are well written!

Swear to God, Rowling must have sold her soul to the devil! :laugh:

The local newscast here has tonight's top story on how to see if your kid needs counseling after reading the twists in this book. :rolleyes: Deanna, aren't you sorry you missed this piece of journalism? ;)

- Jake

*GASP*!!!!
how dare you.... :p

It is kinda strange that I didn't care for this one, especially because I like or love the others. Maybe a re-read will change my opinion. Sometimes it helps.

I personally like the first four books best because they have a distinct conclusion...I think there is way too much story in this book yet not really enough substance.

I LOVE Harry Potter, and I don't think there is anything else with Snape to be honest, I think he is just evil and I thought that was summed up with the whole "Severus please..." part.

I must say though, I look forward to a conclusion in the next book, and I really really did enjoy the story, just became frustrated that so little really was happening in the big scheme until right at the end.

I did enjoy this book more than the fifth, but I wish I had read it a week or two before to refresh my memory because I had even forgotten who the hell Dolores Umbridge was! LOL I didn't think that book was too memorable.

Rowling I think has deffinitely changed her style of writing, there is no more emphasis on Christmas or the quidditch or anything, but now I come to think about it...maybe that reflects the character's lives at the moment.

I can't wait for book Seven!

That's how I originally read that scene. Think about it - Dumbledore would never plead for his life. He's not afraid of death... the all-important disctinction between him and the Death Eaters.

Also, having drunk that poison, he was already on the verge of death. By the point where the trap is srpung, he is beyond saving.

Snape didn't help Voldemort by mercifully 'euthanising' Dumbledore... Draco was meant to murder him and go more to the 'dark side'. Instead, you have Dumbledore-loyal Snape ready to fight another day, and Draco not completely lost to the dark side. I've always been sure that he'd make good in book 7.

Interesting about the Horcrux theory - that's too complicated for me!

It's funny. I thought that about the last two, or Book 5 especially. It was not as succint as the others had been. I feel that with this book she is back at the form from Book 3, my favourite until now. Now, with all the hilarity and fast paced intrigue, and candid dialogue of all characters, Half-Blood Prince is at the top of my list.

It's interesting that you mentioned the third book, because Rowling herself said that she's the happiest with HBP since The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Wow? Coz I totally agree...does anyone think that by this stage she may have introduced too many characters though? I feel that if they are all there for a reason it will be hella hard keeping up with book seven.

It's probably a stupid idea, but I wonder if it has to do with computers. I think she wrote out the first 3 by hand. But I'd say that with Book 4 or 5 she was using a computer, an found it all too easy to type lots and easily manage it all, with the result that perhaps she simply wrote too much. But now with Book 6 she's reigning herself in a bit.

Don't get me wrong. She's the best there is. Proved it again with this one.

Yer I think that's possible, but also I think the books have been deliberately held back a bit for the sake of the movies, and also there is so much plot integration in the laast couple of books it makes you wonder if it is an unnecessary ploy to sell me because you need to finish the story.

But you are totally right Joe, she is the best, and think it's possible she wrote too much by computer, it's possible she was also able to go back and change more or something, allowing for more intricate story.

Of course she could have had the whole story planned from the start to develop like this but I think in general to me it has changed course.

I don't think things have changed course at all - I mean I think each story seems to be more developed than the last.

What it seems to me is Harry started out as an 11 year old boy - the first book was more of a children's book - that is no longer the case.

These are no longer appropriate for small children - the books have grown along with Harry, Ron and Hermione.