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Book Review:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince takes up the story of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the midst of the storm of this battle of good and evil. It comes as no surprise that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling has broken record sales after its release. As Pottermaniacs may recall in Order of the Phoenix, the book ends with the death of Harry Potter's godfather and wizard outlaw, Sirius Black. And so, the saga continues in book six with suspense, love and action.
HARRY POTTER
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 606
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Publishing Date: July 16, 2005In this installment, Rowling chronicles Harry is in his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, experiencing the toils of adolescence, dating, relationships and, as all the books have included thus far, grief. Joined by his friends, Ron and Hermione, Harry embarks on one adventure after another dodging danger and fighting evil.
Apart from the familiar themes of turmoil, grief and adventure, in which Rowling did a superb job of exposing in the previous five epics, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince exposes many new topics that are not that far off from today's real world. This book is definitely darker than its predecessors.
Although the book tugs at its readers' heartstrings for the most part, there are also some happy moments, which include Harry's newest love interest (that was kind of expected, as you may recall from the series' second book, Chamber of Secrets).
Unlike Order of the Phoenix, where the action begins right from chapter one, J.K. Rowling has taken a more mysterious route in the beginning and middle of the book. Of course, action comes to readers in the form of fight scenes and dark spells, but the reader would have to continue reading chapter-by-chapter until this happens. This book will leave you with the feeling of a sense of personal loss at the end, as we say farewell to a character that was loved. The book will also make your head spin as there is a plot twist that moviemakers only dream about. Yet again, the book illustrates the powerful messages of good triumphing over evil, love involving great sacrifice and, at times, death for the greater good.
Although the book is 606 pages long, it is still worth reading in spite of its $40+ price tag. Readers will hardly notice its length because the book is full of suspense and drama right from chapter one to 30. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some die-hard Potter fans would want to read it twice. But hey, don't take my word for it, just ask my three children and they'll tell you that it is definitely a two thumbs up! Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is available at all major book retailers and department stores. Prices range from $20 to $45. ¤ Emalyn
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE:
(out of 5)