As much as I hate to admit it

[keire_ke]

I am deeply impressed with the work Rowling's done with HBP. I am slightly disgruntled that Ron didn't die though... But since it is, formally, still a book for kids, I really wasn't expecting it. I loved the humour bits though.

Anyway. I am still majorly pissed off at her for killing Sirius. Silly move there. I want him back, damn it! I braved the five book just to get more of Sirius, and he barely appeared and then got killed in the end! Am however curious for the resolution, what with the Horcruxes and all. Hm... The thing with Snape wasn't entirely unexpected - for a 'good' character he was much too childish throughout the series. So, no big surprise there. Even if something did strike me as odd in that confrontation, somewhat. Can't put my finger on it though.

The bit about the Half-Blood Prince was dismissed rather casually, with no dramatic impact. I felt there should be more.

Rowling has no understanding for fanservice. Nosir, everything had to be plain as the lights of day. *rolls eyes* I did like Lupin/Tonks though. A little random, but they rocked. *grins* Ginny rocked from book five, so no major complaints from me here. Pity there wasn't so much Neville though.

I admit to chanting 'oooooh, Harry will bring balance to the Force'. Heh. I couldn't help it really! Rowling was so watching SW. Dumbledore even got a space for a roboclaw! One thing that bugged me and never got resolved was the moment when Dumbledore asked Harry whether he feels sympathy for Voldemort. I  was not impressed by the fact that he didn't mention or implied Harry should, when he spent so much time showing Harry that Tom Riddle was very much human.

All in all - the book really was good. I don't care much for Harry as a character, but I liked it, overall. Third book is still best in my opinion, but this one comes as a close second. *grins* The romantic parts sound as if written by a fangirl though.

Comments

[helensheep.livejournal.com]

The bit about the Half-Blood Prince was dismissed rather casually, with no dramatic impact. I felt there should be more.

I agree totally, I think that is my only major gripe about HBP at the moment. There didn't seem to be enough about it to name the whole book after it ;) I was also slightly disappointed with who it was - but I loved the explanation; at least he's not some form of secret royalty or something =)

[keire-ke.livejournal.com]

Well, Goblet of Fire wasn't exactly all that important in the GoF either. *grins* It seemed totally random to me - almost as if Rowling inserted it at the very last minute.

My main gripe, on the other hand, is that Sirius is still MIA (anybody whose body was not found cannot be filed as dead :P), to tell you the truth.

[merula31]

I got the impression that Snape didn't want to kill Dumbledore. Someone elsewhere said Dumbledore was 'forcing' Snape into it- which I don't quite see, but that was only my thought- and I may change it on the reread.

I think Neville and Luna are going to hook up- hey, she hinted that way, right? *grin*

I felt bad for Voldemort's mother... but not for Tom Riddle. I felt he made his choices knowing full well what he was doing. I also felt very bad for Draco- who I never liked before, but oh... I wondered if Rowling was reading the fanfiction on him! Turn away from the Dark Side!

[keire-ke.livejournal.com]

You too? Not maybe forcing, but I wouldn't be surprised if Dumbledore suspected it might come to that and had told Snape to get on with it beforehand.

Good for him. Neville and Ginny were my favourite characters in book 5. Luna is kind of cute too!

True. But at that particular point in time it struck me as plainly wrong, that he should be abandoned like that. With Draco it's a question of cowardice more than turning away from the darkside, I think. She's heard of fanfiction, apparently - I know her lawyers had tried to get several adult HP fansites shut.

Tell me you didn't think that everytime someone said 'the Chosen One'. Tell me you didn't raise a brow when Dumbledore turned up with a vacant space for a roboclaw.

[merula31]

Thus Snape's reaction when Harry called him a coward.

Luna's commentary during the match was so funny. I agreed with Ron on that one...

Oh yes, I think we were supposed to feel bad for Tom- and I did, until that thing with that silly woman. That I hadn't heard- but there are so many 'no, Draco's not all bad!' stories out there... there was his chance at that...

Of course I did. *grin* I kept waiting for him to call Dumbledore 'Master'....

[keire-ke.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a little extreme, yes, considering he hated Harry with a passion.

I second that. Luna is a very interesting character - I loved how Harry took her to the party. It was very cute. Did you think the Harry/Ginny thing turned up totally randomly? I know I did.

