so tired

[rivendellrose]

Let's see... started the book at 9:30pm, finished at just before 4am... that's respectable. Insane, but respectable.

Yeah, I said I wasn't sure I'd even buy the damned thing, I know. But Costco has good prices, which Mom noticed, and... well, after reading a bit of shadawyn's copy (over zinjadu's shoulder), I couldn't resist.


Narcissa. Or shall I say "Cissy?" I prefer Cissa, but seeing Bella and Cissa interact exactly as I imagine, and Cissa acting exactly as I've always imagined her... well, that was what clinched it for me. I had to read the book after seeing that. Pity neither of them warranted a second appearance, but I was happy enough, anyway. I also predict an upswing in Snape/Narcissa over the next few months.

Which leads me to Draco. Oh, pathetic, weenie, horribly desperate little Draco, who wants so badly to believe he kicks ass, but really just can't bring himself to do anything other than posture. I'm sure it's just that I've been playing Narcissa too long, but I love the little twit. And I so very much knew that it was him Myrtle was talking to. It just had to be.

Snape. HAH! What did I tell people, over and over? Granted, I thought I was kidding about him being the 'Half-Blood Prince'... But still. I feel slightly vindicated, even if the 'secret' of it was really kind of dumb. Honestly - I would think a clever boy like him could come up with something better.

Thank god Dumbledore finally died - it was necessary, and now was the right moment. And she did it well. Good for her.

Remus/Tonks? Oh thank goodness. My other pairing of choice working only in fannish minds and happy AUs, I'm glad my second favorite ended up canon. This pleased me immensely, and was almost enough to make up for the vapidly boring obvious choice of Ginny and Harry. Gag me, but whatever.

Slugwhatshisname (sorry, I'm really tired) is boring. But at least she had the sense not to make him turn out evil like so many of the others. Also, thank god Hagrid was not the HBP - I thought it was a forgone conclusion, but I hated it. Not a fan of Hagrid.

What the hell happened to Hermione in this book, please? I want my Hermione back. This is apparently the trade-off - I either get Narcissa done as I like, or I get Hermione. I was not pleased with this, but...whatever. It was nothing too awful, just kind of bleh. Also, was I the only person stunned that Tonks, of all people, would be so pathetic as to literally waste away for love? Yeah, I didn't think so. That was lame, JK. Good job turning all your female characters into weenies, as usual.

Poor, stupid Sibyll.

Good call on Bill being 'savaged' by Fenrir. The thing with Fleur was predictable, and slightly irritating. I'm not sure what the hell the point of it might have been, aside from setting up the revelation of Lupin and Tonks.

Ginny still irritates me. Must she insist on being perfect at everything? Of course she must, because JK needs her little Mary Sue. :P

What happened to the oh-so-obvious crush Luna had on Ron in Book 5??? Where was the "Ronald"-ing? I loved that, and it was certainly more interesting than Ron and Hermione dancing around each other the whole damned book (again). And the thing with Lavender? Lame.

The exposition machine pensieve was an interesting way to express a lot of seemingly-useless backstory. The Hox... Hans... thingies, anyway... well, okay, fine. And am I the only person who looked at RAB and immediately thought "Regulus"? Or is his middle name only "Antares" in the game? *Cannot actually keep canon vs. IB/ADV straight, anymore, half the time*

Uhhh... glad Harry's not a moron anymore. Glad he only used caps-lock once. Glad Fred and George are doing useful things. Charming little ham-handed reference to George W. at beginning was rather funny, if, as mentioned, rather ham-handed. Writing was tighter, plot was tighter, not as many adverbs... seemed like it might actually have been edited before publishing, which was a major relief.

Thats all I can think of right now.

I'm going to bed, now.

Comments

[theladyfeylene.livejournal.com]

Remus/Tonks? Oh thank goodness.

Now, you know I'm a fan of the pairing, but I still think it was done in the stupidest manner ever. It came out of nowhere. I can't see Tonks moping and weeping and being a complete idiot over some man not wanting to date her. Or Remus just suddenly backing down and saying 'okay!' when everyone tells him it's okay. It just seemed very contrived to me. I felt cheated. I like the pairing, but I hated the way it was done.

Ah well, it's no secret I didn't like the book. It felt stilted, dry, and full of filler instead of actual plot. And far too many little stupid things were wrapped up neatly while interesting and important things (Dementors breeding? Rampant Deaths of characters? Muggles noticing? Slew of new Death Eaters?) was brushed off in favor of an overload of teenager shit.

