girlofprey

Finished Half-Blood Prince last night.

Okay, I was going to do more as-we-go-along posts, but didn't through busyness, so I've probably forgotten a lot of what I liked, didn't like, or had a problem with. But I liked the book, overall. Sort of. It made me want to go read the other ones, in any case. I do like Harry more now, having seen all his school interactions, but - the 'Hero' parts just make me go 'eeeesh', and it kind of ruined the ending for me. Hard to feel tense about the fate of a character you don't particularly care about, and know is not going to die. Hmm. But anyway:

The Good:

Okay, it's not really 'good', but - Tom Riddle. I take back the bit about the cowardly bully. Sort of. He freaks me out. As do Horcruxes. Maiming your soul through forbidden, unnatural arts? - shades of Frankenstein there, and it's such a cliche but people doing things or learning things against the laws of nature, late at night in secret rooms when everyone else is asleep or in bed, just ::shuddershuddershudder::. Very convincing portrayal of a boy who is against the laws of nature, choices be damned.

The same goes for the lake in the cave. As I've said, I didn't find the bit on the island one bit tense, from the Potion of Anguish to the attack of the inferi - it's a creepy idea, but it was so matter-of-fact (one drink, 'no please!', two drinks, 'oh god!'...) I was just like 'mm-hm? And?'. But the setting - gigantic black cavern with a silent black lake filled with silent, dead bodies just waiting to silently drag you down with them? ::shuddershuddershudder::

Draco. Oh how I love Draco. Perhaps my mind has been poisoned by fandom and I really do need to read more than half of the first book, but I found all his scenes, all his new layers, completely believable, and completely seeable - in that I SAW them, in my head, like it was a film, which is more than I ever got from Harry. I do not feel at all ashamed at having more sympathy for him than I have for Harry. Moaning Myrtle is probably not a very rational, trustworthy character, and probably not the voice of JK Rowling's feelings, but her description of him as 'sensitive, lonely and bullied' probably speaks for all his fans, I think, and creates a much better character than he is in Rowling's mind if this isn't so. I love him.

More on Draco. The bullet point was getting too long. Of course, we've seen positive descriptions of him from quite a few other characters over the pages. Dumbledore himself showed a sensitivity to his 'position', doesn't think he's a killer, and even called him an 'innocent' (squee!! I so need that on an icon). We've seen him come up against what's probably the hardest thing he's ever done - perhaps the first thing he's ever really had to do for himself, without money or help from his parents - and he was mostly tired and exhausted and scared. He's clearly not Voldemort's favourite person, or even a particularly desired convert to the cause, possibly because of his wavering devotion to evil. We've also seen that he's a good, clever thinker - 'cunning', I suppose - when put to the test, thinking even around Dumbledore when Dumbledore knew he was up to something. I hold out much hope for Draco in Book Seven. I hope he does not die.

We shall ignore Kreacher's lyrical waxing (did anyone else start thinking of thoroughbreds and pedigree dogs?). Although Harry is clearly just jealous of his love. Much the same as he can't stand the idea of Malfoy being allowed to run around in private with two girls (two!!).

It is very nice when one of your favourite peripheral characters becomes a major (or majorer) part of the plot :)

I am holding out much hope for Snape also. I am aware of arguments like this, that perhaps we are looking for ambiguities and layers of meaning and a better story that simply is not there - but I hold out hope. Because we might get that story, and frankly I don't see anything in any of Snape's behaviour here that could not be explained. He gave very good evil reasons for his actions over the course of the books - well, yes, he was talking to Death Eaters. He killed Dumbledore - well, yes, but Dumbledore was weakened, alone, wandless and surrounded by other Death Eaters, and almost certainly going to be killed anyway. And he didn't want Draco to be the one to do it (innocent! Squee!). We've seen hatred and revulsion on his face, but we've also heard him specifically talking about what a good actor he has to be, down to disguising even his thoughts - in all things we must remember he was putting on a show for the Death Eaters, especially in his treatment of Harry. And given that Lupin saw through the reason Harry assumes Dumbledore trusted him for, I have to believe there's a better one, or else all our trust in Dumbledore has to go too. And I'm guessing - like most of fandom, perhaps - that he was in love with Lily. We've heard a lot about how good she was at Potions - Snape's best subject - and he can't have been that against 'Mudblood's, considering he was half one himself. Definitely plausible, to say the least.

