Book Review: Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince

March Hare Rating System: 4.5 Golden Snitches out of 5.

I studiously avoided all reviews and Harry Potter websites (except J.K. Rowlings). I'm glad I did. I'm a little bit smug because two things I expected to happen did. But there were a couple of twists I did not see coming, although when they did, they were perfectly logical. Not everyone is going to be pleased with how this book turns out, but just trust Ms. Rowlings and her vision of the story.

Order of the Phoenix did carry a lot bigger emotional wallop for me--I felt I had been punched in the stomach. The emotion in Half-Blood Prince seems less hysterical, more subtle, and, maybe because of that, stronger. Harry has matured and J.K. Rowlings' writing with it.

Based on comments on her website, Ms. Rowlings hasn't started Book Seven. I expect it will be a three year wait for the last one. But while I want to know the conclusion, knowing that the series will be over makes it a bittersweet occasion.