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Post by imperfectly_green on Jul 17, 2005 11:22:34 GMT -5
Since HP and the HBP is an international phenomena already I thought we might as well have a place for all of us hard-core (and not so hard-core but fans all the same) to discuss it. Note: Please avoid spoilers for those of us who haven't read the book (I ordered a copy that hasn't arrived yet) but are dying to get their hands on it. Feel free to say what you thought about the book, reviews, how long it took you to read it, how it compares to the other books, etc. Have fun!
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Post by stars in the sky on Jul 17, 2005 12:12:21 GMT -5
The release party I went to at a local Barnes & Noble wasn't quite as great as I'd expected, seeing as not much happened. I donned a borrowed cape-cloak thing and a pointy witch hat, as well as my Mark (as in Cohen from Rent) scarf (which still needs tassels) masquerading as a Ravenclaw accessory. For the record, every time I fixed my hat, I really wanted to paint my face green and belt out "Defying Gravity," except I can't really sing...
I'd picked up my yellow I-have-a-reserved-copy bracelet earlier, and as #273 I was there for a while longer before I actually got to buy my book, with which I got a free Book 6 poster and a lime green LiveStrong-type bracelet that has a little owl and the words "July 16, 2005" embossed on it, which I've since been wearing.
The book was so good! I won't post any spoilers, but I will say that the ending was more like that of Book 3 than the others, which, to me, is a good thing. J.K. Rowling did a great job with fleshing out Harry a bit more, something I hadn't seen in the last installment. Ditto other characters; I was quite satisfied with Malfoy's direction, for instance, which also wasn't the case in the past. My shipper self isn't entirely satisfied, but there'll be some great fanfiction to read on that front, I'm sure, and hopefully all that pairing stuff will be resolved in the next (and *gasp* last) book. It was definitely worth the excitement and buying it at one in the morning.
Plus, I just set a new record for myself, having read it in about six nonconsecutive hours. Verily, w00t.
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Post by DisneyFanatic on Jul 17, 2005 19:14:25 GMT -5
Random and pointless observation that amuses me and will only be understood here:
The connection between Harry Potter and the song "Lily's Eyes" from the secret garden amuses me to no end.
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Post by stars in the sky on Jul 17, 2005 21:30:48 GMT -5
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Post by DisneyFanatic on Jul 17, 2005 21:57:31 GMT -5
NEVILLE:
Strangely quiet, but now the storm
Simply rests to strike again.
Standing, waiting, I think of her.
I think of her.
ARCHIBALD:
Strange, this Mary, she leaves the room,
Yet remains, She lingers on.
Something stirs me to think of her.
I think of her.
NEVILLE:
From death she casts her spell,
All night we hear her sighs,
And now a girl has come
Who has her eyes.
She has her eyes.
The girl has Lily's hazel eyes,
Those eyes that saw him happy long ago.
Those eyes that gave him life
And hope he'd never known.
How can he see the girl
And miss those hazel eyes?
ARCHIBALD:
She has her eyes.
The girl has Lily's hazel eyes,
Those eyes that closed and left me all alone.
Those eyes I feel will never ever let me go!
How can I see this girl who has her hazel eyes?
In Lily's eyes a castle
This house seemed to be,
And I, the bravest knight, became,
My lady fair was she.
NEVILLE:
She has her eyes.
She has my Lily's hazel eyes.
Those eyes that loved my brother-never me.
Those eyes that never saw me,
Never knew I longed
To hold her close,
To live at last in Lily's Eyes!
ARCHIBALD:
Imagine me, a lover!
NEVILLE:
I longed for the day
She'd turn and see me standing there.
NEVILLE: ARCHIBALD:
Would God have let her stay! Would God have let her stay!
She has her eyes. She has her eyes.
She has Lily's hazel eyes. My Lily's hazel eyes.
Those eyes that saw me
Those eyes that first I loved so! Happy long ago.
How can How can
I now forget I now forget
That once I dared to be That once I dared to be in love.
To be alive and whole Alive and whole
In Lily's eyes, In Lily's eyes,
In Lily's eyes! In Lily's eyes!
Yeah, well most of the lyrics don't really apply to HP but the whole "Lily's Eyes" thing amuses me because of Lily Potter, and Harry having her eyes and stuff. That's it.
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Post by ElphieatShiz on Jul 18, 2005 10:40:08 GMT -5
I'm third in line to read the book in my house. Luckily, I have other books to read since my mom reads slowly (she bought the book so she gets to read it first). I have to keep telling her not to say anything while she reads it. It just happens that I'm reading the other Harry Potter books (in French  It's a great way to keep my understanding of the language. |
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Post by DefyingGravity12 on Jul 18, 2005 14:13:54 GMT -5
Random and pointless observation that amuses me and will only be understood here: The connection between Harry Potter and the song "Lily's Eyes" from the secret garden amuses me to no end. Wow.....now that I think of it, that's so true, because everyone's always commenting on how Harry has his mother Lily's eyes, and the song talks about Mary having her Aunt Lily's eyes. I can't believe I never noticed that, since I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and also a Secret Garden Fan. Anyway, Half-Blood Prince is awesome!!!! I won't say any spoilers or anything. I am almost finished, but a bunch of my friends cried their eyes out when they finished..... |
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Post by ~Wind Phoenix~ on Jul 18, 2005 22:38:23 GMT -5
Wahoo! 5 1/2 hours! (Sorry, a must-do)
One thing I'm really pleased about is the Malfoy bits. Before he was sorta one dimensional, but now he has more depth.
The ending was very sad, I was planning to wear black, but it's too hot for that. (I suppose that's not really a spoiler...)
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Post by DefyingGravity12 on Jul 19, 2005 14:43:03 GMT -5
Wahoo! 5 1/2 hours! (Sorry, a must-do) One thing I'm really pleased about is the Malfoy bits. Before he was sorta one dimensional, but now he has more depth. The ending was very sad, I was planning to wear black, but it's too hot for that. (I suppose that's not really a spoiler...) Yeah...I really liked how J.K. Rowling portrayed Malfoy in this book. It gives him a lot more character andmaked him a lot more accessable. |
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Post by StageFiyero on Jul 19, 2005 17:24:54 GMT -5
I just finished, it was awesome! I liked Half-Blood Prince SO much better than Order of the Phoenix... and about being surprised about who the HBP was - I didn't want it to be that person and denied it to the last minute, but you could sort of see it coming.
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Post by DisneyFanatic on Jul 19, 2005 21:41:21 GMT -5
I honestly saw little need for the sub-plot of the HBP, hopefully it'll be more relevent in the final book.
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Post by stars in the sky on Jul 19, 2005 21:58:54 GMT -5
To what/which subplot do you refer, DisneyFanatic?
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Post by skullbank on Jul 19, 2005 22:10:45 GMT -5
I'm a huge HP fan, but I didn't really enjoy the book that much. Mostly my taste, I guess, since the story's getting much more dramatic, less fun, and too many relationships, which doesn't interest me. And it's like everyone decided to never talk about Sirius again, which, to me, was more upsetting than book 5.
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Post by ~Wind Phoenix~ on Jul 20, 2005 9:37:12 GMT -5
To what/which subplot do you refer, DisneyFanatic? I think DisneyFanatic meant the potions textbook and the HBP writing in it and stuff. I think that was meant to move the story along, or might be important in book 7. |
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Post by stars in the sky on Jul 20, 2005 22:33:42 GMT -5
What?! It was just a little bit important in this one, no offense...
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It's a great way to keep my understanding of the language.
