i've just finished reading harry potter and the half blood prince. it was somewhat lacking as compared to Cassandra Claire's Fanfict, but nonetheless a very riveting read indeed. I finished in in abt 9 hours. slow i know. but i refuse to speed read and miss out the details. after all. its not like i have the chance to read it over and over again. it is cheryl's book, not mine.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE 6TH HARRY POTTER INSTALLMENT AHEAD. DO NOT READ ON IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
alot of u may know by now, Dumbledore is dead. offed by the Avada Kedavra curse, none other by Snape, the Half Blood Prince. Severus Snape was a cunning heartless bastard. of course, JK Rowling writes in such a way that, though it may seem tt Snape is forever condemned as a Death Eater (and a trusted one at tt.), there is still room that Snape mite be able to make a comeback, turn around and actually be a good guy.
I supposed the biggest shock i got from the book (considering cheryl told me some of its contents so i wasnt tt surprised tt Dumbledore was offed by Snape) was tt Snape was the DaDA teacher this year and not potions. instead some smarmy bastard by the name of Horace Slughorn was potions master, who i must admit, irked me a lot thruout the book. I swear. every time he appears in the book i get a huge flash of annoyance.
JK Rowling did injustice to Dumbledore's character, esp when she made Dumbledore beg for mercy at Snape's hands. "severus... severus, please." Dumbledore would've never done that. in fact. i would have thought tt he wld admit tt his trust was misplaced in a very dignified manner instead of pleading with Snape. sort of like "Alas, Severus, in the end the sayings were true, you are the one who would betray the Order in the end." or something of the sort. On several occasions, Dumbledore acted out of character and was not someone whom i've known through five other books.
in fact come to think of it, the entire book was very... for the want of a better word.. fragmented. alot of pieces didnt fit and alot that should be elaborated on wasnt. this isnt JK's best work yet. kinda slipshod in fact. ideas were there no doubt but it looks like someone is getting lazy with description and elaboration. the fact tt Harry got together with Ginny in the book was kinda out of place. Even the stint that Ron had with Lavender Brown was kinda eye-rolling too.
Many things could've been further developed and sensationalised. like the Unbreakable Vow. Narcissa Malfoy could've snuck a few trips into Hogwarts to check on Snape/Malfoy. Percy's estrangement from the Weaslys. Malfoy's mysterious disappearances during school hours. Tonks' infatuation with Remus Lupin. Authur and Molly's concerns for all the Weasly children. Even the Half-Blood Prince himself was not very detailed even though the book was titled after it.
Indeed, the book was not her best work but a rather good book to curl up with on a rainy afternoon such as today's. i have high hopes for the 7th book. Hopefully it would not be as superficially skimmed for its possibilities as this one was and that it all ties up in the end.
i think. it is sad. tt my longest post for two months yet is about a book and not my life. perhaps, as the book is merely fiction, i cld discuss it without feeling a strange blanket of depression. i think it most pathetic.
