Long thread. Not surprising really. I’ve read it all and a lot of good things have been said, so I don’t really know if I can add anything, but I’ll try.
Rowling writes her books in a very formulaic way. Maybe because she thinks this is needed for children’s YA books. But it gets a bit annoying. Book starts with Potter at the Dursley’s. They are mean. He goes off to Hogwarts, everyone misunderstands him, nobody believes him. Adults are stupid and Harry ends up being right. End note in form of a coda, where it seems that while Harry might have done the right thing, it was all for the wrong reasons, or whatever.
I understand that we’re supposed to feel for Harry, feel his frustration, but about a third of the way into this book, I was ready to give up. I was wondering if Rowling was setting out to make him as unsympathetic as possible. Yes, she does a good job of protraying teen angst. And yes, being that age means you tyhink no adult understands you. But Harry’s stubborness, even to confide in his closest friends, is just too much. I like the books. I like them very much. But Rowling has been using this as a way to move the plot forward for five books now. And it’s just getting to be too much.
Harry’s left with one adult friend, Sirius, who really isn’t grown up. Just a teenager who’s gotten older. And for all his love for Snuffles, he can’t confide in him? I would think that would be easy, as Sirius is more of an older brother, than a substitute father.
I also think that Rowling is too much in love with her own plot devices. The Fairy of Misdirection was on a rampage throughout the book. That she keeps the main characters in the dark about some things, some of the time. But it’s frustrating that she does the same to the readers. Maybe that’s what’s making this to a proverbial ‘page turner’, but Rowling ends up tieing knots on plotlines and making plotholes big enough to dump all of Hogwarths in. It makes for an annoying read at times, when I’m thinking: “Oh, I know this is misleading for the sake of it. Just get on with it so we can get to what’s essential.”
Fred and George are carbon copies of Heinlein’s Castor and Pollux Stone. Down to the red hair, being twins, good at business and being ingenious inventors. Rowling’s invented so many other great characters. I don’t see why she had to steal so obviously.
Some things I couldn’t make sense of:
- Why, exactly, did Umbridge send the dementors on Harry?
- Was Big D cured? He was with his parents to pick up Hafrry at the end of the book.
- Trelawney doesn’t have any talent whatsoever. How come she came up with the prophecy in the first place?
Since the books are written in 3rd person narrative, I think they would benefit from changing the POV once in a while. We either get to peek inside Harry’s head, or are told a straight forward, unpersonal account of events. The books would gain depth if we got to peek inside Hermione’s and Ron’s head at times. See Harry from another perspective, which is not adult (this being a children’s/YA book). Harry’s acting like a jerk at times. This is understandable, but annoying (as I stated above). The impact of the jerkish behaviour might be smaller if we could feel Hermione’s reaction to it, and not just hear her telling him off.
The whole section at Black’s house in the beginning - way too long.
I’m coming off as hating it, ain’t I? I’m not. I loved the book. The more the reason to be critical! 
- The scenes with Cho were great. Awkward teen love. Perfect.
- A look inside Snapes head. Perfect.
- Peeves floating after Umbridge, in his slack time - no less, blowing raspberries - priceless.
- Less quidditch. Welcome.
- Umbridge was a great villain.
- Detention was very creepy.
The characters in the book, and we, the readers, see Dumbledore as a benign grandfather type. Half moon glasses, white beard ASF. I had a feeling all throughout the book which didn’t vanish when Dumbledore told Harry about the prophecy. That might be part of the truth, but not the whole truth. I think Dumbledore played Harry, so that he would be inside the MoM that night. He wanted Voldy to show himself, in a place where it couldn’t be dismissed, with many witnesses. Black dying was collateral damage. Dumbledore might have affection for Harry, but ultimately, his biggest concern is stopping Voldy. If you’re such a high ranking wizard and headmaster of Hogwarts, you have to be pragmatic and realize that you sometimes need to resort to realpolitik.
Predictions for upcoming books:
Potter, will train even harder for his future showdown with Voldy (which we know is in two years, but from Harry’s POV could be next week). This will lead him to look into darker spells. And without him realizing it, he will be very close to the dark side. Voldy will surely tempt him.
Potter will never be able to live a normal life, even after defeating Voldy at the end of book seven. Therefore, either he dies (unlikely) or leaves this part of the world for a longish time, taking a couple of Wanderjahr.
Ron and Hermy will get together, but break up again in a friendly way, maintaining friendship. Netiher will get togehter with any major character we know of at this point.
Potter will make peace with Snape, but they’ll never be friendly.
Dumbledore will die.
Umbridge, in her disgust, will join Voldy.
As an aside: I think age of consent is 16 in England, no? Will we get books where Harry makes his sexual debut (off screen, obviously)? If so, how would that be handled for the US market?