Book Log 2009 #31: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling

Honestly, I don't have much to say here. Liked it, and appreciated the shift to a darker tone, and was a little surprised about the real lack of typical Hogwarts stuff (Quidditch and the like) until I thought about the fan base. The kids who started with the first book are, I think, old enough to want to move beyond the walls and get more involved in the impending war against Voldemort.

I still don't think the romantic parts work particularly well, at least where Harry's concerned. Still seems too rushed, but that could be my comparing him to the slow build with Ron and Hermione.

Typically I've read the books just before the movies, but I don't think I'll be able to do so with the last one. I nearly took the last book out of the library the day after finishing this one, which certainly instills a desire to see how it all turns out. Which, I imagine, is just what you want from the next to last book in a series.