[jdm]

Okay, but please.... NO SPOILERS!!!!!! :)

[grellis]

I have to refer back to the earlier thread, I have forgotten who else is finished reading it. Please feel free to ping other FReepers who may be interested in the discussion.

[mware]

Perhaps Rowlings is a FREEPER. On page 102 they show the grading system of Hogwarts.

The lowest grade you can get is a T for Troll

[jdm]

How long did it take to read the book? Just curious. I am a slow reader, so I usually don't read anything, expect for articles in Weekly Standard, National Review, listen to talk radio, etc.

How would you rate the book on a scale of 1 to 10?

[grellis]

So, who saw it coming??! I was close. I thought that the HBP would be Snape's child.

What do we know about the professors, really?

[jdm]

My goodness; you guys are FAST readers. The book has only been out for 44 hours!!!! Glad you can read that fast; it would take me a few months to get through a book.

[retrokitten]

POTTER PING!!! This thread already contains MAJOR SPOILERS!! So click at your own risk!

[Not A Snowbird]

Who besides me caught the error with Hermione's birthday?

In POA her birthday is in September. In this book, she takes her apparation test, which puts her birthday during the school year.

[sigSEGV]

I found this really funny.

http://www.filefarmer.com/Xizer/pottercrash.MOV

[littleleaguemom]

Is there an HP ping list? Pls put me on it if there is.

[Ronin]

SNAPE???

I was totally blind-sided...

In fact, I was so deep into the book at the time he made the announcement that the question "who the half-blood prince was" had totally slipped my mind.

It was the second shock. When he killed Dumbledore, I was flat-footed. Looks like even the greatest wizard of them all can make a mistake.

I have to pat myself on the back about one prediction I was sure would come true. After Cho and Harry broke up, I sort of figured that he would end up cuddling with Ginny in this book.

Sort of sad the way he broke it off in the end, though.

FYI start to finish, 8 hours and 20 minutes. But I took a nap in the middle when I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. That was about 2 hours, so roughly 6 hours.

[RayChuang88]

Since this is a spoiler thread by definition, I'll make some comments here:

1. I have this feeling that Aldus Dumbledore planned his demise deliberately. I mean, look at the circumstances: a) Dumbledore was much more physically frail than in previous books, which means his health was already declining; b) Snape got stuck with an Unbreakable Vow in regards to Dumbledore's demise, so that's a no-win situation for Snape; c) note that Dumbledore spent a lot of time explaining Voldemort's background to Harry Potter in order to better prepare Potter to finally confront Voldemort; and d) given the situations and a) and b) Dumbledore and Snape may have quietly worked out a plan that if worst comes to worst Dumbledore will be sacrificed so Snape can supposedly stay in good graces with the Death Eaters, which means the Order of the Phoenix continues to have a spy within that dreaded group.

2. I LOVE the fact that Rowling continues to put down the newspapers in the wizarding world.

3. Why do I keep on thinking that Fleur Delacour seems to be modelled (pun intended) on way too many entertainment celebrities?

4. The rushed feel of the last 100 pages of the novel was I think done deliberately but was actually very effective in conveying the scene of Dumbledore's demise.

In short, the best Harry Potter novel since The Prisoner of Azkaban.

[Huntress]

This may be a little premature, but does anyone have any thoughts about the casting of the movies of Half Blood Prince and Order of the Phoenix?

IMHO, the casting in the first three movies has been excellent, although I think Michael Gambon was a less than inspired replacement for the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore. Sean Connery would have been much better.

As Slughorn, my first thought is Charles Laughton, which obviously is not possible. Maybe Ned Beatty?

As Delores Umbridge, I think Kathy Kinney (Mimi from The Drew Carrey Show) or Kathy Bates would be excellent.

[Bella_Bru]

Am *so* disappointed.

First of all, I want to say that I knew Dumbledore had to die. It still broke my heart. But the hows and whys are making my head hurt.

The book seemed to be missing something though I cannot put my finger on what that something is yet.

[Blue Eyes]

Mark for later reading.

[Mad Dawgg]

I haven't finished reading it but I am not likeing Snape more and more as I read.

Also I read Rowling made 36 Million in 24 Hours on Book Sales. (not total price of books sold that is how mush SHE got) That is amazing!

(also a ping to myself, so I can comeback see what ya all think after I have finshed the book.)

[SouthernFreebird]

I just finished this book... First I don't believe that he is really dead. I think Snape killed the part of Voldermorts soul that was in the locket. I think the locket that was left was a decoy.

Malfoy was suppose to kill Dumbledore, not Snape.. if Snape was truely evil he would have followed the orders of Voldermort...I think he knew what to do by reading the thoughts of Dumbledore as he did with Harry. I believe we will see Dumbledore, Snape and Malfoy in the final battle against Voldermort.

Now I'm going to read this thread and see if anyone else thinks this way.

[js1138]

Can anyone say Star Trek III?

Remember...

[grellis]

I am just now realizing that I didn't ping you--sorry! Pretty good discussion, lots of predictions.

[grellis]

HP discussion about actual content, if you're interested. Major spoiler alert!