Upon Completion of Half-Blood Prince
Jul. 18th, 2005 07:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tealinDone! DONE! At long last I can wander around the internet without fear of running into spoilers! And because I am utterly soulless, I already have two ideas for gag sketches.
More later, but for the moment, a couple of things:
1. Once it picked up a plot, it got really good! Imagine that.
2. I figured out who the H.B.P. was about fifteen pages before it was revealed. HAH! Last minute deductions are grand.
11:00 pm
So. My thoughts. As best as I can collect them.
Now that I have finished the book, I feel comfortable in saying that our dear Ms Rowling seems to be back on track. The last two have been kind of ... wandering ... and this one started out the same way (with better pacing and writing, in my opinion) but once it picked up a plotline and events of the story fell into step with it, it was really enjoyable to read. It moved along, I got swept up in what was happening, I was concerned for the characters ... good stuff. Unfortunately, this happened about 2/3 of the way through the book. But at least it happened somewhere. Yay, plot! Never underestimate the power of plot. Not only was there a nice throughline, as opposed to the very episodic nature of the first part of the book, but there was a nice build in tension to a climax and there was a denouement! Plot structure! Plot structure and character, reuntited at last! Goblet had character but little in the way of structure, and Phoenix had structure (though with a fundamental flaw, which I may go into if prompted) but curiously half-hearted characters – but Prince (or at least the last bit of it) had both. The developments regarding the search for the Horcruxes leave me very optimistic that the last book will have a unifying throughline right from the beginning – instead of dawdling in soap opera territory, there will be a purpose to the story right from the beginning. Thank goodness.
Aha, now onto the sticky subject of romance. Okay, I appreciate the previous comments about how it is an accurate reflection of adolescent life, but ... it just seemed ... kind of pointless, half the time. I mean, food, sleep, acne, growing pains, and going to the bathroom are realistic concerns as well, but they aren't given attention. One of the rules about subplots is that they ought to contribute to the main plot in some way, but most of the romances were distractiing tangents. And at that point in the book, there wasn't a main plot, it was just a tangled mess of unrelated subplots, which was not very captivating. On top of this, none of the romances seemed convincing. All of a sudden Harry's in love with Ginny – where'd that come from? We never find out why he likes her, we just know he likes her because the narration tells us so, and there isn't even any lead-up to it.¹ When they do get together, there's no chemistry. I just ... don't believe them. Their time together is only alluded to, and for something that ought to be so important to Harry, this seems short shrift. Hermione and Ron were probably the most realistic 'couple' with their bickering and reluctance to acknowedge their attraction to one another (though I'm grateful that, through this, JKR made mention of how romance has the potential to ruin a friendship ... too few people realise this until it's too late). Some of the other ones seemed slapped together, though ... Filch and Mme Pince? Puh-leez. Lupin and Tonks just sort of dropped into the plot out of the blue.² It's like JKR is going through her character list, finding the loose ends, and tying them together so they don't inconveniently flap around.³ I did like Fleur's arc, though. Who'd have thought she had integrity like that? That was one last-minute thing I did believe, oddly enough ... the reconciliation between her and Mrs Weasley was rather sudden but there was something more believeable about it than any of the other spontaneous flips.
Speaking of romance: I do really really hope that the events in this book will pour some cold water on the rabid Snape fan set. There will always be the core group that goes for the evil people in some sort of rebellious snook-cocking gesture, but really, folks, can you still love him after that? I would like to think there'll be a defection from the Malfoy camp as well, but it's more likely his fanciers will just take pity on the poor manipulated victimised boy who's being coerced into evil ways.
Um, yeah, R.A.B.? Does anyone not know who this is? Or could it be a red herring? Ms Rowling is not as cruel as Mr Snicket so I suspect she'd be honest about this one, but you never know.
Stan Shunpike is still in jail! Somebody get him out before he goes for the cannonballs! (Funny, this is one thing the movies have done for me... I never cared about him before. Mad. I am mad, I tell you! Good thing the third movie came out before this book, eh? Tra-la! Goodness, what did my sister put in that frappucchino...?)
I may add to this as recollections resurface. But that's it for now.
¹Does anyone else see anything Freudian in this?