That's just what I thought, what with him crying and the whole thing with Dumbledore in the end. I know Pratchett said that only a good person would kill you without a pause, but Draco wasn't really gloating, was he? I think he was a little to scared of what he was forced into.

Oh yes. Draco isn't bad, in fact he's in the astronomy tower snogging Harry... *grins* Damn Rowling. No fanservice, not one bit!

"A young man... who was a student of mine. He betrayed and murdered your father." Apart from the betrayed part, everything fits. *grins*

[merula31]

Yeah, I was like- what would you care what he calls you? Sheesh.

I loved Luna at the party- Ron's & Ginny's reactions were great.

I'm not sure what you mean by randomly... I've been expecting that one since book one. Like too fast? Rushed kind of thing? That wasn't how I thought it would start, that's for sure. They didn't get much time together...

It will be interesting to see Draco later on- someone pointed out that Draco- and his mother- also have the 'power' of being able to love. Hm.

It does. Though I went to see Batman Begins yesterday- and maybe it was Liam Neeson and all the black outfits, but my god that one was even more spot on.... cept the master went bad... not the student...

[keire-ke.livejournal.com]

I meant, first he is 'totally no girls whatsoever', then 'OMG, I want Ginny!' But maybe I'm too biased, what with all the fanfics and stuff. *grins*

I do think you have a point here. Somehow, I felt what Draco was doing he did out of fear, not only for himself, but for his family too. And well, Narcissa in the first chapter speaks for herself.

*grins* Guess what movie I've just seen.

[merula31]

*blinks* What about all that Cho stuff in the two books before this? I don't read the fanfic so maybe I missed something??

I actually kinda liked Narcissa.

*grins* Are you back on my wavelength again? Or did I get on yours?

[keire-ke.livejournal.com]

Then it must be just me. I felt he wasn't particularly bothered by girls, even Cho, until he saw Ginny with Dean.

I know I did. She might be a snotty bitch, but she makes you feel for her, when she comes to Snape crying.

I don't know - have you had any disturbing dreams involving Sanzo, Goku and teddy bears lately?

[solanum-d.livejournal.com]

I wanted to wait to read this until I'd finished the book, too. ^_^

I thought, in the end, the title was a bit of irony, in that Harry spent the vast majority of the book depending on the Prince only to be betrayed by him in the end. Not massively climactic, but a little thought provoking. As for the identity of the Prince, well, it wasn't completely predictable. My husband guessed it, way at the beginning. (side note: isn't it funny that Hermione thought Snape had girly hand-writing?)

I agree that something was amiss with the entire Snape confrontation at the end. Both when he killed Dumbledoor and when he was facing off with Harry. I'm sure more of that will be revealed in book 7... I'm actually looking forward to/ hoping for a good twist.

I totally agree that she needs a clue in the fanservice department. ^_~ Why do authors want to shut down fanfiction sites? I just don't get it. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery and all that. I like Tonks, though, so I don't really mind her with Lupin.

My favorite of her romantic fangirl moments was when Harry's insides were doing the conga. *snerk*

[keire-ke.livejournal.com]

That's what you call ironic, yes. As for the predictability, I meant the fact that Snape turned evil (despite the weird feeling), not the HBP identity. He is okay, I guess, but he his temper tantrums, a five year old would be ashamed of. That's why I kind of expected him to go bad.

I'm waiting for Rowling to resurrect Sirius. Or at least give agood explanation why he is now dead. All I saw was him disappear. *pouts* Yeah, denial is not just a river in Egypt, I know.

I know Anne Rice for example doesn't like ff based on her works. In my opinion, the yare just insecure. Majority of the fan writing is crap, but I can name two HP fics that I like way better than the book itself, and I haven't been in the fandom for several years. As I recall though, it had something to do with NC-17 and slash.

[solanum-d.livejournal.com]

Mmm... after reading an interview with JKR it would seem that she's fine with fanfiction... heterosexual, non-explicit fanfiction. So, cutsie, teeny-bopper fangirl tripe is acceptable. >_ Sirius' cousin afterall... perhaps Remus sees a bit of old Sirius in Tonks to help the healing process along... whether or not it's valid definitely holds fiction potential.