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Amazon Reviews

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Reviews:
Amazon.com

The long-awaited, eagerly anticipated, arguably over-hyped Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has arrived, and the question on the minds of kids, adults, fans, and skeptics alike is, "Is it worth the hype?" The answer, luckily, is simple: yep. A magnificent spectacle more than worth the price of admission, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will blow you away. However, given that so much has gone into protecting the secrets of the book (including armored trucks and injunctions), don't expect any spoilers in this review. It's much more fun not knowing what's coming--and in the case of Rowling's delicious sixth book, you don't want to know. Just sit tight, despite the earth-shattering revelations that will have your head in your hands as you hope the words will rearrange themselves into a different story. But take one warning to heart: do not open Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until you have first found a secluded spot, safe from curious eyes, where you can tuck in for a good long read. Because once you start, you won't stop until you reach the very last page.

A darker book than any in the series thus far with a level of sophistication belying its genre, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince moves the series into murkier waters and marks the arrival of Rowling onto the adult literary scene. While she has long been praised for her cleverness and wit, the strength of Book 6 lies in her subtle development of key characters, as well as her carefully nuanced depiction of a community at war. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, no one and nothing is safe, including preconceived notions of good and evil and of right and wrong. With each book in her increasingly remarkable series, fans have nervously watched J.K. Rowling raise the stakes; gone are the simple delights of butterbeer and enchanted candy, and days when the worst ailment could be cured by a bite of chocolate. A series that began as a colorful lark full of magic and discovery has become a dark and deadly war zone. But this should not come as a shock to loyal readers. Rowling readied fans with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by killing off popular characters and engaging the young students in battle. Still, there is an unexpected bleakness from the start of Book 6 that casts a mean shadow over Quidditch games, silly flirtations, and mountains of homework. Ready or not, the tremendous ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will leave stunned fans wondering what great and terrible events await in Book 7 if this sinister darkness is meant to light the way. --Daphne Durham

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards. Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

Amazon.co.uk: Did you want to be an author when you were younger?

Jo Rowling: Yes, I've wanted to be an author as long as I can remember. English was always my favorite subject at school, so why I went on to do a degree in French is anyone's guess.

Amazon.co.uk: How old were you when you started to write, and what was your first book?

Rowling: I wrote my first finished story when I was about 6. It was about a rabbit called Rabbit. Very imaginative. I've been writing ever since.

Amazon.co.uk: Why did you choose to be an author?

Rowling: If someone asked for my recipe for happiness, step one would be finding out what you love doing most in the world and step two would be finding someone to pay you to do it. I consider myself very lucky indeed to be able to support myself by writing.

Amazon.co.uk: Do you have any plans to write books for adults?

Rowling: My first two novels--which I never tried to get published--were for adults. I suppose I might write another one, but I never really imagine a target audience when I'm writing. The ideas come first, so it really depends on the idea that grabs me next!

Amazon.co.uk: How long does it take you to write a book?

Rowling: My last book--the third in the Harry series--took about a year to write, which is pretty fast for me. If I manage to finish the fourth Harry book by the summer, which is my deadline, it will be my fastest yet--about eight months.

Amazon.co.uk: Where did the ideas for the Harry Potter books come from?

Rowling: I've no idea where ideas come from and I hope I never find out, it would spoil the excitement for me if it turned out I just have a funny little wrinkle on the surface of my brain which makes me think about invisible train platforms.

Amazon.co.uk: How do you come up with the names of your characters?

Rowling: I invented some of the names in the Harry books, but I also collect strange names. I've gotten them from medieval saints, maps, dictionaries, plants, war memorials, and people I've met!

Amazon.co.uk: Are your characters based on people you know?

Rowling: Some of them are, but I have to be extremely careful what I say about this. Mostly, real people inspire a character, but once they are inside your head they start turning into something quite different. Professor Snape and Gilderoy Lockhart both started as exaggerated versions of people I've met, but became rather different once I got them on the page. Hermione is a bit like me when I was 11, though much cleverer.

