Harry Potter and the Mediocre Plot
Don’t read the following entry if you don’t want to ruin the latest Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince.
First of all, I`d like to say that JK Rowling overused the word incredulous.
We start off with JK’s attempts at humour at the Dursley residence. The whole cups to the head was too much.
Next we learn of Severus’ (Snape) apparent return to the Death Eaters and that Draco Malfoy is ordained by Voldemorte to act out on a dangerous mission. Said mission is likely to result in the death of Draco Malfoy but by the end of the book, no. Snape makes an unbreakable bond with Draco’s mother to protect Draco at all costs. Failure to do so would result in Snape’s death.
Reading in to the book you’ll start to come up with your own theories. One of them that remains surely prevalent in all of you is that Snape is not actually carrying out Voldemorte’s bidding but instead working as a double agent for the Order of the Phoenix. This poses a conundrum as Snape himself performs the “Avada Kadaver” curse that kills Dumbledore. I personally hope that Snape is indeed evil but as JK enjoys her morales, Snape is likely going to fight for The Order by the end of book seven.
Snape is the halfblood prince. I kind of picked this up early on in the book and I’m not too sure on how I came to that but I also assumed that Voldemorte (Tom Marvalo Riddle) could be a likely candidate. Both of them were “half-bloods” meaning they had one “muggle” or “non-magic” parent. I like how JK plays around with the idea of racism in her books.
We learn that Voldemorte has also split his soul into seven parts. These pieces were stored in “horcruxes”. One of the pieces is in Voldemorte as he used it to revive himself, one was in his (Tom Riddle’s) diary, one was in Marvalo’s ring, one was in the Slytherin locket, one is in the Raven Claw cup, yeah I’ve forgotten them. But Harry and Dumby go after the locket which wasn’t actually the real locket. Apparently an R.A.B. took it and disposed of it as he noted in his note in the locket. It is mentioned that horcruxes can also be made from animals! I have a feeling that Harry Potter is a horcux himself for Voldemorte, that would explain a lot. Remember they could share thoughts and feelings at one point?
R.A.B. is most likely Regulus Alphard Black which is Sirius’ brother who as James has pointed out is a deat eater (ex-deat eater?).
So since Sirius Black (Harry’s godfather) died in the previous book, Order of the Phoenix, Harry has inherited Grimwald place. I may have just mispelled that or got it wrong all together. This meaning he’s also gained posession of Kreacher the annoying bastard of a house elf. I’m hoping Harry’s inheritance actually has something to do with book seven as JK didn’t even write the house into the book.
Lot’s of cursing (verbal and magical) in this book which kind of surprised me.
Trewlaney also seems to have disappeared by the end of the novel. She’s not mentioned at Dumbledore’s funeral and she had warned Harry of “the lightning striking the tower” but Harry inadvertently stopped her from telling Dumbledore her warning. This may have resulted in his death actually.
So Malfoy let death eaters into the castle and tried his best to kill Dumbledore but couldn’t. Damn you JK. She’s trying to show that there’s good in everyone. I swear, if she makes book seven’s ending all lovey dovey, I will personally go down to London and urinate on her front porch.
I also kept finding smut hidden throughout the novel. I posted some of it before on this blog. Anyway, she actually used the verb ejaculate which is going to be 100% misconstrued in context. I don’t quite remember who was doing said verb but it was near the end of the book. Apparently they were merely spewing out dialogue.
I sill think Harry is an annoying prat. I also found his accusations at the start to be annoying also and I don’t care whether he was right or not. I also can’t believe that he’d get away with all of the crap he’s done. He bloody cursed someone and virtually cut Draco open with said curse.
On a site note, Draco Malfoy is a whiner and a mamma’s boy.
Sure JK has developed well rounded characters but they’re not exactly the most likable. Neville’s still an idiot and Luna is a fantastic Quidditch commentator.
