Lord Voldemort and his minions are growing, and darkness is settling over the land of the witches, and the muggles. While those on the side of good do all they can to defeat the growing evil, they barely seem to be holding their own. Despite all these troubles, life goes on - as does school. To prepare him for the coming battles, Dumbledore begins to give Harry advance magical training and gives him access to information which he should not have until he is older and better schooled in the magical arts. Amidst all this, Harry struggles to discover the identity of the mysterious half-blood prince.
The long awaited sixth, and rueful installment of the beloved Harry Potter series is finally here! Like Harry, who is now sixteen, this is a more mature story than the previous books in the series, and it deals with more teenage level issues than previous books. By extension, this book may not be suitable for some younger readers. Despite being extremely sad in spots, this is also a humorous story that combines elements of droll British humor, magical high jinks, and youthful exuberance.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince J. K. Rowling furnishes an overview of 'what came before' so if you've forgotten some of the vital background information or a character from the previous books, never fear. You'll have no problem catching up to the story. If however, you are fully conversant with the world of Harry Potter, you may find this reprisal of the series a bit sluggish to read through as it takes up a goodly portion of the book. Once this reprisal is finished, the story moves into high gear. In this installment of the Harry Potter series, we find Harry once again at Hogwarts attending school, and imminent peril just around the corner...
There is a mysterious half-blood prince who comes to Harry's aid as Voldemort, (i.e., He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named) seeks once again to destroy Harry and all that he holds dear. The Weasley Brothers and Hermione Granger, are of course, in the thick of things. Quidditch is still 'the' game. Dumbledore still stands-in as a father-figure for Harry and tries to guide him on the right path and prepare him for the battles to come. Muggles are mostly oblivious to the magic all around them. And of course, school can be a major chore. Basically, nothing much has changed for Harry and the gang. Yet everything has changed. At first glimpse, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is just the same old story with just a few tweaks on the peril de jour. However, once this story gets moving you find it filled with a plethora of twists and turns that in the end, prove that everything has changed for Harry and his friends and that this story is very different in tone, plot, and outcome than the previous installments.
Within the pages we learn much more of Voldemort's background, the sacrifice of Harry's parents, and the final battle that is yet to play out between Harry and Voldemort in the next, and yet unnamed, final installment of the Harry Potter series. The ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is heart-breaking, but serves to ably set up the next thrilling installment in the series. I can't wait to read what happens in the final book...
Related Reviews:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1), by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter, a poor orphan, has been leading a less than idyllic life, living in a cupboard under this Aunt and Uncle's steps, but all this changes when he is accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry... (Large Print)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5), by J. K. Rowling.
Follow Harry Potter through his fifth year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as he must once again do battle with the dark Lord Voldemort - with tragic consequences! (Large Print)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling.
This is the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter saga. Full of adventure, magic, danger, and battles, this book soundly and satisfactorily concludes the series. (Large Print)
