This book picks up where "Order of the Phoenix" left off. The opening scene--a meeting between the Prime Minister and the new Minister of Magic--sets up the idea that the war between Voldemort and the rest of the wizarding community is in full swing. Rowling steps back from her limited third person view and establishes that Draco Malfoy has a mission from Lord Voldemort. The details of this mission remain unknown, which adds a degree of suspense to the story. I don't think a plot summary is really warranted here. Just read the book, it's all plot anyway.

Reading on an airplane, or any other time that mindless entertainment is needed.

the fact that the status quo changes significantly by the end of the book. 1) Dumbledore is eliminated, so he can't rush in and save Harry anymore. 2) Harry now has to travel around, looking for Horcruxes. The series was long due for a change of scenery; Hogwarts was getting pretty old.

At times, you become painfully aware that the novel is very contrived. Why, for example, does Gryffindor always win the Quidditch Cup? Even when Rowling has set up a situation where such an outcome is unlikely? In order to win the cup, Gryffidor has to win a game by a margin of 250 points (or something like that). And Harry isn't playing. Everyone expects them to lose, but miraculously, they win. There isn't an explanation--it just happens. Things like that strain the suspension fo disbelief. You also get the feeling that Rowling set out to achieve a very specific plot goal. Dumbledore needed to be killed, and Harry needed to find out about the Horcruxes. While some of the previous books had interesting side plots that were cleverly woven together (the spiders and the flying car in the second book, for example), every plot device in this book works towards the end plot goal. It seems like Rowling envisioned the ending first, and then wrote the rest of the book to work up to that ending.

It's easy to read, and there's worse ways to spend your time. It's not one of the better Harry Potter books, but I suspect that the next one will be pretty interesting.

When you're reading it, keep in mind that it's a children's book. It's entertainment, not great literature, so try not to be overly critical.

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Created Dec 01, 2005 at 3:11pm • Submit your own review...