Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Half Blood Prince Thoughts

So like I mentioned, we finished reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Sunday. I, like many, have mixed feelings about the outcome, but I do have specific thoughts about the book in general (How about that... specific general thoughts. Confused yet?)

So if you look at all the other books so far, they end at Platform 93/4, where this one does not... they are still at Hogwarts. And I always felt (with the possible exception of Order of the Phoenix) that the books ended kind of Brady Bunchesque, in that, everything was always resolved and life was happier at the end of the story. This one again does not do that. Since there was a hint of things still being left unresolved from book 5, this may just show that Rowling's style is evolving with time, not only her/our time but the story timeline.

As she has been so good at doing, I don't think things are all that they seem at the end of this book. I think she still has room to surprise us in the next book, and she has left enough hints that we will be surprised but we will say "Oh, we could have seen that coming."

I think Harry has grown up a lot since the last book. He is no longer acting like a teenager who thinkgs no-one understands him. And he is definitely ready to shoulder the responsibility he now feels he has.

At any rate, I'm thinking favorite HP book so far. Definitely left me waiting for the next one. And since we finally caught up, now we really do have to wait like the rest of the world. Grrrr! I'm open to discuss the intricate details for anyone that's interested in hearing someone else's thoughts.

7 Comments:

At August 16, 2005 1:10 PM, Blogger Sarebear said...

Good book, huh? A general comment, that I had predicted she would do what she ends up doing in this book, for what I felt needs to happen for the serious conflict to be more dramatic in the next book.

Kinda talks around the bush there but I had predicted it and I was right on the money, darn it! Still, peeved or not, I must admit it was riveting and emotional reading, and I was shocked and kept looking for hints that it wasn't what it was. But it is.

Really gripping book, and I agree, Harry is finally acting more mature, wahoo. In 4 or 5, mostly 4, but some in 5, he seems to well be bipolar, but then teenagers have raging hormones and are supposed to be moody. Acted like a toddler emotionally some tho, esp in 4 which ticked me off. BUT glad to see him, and Rowling's style, maturing.

I'd love to talk details too with anyone. Scott's about to read it himself so I can't at home.

 
At August 16, 2005 11:53 PM, Blogger Beck said...

A WEEK?! Or TWO?!?!

Amateur.

(I know, I know-- you work. I'm kidding....)

 
At August 22, 2005 12:01 PM, Blogger Sarebear said...

eek! Hope Scott doesn't look at this, he is only 2/3 of the way through. Maybe you can post spoiler warning at the bottom of your post, right above the comments link?

 
At August 22, 2005 1:25 PM, Blogger Heather said...

I stumbled upon your blog, and I decided to comment since I am a Harry Potter fan as well. I really enjoyed this book, and I too saw this one coming. I knew someone important was going to die, so I was looking for hints. Because she kept saying how old Dumbledore was getting, I was thinking it was probably him. (though for a moment I thought it was going to be Ron!) What are your thoughts on Snape? I STILL don't think that he's bad... I think that he knew Dumbledore was as good as dead, and in order to keep up his act, he killed him. I think that by Dumbledore "pleading" to him, he was asking him to kill him. That's my interpretation so far... I can't wait for the last one!

 
At August 22, 2005 3:08 PM, Blogger Sarebear said...

Argh! Attack of the spambloggers! Guess they heard you declare war on another thread, David!

Hi Hez! I kinda think somewhat similar about Snape as well. I think he agreed to be bound by that spell that would MAKE him have to do what Draco couldn't, that Draco's mother cast on him, because he knew that it would prove his loyalty beyond doubt, and put him in a position where he could act to help the good guys.

At least, I certainly hope so . . . .

 
At August 23, 2005 11:40 PM, Blogger failproof said...

WITNOATIH (You know what that stands for, right? What In The Name Of All That Is Holy!)

I was at 3 comments on Monday morning. I come home from work and Holly tells me that I am up to 13, and when I check, it's 14! I delete some of them Monday night but get side tracked with other things (it's not that simple to delete them if you are deleting more than 1) and by the time I come back to it again Monday night (11:30'ish) It's up to 18, even after having deleted some!

Sheeesh! Sara, how did you get that thing on your comments? Was it just dis-allowing anonymous posts?

All that aside, Beck and I were talking and said we need to have a Harry Potter Discussion Night. We can make predictions and discuss thoughts and write down what we think will happen and then see who gets closest when 7 comes out.

I subscribe to the 'Snape is a good guy' philosophy. I think he needs to grow up and drop the grudge he's holding against the Potters, but I think he is still on the right side. I don't take Dumbledore for being too trusting, and Snape having pulled the wool over his eyes, though he does have a lot of trust for people. Maybe that comes from being such a learned and powerful wizard and realizing that not much can hurt you. I'm undecided as to the whole Dumbledore is not dead link Bryan posted. Some compelling arguments, but I'm leaning to him actually being dead.

 
At August 24, 2005 9:04 AM, Blogger Sarebear said...

Hi David! I do still accept anonymous comments, but the verification thingie is a new feature Blogger implemented. I checked Blogger Knowledge, and it had a new update about it, so I went into Settings, Comments, and put the option in.

Hope it works for you, they hit you BAD yesterday lol.

I think Dumbledore is really dead too. And Snape will save Harry (and in his mind that'll be like Harry always owes him or something.)

Yeah we ought to have a HP discussion night. Would be awesome.

 

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