The Harry Potter tidal wave has swept over two hundred countries, which successively saw JK Rowling’s books get on top of the Bestsellers’ Lists. Already translated into 61 languages and sold by 270 millions copies, Harry Potter’s adventures are going from hand to hand, livening up playgrounds, interfering at top speed in grownups’ daily life. How comes such success? By word of mouth? Yes. Media stunt? A little, but no. It is at the very heart of the books that we may find the reasons for such a successful outcome, hailed by more than fifty literary prizes and millions of delighted readers. For seven years, all around the world, Harry’s pointed hat has given shade to the giants: Mary Higgins Clark, John Grisham, Danielle Steel, Tom Clancy, Stephen King. For the first time in its history, the New York times has had to create a bestsellers’ list of youth novel, in order to clear it away from the big boys’ books! A children’s book? An adults’ book? Only those who haven’t read Harry Potter still ask the question: Harry is read, devoured, borrowed, told, until it becomes a cult book, which is furiously awaited, standing up, in pyjamas, in front of a bookshop open at night! On July 16, this sixth tome was already released in English, entitled Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, at Bloomsbury Books, England.
On October 1, it was displayed in French-speaking bookshops with the following title: Harry Potter et le Prince de Sang Mêlé. In this sixth and one but last tome, Harry is sixteen. After a short stay at the Dursleys, he goes into his sixth year at Hogwarts, where he will meet the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. His growing powers get more and more precious to him, as war against Death-Eaters breaks out and the ultimate confrontation with Voldemort is close. “For the moment, I’m really enjoying the plot: many things happen and we find answers to numerous questions,” JK Rowling declared on August 15, 2004 at the Edinburgh Book Festival. Since the sixth tome’s release was announced, many questions were asked to JK Rowling, but the author carefully keeps her secrets! Nevertheless, we know that the Half-Blood Prince is neither Harry nor Voldemort, that a new Minister of Magic is appointed, that war breaks out and that some characters will disappear.