The identity of the Prince is turning out to be the main enigma in this book, I think. Hermione's attempt at suggesting it might be a woman was … interesting?
One wonders what's behind that. Though Harry's "I just know it's a bloke, I just know" seems rather sexist, too. Turns out Hermione is sort of right, but wrong on the essentials.
It is also interesting that Voldemort, the great horror of the magical community, is the result of a witch abusing her power to force a muggle to submit to her. It fits very nicely with the themes we have been seeing earlier.
Hm, hadn't thought of that, but you're right - even though I think I speak for everyone when I say I sympathize more with Merope than with Tom Riddle Sr. He abuses his power against Muggles, like his mother, while being as heartless as his father (though that may be a bit unfair on Tom Sr., who after all we know very little about).
The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Book Six, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- 18/10/2010 06:12:40 PM
3150 Views
General comments on the book.
- 18/10/2010 06:14:10 PM
1807 Views
Suggestions.
- 18/10/2010 06:18:46 PM
1836 Views
*cough*
- 09/11/2010 09:24:21 AM
1718 Views
Chapters 1-3: The Other Minister, Spinner's End, Will and Won't.
- 18/10/2010 06:21:55 PM
2067 Views
Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
- 18/10/2010 06:25:12 PM
2071 Views
Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
- 18/10/2010 06:55:06 PM
2078 Views
Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
- 19/10/2010 01:07:59 AM
2074 Views
*spoilers for book 7* an assortment of characters
- 19/10/2010 01:01:35 AM
2033 Views
Plotting and writing.
- 18/10/2010 06:27:40 PM
1575 Views
*spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue &stuff
- 19/10/2010 01:02:53 AM
1867 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
- 20/10/2010 02:58:54 PM
1798 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
- 20/10/2010 03:14:35 PM
1906 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 18/10/2010 06:28:16 PM
941 Views
Dumbledore-centered.
- 19/10/2010 01:03:05 AM
1960 Views
Chapters 4-6: Horace Slughorn, An Excess of Phlegm, Draco's Detour. *NM*
- 20/10/2010 03:44:39 PM
1086 Views
Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
- 20/10/2010 03:46:47 PM
1989 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
- 20/10/2010 05:27:26 PM
2001 Views
(Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
- 20/10/2010 09:25:20 PM
2052 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
- 20/10/2010 09:46:08 PM
1946 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
- 20/10/2010 10:15:58 PM
1978 Views
Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
- 20/10/2010 09:23:04 PM
1851 Views
Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
- 20/10/2010 09:56:28 PM
1824 Views
Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
- 20/10/2010 10:17:23 PM
2012 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 20/10/2010 03:48:07 PM
941 Views
So. Inferi are zombies aren't they? I just realised. Ick. Do they eat brains? *NM*
- 20/10/2010 09:24:03 PM
983 Views
I was kind of disappointed that Harry didn't remark on that fact. 
*NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:24:11 PM
1038 Views
*NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:24:11 PM
1038 Views
Chapters 7-9: Slug Club, Snape Victorious, The Half-Blood Prince *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:03 PM
1088 Views
Characters *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:24 PM
1029 Views
Harry, Romilda, Malfoy (in luuuve), Snape, Lavender Brown, McGonagall, Hermione and Slughorn.
- 22/10/2010 07:26:19 PM
1981 Views
Love is in the air, evidently.
- 22/10/2010 07:54:35 PM
1926 Views
Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
- 22/10/2010 10:34:49 PM
1943 Views
Re: Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
- 25/10/2010 10:33:04 AM
1668 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:37 PM
1026 Views
Dumbledore, patronuses and the DADA job.
- 22/10/2010 07:27:23 PM
1880 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:50 PM
1041 Views
I believe in Wrackspurts, too. And some questions.
- 22/10/2010 07:28:04 PM
1739 Views
I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
- 22/10/2010 09:58:27 PM
1828 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
- 23/10/2010 05:34:25 PM
1841 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
- 25/10/2010 10:35:43 AM
1872 Views
Chapters 10-12: The House of Gaunt, Hermione's Helping Hand, Silver and Opals. *NM*
- 25/10/2010 05:00:02 PM
1084 Views
Characters: The Gaunts, the Trio, Hagrid, and many more. *NM*
- 25/10/2010 05:02:07 PM
1048 Views
Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
- 25/10/2010 06:15:23 PM
2035 Views
*lol*
- 25/10/2010 06:39:19 PM
1863 Views
Re: Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
- 26/10/2010 09:23:09 AM
1793 Views
Trelawny, Ogden, Gaunt, Ron, Hermione, Ron and Harry
- 25/10/2010 10:23:55 PM
1783 Views
Plotting and writing.
- 25/10/2010 05:03:16 PM
1873 Views
Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
- 25/10/2010 05:37:28 PM
1911 Views
Re: Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
- 26/10/2010 09:46:47 AM
1801 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 25/10/2010 05:03:32 PM
856 Views
Dumbledore still sounds like Stephen Fry. And reflections on the nature of Potions class.
- 25/10/2010 05:11:24 PM
1742 Views
It's like baking, I think.
- 25/10/2010 05:32:42 PM
1842 Views
Yes, exactly like baking - and advanced baking involves experimenting, substituting, improvising.
- 25/10/2010 06:42:42 PM
1944 Views
Also, Parseltongue - is Harry that thick, or is it a magic thing?
- 25/10/2010 05:18:41 PM
1810 Views
I think it's a magic thing.
