I was going to post this in the normal journal, but… in case there’s anyone who might be reading it who might be reading the Harry Potter series, I’ll refrain from putting it in the main journal.
I’m not sure this is for anyone but myself anyway.
Anyway… I finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Basic Plot: Dumbledore tries to teach Harry about the history of Lord Voldemort, while Harry attends school.
I mean, that’s the plot. Think about that for a moment. Yes, there’s a plot line with the Half-Blood Prince, but it really could have been left out of the story. Yes, there’s a romance love triangle thingy. Yes, there’s a Quiditch issue. But that’s the plot.
Dumbledore tries to teach Harry about what he knows about Lord Voldemort, before (and I do believe that Dumbledore knows it’s coming) his untimely demise.
Okay, for comparison’s sake, let’s boil down the plot of Goblet of Fire:
Following the events of the Quiditch World Cup, the Wizarding Tournament is being held at Hogwarts with the three major wizarding schools submitting their champions. Someone has found a way to put Harry Potter’s name into the competition, while danger lurks all about.
My basic feeling, and I think to a degree this is proven by the direction hinted at by the end of the 6th book is that J.K. Rowling is sick of writing about school. It interferes with the story she wants to write about which is Harry Potter versus Lord Voldemort. However, she put the books up to the British school system, which is a seven year program. So, she kindof had to go through with it.
Other thoughts.
I really think that Rowling is disappointed that these books are depicted as ‘children’s books’…. because there is definate real SEXUAL tension in these books. I mean sexually, these characters act like they are 12 and 13, rather than 16 and 17. The characters are so enfatuated with kissing and snogging. Like that’s the end. Like that’s the bees knees for 17 year olds?
However, she gets much kudos for leaving the word snogging in the book, knowing that much much MUCH more Americans (in sheer numbers, not in percentages) read the books than Brits. And snog really isn’t in our vocabulary. I’m decently read and I love British slang… But if I hadn’t read High Fidelity or watched Buffy The Vampire Slayer, I’m not sure I would know the word ’snog’ means. And will have millions of people looking up in the dictionary or wherever to find out what snog means. Plus, the difference between kissing and snogging is similar to the difference between naked and nekkid.
Kissing is the act of pressing lips together between two people.
Snogging are at the least much deeper, open mouthed kisses. They are not the kisses of 12 year olds on a date for the first time. There is something sexual about snogging.
Next thought. I liked the new professor. First off, it is nice to see someone from Slytherin who isn’t evil, just is ambitious. There should be more of this in her books. And he was decently fun.
Let’s move on to Snape. If there is one thing I hate in works of fiction, it’s to have a character who seems to be the red herring villain, actually turn out to be the villain.
Snape hated Harry for what his father did to him, and he decided to take it out on Harry. That’s fine. He was supposed to hate Harry, but actually be loyal to Dumbledore. But this, he pretended to be redeemed just so he could kill Dumbledore for Voldemort is stupid. All of Snape’s actions prior to this book that had nothing to do with Harry, always were on the side of good and not evil. To suddenly turn him, reveal him to be the villain all along, means that the young boy Harry was more perceptive, more intelligent than Dumbledore.
I have no problem believing that Harry will be stronger than Dumbledore. But a better judge of character at 12 than a wizened old wizard. Yes, there still is a chance to redeem Snape. There could be another purpose. But, this made little sense. She was rewriting things to make Snape the villain. And I just cannot believe that it would be Snape who would kill Dumbledore. Doesn’t fit.
Snape being the Half-Blood Prince… That was fine. No problems there. I find it hard to believe that he would let one of his old books remain in the classroom, but still, that revelation was no big deal.
Obviously, Dumbledore was sacrificing himself for Harry. And there is a new ally for Harry, the one who put the false WhasisCrux in the cave. But to not have Dumbledore as an ally in the final book where the fight with Voldemort is supposed to take place, makes little sense.
Predicitons for the final book:
* Snape redeems himself in some small way.
* Draco turns away from Voldemort.
* Dumbledore provides help to Harry, if only in a Obi Wan Kenobi role.
* Ron and Hermione fall DEEPLY in love.
* Harry becomes a teacher at Hogwarts.
A satisfying book. I just like the idea of Hogwarts the School, and not just Harry’s quest to defeat Voldemort. The universe she created is loads of fun, and by concentrating only on the Harry plot, it diminishes it a bit.
Same issue with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the series dropped a bit when she stopped being normal, and only was a Vampire Slayer.
Anyway, that’s it from me.
Cheers,
