Harry Potter book #6

Discuss your favorite books, stories and other literary matters here. Recommend reading material to other forum users. What's on your bookshelf?
User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Harry Potter book #6

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jun 29th 2004, 3:09 pm

Info from the Leaky Cauldron about the next book's title:
June 29, 2004

J.K. Rowling Confirms Title

As we said yesterday, the book six title is indeed behind the door on JKR's site.

It's official and right from the lady's mouth, from her News section.

There's a great and lengthy update about the sixth book and whether she'd hoax us all. (No, thank goodness.)

We're taking the spoiler warning off the title now (we're going to need to start referring to this a lot and now's as good a time as any), and posting it right here so close your eyes quick if you don't want to know: the title of book six is Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Quotage from JKR:

"Information you take directly from this site will be truthful and accurate (I might occasionally joke, but as time goes on, you'll learn to tell when I'm joking). Do not trust anybody else claiming to have found information on this site that you cannot access, however seemingly convincing the images they provide to support their story...

Anyway: if you continue to exercise patience, you will find that the Do Not Disturb Door opens again… and again… giving you further hints about book six. But as a little bonus, and compensation for having been messed around by Mr. or Ms. Storgé, I shall tell you one thing without making you shift any bricks at all: the HBP is neither Harry nor Voldemort. And that's all I'm saying on THAT subject until the book's published."

It's worth nothing that releasing this title has nothing, unfortunately, to do with book release date. She released the title for book five while doing press shortly after the release of Goblet of Fire - it was three years before we subsequently received the book.

By the way, the BBC has corrected their transcript of the interview in which JKR says this was a working title for Chamber of Secrets (it accidentally read "Half Loved Prince" before).
Natasha aka candygirl :: MSCL.com

Look, if this is weird for you, being tutored? I don't mind helping you a little longer.
You could have sex with me if you really want to help...I guess that's a "no"?

User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Sep 4th 2004, 4:30 pm

J.K. Rowlings official site has some games that, if played correctly, reveal clues about the next book. One of the games reveals two sentences (yes, two whole sentences for all that work) from The Half Blood Prince:

[spoiler]He looked rather like an old lion.

There were streaks of grey in his tawny hair and his bushy eyebrows; he had keen yellowish eyes behind a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles and a certain rangy, loping grace even though he walked with a slight limp.[/spoiler]
Natasha aka candygirl :: MSCL.com

Look, if this is weird for you, being tutored? I don't mind helping you a little longer.
You could have sex with me if you really want to help...I guess that's a "no"?

User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Dec 22nd 2004, 6:17 am

Barnes & Noble and Amazon are now taking orders for $17.99! July 16th can't come soon enough!
Natasha aka candygirl :: MSCL.com

Look, if this is weird for you, being tutored? I don't mind helping you a little longer.
You could have sex with me if you really want to help...I guess that's a "no"?

User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 9th 2005, 12:23 am

Image
Natasha aka candygirl :: MSCL.com

Look, if this is weird for you, being tutored? I don't mind helping you a little longer.
You could have sex with me if you really want to help...I guess that's a "no"?

User avatar
emmie
Liberty High Graduate
Posts: 606
Joined: May 27th 1999, 10:34 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Post by emmie » Jul 15th 2005, 12:27 am

okay, so I have to bring it up. but um....yeah, HARRY POTTER IS COMING OUT SATURDAY!!!!! and not only that, but thanks to amazon.com, is being delivered right to my door. :shocked!: I simply cannot contain my excitement!! the downside is that I'm working on a large thesis film for the next 10 days straight!! for a normal person, that would simply mean that I wait a little while to read my new book. but any Potter fans will know that going without food or sleep is the least we will do to read our obsession! sad but true.

