By J. K. Rowling

To solve the Riddle that was Tom, Harry must delve into the past.

Word spreads quickly, Voldemort moves openly, and in the midst of open war, all eyes turn to Harry Potter; once The Boy Who Lived, now The Chosen One. As the Ministry scrambles to mount a defense, Harry waits. For Dumbledore is coming, and together the two of them will embark on a secret mission, to uncover how a young boy became the Dark Lord.

Borrowing from its predecessors, the story opens from an outsider’s perspective, couching essential information through a comical scene between politicians. Then the story turns to its villains, offering a very human perspective which exemplifies what sets this volume apart. The quest for identity has long been a central theme of the Harry Potter series, but until now it has been almost exclusively focused on the heroes. Now readers get the rare opportunity to peer under the mask of the series’ various villains, including Lord Voldemort himself.

Relationships provide some much needed levity, as friends become entangled in a web of misunderstandings amidst budding romance. The light-hearted conflicts serve as a strong counterbalance to the seriousness of the main conflict, reiterating the familiar theme that even in times of war, life must go on.

+Strong Characters
+Strong Integration Between Subplots
*Strong but familiar ideas
*Romance Driven Subplots
-Predictable Outcomes

3.5 /5

Next Time…
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows HP 07
2016/12/15

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