Amazon.co.uk: Are any of the stories based on your life, or on people you know?

Rowling: I haven't consciously based anything in the Harry books on my life, but of course that doesn't mean your own feelings don't creep in. When I reread chapter 12 of the first book, "The Mirror of Erised," I saw that I had given Harry lots of my own feelings about my own mother's death, though I hadn't been aware of that as I had been writing.

Amazon.co.uk: Where did the idea for Quidditch come from?

Rowling: I invented Quidditch while spending the night in a very small room in the Bournville Hotel in Didsbury, Manchester. I wanted a sport for wizards, and I'd always wanted to see a game where there was more than one ball in play at the same time. The idea just amused me. The Muggle sport it most resembles is basketball, which is probably the sport I enjoy watching most. I had a lot of fun making up the rules and I've still got the notebook I did it in, complete with diagrams, and all the names for the balls I tried before I settled on Snitch, Bludgers, and Quaffle.

Amazon.co.uk: Where did the ideas for the wizard classes and magic spells come from?

Rowling: I decided on the school subjects very early on. Most of the spells are invented, but some of them have a basis in what people used to believe worked. We owe a lot of our scientific knowledge to the alchemists!

Amazon.co.uk: What ingredients do you think all the Harry Potter books need?

Rowling: I never really think in terms of ingredients, but I suppose if I had to name some I'd say humor, strong characters, and a watertight plot. Those things would add up to the kind of book I enjoy reading myself. Oh, I forgot scariness--well, I never set out to make people scared, but it does seem to creep in along the way.

Amazon.co.uk: Do you write by hand or on a computer?

Rowling: I still like writing by hand. Normally I do a first draft using pen and paper, and then do my first edit when I type it onto my computer. For some reason, I much prefer writing with a black pen than a blue one, and in a perfect world I'd always use "narrow feint" writing paper. But I have been known to write on all sorts of weird things when I didn't have a notepad with me. The names of the Hogwarts Houses were created on the back of an aeroplane sick bag. Yes, it was empty.

Amazon.co.uk: What books do you enjoy reading?

Rowling: My favorite writer is Jane Austen and I've read all her books so many times I've lost count. My favorite living writer is Roddy Doyle, who I think is a genius. I think they do similar things--create fully rounded characters, often without much or indeed any physical description, examine normal human behavior in a very unsentimental and yet touching way--and, of course, they're FUNNY.

Amazon.co.uk: What books did you read as a child? Have these influenced your writing in any way?

Rowling: It is always hard to tell what your influences are. Everything you've seen, experienced, read, or heard gets broken down like compost in your head and then your own ideas grow out of that compost. Three books I read as a child do stand out in my memory, though. One is The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge, which was probably my favorite book when I was younger. The second is Manxmouse by Paul Gallico, which is not Gallico's most famous book, but I think it's wonderful. The third is Grimble, by Clement Freud. Grimble is one of funniest books I've ever read, and Grimble himself, who is a small boy, is a fabulous character. I'd love to see a Grimble film. As far as I know, these last two fine pieces of literature are out of print, so if any publishers ever read this, could you please dust them off and put them back in print so other people can read them?

Why you--as an adult--should read the Harry Potter Series


You remember those times as a kid when you picked up a book that was truly magical? Those were the days of "A Wrinkle in Time" and "The Chronicles of Narnia", where you could be swept away in an amazing world and desperatly desired to become part of that universe. The Harry Potter books are kind of like that. You, as an adult, should read them. Here's why:

1. They're fun. They're pretty easy reads that you can pick up and get lost in. They're a great escape from daily life and from "heavy" literature. They get better as the series progresses.

2. They have imagination. Has anyone else noticed that books written for adults are severely lacking in this department lately? These books are rich with imagry, have a well-designed plot, and more than their share of imagination.