User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 15th 2005, 1:28 am

Mr. Candy and I are going to a HP party again - woo hoo! I figured I will be up at midnight anyway, so I might as well get my book then and start reading it right away instead of waiting until Saturday morning. Yes, OCD. When the last book came out, Mr. Candy's cousin's dance recital was inconveniently scheduled for that same Saturday, which cut into my reading time. I told myself I was an adult and I could take a few hours off to see her recital - only to see everyone else pull out their Harry Potter books at intermission! His cousin said that everyone was reading backstage too.

:lol:

This time his cousin is on vacation in Hawaii so the book will be arriving at her house Saturday morning but she won't be able to read it until she gets back. I told her that as soon as I finish reading the book, I will call her in Hawaii just to tell her who dies, who the half blood prince is, and what happens on the last page. Her response: "NOOOOOOO!" This coming from the same girl who asked us every five minutes, "Who dies?" when the last book came out (all of us had finished reading it except her).
Natasha aka candygirl :: MSCL.com

Look, if this is weird for you, being tutored? I don't mind helping you a little longer.
You could have sex with me if you really want to help...I guess that's a "no"?

User avatar
emmie
Liberty High Graduate
Posts: 606
Joined: May 27th 1999, 10:34 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Post by emmie » Jul 15th 2005, 11:08 am

yeah, I guess it would be fun to participate in all the hysteria and see all the excited kids and sleepy adults getting Harry Potter. but I'll just wait until the morning. that's so great that people were reading HP during intermission! if only the books were a little bit smaller, they would be more easily concealable. ha ha. I had thought about bringing my book to set. but we're shooting on a basketball court, and there are a ton of children. my book wouldn't make it alive one day, unfortunately. I'll just have to wait until the evenings to get my fix. :evil:

User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 15th 2005, 2:55 pm

It is really cute because a lot of the kids are dressed up (the party we're going to this year is having a costume contest so there should be even more kids in cute outfits than the last time!) and they have all kinds of activities like wand-making. We made awesome wands last time! I think mine was made out of a red straw with a pink feather and some ribbon. Last time they also gave out plastic Harry Potter glasses so everyone was walking around with these ugly black glasses. It was really fun, so I can't wait for tonight!

Thankfully we have on inconveniently scheduled dance recitals this weekend, so I will be up all night getting a head start on Harry Potter tonight. I know, I'm so impatient!
Natasha aka candygirl :: MSCL.com

Look, if this is weird for you, being tutored? I don't mind helping you a little longer.
You could have sex with me if you really want to help...I guess that's a "no"?

User avatar
emmie
Liberty High Graduate
Posts: 606
Joined: May 27th 1999, 10:34 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Post by emmie » Jul 15th 2005, 3:09 pm

that sounds like fun! so is Mr. Candy as into the wand making and costumes as you are? or is he more like your chaperone? :wink:

User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 15th 2005, 6:46 pm

Let's just put it this way - he still has his Harry Potter glasses from the last party! We both made wands at the last party and last night when I was looking through the list of activities planned for this year's party, I asked him if he was going to get his face painted there and he said maybe. I think that's a yes!

:lol:
Natasha aka candygirl :: MSCL.com

Look, if this is weird for you, being tutored? I don't mind helping you a little longer.
You could have sex with me if you really want to help...I guess that's a "no"?

User avatar
starbug
Lifehead
Posts: 1082
Joined: Jun 25th 2002, 4:51 am
Location: UK

Post by starbug » Jul 18th 2005, 4:59 am

Heh, I take it you have both finished HP by now (CG I would be stunned if you haven't!), and I'm not really a fan (yeah, I know... shock and horror) but I just had to jump in to say that I was at the REM concert in Hyde Park on Saturday and everyone was reading HP inbetween the warm-up bands while we waited for REM. In fact, in the security checks, the guard opened the bag of the girl in front of me and just said 'Harry Potter number 1,000'.

So come on, persuade me. I read the first two books, and while I liked them in a sort of average sense, I'm not really that impressed. Do they get better? [/b]

---------------------------------------------
http://www.urban-hills.blogspot.com
---------------------------------------------

User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 18th 2005, 3:48 pm

Yup, I finished the book on Saturday afternoon but I was waiting for other people to finish reading it before I posted about it. Luckily one of my friends has finished so we have been discussing it, while I wait for my boyfriend and my best friend from college to finish reading it!

