REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Publishing Information: Paperback U.S. Edition, 652 pages
ISBN 10: 0-439-78596-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-439-78596-9
Series: Harry Potter, Year 6 (of 7)
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from back of book): “The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Hermione scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.

And yet…

As in all years, life goes on. The Weasley twins expand their business. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate – and lose a few eyebrows in the process. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

So it’s the home front that takes center stage in the multi-layered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort – and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.”

Yes, I am well aware that almost everyone else on the planet read these books over five years ago. I like to believe it took me so long to do so myself because I felt so smothered by all the hype surrounding this series that I had to wait for the dust to settle. But really, in my more lucid moments, I know it is due to my own personal prejudice against young adult fiction. I don’t have any children, so I can’t use the excuse when friends drop by and the book is sitting on the counter that “I was just reading it to little Jimmy.” No – instead I resolved to proudly declare that I was the one reading the Harry Potter series – and I would read the hell out of it – and give it the attention and critical analysis deserving of a grown-up book.

By the penultimate volume of the Harry Potter series, things have become quite formulaic. Usually there is some sort of event or prelude before Harry finds himself back at his Aunt and Uncle’s house mistreated by his wicked cousin like a British male Cinderella. Usually, Harry finds a way to escape despite some obstacles, buys the required school supplies at Diagon Alley, arrives at Hogwarts to meet a questionable new Defense of the Dark Arts teacher, all while some mystery is keeping Harry and friends from their schoolwork. It’s a winning formula for Rowling. In the previous book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Rowling deviated from this formula too much leading to the overly thick monstrosity that was Book 5. Luckily with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince however, Rowling has successfully corralled the series and found command over it once again.

Rowling’s writing coasts in this one. The prose is smoother and more charming than its predecessor. Rowling writes with ease as Harry and the larger-than-life Dumbledore build a rapport through weekly sessions where they investigate the past of the black-hearted Voldemort. The origin of the dark wizard was somewhat disappointing, as instead of a tragic fall from grace, we see rather a character that was determinedly evil from the beginning. Meanwhile, the tension builds to its boiling point between the Order of the Phoenix and nazi-like bigots that compose Voldemort’s death-eaters. Rowling is wisely putting the pieces in place here for the dramatic conclusion that will be the seventh book.

Still, readers will find the Harry Potter series conventional when comparing it to the more innovative epic fantasy that is geared toward adults. This is another retelling of the familiar tale of an unlikely hero who vanquishes the evil wizard, couched in fancy new clothes for a younger generation. However, it varies enough from its peers aimed at a similar demographic, and is executed well enough to stand out from the crowd. The series’ willingness to confront issues such as death and bigotry makes it rich enough to keep the interests of adults. The purpose of this particular volume is to build the tension that will lead to the ultimate confrontation between good and evil, and prompt us to stand behind Harry as his dear friends Ron or Hermione would. Championing such pure values as friendship, the book (and the series) remind us that loyalty and integrity sometimes can fend off the more sinister and corrupting influences in the world.

Plot…………7/10

Characters……..7.5/10

Style……..7/10

Overall……..6.5/10