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7.18.2005 ||> Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - some light spoilers
While grocery shopping, I spied a display of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince to the side. It winked at me with those mysterious green covers, daring me not to buy one. Unable to resist, I immediately put one in my cart and fought the urge to sit down on the cold grocery store floor and begin to read.
Instead, I played a game of cat and mouse. Reading a chapter, then seeing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Nathan, reading some more, and sleeping. On Sunday, I succumbed absolutely and read it all the way through. When I was done, I realized it was after midnight, but it was difficult to sleep from all the conflicting emotions it brought. This was JK Rowling's most affecting book so far.
It's not my wish to spoil anyone on the ending. I will say that it was a great and terrible ending. Before I began the book, some people had been whispering that there would be another death. However, I did not heed this as 1. I was not affected by the last death too much and 2. after being a fan of Joss Whedon all these years, I'm accustomed to being kicked in the gut emotionally. Unfortunately, my blase attitude left me woefully unprepared for the actual death and I cried like a little baby by the end. (Of course, I cry at everything, so no surprise there.)
Regarding the "snog factor," I'm very glad to say that I was totally wrong about the Harry and Cho Chang relationship and that I have not been this happy to be wrong in a long time. I like this new relationship much, much more than the last. And in the case of Ron and Hermione, I am glad that it seems the tension-filled bickering reached its end, because it was really boring and obnoxious by the end. I think they've landed in a good place, so I'm hopeful that the next book will be better on this point.
Of course, the real question that came out of the book was really, whose side is Snape on? I've read quite a number of views on the subject, and I'm still not decided. I think it all boils down to whether or not you think Dumbledore was hoodwinked by Snape or not. I'm not sure I can make that link, and I'm not sure many of the fans can either, despite how it looks. That will make it frustrating for some.
I hope everyone liked it as much as I did. In my opinion, this was the best so far, a good mix of the light and dark, the sad and the heroic. I'm not sure I would want smaller Harry Potter fans to read it (under, say, 10) because I think it would be a little too much, but it was a great read for anyone older.
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