The books definitely get better, starbug. I wasn't that impressed with the first two books either, but I kept on reading and LOVED the third book. The first book I gave a pass since there was so much background/setup to cram into one book. The second one I liked even less (almost to the point of disliking it), but I could see the appeal of the books for kids - there is an entire magical world that we don't know about! The third book sealed the deal for me. I really loved it, but then the fourth one seemed too bloated. I thought her editor should have been firmer and made it at least 100 pages shorter. The fifth one was even longer, but it went quickly and didn't seem like it was too long (if that makes any sense). It also advanced the story a lot and took a very dark tone. The sixth was similar to the fifth in that it was long, but it didn't seem gratuitiously long (unlike He's Just Not That Into You which could have been condensed down to an article in Cosmo instead of a $20 hardback book with huge fonts) and Harry is becoming even more of an adult, taking on responsibilities and risks that many of the adult characters do not dare. Unlike the earlier books where he seems to fall into these situations, Harry is now choosing to put himself in these situations.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot points in case you do decide to read the rest of the books, but one of the reasons why I like these books is that Harry has continued to develop as a character throughout the series instead of remaining stagnant while having more adventures (think: Nancy Drew). For example, in book 5, he had a lot of teenage angst and anger but in book 6 he has learned to control his temper. That's a huge oversimplification but I like that Harry continues to change and grow, even if I don't always agree with his choices.

I remember there was a hilarious article a few years ago that said Harry Potter wasn't "the boy who lived" (as he is referred to in the wizarding world) but the boy who didn't die. The article went on to say that he always gets help from his friends and isn't the great hero that people believe he is (strangely, the dig about his friends reminded me about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the possibility that she lived longer than some of the other Slayers because she had friends and family). In the earlier this books, this may be true but now Harry is consciously making choices to what is right, rather than what is easy. Instead of stumbling upon dangerous situations and saving his own neck, now he is deciding when and where.

One thing that I am ambivalent about is how dark the books have become. I don't mind it at all, and I like that there has been a gradual shift to that, but it concerns me to think that the little five year old boy I saw at the Harry Potter party will read this book at such a young age.

The party was lots of fun though. We made some awesome wands and they had tons of activities, like guessing how many Bertie Bott's Beans were in a jar. I just wrote down a number, but there were some math nerds trying to calculate exactly how many jelly beans were in the jar. They had a costume contest (which I didn't enter), and they had some worksheets with wordscrambles, crossword puzzles, etc. that were a lot harder than I thought they would be! They also had readings from the first five books and face painting. I asked the guy to do a cat face on me, thinking it was the simplest choice possible (paint on a nose and some whiskers, voila!) but as he started painting my face, he admitted that he'd never done any face painting before that night and he wasn't sure how to do a cat.

:shock:

He decided to give me a cat muzzle (which looked like a blue goatee) and strange slanted blue eyebrows about an inch over my real eyebrows. I don't care about looking like an ass in public though, and obviously I was surrounded by lots of people in costume so I blended right in! Mr. CG opted for a simple lightning bolt tattoo on his forehead.

I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to read and then stopped about 100 pages before the end because I could tell it was about to get good. I knew if I didn't stop there, I would have to finish the book. I finished reading the next day after lunch and I was so glad that I waited.

[spoiler]I had no idea Dumbledore was going to die. Months before #5 came out, there were articles everywhere quoting the JK Rowling interview where she said she cried after writing the scene that killed off an important character. I was prepared for someone to die in #5 because of all the press. In fact, every time someone tripped or stubbed a toe, I was convinced they were going to get it. For book #6, I was completely unspoiled and she didn't mention in any of her recent interviews that there was a big death in this book so Dumbledore's death was shocking. I know I'm a big baby, but I cried when Harry had to force Dumbledore to drink the potion and then I cried when Dumbledore died and I cried some more at Dumbledore's funeral. I kept trying to think of an explanation that would allow Dumbledore to live, but once his portrait appeared in the office I knew he was really gone.