No, I thought Regulus too, and was very impressed with dalhessian ending up with a canon name.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Yup, it was stupid, but I've learned to take what I can get.

I do agree with all of that, but I think it's natural that most of this book would be groundwork-laying for book seven. Most of the character deaths we were dealing with were characters who had no real personalities or place in the books, anyway; people like Emmeline Vance are just names, mostly, so Rowling can throw them around with even more impunity than usual. The breeding Dementors really got me, too... I hope it won't just be a throwaway, but I know better than to really depend on it.

Mostly, this book is a stepping stone. I'm just pleased it was a more well-written one than I expected, in pure technicalities. The teenage shit definitely outweighed the plot, and that was both sad and irritating. Honestly, though, I think this is a case of "how high were your expectations?" Mine were in the cesspool until Kari and I read chapter 2 - that was my first experience of the book, essentially, and it made me very very very happy, so I was more prone to look at the rest of the book with somewhat forgiving eyes.

I like the idea that Reg might've done it, in the time before he was killed. God knows it's probably someone totally random, but hey.

[theladyfeylene.livejournal.com]

Amelia Bones was a pretty major character. Igor was a pretty major character. Hannah was a pretty major character, but her mother's death and her reaction to it got one sentence. I felt severely cheated. And I'd rather no pairing than a pairing cop-out, personally.

I feel like the only person who didn't like chapter two. I just... wasn't happy with Bellatrix in that. She came off as a harping, loud, obnoxious, screaming shrew. Which is not how I see her at all. And I wasn't all that happy with Narcissa, either, as a steel-spined ball-breaking bitch. That's not how I see them at all. I like your Narcissa because she's a lot more warm and pliant and human than what JK made her to be. She has a spine, but it's subtle and feminine. And Bellatrix - as I see her - is a lot more proud and diginified

But we all interpret it differently.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Amelia was a minor character's mother, and a ministry employee. Beyond that, she really wasn't that important. Igor, yes, okay, he's important - but did anybody actually think he'd be back before Voldie killed him? I know I didn't. Hannah's a tiny character, and I can't imagine why her mother would get more than a sentence - we've never even met her, have we? These characters kind of develop importance because we live in the world via the games and fic, but they really weren't all that significant in terms of the book, so I thought the amount of attention paid to their deaths was appropriate.

I think that in the situation Narcissa was in during chapter two, the way she came off was absolutely perfect. I point in the direction of the three-way fight between Bella, Lucius and her for my example - they came down to the same basic problem. Lucius had fucked up and put himself in a situation where he couldn't protect the family, the family was on the verge of being destroyed, and Narcissa had to do whatever was necessary to save her child/ren and, by extension, herself.

Her 'spine' in that chapter consisted of the strength to go to Snape over Bella's demands that she not say anything, and then look him in the eyes, get on her knees, and beg him to help Draco. That's exactly what my Cissa would do - what she has done on numerous occasions. Her strength comes from her ability to do absolutely anything to protect her family and her own interests, honor and propriety be damned. I thought that was really beautiful, and very much in line with the way I play her (which is why I liked it). I didn't necessarily agree with the way she acted later, in Madame Malkin's, but that's because my Cissa is too refined to be so rude to anybody, let alone the saviour of the Wizarding world, in public. Considering his part in getting Lucius imprisoned, though, I'll forgive her.

As for Bella... Bella is shrill and harping. But what I really liked about her were the subtle things - her obvious jealousy when Snape told her that he was on the in with Voldemort, the fact that even though she didn't want Cissa there, she stood with her, and most of all, the fact that she places herself at Cissa's back. It reminds me of the way Kari and I have always played them. I also loved how obviously sick she was of trying to get Cissa to just go with the thing with Draco, and how she kept saying she'd be proud to give up a son for her Lord.

[theladyfeylene.livejournal.com]

Like I said, different interpretations. I came out of it with a completely different interpretation on things and characters. *shrugs* I didn't see much similarity between book Narcissa and your Narcissa, honestly, nor did I see Bella as being how I've imagined her and played her. Narcissa came off as much colder, much bitchier and much more uncaring - despite that she was pleading for her son's life. Bella had no dignity, no pride, and sounded to me like an old hag screaming at whoever would listen. And this is after reading the chapter twice. But that's my take on it. Like I said, different interpretations. Which is bound to happen.

