Adrift and without guidance, Harry struggles to find his way.
Once more Harry sets out from Private Drive. The moment is marked by bittersweet memories, and broken by Voldemort’s prompt pursuit. Once more Harry manages to elude the dark wizard, but his victory is sorely bought, and short lived. Dogged by death eaters, Harry is forced to flee with Ron & Hermoine. Together they search for Voldemort’s secrets, guided by the clues Dumbledore left them. But soon Dumbledore’s own secrets lead them astray. As questions mount, Harry must make a pivotal choice.
At first the story reads like so many others; a quick glimpse of the villain, a forlorn hero, but this time Harry faces an uncertain future. Bereft of guidance, he can only flounder blindly, while Voldemort hunts him, threatening and killing anyone who stands in the way.
Strong scenes dominate the story; keeping characters at the forefront with rich emotional conflicts as they work to piece together the mysteries left to them by Dumbledore. Doubt is a constant struggle, as each character is confronted with their own shortcomings, and the assumptions they so eagerly applied to others. Unexpected twists guide audiences to a bittersweet ending, bringing the story full circle, as both hero and audience come to understand the complex characters of the series.
+Strong Characters
+Strong Scenes
*Satisfying but Predictable Plot
*Long (for Harry Potter)
*Grim (for Harry Potter)
Next Time…
Over the Sea, Under the Stone-DiR 01
2016/12/22
Use Reviews to see past reviews, or use the Review Index to browse by topic.
Pingback: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince-HP 06-3.5/5 | Write Thoughts
My biggest problem was the book seems forced to be formulaic. I think the story would have been more compelling if it weren’t so bent on getting the cast back to the school. At the very least, I would have liked it if the need to return to the school didn’t feel so ham handed. There was a lot about that last book that felt rushed. The biggest was Ron’s sudden parseltounge (Spelling?). I’ve spoken about four languages (none ever fluently, and some only enough to get around, but I spoke them). No one just RANDOMLY learns a language by listening to someone who occasionally talks in his sleep. My mom and dad have been married for decades and my mom still hasn’t picked up Spanish based on that logic. It was a satisfying conclusion, but rushed.
That’s interesting. I had the opposite reaction. The familiar pattern made it a more relaxing read, and the hurried pace felt indicative of how the series as a whole was rushing to the climax, with tension mounting.
I actually thought the element with Ron faking parseltongue was a touch of absurdist humor, echoing how parrots and very young children may learn to make a sound without comprehending what it means.
I will agree that it was more predictable than innovative, but a fun ride.