²It appears Tonks is the only unmarried female in the series with taste, good judgement, and observational skills. I am speaking entirely impartially, of course. Oh yes.
³As a perpetually loose-end-by-choice who spent my teenage years railing against a society that viewed singlehood as a state of being as desirable as insanity or incarceration, I resent this.
12:02 AM
I am with Gabby on this one: Bring on the THUD! Yeah!
THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS, DEAR LIZA, DEAR LIZA; THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS, DEAR LIZA, SPOILERS!
More later, but for the moment, a couple of things:
1. Once it picked up a plot, it got really good! Imagine that.
2. I figured out who the H.B.P. was about fifteen pages before it was revealed. HAH! Last minute deductions are grand.
11:00 pm
So. My thoughts. As best as I can collect them.
Now that I have finished the book, I feel comfortable in saying that our dear Ms Rowling seems to be back on track. The last two have been kind of ... wandering ... and this one started out the same way (with better pacing and writing, in my opinion) but once it picked up a plotline and events of the story fell into step with it, it was really enjoyable to read. It moved along, I got swept up in what was happening, I was concerned for the characters ... good stuff. Unfortunately, this happened about 2/3 of the way through the book. But at least it happened somewhere. Yay, plot! Never underestimate the power of plot. Not only was there a nice throughline, as opposed to the very episodic nature of the first part of the book, but there was a nice build in tension to a climax and there was a denouement! Plot structure! Plot structure and character, reuntited at last! Goblet had character but little in the way of structure, and Phoenix had structure (though with a fundamental flaw, which I may go into if prompted) but curiously half-hearted characters – but Prince (or at least the last bit of it) had both. The developments regarding the search for the Horcruxes leave me very optimistic that the last book will have a unifying throughline right from the beginning – instead of dawdling in soap opera territory, there will be a purpose to the story right from the beginning. Thank goodness.
Aha, now onto the sticky subject of romance. Okay, I appreciate the previous comments about how it is an accurate reflection of adolescent life, but ... it just seemed ... kind of pointless, half the time. I mean, food, sleep, acne, growing pains, and going to the bathroom are realistic concerns as well, but they aren't given attention. One of the rules about subplots is that they ought to contribute to the main plot in some way, but most of the romances were distractiing tangents. And at that point in the book, there wasn't a main plot, it was just a tangled mess of unrelated subplots, which was not very captivating. On top of this, none of the romances seemed convincing. All of a sudden Harry's in love with Ginny – where'd that come from? We never find out why he likes her, we just know he likes her because the narration tells us so, and there isn't even any lead-up to it.¹ When they do get together, there's no chemistry. I just ... don't believe them. Their time together is only alluded to, and for something that ought to be so important to Harry, this seems short shrift. Hermione and Ron were probably the most realistic 'couple' with their bickering and reluctance to acknowedge their attraction to one another (though I'm grateful that, through this, JKR made mention of how romance has the potential to ruin a friendship ... too few people realise this until it's too late). Some of the other ones seemed slapped together, though ... Filch and Mme Pince? Puh-leez. Lupin and Tonks just sort of dropped into the plot out of the blue.² It's like JKR is going through her character list, finding the loose ends, and tying them together so they don't inconveniently flap around.³ I did like Fleur's arc, though. Who'd have thought she had integrity like that? That was one last-minute thing I did believe, oddly enough ... the reconciliation between her and Mrs Weasley was rather sudden but there was something more believeable about it than any of the other spontaneous flips.
Speaking of romance: I do really really hope that the events in this book will pour some cold water on the rabid Snape fan set. There will always be the core group that goes for the evil people in some sort of rebellious snook-cocking gesture, but really, folks, can you still love him after that? I would like to think there'll be a defection from the Malfoy camp as well, but it's more likely his fanciers will just take pity on the poor manipulated victimised boy who's being coerced into evil ways.
Um, yeah, R.A.B.? Does anyone not know who this is? Or could it be a red herring? Ms Rowling is not as cruel as Mr Snicket so I suspect she'd be honest about this one, but you never know.