As for the characters.... no, I consider Hannah more than a minor character who'd only get one sentence, and not because of games or fic. She was in the DA, she was a staunch Harry-supporter from book 4 on, and she was referenced quite a bit in the previous two books. I would think that Harry would have a bit more reaction to a friend's mother being killed than just 'ho-hum doodeedooo ooooo Ginny!'.

Amelia Bones was a pretty major point insofar as the plot went, at least as I see it. She played some pretty key parts in OotP, and it's mentioned once that she dies and we don't see at all how this affects things. We get these little asides and no followup. That really pissed me off. Book five was as much a set-up book as this one, was as infused with teenage crap, but still managed to be a fulfilling book for me. This one didn't.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

I agree with you that Bella seems to be significantly lacking in dignity - she's becoming more and more like Auntie Black, the longer we see her. And that's sad, but kind of not surprising to me. Do you mind my asking what seemed uncaring about Narcissa in the 2nd chapter? I've read that scene three times now (yeah, I know - I'm a dork. But she's my baby, so I had to do it), and I'm curious where you're seeing it.

Harry... has never been the most considerate of people when it comes to other people's problems. But I'd forgotten, and you're right that Hannah was a very close supporter of his. The fact that I'd forgotten is kind of what I mean, though - I think I know the books pretty darned well, and if I couldn't remember that, I can understand why Rowling might have left it as an aside.

I dunno, I basically read the deaths as "this is war, we have deaths, but there's no need to go into the followup because, well, it's a kid's book." There wasn't really any followup that would have been necessary, in my opinion. But, like you've said, different interpretations.

[shoeless-girl.livejournal.com]

I agree with some of your points, but the fact that the majority of the book is seen through a 16 year olds' eyes means it is inevitable that we will see an overload of teenage shit.

I was unimpressed by Tonks' moping - I love Tonks, but I think she was probably moping for more reasons than Remus not wanting to marry her *gag* He was out of contact underground for many months which would have kept her worried - especially with the memory of Sirius' death so close in her mind.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

True. I just prefer to forget that it's meant to be from a teenager's point of view, though - teenagers are, in general, not my favorite species of humanity. ;)

Tonks moping was downright stupid. I cannot see her being that weak. I can see her loving Remus, and trying to convince him that he should quit being a martyr and try to be happy, but I can't at all picture her being that depressed and spiritless about it, when she's always such a spirited and solid person. As usual, Rowling has definite problems making a female character have any strength at all.

[bluerose16.livejournal.com]

I, too, LOVED Narcissa in this book. And, as Severus/Narcissa has the distinction of being the ONLY het pairing I actually actively like, I'm quite pleased. :smirks:

And Draco in this book. Was so fanon. With the crying, and the almost!redeeming, and all. Loved it to death.

I KNEW Snape was the Half-Blood Prince. READ IT AND WEEP. Before the book and definitely as soon as Harry did well in his first Potions lesson. And yes, dork that I am, I recognized the curse harry used on Draco as the one Severus used against James in OotP, and likewise with the "Levicorpus".

Dumbledore's death scene was awful, but in a very very good way. My GOD. She kept saying before OotP that the death scene was gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, etc. But I found it to fall flat. This one made up for it. And then some. :weeps bitterly:

Remus/Tonks, normally, makes me want to gouge out my own eyeballs with sporks. In the BOOK, it made me want to kill myself in ways that I don't think bear mentioning in mixed company. XP

And yes, the Harry/Ginny was truly ICK.

Slughorn! Oh, he's such a fat old pimp, though. You have to love him for it. :D

Hermione was fine, most times. Still better than movie!Hermione. And yes, she just murdered the character of Tonks in a dark alleyway somewhere. I probably wouldn't have minded the Remus/Tonks if it had been A) more gradual B) funnier C) involved vivacious!pink-haired!NORMAL!Tonks pestering poor old Remus into loving her. That would have been good.

MY GOD, DID SOMEONE SAY 'FENRIR'?! I'm in love. I don't think I've ever had so many fanfic bunnies at the same time as when he walked into the Astronomy Tower, licking the blood off his lips. :twitches: LOVE.

Ginny doesn't bother me TOO much, but ... ><; NOT WITH HARRY, KTHNX.

I thought the thing with Lavender was PURPOSEFULLY lame. Being someone who really knows what that kind of relationship is like (i.e. kissing all the time to shut her up) I found it HYSTERICAL. I mean, Won-Won? I almost cried I was laughing so hard.

