Christine Lowther recently sent me her latest poetry collection to review. 'Half-Blood Poems' is a poetry collection with a difference. Divided into seven sections to mirror the seven Harry Potter books, perhaps this unpretentious and down-to-earth collection could awaken a love of poetry in the Potter generation?
    Poetry is often a forgotten art, but the familiar subject matter of 'Half-Blood Poems' may be refreshing for adults and children alike. Christine Lowther uses her experiences to paint her own interpretation of the Potter books in poetry, writing from the perspectives of several different characters as well as her own. She even uses the concept of 'found poetry', changing J.K. Rowling's words from prose to poem, an idea that works particularly well in 'Feeling Pensive?' I had never heard of this technique before, but I found it really interesting as it highlights the poetry in J.K. Rowling's language.
    Of the 71 poems in the collection, one of my favourites is 'The Limestone Plain', a very fitting tribute to my favourite character, Hermione, and a poem that describes her thoughts and feelings in Deathly Hallows really well. I also love 'Seeker and Snitch', wonderfully written musings on the role of a Golden Snitch. Christine Lowther's writing of a particular character stood out to me whilst reading 'Half-Blood Poems'. 'Longbottom Leaf' and 'Neville, Unlikely Rebel' make me love the character even more than before. 'Longbottom Leaf', a snapshot of Neville's life as a professor, shows his modesty and unfailing kindness, and gives us Neville's side of the story from a fresh perspective.
    'Half-Blood Poems' is an enjoyable read, whether just for a couple of short poems, or for the whole cover-to-cover experience. Reading Christine's unique perspective on the Potter books was interesting, and really shows how the works of J.K. Rowling can inspire people in remarkable ways, whether through music, stories or poetry.

You can buy 'Half-Blood Poems' from Amazon.