SLUGHORN was annoying. PRATTLE, PRATTLE. Now if he’s not a boy hungry pedophile then Michael Jackson isn’t either. Okay, maybe he’s not. I just didn’t like him.
It was funny to see that all these underaged kids were also allowed to drink mead.
The book had its moments but I was somewhat disappointed.
Overall, 9.4 out of 10.
ETA: I’ll add more later, maybe.
Dammit, now I have to wait another 2 or 3 years for the next and final Potter novel.
July 21st, 2005 at 6:50 am
I’m going to rant here, because no-one I know has finished it yet. Forgive me.
Ok, so it wasn’t the BEST book in the series, and easily the worst edited, but it did serve the function she said it would - that is, to be a bridge between the start of the action in OotP and the final battle in the next.
And it has done something else - theories about the next are either blown out of the water or made a little more concrete, and the questions raised in this one will almost certainly be answered in the next (unless we have to wait for that HP encyclopedia she talked about, but Christ I hope not). So now people are talking less in terms of what they WANT to happen (which surely must annoy the hell out any writer) and more what IS happening.
Also, I agree the new new characters didn’t seem as well rounded as they have been previously - everyone instantly knew how they felt about Umbridge at first meeting, but Slughorn seemed to wobble a bit in characterisation. And yes, he was a bit Ripping Yarns-esque. I did half expect him to drop a french fancy on Zabini’s lap and rummage around for it…
I’m also a little fed up with the whole Dumbledore’s not dead noises. Yes, he is. And I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’m pretty sure Snape is still on the right side. Yes, he killed Dumbledore, but why? He couldn’t turn around and kill the Death Eaters. He also couldn’t, because of his promise, allow Draco to be hurt. He and Dumbledore (he says so) both knew about the plot to kill Dumbledore, and so must have had a plan - nothing Dumbledore’s done before has been an accident, way back to the first book when he returned the invisibility cloak. He’s dead alright, but it’s for the greater good - Snape really must be worth it, and in the next book we’ll certainly find out why. Also, why else would Snape be so incredibly angry at the accusation of being a coward? Why not just flip Harry the bird and run off? Why stop someone performing the crucio curse on him? Why stop and chat? The ‘coward’ bit’s the most important though - if you’d just done the scariest, bravest thing in your life, killing your friend and protector for the greater good, you’d be bloody incensed at the accusation…
Trewlawney hasn’t ever actually been wrong either. I don’t know if that’s just JK messing with our heads, but although the prophecies are her most important predictions, even her daily ditzy card reading and people leaving guff. And yes, it’s a bit odd she wasn’t at the funeral when even Firenze made it. It’s not like it’s far to walk…
Harry has been a bit of a precocious twit over the last few books, and gotten away with an awful lot, but I think that the last few chapters have redeemed him somewhat. He finally sounds like he’s grown up a bit, and not waiting for other people to help him with the answers for a change - he usually grabs at least one more person on his errands, but was prepared to do the next one on his own. I actually started to like him at the end, especially the wry gallows humour, so the next book will be much more enjoyable for the Harry doubters out there.
And I like your thinking that Harry’s the Horcrux. Which could very easily explain the visions, and also what I figured from the first - either way, Harry’s going to cork it. JK’s that kind of lady.
I also cannot tell you how hormonal I must have been when I burst into tears with Harry and Ginny getting together. There is absolutely no way Hermione was going for him, and to this day I have a friend who insists it may still happen. She’ll get a nasty shock when she finishes the book… Anyway, it was good to get some mush in somewhere - it’ll make the blows harder in the next book,, I’m sure…
Incidentally, the locket is in the cabinet at the Black’s house. It’s the one they couldn’t open in OotP, and it’s decribed in exactly the same way as in the chapter about the Gaunts. Either that or the greatest red herring ever - though if you take into account that RAB is probably Regulus Black, it does make sense… Maybe this is the Snape link…??
