Harry Potter -NO SPOILERS -- Motivation

Yes, like many people. I spent yesterday reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to the detriment of my writing. Normally, I WON'T critique books here. I do that with my friends, but I don't do it in a public forum like this and I will never "review" books on any site where you have to assign points -- stars, hearts, arrows, angels, crystal balls **shudder*.

But I'm pretty sure that J.K. Rowling will never see this. She is so HUGE and British and confident and involved in her family and writing that I don't get the idea that she surfs.

I thought the minor plot thread about who was the half-blood prince interesting. I guessed right, then followed a couple of red herrings she ran and guessed wrong, and she is EXCELLENT in setting up her red herrings.

I liked the romances. I thought they proceeded as they should. I liked the quiddich matches. I liked Harry, Hermione, Ron and liked/disliked other characters as Rowling would have wanted me to.

But, as far as I'm concerned the motivation of one of her characters was not well done. I didn't believe it and, worse, I didn't get it. When you have to go back and re-read passages because the motivation isn't clear, the author hasn't done their job. I was left with a big "DUH?" And until this book has been out for some time, I won't discuss this. But, for me, she failed in her motivation, unless there is something more than I saw in this book.

She left dangling threads, and since that's what this series is all about, I accept it. One was very delicious.

But, all in all, I was disappointed because I didn't get WHY, and, again, if you don't leave your readers satisfied you can lose them. Not Rowling, but definitely Owens. So I'd better go write. I will say she's a wonderful storyteller and I envy that her plots come to her so easily and smoothly and intricately.

Robin