Harry Potter Book 6

I hardly need mention that this should have Spoiler warning written all over it. Everywhere in bright red bold letters that should not under any circumstances be ignored. It's only about 1 pm my time... meaning the book's only been out 13 hours (unlucky 13 of course) and so I'm fully aware that far from having COMPLETED the book already; most people haven't even GOTTEN it yet. And this of course is the problem with being a fast reader. I absolutely feel I'm going to BURST if I don't say SOMETHING about the book... or rather SEVERAL somethings and I've got no one to talk to/whine to about it.

So for your own safety. If you haven't read the 6th Harry Potter book and would really rather NOT have things massively ruined for you; then obviously don't read onwards.

Point 1) Turns out strangely enough that every single one of my "ship" instincts was dead-on. I mean DEAD-ON. Apparently I am the Connection Queen. Seriously, anyone who's ever asked on my theories for pair-ups will have had these answers (depending on the characters) right after the 3rd book, 4th, and 5th. :P Hermione & Ron, Harry & Ginny, Bill & Fluer (though this had been obvious throughout the 5th book of course but I'd picked up on it in the 4th... not that it was exactly secret) and yes... even Remus & Tonks. I'm sure Sarah will be shocked at ALL of these pair-ups. Ironically though, I suppose this means Temptation (a site fully devoted to Remus & Tonks pairings) will explode in popularity now that it's been confirmed as being On Canon.
a) What I find so very amusing about this is that once again virtually all other the other points kept me baffled. The Harry Potter series is perhaps one of the only series in which I can't seem to pick up which direction the plot's going almost instantaneously. Ironically however; characterization and romances -- something I'd long considered my weakest point I seem to be right on target with.
b) On a characterization note... I always worried perhaps that because I was seeing everything through Harry's eyes and was of course very predjudiced to due to my fondness for Lupin and Sirius I have never ever EVER trusted Snape. And while everyone in the books kept saying Dumbledore must have had his reasons that he would never tell anyone the reasons seems almost suspicious. And honestly; it all came down to this... Snape got bullied constantly as a child and so that is his supposed reason for being a monster. BUT rather than actually stand up for the small bullied students and prevent the same pain and humiliation he went through he only inflicts it on his students and never does anything to stop the bullying students. And no matter what you say; Harry simply looking like his father just isn't good enough of an excuse. Moreover; he refused to say Vodlemort through the 5th book and yet this is a sign of the Death Eater's fear of him but if he was truly on Dumbledore's side then he would have to be facing his fear and throwing in his lot anyways. And his continued predjudice of muggles and mudbloods and "weakness" are clearly not the acts of a good person. The only possible way I can see of Snape being redeemable is if in fact Dumbledore had intentions to die with the express of orders of doing it exactly in that manner and having Snape do it no less... which I rather doubt. And even if somehow in the last book it turns out he's "good" after all I don't care, I shall continue hating him to the end of my days as I always have thus far. Besides; one needs merely to look J.K. Rowling's method of describing him. Oily, greasy, slimeball. Not rather unlike a snake and clearly oozing with the dark arts. *sigh* And then the fact that he's just SOOOO much like Vodlemort, the whole Half-blood through a muggle father and despising his muggle blood... that he doesn't ever actually have ANY friends... and of course there is his sick fascination with the Dark Arts.
As people being reading and finishing the book there are like to be a lot of these thoughts out there. People saying the exact same thing... they've always known Snape was evil. And then there will be people insisting that no, no, Snape was doing it all for good after all etc. In any case I'd always rather sympathized with Snape during his torment at the hands of James and Sirius and yet now I think I loathe him even more than Harry.
And just to be one of the first; this shows a very valid point about those who seek power. To have power is to be in control. Control of situations around you, control of people around you, control of yourself, control of things that should seem next to impossible. Tom Riddle was clearly obsessed with this, as was Snape. As humans, it's how we've survived as a species. We clearly didn't evolve with extremely helpful physical attributes but instead found ways to control our environments enabling us to survive. But of course, control will not bring about happiness despite being something so frequently sought. And I feel sure in knowing that J.K. Rowling is re-inforcing this point also with Snape. After all, he controlled very little about what he wanted to in his life as a teenager and all his years at Hogwarts were spent bullying those inable to stand up to them -- allowing him something he could control. And look further, into what he excelled at... anything that gave him power over others. Dark Arts, Occlumency, Legilimency, etc.
I think I would love nothing more right now than to claw his head of in his sleep.

Point 2) I started the book thinking that it would very quickly become my favorite of the series ever. It has a fanatastic start, By Chapter 4 I couldn't stop grinning. Halfway through the book I was quite convinced it already WAS my favorite in the series. And now that I've finished it and even as most of my numb-ish, shock, anger and tears have worn off I feel somehow very very cheated.
a) I had REALLY started to the like the Half-Blood Prince, he seemed extremely cool and I even started half-wondering if it could even POSSIBLY be Mundungus Fletcher (wishing it was Dumbledore but knowing of course it couldn't be) which only made me that much worse when I found out the truth... Easily as bad as Harry felt. And while this may well have been the intention; it was hardly an enjoyable experience.
b) Why is it that books can't seem to be happy?????? Whatever happened to reading fantasy for adventure, excitement, enjoyment and not to be so morbidly depressed that you feel traumatized just from reading it? *sigh* Where did happy endings go? Why is it suddenly considered "weak writing" if you don't kill off several beloved characters gruesomely? Why indeed does everything have to suck at the end just so that people understand the brevity of the situation? Meh. There needs to be more fairy tale fantasy and less dark fiction. And THIS btw, is what will make J.K. Rowling a fantastic crime fiction writer (as she has hinted at doing after the next book.)

All I can say is at least neither of the twins died....