Book Review: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Quick Review:

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Published: 2005
Genre: Fantasy
Bob's Thoughts: A bit of a housekeeping book, where the author attempts to tie up loose and while preparing us for the end, but still a highly entertaining read.
Available at your local booksellers.
Bob's Grade: B+



I love writing book reviews. I hate writing reviews for books that are a part of a long running series. The task become multifaceted and complicated. You are unable to judge the book solely on its own merits, but also on how it fits within the entire arc of the series. It is quite possible on it’s own for a book to be excellent, but within the confines of the series to be a disappointment, or commit some action that lessen the series. Conversely, a book could be down right dull while being an important and necessary piece that moves the series to a important place.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is quite an important book in the planned seven part series. As the penultimate book it has an important task, it must clean up many of the loose ends, and set up the final great battle. In a way it is a housekeeping book. Often times, these books are the hardest, toughest to read, but writer J. K. Rowling handles this well. In this book, Rowling takes the focus off the tasks she need to do by distracting us with the blossoming of the three main characters and the developments and changes in their relationships. In a series that has turned quite dark, the light hearted moments of young love, keep the book moving and gives it a sense of fun.

Yet, at points the story does get bogged down by the many minor characters she his introduced over the past 5 books, who seem to pop up in places causing you to have to search you memory for just who they were. While some of these references where important, others where extraneous, and were slight bumps on an otherwise smooth ride.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is more a story of the past. Harry is invited to private tutoring sessions by Dumbledorf. During these private sessions Dumbledore takes Harry on a trip of memories to learn about the past of Lord Voldemort. As Harry is believed to be the “chosen one” prophesized to do battle with ultimate dark Lord, Dumbledore believes it is quite important for Harry to prepare himself by getting to know his enemy. Dumbledore implores Harry to solve the mysteries of certain memories. This was another weak point in the novel. It seemed so important to Dumbledore for Harry to solve a particular mystery, yet when he finally does, it seemed that Dumbledore had already had it figured out, perhaps for a while. The whole search for the hidden memory come off as much more of plot device to hold off revealing things than an actual vital part of the plot.

Yet, complaints aside, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is a fun book. It is much more of a teenaged book than some of the others in the series. She seems to have finally found that balanced. Her early books were mostly kids books, written with adult appeal. The later where adult books suitable in content and pace for children. Within the series, this may have been the most important book, setting up book seven, yet it is also a highly entertaining.