More on Snape. If he is so evil, what about his Unbreakable Vow? What do we make of that? A show for the Death Eaters, perhaps, but an unnecessary one, and one that went against Voldemort's wishes. Of course, you could then argue that he was endangering the mission from Dumbledore, but what are you going to do? I like to think we've seen real affection for Draco, real semi-protectiveness of him over the book ('run, Draco!' XD), perhaps ending with protecting him against either killing Dumbledore or being killed by Voldemort for failing. And it's certainly not his evil or usefulness to Voldemort he was saving him for. As for his behaviour to Harry - again, it was all in front of Death Eaters or people who might report back to them, and who knows, maybe his appraisal of Harry as 'mediocre' is true, and he's trying to push him a little further ('always blocked and always will be, so long as you keep your mind closed!'). We've heard more and more about the power of Love in this book, and how it's what Harry will need to defeat Voldemort - what more ultimate show of it than to finally forgive and work with Snape if it turns out he's really (mostly) good? And if that's true, we might be able to assume that it's opposite number is true - that Harry has to learn that sometimes you have to hurt people you love, like punishing 'the Hero' or killing the 'mentor', for the greater good. And if this isn't the book JK is writing - so much the worse for her.

And frankly, I think the case is looking pretty good for Slytherins as a whole. We've discussed Draco. We've seen Narcissa, the loving mother. We've seen Slughorn, weak but not necessarily bad. I'm prepared to believe that R.A.B. is Regulus A___ Black. We've seen Gryffindor and Hufflepuff bullies and prats. And we've heard all the spiel about how all the Houses have to 'pull together', and I like to think that Harry's dream of a helpful rope ladder secretly made of snakes is sign of things to come. So yes. Roll on Book Seven. I hope for good things from you.

Ron, Hermione and Harry doing friendship at the end. Yay :).

The bad:

Ron/Hermione - I don't really care. Bill/Fleur - I don't really care. Tonks/Lupin - I don't particularly care, though she seems cool. Harry/Ginny - I don't really care, but I think that describing your attraction to someone as a 'roaring beast', particularly with all the other much more important and horrible things going on in your life, does not bode particularly well for a healthy relationship.

Harry. Oh Harry. You have potential, but you're a complete bastard most of the time. Not that I can entirely blame you, with Dumbledore both preaching the power of love and praising your thirst for revenge. And maybe JK is making you out to be a prat - like most other people in the boys in the book - because that's what teenage boys are like. But I honestly don't think you're going to get very far until you start getting over yourself and your personal vendettas, and learn to really, truly love, selflessly. And if JK has the universe rearrange itself to fit you, so that you kill evil Snape, rescue stupid, cowardly Malfoy and defeat Voldemort with your love for Ginny (::dies::), I will throttle the book. Then myself.

The snark:

Harry constantly saying things because he was unable to stop himself - wtf?! Does he have Tourette's?? Or is it just Irresistable Cheeky Chappy Syndrome? (they have a lotion for that now...(it's called tippex!!)...)

Harry constantly having to force himself not to laugh at jokes that are not funny!! I have no words.

I do think I have more snark than this. I have temporarily forgotten in. Ah well.

Okay. So I enjoyed it. I hold out hopes for Book Seven. And I know the above person has made the case AGAINST trusting ambiguities in JK's work, but it's interesting how powerfully they jump out at even a first time reader like me. I have about a hundred potential pairings and vignettes and situations running around in my head from this one book. I'm honestly starting to wonder if the whole series really is just about Harry and Draco, with Dumbledore guiding Harry and Snape protecting Draco so that one day they can band together (take it as you please) and defeat Voldemort with the power of their love!!! Of course, I had similar hopeful thoughts about the ending of Green Wing. But I think the signs are looking better and better for a story like, though not with actual slash. And I think it's worth reading these books just for the shiny and the ambiguity and the fandom that springs from them, however the actual story turns out. Yes.

Things I would like to see in fic:

Snape and Draco among the Death Eaters (I stole this from someone else, I think, but it's a good one)

Something on Fenrir. The Fenrir/Lupin story (ironic names, no?). Fenrir's contemplation of Draco, perhaps?

Tom Riddle's younger days, with his 'posse', or just general path to evil. Bonus points for contemplations of his mother - tightening of his knuckles on an armchair speaks for possible affection, methinks. I think mothers are going to play a big part in Book Seven, what with Harry's and Draco's and what we've learned about Snape's and Voldemort's. Wahey.

Harry/Draco contemplations.

Snape's contemplations on Harry and Draco (slash or non-slash)

Snape's contemplations on Lily and Narcissa (romantic or not)

Ginny's contemplation of the whole situation, in all her semi-violent, fiery, whoreish glory. I don't think she's a 'good' character, in the virtuous sense, but I liked her all the same.

The End.