Also, did you spot that the HBP advice notes in the potions book exactly match Harry’s first ever lesson with Snape? Bezoar etc… Is that how you got it early? Or am I just dumb…
It’s not the best in the series, and I don’t think it was ever going to be either. The plot’s a bit wobbly, and the characterisation a bit loose, though as an intermediary episode it fits the bill - we now know much more about the situation, and a lot of clues are clearer. I have never wanted two years to go faster….!
July 21st, 2005 at 6:51 am
oh for god’s sake, I didn’t know my comments were going to appear under without a spoiler button!
If you read that without wanting to, i can only apologise deeply. i hope you enjoy the book!
/gets coat
July 21st, 2005 at 12:32 pm
DD is dead and it appeas it was planned by DD himself. He never heared Death or Death Eaters - he was begging Snape at the final moment to do what they agreed upon, for Snape to kill DD so Snape can be as close as an DE can get. that way it’ll make it easier to kill any plan to hurt/kill HP, and maybe Snape can get info about where the remaining horcruxes are.
i don’t think HP is the horcrux - if he is, why would Vold want to destroy him? Vold’s ultimate desire is to become immortal, and destorying one of the souls doesn’t make sense. also in book5, Vold couldn’t even possess HP without extreme pain. in book 4 during the duel, HP fended off Vold’s imperius curse. According to DD, Nagimi is concluded one of the horcrux because Vold has unusual control over her. it doesn’t apply to HP.
I thought romantic element of the book pretty tasteless. but i agree HP grew a lot. and the book did serve the purpose as a bridge, too. i think book7 will be about who gets hands on which horcruxes and how to destroy them, before the final battle between HP and Vold. i hope to God JKR will put less romance in it.
July 21st, 2005 at 1:08 pm
Hey, finished the book a few days ago. Maybe Harry is the horclux as gaylord voldimort wants to kill Harry personally, perhaps this to get the horclux back? hmm
July 21st, 2005 at 1:14 pm
YM, the romance was pretty bad in this one too lol. She gave it a try and it failed.
alex, I’m somewhat sure that Snape isn’t evil :(.
Dumby’s death was probably planned.
July 21st, 2005 at 2:10 pm
U dumshits RAB IS NOT REGELUS BLACK. Fukcing idiot, Regelus was killed ONE day after rebelling against the Death Eaters, so how the fuck can it be him?
July 21st, 2005 at 2:12 pm
in addition GInny is fucken dumshit, and harry should get together with a much better looking girl
July 22nd, 2005 at 1:05 am
I’d appreciate that you don’t call anyone names on my blog.
Second, one day after rebelling means he had one day to do the stealing.
August 6th, 2005 at 1:44 pm
so i think you need to think more before you post things, because he was killed after they found out he betrayed Voldermort…and he could have stolen the holcrux long before Voldermort found out. and the pieces add up to him being it. first off, the blacks were known supporters of voldermort so it wouldnt have been odd for him to be a death eater. second off, how many people other than those that are close to voldermort (or smart like dumbledore) would know about the holcruxes? it only makes sense that its a death eater gone astray. third off, it took them a year to get to karakoff because the only thing he had done was walk away from the death eaters. they got to regelus so fast because he had the power to destroy voldermort and he knew it. also, he knew he was going to die because he had deserted. who else would be in danger by voldermort? not some random commoner off the street, since he obviously didnt have much surveillance on those things since he thought he was fairly invincible towards them being discovered. im not saying its for certain im just saying theres actual logic behind it. so think a little more before you talk.
July 18th, 2007 at 1:02 am
Message for THUNKA:
1. Just because the book says RAB is dead it doesn’t mean he is.
In JKR’s books people have faked their deaths before. ie. Peter
Pettigrew, Voldemort, etc.
2. Mouthing off at people makes no difference. The opinnion of a
person like you matters very little to anyone.
3. Ginny is not that bad looking, and besides how does it matter
what she looks like. I know that sounds mushy and like
something an ugly person would say but think about it.
Thats all i have to say.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Message to Thunka:
You must feel rather foolish…