I was really disappointed by the latest volume as I was by Order of the Phoenix. But, at the end of the day, the Harry Potter books are miles better than many others even when they're rubbish. Natalie Pryor, Swindon

I found the book disappointing. Harry is but a bystander to his own life. Things happen to Harry, but it is others who take actions to shape events. The ending seems contrived by the marketing people to set up the next book. Craig Allely, Denver, USA

Too many pages, too little story. I'm afraid the magic is waning...Dave Wyatt, Stevenage

The Brothers Karamazov it isn’t, but JK Rowling is a great writer with an extraordinary knack for storytelling. I loved this book very much and I just can't wait to read Harry Potter 7. Can I say that I think it's the best Harry Potter book to date? Julian Mihai, London

It all had to be explained sometime. However, taking an entire book to do so seems rather pointless. Several characters seem to have changed beyond recognition and the romances are formulaic. One may as well read the first two and last five chapters, and ignore the rest. Nothing much happens in between. Catherine Russell, Orpington, Kent

It is probably the worst of the Harry Potter books with no definable plot. It’s a great disappointment, and no longer a children’s book. Georgina Bennett, Derbyshire

It's great to see the series developing into something more adult. The characters are all growing up, and JK Rowling isn't holding back when it comes to showing it. It was good to see Harry return to maturity and responsibility, ready to accept what he has to do. There were some brilliant new ideas, and many older questions that were answered. Overall, it was a brilliant penultimate book, I can't wait for book seven! Lauren Pulsford, Crewkerne, Somerset

Harry really starts to mature in this book. He was really annoying in book 5 but I think that was done on purpose, so as readers, we can witness how our hero matures and learns to handle his emotion like a man. David Chiu, Hong Kong

Not a bad book, though the usefulness of the first chapter escapes me. As with the previous book, I think JK Rowling could have told the story in fewer words. Lindsey Prett, Paris

The best one yet. The romantic threads, derided by many of the comments on these pages, add a necessary lightness to the dark times depicted in the book. And the ending is quite superb - it leaves you impatient to read the next book. Brian Taylor, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall

The highlight of the book, I think, is Harry's impulsive, but decisive show of affection after the critical Quidditch match. It's still the same old story - a fight for love and glory... Rex Alcatraz, Sarasota, Florida, USA

Very good, but not quite as good as the hype would suggest. Once again JK Rowling has woven excellent plot lines but in such a way that fails to capture the heart of the reader. She has created a wonderfully vivid world, but failed to fill it with equally brilliantly developed characters. Despite this, the story still manages to inspire excitement and anticipation just as well as the previous books in the series. Emily Jeffery-Barrett, Guiseley, West Yorkshire

It’s a good read and contains all the usual Rowling ingredients, but I was disappointed. It didn’t seem to go anywhere. The love storylines dominated the book making it at times tempting to flip through some pages. I also believe that for a book which was so hyped up it failed to live up to expectations. Nicola Margiotta, London