- 25/10/2010 05:34:09 PM
1813 Views
It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
- 25/10/2010 05:55:28 PM
1780 Views
Re: It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
- 27/10/2010 04:31:45 PM
1835 Views
parseltongue
- 25/10/2010 10:24:46 PM
1946 Views
Interesting how many of our remarks are along similar lines. *NM*
- 25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM
912 Views
*NM*
- 25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM
912 Views
Chapters 13-15: The Secret Riddle, Felix Felicis, The Unbreakable Vow *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:16:28 PM
1032 Views
Characters: The Trio, Ginny, Tom Riddle, Draco,... *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:17:12 PM
1017 Views
Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron & Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Luna
- 27/10/2010 10:31:39 PM
1855 Views
My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
- 29/10/2010 01:47:20 PM
1773 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
- 29/10/2010 09:06:16 PM
1789 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
- 29/10/2010 11:02:15 PM
1862 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:17:26 PM
823 Views
plot and writing.
- 27/10/2010 10:30:14 PM
1842 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:17:42 PM
875 Views
Re: Anything else?
- 27/10/2010 10:30:55 PM
1982 Views
I wonder if that's actually true, though.
- 28/10/2010 10:39:20 AM
1979 Views
Re: I wonder if that's actually true, though.
- 28/10/2010 10:44:22 AM
1833 Views
Crabbe and Goyle show us what happens when you fail (most of? all of?) your OWLs.
- 29/10/2010 02:10:39 PM
1949 Views
Chapters 16-18: A Very Frosty Christmas, A Sluggish Memory, Birthday Surprises *NM*
- 29/10/2010 05:40:39 PM
1019 Views
Characters: The Trio, Fleur, Scrimgeour, Percy, Remus, Slughorn,... *NM*
- 29/10/2010 05:43:02 PM
1092 Views
Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
- 29/10/2010 08:51:58 PM
1980 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
- 02/11/2010 06:23:04 PM
1857 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 29/10/2010 05:44:04 PM
906 Views
Chapters 19-21: Elf Tails, Lord Voldemort's Requests, The Unknowable Room *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:00:22 PM
798 Views
Characters: The Trio, the elves, Draco, Dumbledore,... *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:00:56 PM
1146 Views
the twins, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Voldemort, Draco and Tonks
- 01/11/2010 02:08:32 PM
1701 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:01:27 PM
917 Views
I want to hear the joke about the hag, the Healer and the Mimbulus mimbletonia. *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:10:11 PM
1522 Views
Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
- 03/11/2010 09:52:12 PM
1894 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
- 03/11/2010 09:54:05 PM
2181 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
- 08/11/2010 01:54:59 PM
1856 Views
Chapters 22-24: After the Burial, Horcruxes, Sectumsempra
- 03/11/2010 09:50:17 PM
2093 Views
Characters. *NM*
- 03/11/2010 09:50:33 PM
1053 Views
Malfoy, Ron & Hermione, Slughorn, Voldemort, Snape and Ginny.
- 04/11/2010 12:12:57 AM
1855 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 03/11/2010 09:50:50 PM
927 Views
Harry wrong again, house elves, horcruxes, free will, well hidden clues and some irony *DH spoiler*
- 03/11/2010 10:35:20 PM
1825 Views
Re: Stuff.
- 04/11/2010 04:28:04 AM
1881 Views
Re: Stuff. *spoilers for book 7*
- 04/11/2010 09:10:19 AM
1929 Views
This "we'll see in book seven" thing is getting old, but still that's what I have to say here...
- 04/11/2010 01:23:01 PM
1711 Views
- 04/11/2010 01:23:01 PM
1711 Views
Some comments inside. *DH Spoilers*
Chapters 25-27: The Seer Overheard, The Cave, The Lightning-Struck Tower
- 05/11/2010 05:37:42 PM
1711 Views
Characters: Harry, Trelawney, Dumbledore, Draco, Snape. And maybe some other people. *NM*
- 05/11/2010 05:38:19 PM
906 Views
Romilda, Snape, Trelawny, Draco, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Harry *spoilers book 7*
- 05/11/2010 07:34:01 PM
1851 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 05/11/2010 05:39:43 PM
934 Views
I like how good magic is not flashy. Also, a Tolkien thing
- 05/11/2010 07:55:27 PM
1816 Views
I didn't take the comparison as far, but the gate thing did remind me of Moria, yes. (DH spoilers)
- 05/11/2010 10:03:16 PM
2058 Views
Chapters 28-30: Flight of the Prince, The Phoenix Lament, The White Tomb. *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:12 PM
1054 Views
Characters. *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:25 PM
882 Views
Snape, Lupin, Hermione & Ron, the Order, Mrs Weasley & Fleur, Luna & Neville, Scrimgeour, Ginny *DH*
- 09/11/2010 02:20:01 PM
1767 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:40 PM
1009 Views
Spoilers.
- 09/11/2010 02:26:38 PM
1743 Views
Re: Spoilers.
- 09/11/2010 04:49:06 PM
1802 Views
I'm assuming not even the Ministry knows 100% what she did.
- 13/11/2010 12:26:14 AM
1879 Views
Very true.
- 15/11/2010 01:48:36 PM
1878 Views
Not much, no, but there's one fairly crucial mention.
- 15/11/2010 04:37:23 PM
1848 Views
With my keen attention to detail, I somehow missed that. 
Another good catch!
- 15/11/2010 09:36:37 PM
2039 Views
Another good catch!
- 15/11/2010 09:36:37 PM
2039 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:53 PM
900 Views
We did the Harry Potter marathon thing on Sunday
- 09/11/2010 02:28:08 PM
1863 Views
This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
- 09/11/2010 04:34:33 PM
1911 Views
Re: This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
- 09/11/2010 04:36:29 PM
1859 Views
I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
- 15/11/2010 04:45:48 PM
1954 Views
Re: I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
- 15/11/2010 04:50:57 PM
1784 Views