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G**J
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is a captivating addition to J.K. Rowling's magical series. In this fifth installment, Rowling masterfully expands the wizarding world, delving deeper into the complexities of adolescence and the darker aspects of power and politics. The plot is rich with intrigue as Harry navigates newfound responsibilities, challenges authority, and confronts the resurgence of Voldemort's influence. The character development is striking, with Harry maturing noticeably amidst growing tensions within Hogwarts and the broader wizarding community. The novel's blend of mystery, adventure, and poignant themes makes it a compelling read for both young adults and adults alike. Rowling's ability to intertwine personal growth with a gripping narrative makes "Order of the Phoenix" a standout in the Harry Potter series, solidifying its place as a beloved classic.
M**N
A long time coming, but well worth the wait!
After a length of time that seemed like an ice age to most Harry Potter fans, J.K Rowling, finally gives us the fifth and latest Harry Potter novel.The first thing that you're going to notice is that the book is huge in comparison to the previous instalments, but fans will be glad to note that size has not lowered the quality of the work at all.In The Order of the Phoenix we find that Harry starts the book feeling angry and frustrated from a summer at home with the Dursleys', due to the fact that he has had little contact with any one from Hogwarts, and anything that has come has been trivial, with nothing concerning the threat of the newly returned to health Lord Voldermort.Things don't start to really move for Harry until he is attacked at home and he has to use magic to defend himself, which of course is not allowed for any underage wizard. This lands Harry in trouble, and he soon finds that the summer has had a profound change on how people view him. No longer is he the darling child who survived an attack by "he who can't be named", but he is viewed by a large segment of the wizard world as an ego driven boy who makes up stories to make himself appear a hero.This turn of events is largely due to the fact that Harry is being used as a pawn by the minister of magic who for some reason has decided that Dumbledore wants his job, and so he is trying to discredit Harry and Dumbledore's claims that Voldermort is indeed back by having damning stories published in the wizard papers about how it seems Harry is in fact a little mad and should not be believed, and as we know people do tend to believe what they read. All of this leads to a hard year at Hogwarts for Harry, where everything he enjoys about being a wizard is taken from him, and the things he hates about being a wizard are compounded, and then of course to make matters worse its OWL's year (exams year).The plot is excellent with a great climatic battle and more than a little sorrow. The humour is plentiful, as you would expect from a Harry Potter book, with Ron getting most of the comic lines, and Fred and George causing most of the comedic mayhem.Harry is far more aggressive in this instalment, which is no surprise from a teenager, though I did find that some of his outbursts towards Ron and Hermione were without cause and a little unlikely. I remember being an angry teen myself, but it was not so often that the anger got directed at my closest friends without a lot of reason.I did also find that Harry reminds me more of a thirteen-year-old girl emotionally than he does of a fifteen-year-old boy. This could be a lot to do with the fact it is written of course by a woman who doesn't have a clue as to what hormones are raging in the body of a fifteen year old boy, but this is my only couple of complaints in an otherwise brilliant read.I doubt anyone will need prodding to buy this excellent book, but just in case you do, BUY IT NOW!
D**I
The best story for young and old alike
Can't wait to read the next one, I love these books so much, I'm transported to hogswort every time,, absolutely love it
T**Y
Stunning art work
A great way to re-tell the story with stunning art work
B**M
Overlong, but generally enjoyable installment in the Potter series
The fifth instalment in the Harry Potter series is the longest yet. They hype around the books was firmly established by the time this one was published and expectations were impossibly high. I ordered it from Amazon as well as queuing in the rain to buy it just in case my local store ran out of books - and I know plenty of others who went to similar lengths. Looking back now, objectively, it wouldn't be worth such extremes - but it does highlight just how much this series came to mean to readers, and not just because it was fashionable.This was the first novel in the series that I feel suffered from lack of an editor. It is overlong and I know of younger readers (the 8-10 age group mainly) who had enjoyed the earlier books but struggled to keep the thread through this one. It is less cohesive and tightly plotted than the preceding stories, and introduces a whole host of new characters. Some become firm favourites and pivotal to the final part of the series. I particularly like Luna Lovegood, who first appears in this book, and also Kinglsey Shacklebolt. It sees the return also of Remus Lupin, a fan favourite from the third book who did not appear in book four. Many of characters introduced are adults and it expands the number of adult characters in the series considerably.The themes are 'darker' (every successive Harry Potter instalment is described as 'darker' generally). Abuse of power is an important theme. There's also a lot about the politics of the magical world underlying this story, and for some young readers this may be their introduction to some concepts about the world of politics in general. We see corruption, institutional prejudice, manipulation of the media, politicians lying, and politicians doing the wrong thing in order to protect their own jobs. Injustice is another key topic.Harry Potter himself shows more 'teenage' tendencies in this book - he gets a bit shouty a few times and spends rather a lot of time thinking things are SO unfair. Of course, it's slightly undermined by the fact that things genuinely are. He gets his first girlfriend, and he sits his exams. There is a sinister element in the nightmares and visions which he suffers throughout the book, implying that he may be at risk of possession. In fact, he is viewed as mad and unstable by most of his fellow students throughout the novel. There is a character death at the end and several other characters are injured or in peril at various times.The story has less of the innocent joyfulness and sparkle of some of the earlier stories, but it does tackle some more meaty themes and is still a great fun read. I would recommend it more for readers of age 10 and upwards, because I think younger children will find the length and structure more daunting, but of course it depends on the child. Adults will also enjoy the book. There are a few plot holes and a few inconsistencies introduced here that create problems later in the series - but overall, the Potter stories are always fun to read and virtually a required rite of passage for children in the 2000s. So sit back, enjoy, and don't think too hard about the details.
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