3. They're mature. Moral lessons are thinly disguised at points, and the first chapter of each book is redundant, but these books are written in mature, adult-friendly prose. You don't feel like you're being preached to, or that you're being hit over the head with the "learn this" stick.

4. They're good. Yes, I've heard the rumors that Harry Potter is BAD because of its connections with "witchcraft"--in fact, my co-worker is one of those people in the "Harry Potter is turning our kids into evil satan-worshippers" camp. Truth be told, there is no religious agenda in these novels, but adults will be pleased that Harry Potter extoles the traditional "Christian" virtues and is truly GOOD. Once I convinced my co-worker to just read the books, she found them quite enjoyable.

5. They're better than their movies. Of course, most books are better than the movies, but these are really much funnier in print than on the big screen. If you feel great about the movies, you'll love the books. If you are indifferent to the movies--read the books. If you didn't like the movies, try the books.

6. It's okay to read what's popular. Sometimes public acclaim is misplaced, but with this series, there's truly a reason why they're so popular. I am a self-admitted literature snob--only Eastern European Existentialism for me thanks--but it's okay to read what you love, try new things, and love what you read. If you are ashamed of being an adult with a "kids" book, just slip a "War and Peace" jacket over the cover or something. Better yet, don't be ashamed, because these aren't strictly "kids" books.

7. Your kids are reading them. You want to know what your kids are being exposed to right? You'd like to gain insight into your pre-teen's mind? There's nothing better than having multiple members of a family reading a book together, or having read the same book concurrently. It strengthens the parent-child bond, and it gives you something to talk about at the dinner table besides the ever-hated question "how was school today".

8. If anything, read them because I refuse to believe that the magic of childhood never dissappears from an adult's life--even if it's hidden below the toils of everyday life. That spirit should be nurtured, the imagination should always remain fertile, and we all need a little magic in our lives.


Harry Potter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Overview
Despite J K Rowling's assertions that she did not have any particular age group in mind when she began to write the Harry Potter books, her publishers initially targeted them at young readers, aged around 9 to 15. However they have acquired fans of all ages, and the books have more recently been released in two editions, one with the original 'children's' cover artwork and one with artwork more consciously aimed at adult readers. Additionally, as the series has developed, Rowling's writing style has become more sophisticated, and the content of the books has matured as the lead character, Harry Potter, has grown older. For instance, relationships are discussed as an issue for the teenage characters in later books. Accordingly the reading age for the books, both in terms of content and style, is rising as the series goes on.

The first book was published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury, a fairly small independent publisher, in July 1997. Its initial success was based on some positive reviews and word of mouth. Books one (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone), two (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) and three (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) all won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for the 9-11 age group. By the time book four (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) was published in 2000 the series had become very high-profile, and the launch received much wider publicity in the general media than was usual for a new book. At around the same time Warner Brothers began work on the series of films based on the books. The involvement of a global media conglomerate led to more concerted efforts to maximise the value of the Harry Potter "franchise". The first film, based on the first book, was released in 2001, and was accompanied by video games and other branded merchandise.

The hype escalated with the publication of books five and six ('Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' and 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' respectively), with midnight launch parties at hundreds of bookshops in the UK, simultaneous launch events around the English speaking world, and intense media interest, leading to unprecedented first day sales in the UK, US and elsewhere. The series is immensely popular around the world in translation. Such was the clamour to read the book around the world that the English language edition of book five became the first English language book ever to top the bookseller list in France.

Cover of the United States edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneAccording to the author, J.K. Rowling, the stories appeared in her head while she was on a train from Manchester to London. Her favourite place to write the first book was at an Edinburgh café table, while drinking endless cups of coffee. Sales from the books, as well as royalties from films and merchandise, have made Rowling the 620th wealthiest person in the world [[1]]. Rowling is richer than Queen Elizabeth II.