Stan Shunpike is still in jail! Somebody get him out before he goes for the cannonballs! (Funny, this is one thing the movies have done for me... I never cared about him before. Mad. I am mad, I tell you! Good thing the third movie came out before this book, eh? Tra-la! Goodness, what did my sister put in that frappucchino...?)
I may add to this as recollections resurface. But that's it for now.
¹Does anyone else see anything Freudian in this?
²It appears Tonks is the only unmarried female in the series with taste, good judgement, and observational skills. I am speaking entirely impartially, of course. Oh yes.
³As a perpetually loose-end-by-choice who spent my teenage years railing against a society that viewed singlehood as a state of being as desirable as insanity or incarceration, I resent this.
12:02 AM
I am with Gabby on this one: Bring on the THUD! Yeah!
THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS, DEAR LIZA, DEAR LIZA; THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS, DEAR LIZA, SPOILERS!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-07-19 01:20 am (UTC)GAG SKETCHES! I love it when you're soulless! (I am actually yearning for something to lighten the atmosphere up; seriously, the internet is so worked up about the book that I AM AFRAID. UTTERLY AFRAID.)
Also, Mollywobbles. LOL.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-19 01:30 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2005-07-19 01:59 am (UTC)I was so angry with myself for not guessing who the HBP was, though I should have after Sectumsempra, which I actually remembered when it first came up, I just didn't make the connection. *headdesk*
Personally, I'm astonished Harry didn't pick it up. And by the way...was I the only one who heard the agonized screaming of 'shippers everywhere when the romance started kicking in?
Gag sketches! Gag sketches! Gag sketches are GOOD.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-19 02:04 am (UTC)Hee, JK was totally poking fun at all the crazy pairings. Seriously, it's a madhouse when it comes to shipping in HP. Did not need all that PDA.
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2005-07-19 10:13 am (UTC)HBP
Date: 2005-07-19 11:25 am (UTC)as for all the love affairs in gryffindor tower - probably a counterstory for all of the love Riddle did not receive, like not having family love-therefore not being able to experience it, and back up for the type of love Dumbledore kept promoting (the type that isn't based wholly on hormones.)
anyody else thinking that Dumbledore wanted to be killed, like he and Snape had planned it?
Re: HBP
Date: 2005-07-19 12:18 pm (UTC)Oh, and I totally agree with THUD! And I have an urge to read Where's my Cow. THUD! looks really good. I was just reading the summary.
Re: HBP
From:(no subject)
From:Re: HBP
From:Re: HBP
From:Re: HBP
From:no subject
Date: 2005-07-19 03:04 pm (UTC)but i dont know who R.A.B. is :-s
i thought of Regulus Black but.... TELL ME TELL ME TELL ME!!!
no subject
Date: 2005-07-19 03:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2005-07-19 07:03 pm (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
From:COME ON!
From:Re: COME ON!
From:Re: COME ON!
From:Re: COME ON!
From:(no subject)
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2005-07-19 11:05 pm (UTC) - ExpandWARNING- SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 2005-07-19 07:01 pm (UTC)I was also of the hardcore Snape fandom at one point. ... so the last few chapters absolutely sucked for me. it was like having the rug yanked out from under me. I suppose I share Dumbledore's sense of faith in the overall goodness of humanity and was therefore TOTALLY UNWILLING to believe the truth about him... and the fact that he was such an antisocial type really made me want to see him redeemed. But now I'm thinking of making a tribute called "The Day the Fandom Died" or something. Or maybe "I formed a FANCLUB for you, you miserable, treacherous bastard!" Gah. I'm still so sad about it.
One thing that book five had, that I missed in this book, was that book 5 filled you with righteous anger and eagerness to "fight the power". It's exhilarating to get into that kind of mob mentality sometimes (in moderation, of course, in moderation.) But this book was just... sad. I came out of it feeling really depressed. But then, a big part of my fandom died.
Might be good to read this
Date: 2005-07-21 09:12 am (UTC)Re: WARNING- SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2005-07-21 10:21 am (UTC) - ExpandA Horcrux
Date: 2005-07-19 08:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-19 08:52 pm (UTC)Mundungus involved?
