Half-Blood Prince spends more time looking into the history behind the danger Harry is facing. By this point, he knows how serious the situation is. Learning more about Voldemort’s past gives him something else to work with, and it gives the reader a better understanding of how the series arrived here.
Dumbledore is a great part of Harry Potter, and his time with Harry has real importance in this book. Their meetings involve examining memories and trying to understand what those memories reveal. Harry has plenty to learn, and some of it depends on paying attention to details rather than being quick with a wand.
That approach fits something I’ve enjoyed throughout the series: an object, a conversation, or a piece of history can turn out to matter more than you initially expected. The diary in Chamber of Secrets was a cool example. Here, the past gives Harry and Dumbledore information they need for the future. There’s a purpose to going back and looking closely.
The old Potions textbook brings another mystery into Harry’s everyday school life. Someone has filled it with notes and instructions that make him unexpectedly successful in class. It’s easy to understand the appeal of finding better directions than the ones everybody else is using. But Harry is relying on advice from someone he knows very little about, which gives that success some uncertainty.
Slughorn adds a different personality to the teaching staff. He likes talent, famous names, and being connected to people who might become important. That makes his interest in students more complicated than simply wanting them to do well. Snape continues to give Harry plenty to think about too, with questions about trust running through the book.
There’s still ordinary teenage life happening alongside all of this. Quidditch, friendships, crushes, and romantic disasters don’t disappear because the bigger situation is dangerous. Ron, Hermione, and Harry have personal problems to deal with as well. Some of the funniest moments come from how badly they manage those problems.
The darker story is always there, though. The threat beyond Hogwarts affects the atmosphere inside it, and the book keeps building toward something serious. I’m keeping the final events out of this review, but the last stretch sets up a very different task for the final book.
Half-Blood Prince gives Dumbledore and Harry time together, develops the history behind the larger mystery, and keeps the familiar characters involved in all the mess of growing up. It adds a lot to the series before the conclusion has to bring everything together.
Who I’d recommend it to
Readers who enjoy the mysteries and history behind the wizarding world, especially Harry’s relationship with Dumbledore. This is the sixth book, so read the first five before starting. Much of its importance comes from what has already happened.
Caution
May cause suspiciously good grades in Potions and sudden romantic feelings for someone you’ve barely spoken to. Check the chocolates. Handwritten spells in secondhand textbooks come with no customer support.
Discussion questions
Did you enjoy the time spent exploring Voldemort’s past?
Would you have trusted the notes in Harry’s Potions textbook?
How did the humor and relationship trouble fit alongside the darker story for you?
Keep the comments spoiler-free, or clearly mark spoilers before discussing specific outcomes.
— Cory Lane