(no subject)

[reipan]

So, I finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince last night. I'm not entirely sure I enjoyed it...

 

For one thing, I think Rowling is laying on the whole romance thing far too thick. Ginny dates Dean and then Harry, Ron dates Lavender and then really wants to date Hermione, Bill and Fleur are engaged...it's like the idea that she might put romance into the series only just occurred to her. The Lupin and Tonks thing at the end is sweet, but was slightly ruined for me by the fact that I was just thinking "For crying out loud, not another one". (Incidentally, at the beginning of this bit I accidentally wrote "Ginny dates Lavender". I think I need more tea.)

I also think that Dumbledore got much too involved, much too fast. Since the fourth and fifth books I was expecting him to up his input, true, but I think he took it a little far - like Rowling was trying to get everything she could out of him. The thing with Snape was quite a spectactular error of judgement, though, and goes to show that even the most brilliant minds can be destroyed through a mistake. (See me philosophise ^_^)

Draco's over-the-top evilness, while expected, wasn't very well done. He's quite clearly very troubled - the cynic in me expects him to perform some kind of spectacular redemption feat in the next book. Ron's idiocy (read: complete and utter twattishness) is comedy gold, Harry seemed a little flatter, and Hermione, by this stage, is just annoying. I liked Luna Lovegood (that bit with the commentary of the Quidditch match was perfect) and, strangely enough, Fleur Delacour. Oh, she's completely up herself as always, but at least someone's in character.

Now, as a review this is a bit crap xD - I'm just tossing my thoughts on the book out in no particular order. It's just...I dunno. These aren't the Harry Potter books I knew. It started out as a children's series and is now trying to grow up in a very clumsy way. They're just not the same.

~Reipan

Comments

[hobbes75.livejournal.com]

Hello, I found you while commenting on one of garlandgraves' stories. I'm at work, bored, and reading every HBP review I can find. And I agree with a lot of what you've said.

The romance stuff was laid on way too thick. How much of Ron snogging Lavender did we really need? I thought the Harry/Ginny hookup happened way too quickly. It just didn't feel right.

Dumbledore did seem to get too involved, especially after how much he stayed out of Harry's life in OotP. I was blown away by the Snape thing, although I don't believe he's really evil.

Ron is always hysterical, Harry has been getting on my nerves since OotP, and Hermione is kind of annoying. I had started to like Ginny in OotP, but she got on my nerves in HBP. Loved Luna, I wish there was more of her.

These aren't the same books. I don't get the same sense of excitement that I used to. The more I think about the book, I realize that the only parts I enjoyed involved Draco and Snape and the Tom Riddle history. I like all the clues Rowling plants, but I feel like I already know what's going to happen next.

[messrremuslupin.livejournal.com]

First off, I have to say, OMG, 'KARDA, I FOUND YOU! Second, er, incase you freak out and go 'Who the Hell are you?!' It's Kat. From MSN... And Cardboardia... And other such things...

Alright, now to my opinion! (Which may or may not be insukting.)

"It started out as a children's series and is now trying to grow up in a very clumsy way. They're just not the same."

I have to point out that Rowling actually intended for her books to be aimed at grown-ups. Adults. People not under the age of 13. People who woudln't grow up idolizing the characters. When children started to get into it, she tried to take out the aspect of adulthood that she was going to put into it.

My friend Ria and I, we have this idea. In the next book, Harry will die. We think he may very well be the 'lost' horcrux. Think about it. Dumbledore told Harry that when Voldemort tried to kill him, he 'accidentally' left part of himself behind. What if it wasn't an accident? What if, after killing Harry's parents, he thought, 'Well, now he'll grow up to be a muggle, and no harm will ever come from him. He can be my seventh Horcrux."? Well, then that means that Harry will have to die for Voldemort to be gotten rid of. Which also means, in turn, that Neville Longbottom will have to be the one to destroy Voldemort.

This bit of speculation also plays into the fact that these books were written for adults. What kind of self-respecting children's auther would write a series of books,in which the main character, who every child who reads the series idolizes, dies? I believe the books are still aimed at adults, and she will write them out as planned, despite the fact that she loves the little kids. At any rate, my opinion is hardly worth a dime, so... Feel free to ignore me! ^_^

Love ya, Rei.

Kat