Jesse’s Reviews > Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince > Status Update

So I think I’ve already read this but Dumbledore talking about love is obviously not just about Harry but we haven’t yet gotten the missive about Snape’s crush on Lily, I’m assuming in the seventh book. Also THANK GOD that both the Harry and Ginny train and Ron and Hermione train have finally left the station. This hasn’t been the most graceful way of pairing characters up, at least in H&G’s case.

GANGBUSTERS. The Felix potion segment is phenomenal. If you’re going to write a deus ex machina segment, then why not enjoy it? I cackled at Harry’s fortune. This also encompasses the section on Horcruxes, putting a cap on one of the longest plot bits of the novel. I’m pretty glad with how this portion of the book went, especially Dumbledore’s plea for Harry to understand his place in the prophecy.

A nothing happening section. Important developments and thawings on the romantic fronts as Rowling continues to draw the three main characters into their romances, and important information on what’s going on, but nothing that just floored me.

While Harry’s love affair with the book has been annoying, the way it allows him to save Ron’s life is dovetailed excellently within the action of the story. I’m really tired of the Harry and Draco affair but I think that a good part of this is because I know what’s going to happen and am mostly waiting for when we find out what details Harry got wrong… and I also know why Dumbledore lets it happen.

Some dangerous political stuff going on here with Scrimgeour trying to recruit Harry as a figurehead. I’m surprised that we let the Fenrir connection that Lupin throws out go by; I’m guessing that Harry will remember later. Along the romance angle, it’s also clear now that Lupin and Tonks are pining for each other but more intent on guarding their hearts.

holy smokes I was not expecting this much relationship drama. but everyone’s, like, 16, so it makes sense. Harry fooling Ron into thinking he took the potion was brilliant. But the fight between Ginny and Ron over him being mad at his sister making out with Dean was deeply uncomfortable. I am guessing that we are going to find out that the root of Ginny’s behavior is like Harry’s, tied up in Ron as her brother.

We are getting an inkling of how things are starting to line up romantically. Hermione is obviously crushing on Ron and willing to cheat on his behalf. Harry is starting to be fond of Ginny, though he doesn’t exactly know it himself or really understand why. The jump into Tom’s mom’s past is a bit too goofy and maudlin and kind of undercuts the seriousness of what Dumbledore’s showing him.

Harry raves against Snape as the dark arts professor but, like, he’s not a bad teacher as far as we can tell, just a dick to Harry. Also LOL at the bit of foreshadowing with Harry and Ginny as Rowling describes her as having a scent reminiscent of the love potion cauldron. I’m guessing that Slughorn gave Harry… is that Voldemort’s old book, or SNAPE’S??? I don’t know this twist!!!

This book lays on pretty thick the twist with Snape and Malfoy. The real mystery is, what is the task? I know because it’s almost impossible to be around when the book came out without seeing the SKD memes. This book has also spent a bizarre amount of time commenting on Ginny’s attractiveness and her romantic life, from the twins quizzing her on boyfriends to the super-YA-slytherin car talking about her.

Oh, Fleur! The women being catty around Fleur seems like a really weird aside. Totally understandable, though. I like the intro of Slughorn’s character. It isn’t until here that we get an idea of Slytherin as anything but walking menaces to society who are purely greasing the wheels for their own inner circle. Also, the bit with them trying to ship Tonks and Bill is weird but only because I know the endgame.