Even my FATHER thought it was Regulus, dude. EVERYONE thought that. I mean, there IS a locket in the 5th book, that none of them could open. Linkage to the best explination I've found.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Snape/Narcissa will be experiencing a renaissance of sorts, now, I expect. *g* That was lovely. I love the idea that the two of them have some backstory of some kind...

The thing with Lavender was definitely intentionally lame, and I guess I can see Ron doing it, I just... that on top of Hermione being so gods-damned stupid about the whole thing just really irked me. I am veeeerrry defensive of Hermione, and this book made her out to be a lot less intelligent than I think she deserves to be.

Yay for Draco being the whiney, weenie little wimp that I love him for. He's such a mama's boy, I adore it. *Snuggles him and ruffles his hair* I have played Narcissa entirely too long.

Okay, yes, Slughorn's amazing pimp-ness is pretty funny. I suppose somebody has to be a pimp, now that Lucius is locked away... ;)

You nailed the Remus/Tonks thing on the head - it would have been great if she'd just been herself and pestered and teased him out of his little martyr-complex funk. Because, for crying out loud, that's what Remus needs: either someone to take care of and be concerned for, like Harry (or Snape! XD) or someone who will drag him out of his shell kicking and screaming until he realizes that life is not inherently trying to be bad to him, and he just needs to get on with it. One way or the other. Granted, I'd be happier if it were Snape, and I was still clinging to all sorts of little hints of it being Snape, but... still.

Fenrir was pretty damned cool, if only for his name. *Love for Norse mythology*

Ohmigod you're right. It is SO Regulus. Yay!!!

...I'm such a Black-family fangirl.

[bluerose16.livejournal.com]

See, how I found that pairing was, it seems Snarry fans also tend to be Severus/Narcissa fans, too, so they add hints of it in their fics. Like Civil War and Contemporary Maigcal Innovations. And I suppose it just grew on me. And this book totally confirmed that. >:D

Well, she seemed less intelligent relationship-wise, but I didn't mind, I suppose I'm not AS picky. As long as she stays somewhat the same. :loves Hermione:

He's a daddy's boy if you ask me. My father this, my father that, etc. But he does seem quite defensive of his mother, both in GoF and HBP (the scene in Madam Malkin's).

Slug just needs a pimp cane...

"...someone who will drag him out of his shell kicking and screaming..."

EXACTLY! I would LOVE to see that. And I wish it was Snape, too, but it seems that this is not the canon case. For now. I did like the sort-of anger between them, at least on the part of Remus, near the end. :smiles: And the scene at Christmas where Remus is talking to Harry about Snape was so plucked right from the first scene of just about every Snupin fanfic EVER.

Fenrir ROCKED MY SOCKS. As I said on my LJ. SO MANY FIC POSSIBILITIES!

It so, so is. Regulus IS the new Black.

...

OK, I know, that was lame. Still, couldn't help myself. ;D

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

And the scene at Christmas where Remus is talking to Harry about Snape was so plucked right from the first scene of just about every Snupin fanfic EVER.

Ye gods, yes. I loved that sooo much.

I've never read Snarry (like most rival-slash, it doesn't much grab me), but Snape/Narcissa was kind of a subtext bordering on text in a Marauders-era RP I was in for a while, and I've loved them ever since. They basically got close because they were friends, and Narcissa was curious about him and then poking him got to be fun, and then flirting with him, and then... it just kept getting out of hand. It was partly because the Lucius in that game was a major git, too, and trying to screw (literally!) both of them at the same time, which added new and fun levels to the weirdness. ;)

Mama's boy, Daddy's boy... he's just so cute, in a total weenie little prick kind of way. He's very protective of his mother because she protects him (in my mind, anyway), and totally enamoured of and idolizing of his father.

[(Anonymous)]

Very lame what she did to Tonks. And here, throughout the whole book, I thought it would be something sinister, like she was an Inferius. I recall a line midway through the book that mentions she looks thinner, her skin more sallow, her hair more brittle. I was convinced she was decaying. I was convinced she'd pop up in the cave.

But it was just unrequited love.

I feel gipped.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Ooo, I hadn't thought of her being an inferius, but that's a very interesting explanation! Too bad Rowling didn't think of it!

...Well, not really, 'cause I like Tonks. But it's definitely interesting. ;)