Each book chronicles approximately one year in Harry's life at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he learns to use magic and brew potions. Harry also learns to overcome many obstacles - magical, social and emotional - as he struggles through his adolescence.

Rowling has announced that seven books are planned, each a little darker than its predecessor, as Harry ages and his nemesis, Lord Voldemort, gains power. As of July 2005, six books have been published. The latest, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was published in its English language version on 16 July 2005. Rowling has revealed hints about the plot of each book on her personal website.

With the exception of a few chapters, the books are written in third person limited omniscient mode, with Harry as the central character. The books are generally written from Harry's point of view, with short exceptions in Philosopher's Stone, Goblet of Fire and Half-Blood Prince. This is one reason that readers feel such a strong kinship to Harry; the story is told through his character.

Rowling's main strengths as a writer include her ability to drive elaborate and largely seamless plots over a very wide canvas, the convincing internal logic of her fantasy world, and the acuteness of her characterisation. The three adolescents at the centre of the book are perceptively presented, the main adult characters have substance, and the minor characters are vivid and memorable. The Harry Potter books also contain much humour. On the other hand Rowling's prose style is not a major strength. Additionally, while there is much moral subtletly in many scenes in the books, the central clash between good and evil is drawn in largely black and white terms. Nevertheless, as the series develops, several characters have faced a choice between doing what is good or what is easy (a central theme), and moral 'shades of grey' have been presented.

Rowling lets the ideas of racism, genocide, and other prejudices find their way in; these are the trademark of Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but also occasionally shown in the relationship between wizards and the non-magical (or 'Muggle') population.

The books have been compared to many well-known novels, including C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia and J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. They also fit into a British genre of novels about boarding school life, and sections involving the Dursleys, Harry's relatives, are reminiscent of the works of Roald Dahl. There are also some similarities between Harry Potter and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in that Harry Potter lives with his aunt and uncle who lie to him about his parents' deaths. Luke Skywalker also grew up with his aunt and uncle and was delivered there by a wise man (Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith ).

Aspects of the Harry Potter series have even entered the real world, such as Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, which inspired an actual product of that name, marketed by the Jelly Belly Company. Also, knitting patterns have been created for the Quidditch Sweater and elf socks.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States)

Story time: 1981, 1991–1992
Release: June 26, 1997 (UK); September 1, 1998 (U.S.)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Story time: 1992–1993
Release: July 2, 1998 (UK); June 2, 1999 (U.S.)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Story time: 1993–1994
Release: July 8, 1999 (UK); September 8, 1999 (U.S.)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Story time: 1994–1995
Release: July 8, 2000 (UK/U.S.)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Story time: 1995–1996
Release: June 21, 2003 (worldwide)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Story time: 1996–1997
Release: July 16, 2005 (worldwide)
Title unknown
Story time: 1997–1998
Release: Unconfirmed

The books have become popular enough that bookshops worldwide now hold simultaneous "release parties" on the day Harry Potter books are released, since the earliest time the books can be sold at retail is 12:01 am GMT (or the equivalent local time at the point of sale).

The Harry Potter books have been translated into many languages (see List of titles of Harry Potter books in other languages and Harry Potter in translation series). For the English language, there exists an adapted American English version of each book, with lexical changes like "football" to "soccer," "video recorder" to "VCR," or "do his nut" becoming "go ballistic."

2001 saw the publication of two slim spin off volumes called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander and Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp. These were supposedly reproductions of two Hogwarts textbooks owned by Harry, complete with notes scribbled in the margins by Harry and his friends. These books were written by J. K. Rowling with proceeds going to Comic Relief.

Regarding the existence of Harry Potter novels beyond the seventh, Rowling has said that she might write an eighth book some day. If she does, she intends it to be a sort of encyclopaedia of the wizarding world, containing concepts and snippets of information that were not relevant enough to the novels' plot to be included in them. She has also said that she will not write any sort of "prequel" to the novels since by the time the series ends all the necessary back story will have been revealed.

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