A Reader's Guide to Books and Reviews

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter) by J.K. Rowling, Mary GrandPré
(Illustrator)

Genre:
Fantasy, Middle School, Witches and Wizards, Adventure, Kindle Unlimited, Young Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy, Science Fiction, Book Series, Magic, Wolves, Werewolves, British Literature, Contemporary, Dark, Harry Potter Universe

Publication Date:
June 21, 2003

Page Numbers:
912

Read/Finished Date:
April 15th, 2025 - April 17th, 2025

Rating:
5/5

Premise:

Harry Potter is about to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unlike most schoolboys, Harry never enjoys his summer holidays, but this summer is even worse than usual. The Dursleys, of course, are making his life a misery, but even his best friends, Ron and Hermione, seem to be neglecting him.

Harry has had enough. He is beginning to think he must do something, anything, to change his situation, when the summer holidays come to an end in a very dramatic fashion. What Harry is about to discover in his new year at Hogwarts will turn his world upside down...

Review:

This is the fifth book in the Harry Potter series and is set shortly after the events of the fourth book. The Wizarding World is in denial about Voldemort's return to power. Instead of addressing the threat he poses to the Wizarding World, the Ministry of Magic appoints Dolores Umbridge as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

While Umbridge exerts her authority over the school of magic, Harry, along with Hermione and Ron, recognizes the danger Voldemort's return brings and forms a secret group called "Dumbledore's Army" to learn and practice defensive spells.

In Order of the Phoenix, you see a large jump in Harry's character growth. He has taken charge and started a secret group with the hopes of teaching those who are willing to learn to protect themselves from the danger Voldemort and his Death Eaters pose, not only to the Wizarding World but also to the school.

I am not going to lie; this book is thick and I mean it is one of three thick books in the series. The first time I read this book, it took me a full night to get through it. Unfortunately, I don't have that leisure anymore.

This book gets dark and we learn of the prophecy told by Sybill Trelawney. While the prophecy does speak of a child born at the end of July who will defeat Voldemort, it does not specify that child is Harry. Also, we see one of the beloved characters, Sirius, die in this one. His character growth never really happens in this novel and who can blame him? He is immature, but wouldn't you be if you spent your entire life in Azkaban? I wish Rowling had given him a chance to grow, to know his godson more, and to be able to fully return House of Black to what it should have been without the blood purity to it.

But I also see the reason why she had to kill him off. Harry needed the push for his character to move forward and become what Sirius wanted from him - a great wizard.

Similar Books:

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
Percy Jackson Universe by Rick Riordan

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter) by J.K. Rowling, Mary GrandPré
(Illustrator)

Genre:
Fantasy, Middle School, Witches and Wizards, Adventure, Kindle Unlimited, Young Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy, Science Fiction, Book Series, Magic, Wolves, Werewolves, British Literature, Contemporary, Dark, Harry Potter Universe

Publication Date:
May 1, 2004 by Scholastic Inc.

Page Numbers:
435

Read/Finished Date:
March 26th, 2025

Rating:
5/5

Premise:

Harry Potter, along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can't wait to get back to school after the summer holidays. (Who wouldn't if they lived with the horrible Dursleys?) But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There's an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school...

Review:

This is the third novel in the Harry Potter series and is considered to be the beginning of the novel's dark themes. Harry Potter is spending his summer once more in the presence of his aunt and uncle and what is worse is Aunt Marge has begun to make snide remarks about his family. That is until one night when Harry has gotten tired of Marge's relentless abuse and unfortunately blows her up (not in the BOOM sort, but much like a balloon without strings). Harry flees into the night believing that the Ministry of Magic will revoke his wizarding privilege and send him right back to his already furious aunt and uncle.

Fortunately, that is not the case and Harry learns that an escapee from Azkaban named Sirius Black is gunning for him. Because of this, the Ministry of Magic has increased security and used Dementors, "wraithlike creatures that drain happiness and hope from people, inducing despair and fear, and can even consume souls with "The Dementor's Kiss."*

Now, Harry and his friends must stay out of reach of the Dementors and Sirius Black all the while navigating his third year of Hogwarts.

Before I dare to begin, have I mentioned how I love how Hermione handled Draco Malfoy? He deserved that hit more than anything and I am glad she dished it to him.

We can see Harry's growth in both character and abilities to be stronger and more determined as he navigates his third year, dodging Dementors and Sirius Black.

And we cannot leave out his two friends - Ron and Hermione. While the former sticks closely to his friend, the latter seems to be more focused on her new classes as well as knowing Sirius Black is after her friend. Her feelings of worry are genuine, and I understand why she fears Sirius could harm Harry, but I think she does tend to go too far when it comes to protecting Harry.

Overall, I think this book was one of my favorites in the series.

Similar Books:

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
Percy Jackson Universe by Rick Riordan





Info taken from Dementors