Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

I have found this book to be one of the top two in the series. Although Goblet of Fire still remains my favorite, this one gave ti a run for its money. I mean, Finally Harry is happy, it takes the tragedy that happened at the end of the 5th book and handles it beautifully, and we finally get to explore the character of Ginny. Plus, the idea of Malfoy and Snape are finally decided, and I believe it is jammed pack full of action.
Plus, as a 16 year old myself I find myself finally able to relate to the characters, since they finally have a sense of meaning in their lives other than killing Voldermort and learning magic, they have lives.
Plus, who does not completely fall in love with the dombledore-Harry dynamic, then feel torn when that person dies at the end.
Also, unlike the other books in the series, this one sets up possible themes that should be seen in the next book.

After reading the Goblet of Fire, which was good, and the Order of the Phoenix, which was better, I expected the best of the Half-Blood Prince. I must say, that even though I am a huge fan, I was extremely disappointed in this book. Nothing at all of importance is happening in the first 400 pages. Nothing is exciting, nothing happens. This book would be so much better if it was shortened to 300 pages. It has no dept. After being given two amazing and frightening books, and the end fight in the Order of the Phoenix, and Harry leading Dumbledore's army, you expect more than this. All they worry about is the school tests and grades, and love. The pages after p.400 (the end of the book) is not good enough to compensate the loss of exciting material. The only thing that made a huge shocking impact on me, was the betrayal of a certain person and his terrible deed. That was so unexpected. I still can not believe it.

In all seriousness, can you really claim her work is even remotely competent?

I am a huge fantasy fan, and still read some children's fantasy series although they are way beneath my reading level, because I enjoy some of their ideas and originality. What I got with the Harry Potter series was excellent at first, but then I realized that she might as well have used a mathematical equation to compute the plot of her books. The repetitiveness of the plot and the course of events in her books was laughable. I do not see how anyone could claim them to be the masterpieces they are currently esteemed as.

Why such a bad review?

First, her hideously failed attempt at suspense. I felt stupid to have been caught up in the mystery of the Half-Blood Prince. Why? Because it has NO bearing on the plot. It was the most USELESS and disappointing piece of information the reader learns in the book. If that is not enough, she spends paragraphs hyping up why Dumbledore's hand is shriveled. This culminates to "I hurt it during my travels, searching for horcruxes." What a joke.

Harry, as usual, gets everything by sheer coincidence or because he is the savior of the world, blah blah blah. Yet he fails to get anything on his own. His fame is not even his working, and he cheats using the Half-Blood Prince's notebook to pass Potions.

Her writing remains extremely juvenile and simple, but of course that can be expected of a children's writer. I truly believe she thinks the length of the book matters, because the amount of useless chapters and paragraphs was nauseating. The important events could have made a 100-page book. The mundaneness was appalling, and I got bored waiting for events to happen, only to find out they never would or that the high point was completely unnecessary.

The story itself was not that bad, and was quite innovative, but it is obvious she stopped caring. Can you blame her, after you see the amount of brainless fans that were created by her first novels? What is the biggest turn-off for me is the amount of hype they get. I understand that they are children's books, but if that is true, why does the media claim they are masterpieces, on par with Tolkien?

She did not convert millions of children into readers. The fact that they became readers due to her novels only shows the power of the media and the want of children to fit in. Please save the praise for real masterpieces.