Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

Note: The following post contains spoilers for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and speculations, by no means all original, on certain matters to be addressed in book 7. If you want to read it, highlight it. If you don't, don't...


So, now we know. The Half-Blood Prince is none other than Severus Snape. And he killed Albus Dumbledore. Which leaves us with one big question - which side is he on? OK, that's just one question. There are obviously several others.

• Is Harry actually going back to Hogwarts, or is his seemingly hasty decision not to return going to stick? I incline towards the former. He's not ready yet - he can't even stand up to Snape directly, never mind Voldemort. Yes, he did in the Goblet of Fire, but that was a fluke. He's got too much to learn to go off now.


• We know that JKR spent a long-time on The Order Of The Phoenix because there was a lot of information that she needed to plant to "play fair" with her readers. So, if R.A.B. is not Regulus Black, who is it? I don't think the end of that gets answered, because I think it is Regulus Black. At least today, that's what I think...


• When Snape killed Dumbledore, was he loyal to Voldemort or Dumbledore? Did he actually kill Dumbledore? With the emphasis on non-verbal spells, I'm very suspicious that the "Avada Kedavra" which he verbally cast was not the spell that it appeared to be. On the other hand, he was bound by the unbreakable vow. I think A.P.W.B.D. is really gone. I think that the office portrait and Fawkes lament are supporting information on that.


• "The shape is not the most significant aspect of that scar, and that's all I'm going to say!" - JK Rowling. The obvious assumption is that Harry himself is one of the remaining horcruxes. Does Harry have to die to finally defeat Voldemort?

It seems pointless to actually review it. It isn't really a book - it's a continuation of an epic story that millions of people world-wide are captivated by. It would feel like reviewing chapters 14-16 of "A Tale Of Two Cities." Suffice it to say, it was an excellent read. Fully as entertaining as any of its brethren, continuing to advance the story. Where does it fit in the set in terms of quality? I don't know yet. I have to read it again, probably a couple of times, before I know. I didn't love the Order Of The Phoenix the first time through, but on subsequent readings (and listenings to the excellent Jim Dale audio version) I came to really respect it. There's a ton of good stuff in there. I suspect that will prove true for the latest as well...