Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince
J.K. Rowling
Main characters Harry Potter is the son of James and Lily Potter. Voldemort killed his parents shortly after his birth. He is in his sixth year at the world's premier school of wizardry, Hogwarts. Harry is still a member of Gryffindor House and captain of the Gryffindor Quidditchteam. He has a hard time putting together a good team, but in the end his team wins the cup. Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, is still the Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is the only man Voldemort ever feared and possibly the greatest wizard alive. He is extremely wise. Dumbledore has promised Harry to teach him everything he knows about Voldemort. He tells Harry about his suspicions about the Horcruxes and what sort of objects they will be. In the end he is betrayed by Snape.
Ginny Weasley Harry and Ginny Weasley start dating. They break up at the funeral of Dumbledore, because Harry fears Ginny will be in danger if she’s with him, because he is seeking a way to kill Voldemort. Draco Malfoy has a dark mission this year. He is trying to kill Dumbledore. Harry suspects that Draco has become a Death Eater. Draco injures two students, Ronald Weasley and Katie Bell with his attempts to kill the professor. This has a great effect on Draco, he becomes paler and paler. In the end, he doesn’t have the heart to finish Dumbledore. Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Transfigurations professor is Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress. McGonagall knew Harry's parents and was present when Dumbledore left infant Harry with the Dursleys. She is fairly strict about rule breaking. After Dumbledore’s death she becomes the interim Headmistress of Hogwarts Horace Slughorn returns from retirement to replace Snape as Potions teacher. He knows things about Voldemort’s Horcruxes that Dumbledore doesn’t know. Professor Severus Snape is no longer the Potions Professor but he has become the Professor of Defence against the Dark Arts. He makes Harry’s life as miserable as he can. Snape makes an Unbreakable Vow to Draco’s mother to protect and help Draco in his mission. Draco won’t let him help. Snape hears of the plan when it’s already in full motion. He is in time to kill Dumbledore however. The Death Eaters are Voldemort’s followers. They torture and kill people. In this book they are more active. Therefore extra security measures have been taken at Hogwarts. But they are able to enter the school and kill Dumbledore.
Lord Voldemort, is more powerful in this book. Dumbledore thinks that Voldemort has split his soul into seven parts. Six pieces are hidden in Horcruxes. They give Voldemort immortality as long as they exist. The seventh piece is kept in his own body. Two of Voldemort's Horcruxes have already been destroyed (Tom Riddle's diary by Harry in “HP and the Chamber of Secrets” and Marvolo Gaunt's ring by Dumbledore in this book ). So Dumbledore believes that there are four more that must be destroyed. They think that one of the Horcruxes, the Salazar Slytherin's locket, is kept in a cave by the sea. It proves to be a false one but it almost kills Dumbledore. Ronald Weasley & Hermione Granger are still very good friends of Harry. They are not so important in this book. Rufus Scrimgeour becomes the new Minister of Magic. He wants Harry to tell only good things about the ministry but Harry does not want to do that. The Dementors have abandoned Azkaban. Summary Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince takes up the story of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the last chapter, titled 'The Second War Begins,' started: 'In a brief statement on Friday night, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge said: 'It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord — well, you know who I mean — is alive and among us again,' said Fudge.' Voldemort's power and followers are increasing day by day. It is a battle of good and evil. The book is about Lord Voldemort's past and Harry's preparations for the final battle and the start of a romantic relationship with Ginny. Early in the story, Severus Snape makes an Unbreakable Vow to Draco Malfoy's mother Narcissa Black, that he will protect Draco and aid him in his mission. Bellatrix Lestrange born Black, acts as a witness. She is a first cousin of Sirius Black and a Death Eater
During the first Potions class, Slughorn lends Harry an old textbook marked as the property of the "Half-Blood Prince". Its handwritten notes help Harry to outdo even Hermione in Potions, and his performance in the first Potions class earns Harry a twelve-hour dose of Felix Felicis. Harry suspects that Draco has become a Death Eater. He tells his worries to Dumbledore, who appears to pay no attention. Later he found out that Dumbledore was still trusting Snape. Dumbledore shows Harry a number of memories about Voldemort's past. Having seen the last memory, he and Harry try to find one, the Salazar Slytherin's locket in a cave. They are successful but Dumbledore is heavily weakened. They return and see the Dark Mark above Hogwarts. They want to find out what is means but are surprised by Draco Malfoy. Harry is wearing his Invisibility Cloak . Dumbledore paralyses Harry. This way he can be a witness but he can not interfere. During the time Dumbledore needs to do this he can not defend himself. Draco disarms him but cannot fulfil his mission. Then other Death Eaters arrive and coach him. Snape arrives and kills Dumbledore with the Avada Kedavra curse. The Death Eaters flee. Dumbledore's paralysing spell is broken because he is dead. Harry can move again and runs after Snape. Snape identifies himself as the Half-Blood Prince before fleeing Hogwarts. Many important members of the Wizarding world, including Rufus Scrimgeour, attend Dumbledore’s funeral. Minerva McGonagall becomes the interim headmistress of Hogwarts. The teachers fear that the school may have to be closed. Harry discovers that the locket he and Dumbledore found is a fake. There is a note inside that tells him that the original locket was destroyed and replaced by "R.A.B." in an attempt to make Voldemort "mortal once more". After Dumbledore's funeral, Professor McGonagall and Scrimgeour want to have the information Harry got from Dumbledore. Harry keeps his secret. He believes he should act as if Dumbledore were alive. He decides not to return to school so that he can destroy the other Horcruxes and defeat Voldemort. He tells his friends Hermione and Ron about his decision, and they want to come with him. Harry breaks up with Ginny, because she would be at risk and Voldemort would try to get to Harry through her. The book ends with Harry's telling that at least he'll spend one last happy day with his friends.
Your opinion I think this book has more adventure and is more thrilling. It was more difficult to read than the earlier books because the English is more difficult. I am looking forward to the next book, but that can not be bought before 07-07-2007.