HP - Half-Blood Prince
At last I completed reading the latest in Harry Potter series - Half blood Prince.Even though I bought it sometime back I was not fascinated by it after reading first two chapters. Since it was raining yesterday I was forced to stay indoors and I got a chance to read it.I would still claim that Goblet of fire is the best in the series and HBP is not too gripping when compared to it. But it reveals the past of the main villain of the story.
As I liked Harry's interaction with Sirius in the previous books, I was wondering what could be the replacement for those puzzle cracking interacions.The substitute here for Sirius is Dumbledore himself. I should say Rowling has quite beautifully brought out the interactions between the Headmaster and Harry.It was quite enjoyable.
The last chapters were very gripping and I found myself rooted to it, though I guessed mid way through the book who would be dead by the end.It was not that difficult.The Half Blood Prince's identity was a surprise package.But it still gives me a feeling that the Prince is still not that bad.I still stand for Dumbledore's faith in him.
My favourite characters of the book Fred and George did not have much role in here.But I'm satisfied with whatever has been mentioned about them.They are smelling sucess in their joke shop.
I liked Ginny's character at the end of book when she is not in all tears for Harry wanting to go on his own without her.For some reason I'm reminded of Zorro's wife in Legend of Zorro who is pretty much against Zorro's mission at the beginning.Could be because Ginny is character created by a willfully strong female author.
There is something that I missed in this book even though I had read about them in each of the previous books.I always had a feeling Rowling would have been a very good sport commentator or a sport columnist. I liked the way the Quidditch matches are described in each of them.Though there were a couple of games in the book but none of them were explained.
I do understand this. Harry and his friends are growing year after year and their hormones as well are secreted more.But it doesn't mean that the author has to dedicate most of the chapters analysing what is one thinking of other be it a girl or boy. More annoyingly, the author detailing on how one smirks or signs when the name of the person they like is spoken about and how the third person notices it and comes to a conclusion.Come off it..I buy Harry Potter and read it for the sake of the heroism exhibited by the kid, the magic and adventure. If I had to read
about what will girls think about boys and vice versa I would not have bought this book.I do not mind these ocuppying either one or two chapters but not a whole lot of the content in every other chapter.
Splitting a soul into many pieces is not new to me(as well as for all those Ambulimama and Balamithra readers).I was rather surprised at this plot but not impressed.The moment I read it I'm reminded of those birds that were usually the "horcruxes" in the tamil stories I read.
Lastly, as I read into the book I found out the original name of the bad guy is Tom Marvolo Riddle. Did Rowling try an anagram out of it with three letters from each name(tomvolder -> Voldemort) to give him his new name. But what is not known to me is even though he-who-must-not-be-named didn't like him to be called as tom (as he hated his father) his name is an anagram with those letters.By the way was there any reference in the previous books why was he named Voldemort.I do not remember it.
As always I'm waiting for the next one in the series.Rowling is too good always in the final chapters that keeps you longing for the next one.Additionaly I'm impressed with the trailer of the next movie GOF in HP series and waiting to watch it.
As I liked Harry's interaction with Sirius in the previous books, I was wondering what could be the replacement for those puzzle cracking interacions.The substitute here for Sirius is Dumbledore himself. I should say Rowling has quite beautifully brought out the interactions between the Headmaster and Harry.It was quite enjoyable.
The last chapters were very gripping and I found myself rooted to it, though I guessed mid way through the book who would be dead by the end.It was not that difficult.The Half Blood Prince's identity was a surprise package.But it still gives me a feeling that the Prince is still not that bad.I still stand for Dumbledore's faith in him.
My favourite characters of the book Fred and George did not have much role in here.But I'm satisfied with whatever has been mentioned about them.They are smelling sucess in their joke shop.
I liked Ginny's character at the end of book when she is not in all tears for Harry wanting to go on his own without her.For some reason I'm reminded of Zorro's wife in Legend of Zorro who is pretty much against Zorro's mission at the beginning.Could be because Ginny is character created by a willfully strong female author.
There is something that I missed in this book even though I had read about them in each of the previous books.I always had a feeling Rowling would have been a very good sport commentator or a sport columnist. I liked the way the Quidditch matches are described in each of them.Though there were a couple of games in the book but none of them were explained.
I do understand this. Harry and his friends are growing year after year and their hormones as well are secreted more.But it doesn't mean that the author has to dedicate most of the chapters analysing what is one thinking of other be it a girl or boy. More annoyingly, the author detailing on how one smirks or signs when the name of the person they like is spoken about and how the third person notices it and comes to a conclusion.Come off it..I buy Harry Potter and read it for the sake of the heroism exhibited by the kid, the magic and adventure. If I had to read
about what will girls think about boys and vice versa I would not have bought this book.I do not mind these ocuppying either one or two chapters but not a whole lot of the content in every other chapter.
Splitting a soul into many pieces is not new to me(as well as for all those Ambulimama and Balamithra readers).I was rather surprised at this plot but not impressed.The moment I read it I'm reminded of those birds that were usually the "horcruxes" in the tamil stories I read.
Lastly, as I read into the book I found out the original name of the bad guy is Tom Marvolo Riddle. Did Rowling try an anagram out of it with three letters from each name(tomvolder -> Voldemort) to give him his new name. But what is not known to me is even though he-who-must-not-be-named didn't like him to be called as tom (as he hated his father) his name is an anagram with those letters.By the way was there any reference in the previous books why was he named Voldemort.I do not remember it.
As always I'm waiting for the next one in the series.Rowling is too good always in the final chapters that keeps you longing for the next one.Additionaly I'm impressed with the trailer of the next movie GOF in HP series and waiting to watch it.
posted by srivat at 11:26 PM
5 Comments:
Srivatsa,
There's a reference about Voldemort's original name in Part II. The chamber of secrets.
Am not a regular HP reader, so no comments on the subject. But reading your blog between lines, I see that you really are bugged about people/wizards interpreting smirks and signs :)
Bala,
Could have been.Thats one book that I never had any interest reading except for the first two chapters.May be I missed it.
Yadhvi,
Nope.Not at all.Nothing against them.Its just that I dont like it in HP.Again it is not 'Ponniyin Selvan' or for that matter 'Kadal Pura' where people try to interpret some big plot by merely looking at their enemies and their expression.But in HP its just a matter of what one thinks about the other or some third person.
srivat, tom marvolo riddle is an anagram of "i am lord voldemort". this is revealed in book 2 when harry gets an old diary of voldemort.
my tastes seem to be the opp. of yours. i thot the 1st 3 books were great and liked #3 the best of all. #s 4 and 5 were ok but i liked #6 better than both of them.
Hi Balaji,
I missed the second book.That was a good anagram.
One reason I missed it was because I was glued on to Lord of the rings, my all time favourite book.The reason I dint like the first two could also be attibuted to the same.May be i compared it with LOTR.I beleive #4,#3,#5,#6 are the best in that order.Thanks for visiting.
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