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2005-07-20 06:06 am (UTC) - Expandchocolate frogs
From:(no subject)
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2005-07-24 04:55 am (UTC) - ExpandRe: A Horcrux
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2005-07-20 10:31 am (UTC) - ExpandRe: A Horcrux
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2005-07-27 02:49 am (UTC) - ExpandRe: A Horcrux
From:no subject
Date: 2005-07-20 05:24 pm (UTC)With Rowling, nothing is what it seems. I'm sure there will be a complicated twist in book six and I really gave HBP a lot of thinking. Snape is not completely evil and is on the way to redemption...
By the way I've got some potter fanarts on my livejournal, also animation inspired, if you are interested. As you always have, you rock. And your stuff really gained in maturity and personality.
HBP
Date: 2005-07-20 07:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-21 03:33 am (UTC)Great art on your main site. Can't wait for the HBP stuff (even if you don't love Snape!)
Horcruxes and Art
Date: 2005-07-21 04:12 pm (UTC)Me and my friends went to school on Monday after reading HBP, met up and literally the first thing we said to each other was (guardedly of course!) "Harry's a thing!" Now, if you aren't all on the same wavelength as me and my trusty friends, let me explain -
Voldemort made the Horcruxes with a part of his soul in each, to keep him alive. Now, isn't it possible that when he tried to kill Harry, when the spell went wrong he accidentally made Harry a horcux? We all know that some part of Voldemort is in Harry (and we assume that that is what makes Harry able to speak parceltongue), and wouldn't it make sense for it to be part of his soul?
Sadly, this would mean that in order for Voldemort to die, Harry must find a way of destroying that part of his soul. But we think it's a good theory!
R.A.B. definitely sounds like Regulus Black, but I myself will hold out for someone else (I haven't yet thought who). It doesn't quite ring true to me...
Anyway, yes, great artwork, I really love the HP and the Pratchett stuff you've drawn, and would love to see some more of Vimes! I too think he looks like Richard D. Anderson.
Re: Horcruxes and Art
Date: 2005-07-22 02:26 am (UTC)Just Stuff About the Book
Date: 2005-07-22 09:40 pm (UTC)Also, I can remember several times in the book where I found myself going 'Oh my god! I recognize that name/place/incident/etc. Where is it?' and found myself tearing through the other books to find it. I even lost my place once when Remus mentioned Fenrir and I had to go back to the beginning and find him. Took me ten minutes to find my place again.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-23 09:02 pm (UTC)I just feel very proud of this and wanted to share ...
SNAPE IS NOT EVIL!!!
Date: 2005-07-24 08:37 pm (UTC)And although I'm not exactely sure why Dumbledore wanted to die at this point, I have a few theories(and no, I don't think it all had to do with Malfoy. Little git.) Okay, this may be corny, but in Star Wars, just before Obi-Wan Kenobi is killed by Darth Vader(teacher and student, a student eventually reclaimed from the dark side, hmmm, anyone see a connection here?), Kenobi says that if he dies, he will become more powerful than ever. Because he's part of the Force. And since the Force is just another name for the energy of the universe, it's safe to assume that Dumbledore is now part of that energy, and therefore all around. "He will only be gone from the school when none here are loyal to him" - literally true.
Also, Dumbledore's familiar was a phoenix! Rebirth! (in some capacity, anyhow)
And, although I know it's not quite the same, Dumbledore is in the Headmaster's office, in a portrait on the wall. I truly don't think he'll be sleeping all through the next book.
Umm, okay, on another note:
Although it was pretty thrown together, I just have to say this - TONKS AND LUPIN ARE SO DARN CUTE! I hope we see a little more romance between them, although I don't have high hopes.
Re: SNAPE IS NOT EVIL!!!
Date: 2005-07-28 08:27 am (UTC)but, it is also a really big coincidence that Dumbldore drug Harry off to the cave the night Draco brought the Death Eaters in, forcing Snape to do the deed that "maybe he didn't want to do [it] anymore".
The Prophecy
Date: 2005-07-25 07:28 pm (UTC)Look back to the prophecy. You know the lines that say,
"...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives."
We all assumed that this fortold an ultimate showdown between Harry and Voldemort... but does it? It was spoken, so you don't know where the capitals go, but here's my theory. Instead of the above quote, what about:
"and either must die at the hand of The Other for neither can live while The Other survives."
Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but JKR stated at some point that she worded the phopecy very carefully, so as not to give anything away, right? Well, if it seem so obvious to everyone that Harry has to take on Voldemort, that can't be what she meant, now can it? I think there's a third party/person here. What do you all think?
Re: The Prophecy
Date: 2005-07-28 05:22 pm (UTC)Re: The Prophecy
From:Regulus IS the R.A.B.?
Date: 2005-07-27 01:11 pm (UTC)where Harry and the others clean up in Grimmauld place...think its where they clean the drawer
Thats what they also found: "A dusty old locket, none of them could open."
think its the Horcrux and Regulus hide it in his home...after destroyed the horcrux inside.
Re: Regulus IS the R.A.B.?
Date: 2005-07-28 05:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-28 10:26 pm (UTC)US Edition pg 595
"Severus..."
The sound frightened Harry beyond anything he had experienced all evening. For the first time, Dumbledore was pleading.
Snape said nothing, but walked forward and pushed Malfoy roughly out of the way. The three Death Eaters fell back without a word. Even the werewolf seemed cowed.
Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.
"Severus...please..."
Dumbledore never actually gives any sign that he does not want Snape to kill him, and he would have been privvy to the "plan". Also, Snape comments to Bellatrix and Narcissa that "He intends me to do it in the end, I think."
Naturally, if Snape is really on the good side, he would have informed Dumbledore of the plan, and that he was supposed to kill him in the end. So, Dumbledore could have ordered Snape to do it, which would explain the argument, the hatred on Snape's face and Dumbledore's choice of words.
stuff
Date: 2005-07-29 07:18 pm (UTC)R.A.B. = Regulus Alphard Black (duh.)
oh, and Kreacher was the one who helped him retrieve the locket from the Cave.
P.S. Last time, after Book 5, I was terrified of archways (because of Sirius). Now, I'm terrified of caves (which, fortunately, aren't as common as archways, but it's on the same principle). Oh. Dear. God.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?????????!!!!!!!!! *sobs*
Re: stuff
Date: 2005-07-30 11:40 am (UTC)Regulus Black. Too easy too find out - there must be something behind it if it's really him.
PS. Can't live through the thought that Snape is evil. I just don't think it's THAT clear, and that DD was THAT blind.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-30 01:35 pm (UTC)And Ninny/Remmy thing? I just love this idea (maybe because of some fanfics I've read...nevermind) And I was thrilled when trio thought that Tonks loved Sirius. That would be worse.
Regulus? It could work. But I am not happy with this (I tried to put poor Sev there... my sick head doesn't realise what he did).
I agree. Harry IS a thing. I'm curious... did Dumbledore know this?
Sorry for gramatics... I'm not very good in English, you see... :)
HBP and R.A.B.
Date: 2005-07-31 02:41 pm (UTC)Though I have to admit I was surprised that Snape would write a spell like Sectumsempra, that spell is just- i can't even describe it. All I know is it's really creepy. When Harry used it on Malfoy it felt like a bucket of ice water fell on top of me, and I really don't know why, shock, probably, I got the same feeling when Snape killed Dumbledore... Weird...
Personally, I have know IDEA who R.A.B. is, but that may have something to do with the fact that I'm 13, and also the fact that I get slow during the summer break... Yeah...
R.A.B.
Date: 2005-07-31 02:47 pm (UTC)slash/ R.A.B.
Date: 2005-08-02 01:50 am (UTC)I would just about bet my toes that R.A.B. is Sirius's little brother, mainly because if you are a minor role in potterverse, your name pretty much symbolizes your destiny (I mean, Remus Lupin; Good Lord!). If I am not mistaken, the original Regulus was either an Athenian or a Roman general who was captured by the enemy (Spartans?) and given an offer he couldn't refuse, so he made a 180...and then another one, and got killed anyway.
Ginny and Harry's romance
Date: 2005-08-09 02:08 am (UTC)ha
Date: 2005-09-04 08:31 pm (UTC)This entry expresses my views on the matter entirely so instead of taking the time to write it, I will refer people here.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-05 08:29 am (UTC)