Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Is evil born or created? Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince tries to answer this question with varying success.

In book 6, after Voldemort announces his return to the wizarding world at the end of the last book, Dumbledore realizes that “know thy enemy” is the way to go in regard to preparing Harry for the final battle.

Through the book, we discover the origins of Tom Riddle, starting to believe from his childhood up to the point where he becomes Voldemort.

Meanwhile, we’re introduced to a mysterious figure called The Half-Blood Prince, whose book falls by accident into Harry’s hands. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an exhilarating experience that mixes intrigue and light-heartedness.

I might be biased, but this is my favorite entry in the series. The use of the pensive creates an ambiance of mystery, where you feel like you’re privy to some secret. It’s this sense of voyeurism that makes book 6 so entertaining.

You get to see Tom Riddle’s backstory and what led him to become the Dark Lord. We also discover why he’s seemingly immortal, which sets the tone for the final book. If that isn’t your cup of tea and you would like to enjoy light-hearted moments, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has got you covered.

You’ll enjoy funny, cute moments among our Golden Trio, especially Ron and Hermione who develop feelings for each other. Harry also gets his fair share of romance, with Ginny, after his unfortunate relationship with Cho in the last book. If you’re a fan of Quidditch, book 6 focuses on it quite a bit, as it plays an even bigger role in Harry’s life now.

What sets this book apart, from the previous entries, is that we discover the ulterior motives of characters we believed were either entirely evil or good. Take Dumbledore and Tom Riddle’s dynamic for example; Dumbledore believed that Riddle was evil on their first meeting.

This makes you wonder if Riddle’s fate as an evil wizard could’ve been avoided had Dumbledore given him guidance, as he did with Harry. Snape, who is a morally grey character, also shines in this book, as we discover hidden aspects of his character.

If you’re looking for the perfect penultimate book, then look no further; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is entertaining, funny, and sometimes a tear-jerker.