#51 in Young adult

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Name: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: J. K. Rowling
ISBN: 9781408855706

J. K. Rowling

First published 2005Original language ENMiddle grade

8.8

Score out of 106,737 ratingsConfidence 98%: this much of the score is the readers’ own

#51 of 200 in Young adult ahead of 75% of the category

640
Pages: about 12 h
Reading time: Film 2009
On screen

Part of a seriesHarry PotterVolume 6 of 8

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In our Atlas

Set in · J. K. Rowling: United Kingdom

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Editor’s note Released in July 2005, it sold 6.9 million copies in the US in its first 24 hours. Much of it looks back at Voldemort’s past through stored memories, which sets up everything in the last book, so it is best read shortly before the finale. The 2009 film keeps only a few of those memories.

About the book

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a fantasy novel by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth and penultimate novel in the Harry Potter series, and takes place during Harry Potter's sixth year at the wizard school Hogwarts. The novel reveals events from the early life of Lord Voldemort, and chronicles Harry's preparations for the final battle against him.

Description: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Reading order · Harry Potter

Full order & progress →

8.08.59.0

19971998199920002003200520072008

8.08.59.0

19971998199920002003200520072008

Score per volume8 volumes on a timeline, 1997 to 2008 · Best-rated volume: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

On screen

This book has been adapted for the screen once.

FilmHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince2009dir. David YatesIMDb

Adaptation data: Wikidata · On screen →

Where the score comes from

The sources average 8.8 across 6,737 ratings. With that many, the reader vote carries 98% of the weight and the score stays at 8.8 — the Young adult average of 7.8 barely moves it.

Source	Average	Ratings	Weight
Open Library	8.7	213	3%
Google Books	9.0	34	1%
Hardcover	8.8	6.5K	96%

Frequently asked

What age is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for?

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince sits on the Middle grade shelf in the sources we use, which by convention means roughly ages 8–12. This is a guide from the book’s category, not a publisher’s age rating. It has 640 pages — longer than 65% of the ranked books in Young adult.