Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince - J K Rowling (Book)

76/100 of #100bookpact Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince - J K Rowling Sixth book of the series and things are still getting very interested in this one too as to my shock and surprise they are now finally getting us muggles involved too in the story. I was actually thinking about this earlier too - how come they always live in a parallel world of sorts and never come to our side - finally they do in this one as the real people too are under threat by Lord Voldemort and his followers - High time that Ministry of Magic looks forward to Dumbledore's and his army for support to save the world I guess. Harry Potter's journey has been outstanding so far and this one too had a crackling start - with this its pretty much clear that now it becomes a "How done it" - I am amazed by the way she opens it up right at the start but the suspense is killing now as whats going to happen next and will they succeed? Harry Potter's inheritance and Dursley's loss did put a big smile on my face although its quite too late but looking forward to his turning seventeen eagerly now. Sometimes I wonder about writers that how in the world they know what their readers are looking forward to and give them exactly that? JKR has certainly become one of my favorite writers (after reading 5 books back to back - of-course she had to) and in this one - I had been waiting for this moment specially the one O one between Dumbledore and Harry and him walking up to his place and taking him around - totally loved that part - was expecting it for so long and glad that it finally happened answering a lot of questions too and its hilarious the way they both recruit the new "Defence against the Dark Arts(!?)" teacher that makes it all the more interesting to see and wait for the final outcome. Now this part is super interesting for me especially when one of my all time favorite character "Snape" gets so much attention. His loyalty to Hogwarts, Dumbledore and the Order of Phoenix is doubted by Harry but what is the reality? But I must say again that Hats off to Rowling for writing the character of Snape most trickily, as she almost pulled it till the sixth book.
Finally, this one gives a great insight on the birth, history and making of "Lord Voldemort" and the way it does is too good. It was simply fantastic the way they give out the story and taking it forward to the oncoming superb finale (as expectations are sky high now definitely). The Jigsaw puzzle is almost getting completed here still it keeps the reader suspended to more secrets, role of the new Potions master, his hidden memory, who is the Half Blood Prince? and whats his role? too good. Totally hooking till the very last page and still some questions remain unanswered which I guess will be answered in the grand finale. But in the ending this one actually opens up a sort of Pandora's box for the readers with so much going on and everything falling at the right place in the end is simply superb. Had me in splits almost falling off the chair laughing at times specially at the episode when Harry uses the 'Good Luck Potion" and Prof Slughorn is having a good time with Hagrid - hilarious laugh riot. Also, its too good to see Harry getting a girl friend finally and Ron too not running out of luck totally in that front either. But this one gave me the biggest lump in the throat with one of my favorite (Snape) finally going the wrong way and leading to one uncalled and totally unexpected killing, funeral scene did actually made my eyes go moist. What can I say of the shockingly abrupt ending, even after 650+ page length, trust me it feels abrupt and just cant wait to pick up the last of the series right after I put this on-line. 

This one definitely is one of my favorite from the series for sure as have no idea whats in store for me in the final book of the series. 

PS - The Movie: As I mentioned earlier in my previous book reviews - Movies are a big let down as far as you see it from the Reader's perspective. I mean imagine the tile "Half Blood Prince" and it gets mentioned only twice during the entire course of the movie - hilarious in the end when the prince himself declares that "I am the half blood prince" and I say "my foot". Of-course I wasn't expecting them to cover the whole stuff but missing so many characters and on top of that changing the story bits here and there but one good thing about movies is that they do put a smile on your face with superb casting - wonderfully perfect people they have chosen. After watching this one last night - I am doubly glad that I didn't read the books earlier and watched the movie parallel as I had no connect then with the characters but this time after reading the book - I was all in tears at the death scene in the ending with a big lump in my throat.