Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: Formula Driven and the Weakest in the Series
Written: Aug 25 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The beginning.
Cons: Formulas, formulas and still more formulas.
The Bottom Line: Whatever I say, you are going to read it, it has almost become a habit?
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| mridula's Full Review: J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Pr... |
I borrowed Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince from a friend and could finish this book of 607 pages within two days. I am glad I borrowed it and not bought it, as I find it the most disappointing book in the series. I have read all the Harry Potter books and till the third one they were fun, from fourth on, I had to read because they were there.
Agreed, that Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is dark and somber but it holds my interest only in parts. The book finds Harry Potter and his gang in their sixth year at Hogwarts. The power of Harry’s adversary, Lord Voldemort is growing and this brings extra precautions everywhere in the country, making life grey and miserable for everyone. Apart from that the lessons become tougher and friends crankier.
There is very little Quidditch, very little fun in classes and a lot of lessons for Harry from the principle Dumbledore himself. There are fights between best of friends and you can never be sure of what the class baddy Draco Malfoy and his gang are up to. And to round it off there is a death and looks like he stage is set up for the confrontation between Harry Potter and Voldemort. I hope so, because delaying it by one more book would sorely test my patience.
To tell you the truth, I was intrigued and impressed with the way the book started off. I found the concept a good piece of imagination, something that I guess I can never even dream of coming up with. Alas, but from there on it went steadily downhill for me. Want to now why? Well, here it goes.
I found the previous books refreshing and devoid of formulas. I can smell formulas from great distances, because I have been raised on a staple diet of cliché ridden Bollywood movies. Let me see how many I spotted in this one.
Teenage Romance (Formula Number One): Whatever attempt was there in Harry Potter and Half Blood Prince to depict romance between some prominent characters the outcome was never in doubt at any point. One pair went out of the way to make each-other jealous and the one yearned silently for his love and I couldn’t care less for both.
The Hero Spots the Villain But Everyone else cannot see the Obvious (Formula Number Two): Harry Potter can spot some of the wrong doings right from the word go, and the way things are put, so can the reader but every one else around him becomes dumb and deaf to those sings. Of course, he hero proves to be right in the end.
Who have Done it? (Formula Number Three): There are subtle hints as to who is the main villain behind the dark plot brewing but again apart from Harry Potter and the readers, every one is oblivious to the fact. In my opinion it makes for a very weak reading.
Throw in Substantial Mystery and Drama (Formula Number Four): I guess this is the least I will grumble about, because even the previous books had this element but I think they were more successful with it. This time it seems as an out and out attempt to set up the stage for the final book and seems somewhat sudden. I wonder if hints could have been given in the previous ones.
Cap it up with a Grand Death (Formula Number Five): The book ends with a grand death and garners a lot of sympathy. The incredible stupidity that led to this outcome made me almost say ‘you deserved it, you fools.’ But I really liked the character that died and I am really sorry for it, formula notwithstanding.
I have no quarrel with the characters or the language of the book. They seem to be consistent with the way they have been developed in the series but as I have ranted above I found the formulas too much. I am giving the book three stars because it has become a habit and whatever I say, I know you are going to read it.
Recommended:
Yes
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mridula
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Location: India
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