Some considered the main themes to be love, death, trust, and redemption. Reviewers noted that the book took on a darker tone than its predecessors, though it did contain some humour. Reception to the novel was generally positive, and it won several awards and honours, including the 2006 British Book of the Year award. There were many controversies before and after it was published, including the right to read copies delivered before the release date in Canada. It sold nine million copies in the first 24 hours after its release, a record that was eventually broken by its sequel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The book was published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury and in the United States by Scholastic on 16 July 2005, as well as in several other countries. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores the past of the boy wizard's nemesis, Lord Voldemort, and Harry's preparations for the final battle against Voldemort alongside his headmaster and mentor Albus Dumbledore. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the Harry Potter series.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a fantasy novel written by British author J.K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