That leads us to Snape. Is he really evil? I have thought about it a lot over the past two days and I have come to the conclusion that no, he isn't. I interpreted the conversation that Hagrid overheard between Dumbledore and Snape this way: Dumbledore knew about the Unbreakable Vow that Snape had made with Narcissa Malfoy. Snape was just trying to preserve his undercover position with the Death Eaters when he took the vow because refusing to do so would have raised questions about his loyalty. He has kept Dumbledore informed about all of this DE activity, so Dumbledore knew that Snape's vow meant Snape might have to kill Dumbledore. During the argument that Hagrid overheard, Snape was indicating that he could not kill Dumbldore and Dumbledore was insisting that if the time came, he must do it. They are both very good at legilmancy, so it's very possible that they were communicating in the Astronomy tower in front of Harry, Draco, and the Death Eaters. When Dumbledore later pleaded with Snape, he was saying, "Please do what you promised to do." As to why this was necessary - the Unbreakable Vow is just that: unbreakable. If Snape did not fulfill his end of the vow, he would die and the Order of the Phoenix would lose their most valuable spy. In addition, by refusing to uphold his end of the vow he would give Voldemort and the Death Eaters to suspect his motives and loyalty over the last two years, possibly changing their plans/locations which would render any information the OotP had on them useless. Dumbledore knew, as Sirius did, that "there are things worth dying for." Dumbledore was willing to die for the greater good, protecting Snape's identity as a spy and allowing the Order of the Phoenix to continue their fight against Voldemort. It's also possible that he knew his injury from destroying the Marvolo ring horcrux/drinking the potion was fatal.

JK Rowling explained that the portraits, like the Marauder's Map, do not keep the wizards alive within them. She said it's more like leaving behind a recording of your voice. They will still be able to communicate with Dumbledore, but to what extent? Will he be able to tell them everything he knows?

R.A.B. - Regulus Black, the younger brother of Sirius who was killed by Death Eaters after trying to leave Voldemort's fold? Remember the heavy gold locket they found but no one could open in 12 Grimmauld Place in #5? Hopefully Mundungus didn't steal it along with all the Black family silver.[/spoiler]
Natasha aka candygirl :: MSCL.com

Look, if this is weird for you, being tutored? I don't mind helping you a little longer.
You could have sex with me if you really want to help...I guess that's a "no"?

User avatar
emmie
Liberty High Graduate
Posts: 606
Joined: May 27th 1999, 10:34 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Post by emmie » Jul 18th 2005, 11:06 pm

well, starbug, I would have had HP finished, but I'm working full time on a thesis film and only have a few hours at night to read. I'm only about a third through the book, but can't wait to be able to read candygirl's longass spoiler!!!! :-P

I agree with CG that the books definitely get better. book 4 has been my favorite thus far. but book 3 is where things really get depth and interesting. and it's true that while Harry has some help from his friends, he increasingly becomes the leader and has to save the day by himself. and like CG said, he ultimately has to make big decisions on his own and grows from that. I like it because life isn't easy for him and all hunky-dory like many children's stories. there's so much controversy surrounding him because it's about wizardry, but I think it teaches some valuable lessons to young people without blatantly shoving them down your throat. showing instead of telling, I guess.

man, that was a tangent and totally wasted some valuable HP time!! yikes!!

User avatar
starbug
Lifehead
Posts: 1082
Joined: Jun 25th 2002, 4:51 am
Location: UK

Post by starbug » Jul 26th 2005, 2:59 pm

candygirl wrote:second one I liked even less (almost to the point of disliking it)
That's exactly how I felt about it - I just gave up because I thought it was all hype and no substance. I have remained mystified regarding what the 'hook' is that keeps people reading them.
candygirl wrote:Harry is becoming even more of an adult, taking on responsibilities and risks that many of the adult characters do not dare. Unlike the earlier books where he seems to fall into these situations, Harry is now choosing to put himself in these situations.
candygirl wrote: now Harry is consciously making choices to what is right, rather than what is easy. Instead of stumbling upon dangerous situations and saving his own neck, now he is deciding when and where.
This interests me much more - perhaps I shall have to purchase myself the rest of the books. If nothing else, in future years I can read them to my nephew :wink:
candygirl wrote:I just wrote down a number
:shock: What? What happened to the OCD? I can only assume some kid's wizard hat obscured your view :wink:

Yikes! warning - everyone, when you hit the quote button, to reply to the quote, and it contains a spoiler, you can see the spoiler text. I have the ability to stop reading after 2 milliseconds, which I did because I've now decided to persevere with Harry, but I'm aware not everyone can resist their eyes wandering down the spoiler. I don't know if everyone else was already aware of this or not. Anyway, you have been warned!

In fact, maybe I should post that to the spoiler forum or something.

Anyway, one of the things I respect about HP (and JK Rowling) is that it has obviously brought so many people together all around the world, and has got kids reading more than ever. Plus it's an added bonus to be able to attend fun parties and really get into it, whether you're a kid or not! I think Harry deserves a second chance. Well, that and the fact that I'm just too curious not to.

---------------------------------------------
http://www.urban-hills.blogspot.com
---------------------------------------------

User avatar
emmie
Liberty High Graduate
Posts: 606
Joined: May 27th 1999, 10:34 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Post by emmie » Jul 26th 2005, 4:33 pm

yay, starbug has given Harry a second chance!! definitely let us know what you think after reading books 3 and 4, and if you've changed your mind about the series.


candygirl: [spoiler]I have to say that this was my least favorite book of all of them. it literally seemed like someone else wrote it. that or it was just like a bridge book to build up to the 7th. for most of the book, nothing happened. it was just a history lesson from Dumbledore. granted, it was really interesting to see the history of Voldemort, but it seemed like that was it. there wasn't enough at stake, things were too easy for Harry. I mean, I don't want him to suffer, especially after book 5, but it all was just too simple. I also didn't like how they treated the Hermione and Ron thing, or Harry and Ginny. Ginny just came out of nowhere. the intriguing thing about Cho was that she was Harry's crush for several books, so it was very exciting when they finally kissed. but with Ginny, Harry just suddenly started to feel for her in the middle of the book.

I agree with you on the whole Dumbledore death. I didn't see it coming either. and while it was painful for Harry to have to feed him the potion, I didn't get too upset because I knew that it would all work out in the end. and even up on the roof, I knew that somehow, Snape had created a loophole or something. because Dumbledore couldn't possibly die. I knew that it was true though when Harry wasn't paralyzed any longer. and I simply cried for the remainder of the book.

I'm torn on the issue of Snape though. all the arguments you gave for him being a spy for the Order make sense. but why does he have to be such an ass? another point is that he wasn't fighting Harry back, merely blocking his curses. perhaps he is trying to protect Harry because he knows that he's bad at legilimency.

I also agree that the locket is in the black family. that's what I thought of as soon as I saw the B initial. but I didn't remember Remulus. good thinking! it's probably one of those items that Kreacher kept hoarding away under the cupboard. I'm assuming that Harry will go there after he becomes legal, and hopefully find it early in the book. give him something to be hopeful about. there's so much to cover in book 7, it better be longer 6!

I think him breaking up with Ginny was stupid though. so....it's okay to bring Ron and Hermione along, but not Ginny? she's way more valuable than Ron!! she could actually help in a serious situation!!

all in all I was dissappointed in this book. it seemed too simple and things happened and fit too well together. even Dumbledore's death was too easy. weaken him, take his wand away, hell even Neville could have killed him in that condition. sheesh.

so....that's my initial rant/stream of consciousness, having just finished it late last night. [/spoiler]

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests