Rating: 
Summary: It's only meant so that you can understand Book 6 &7
Review: I don't really think of this book as a book that was made to have a huge plot, I think it was made to be a lead on for the next two. Rowling is like shakespeare, she loves intimate details, and this book was full of them. She's more than likely to use many of those details to make the next two outshine my by far favorite, book 4.
While all the other books had the combined combination of a powerful plot and outstanding details, this one only included the second. I am most certainly awaiting the next two to bring together the odd litle points made her and there. Harrys annoying little new attitude is bound to change; the sirius black character stated that a lot of people are big-headed (or something like that) when they're fifteen, that's bound to be one of her frequent clues about the next book. This book was not nearly as dark as book four, it was just a much harder death. I await the sixth with new hope.
Rating: 
Summary: Great!
Review: I had been waiting months and months for this book and was very very impressed with it when I read it! I am a massive fan and when you are a fan like me, you get to understand the characters and such. I LOVED the book to peices. The way JKR brings out the characters. I hated that Umbridge women. But I thought it was a superb book. Absolutley brill. This is definetly my favorite book of all time! until the next one!lol
Rating:
Summary: Coming of age story.
Review: I found this book a true coming of age story for a teenager, all the rage, confused with himself. I found that J.K. Rowling did do a very good job writing Harry as this confused young man. For writing about a young boy going through adolesnce I thought she was right on. I do not agree with the others for it being a bad book I thought is was brilliant, they just must think that Harry needs to stay the same as he was in the first three books, he is just going through things as all other young men, except for he is a wizard.
Rating:
Summary: I don't understand...
Review: I don't understand how so many people can complain about plot threads that weren't neatly wrapped up in this volume. One of the best things about the series, in my opinion, is that the books continue into each other and keep earlier aspects of the story alive. And people seem to act as though all of the former books ended with no questions to be had about the contents, and that somehow, the next two books will not be able to answer some questions left in this book. I liked the Snape's Worst Memory chapter; it was one of my favorite parts in the series, as well as Harry's subsequent chat with Lupin and Black about it. Some people don't like the fact that James wasn't always an angel. He grew out of it, people. And it would have just been too unbelievable: here he is, the best at whatever he does in the school along with Sirius, and he's not cocky at all? What 15 year old guy who is popular and good at sports and everything else wouldn't want to show off to get some girls' attention? And if he really did hate the dark arts, which we are sure he did, and Snape's just immersed in them, then why wouldn't he pick on him? Especially if Snape kept up his end and fought back? And the darkness... Well, I didn't think this book was all that much darker than the fourth. The introduction of the Death Eaters, the murder of that muggle in the beginning, the revelations of the murders of Crouch Sr. and Riddle Sr., the re-union in the cemetery at the end, and Cedric's death all join together to make the fourth book pretty dark as well. Plus, how believable would all of the terror at simply saying Voldemort's name be if he never did anything evil? Seriously. I loved this book. I loved the deepening of Neville's character. I loved more interactions with Lupin and Sirius, and more background info on Snape, James, and Lily. I loved Fred and George and Ginny. I loved the DA. I wish it had been longer. And if I still have questions about the plot, especially the death (?) at the end, then I'm certain that the last two books will do some explaining.
Rating:
Summary: What are people thinking, giving this a bad review?
Review: I've been reading Stephen King's book On Writing (the only Stephen King book I've ever read, by the way - I don't care for horror) since reading this, and it seems he had a better handle on this book 3 years ago than some of the reviewers do here. Specifically, I'm talking about plot. One reviewer complained about how the house-cleaning and Hagrid's brother didn't add to the plot. Well, I happen to agree with Stephen King on this point: he distrusts plot because our lives are largely plotless, and any story which is worth telling is about someone's life. What he prefers is to put characters in a situation and see what happens. He says "Plot is, I think, the good writer's last resort and the dullard's first choice. The story which results from it is apt to feel artificial and labored." The Order of the Phoenix did not feel artificial and labored, it was very gripping and compelling. A lot happened in this book, whatever some people like to think. I'd say this book was in a large part about character development, if there was any "about" to it. A lot of character development did take place in here: Harry discovered hormones (anyone who says he wasn't acting like himself has never gone through puberty - and that coupled with his entire world hating him for telling the truth and a teacher on his case who made Voldemort look like the Easter bunny, among many other things, it's a testimony to his strength of character that he didn't ultimately snap!), Hagrid has a brother (a VERY interesting character development, and for all you plot-naggers, he did save Harry's hide, and maybe he'll be important later on, you never know), Dumbledore is only 99.99% infallible after all, the rest of the world finally catches up to Harry on the presence of Voldemort, a main character dies, which is certainly going to throw him for even more of a loop than the death of Diggory in front of him, and he finds out that his own father wasn't always the saint he had thought him to be, but was a real person as well! So much happened here, and people are saying it was a let-down? Mama mia! Was all this unnecessary because some people don't like the way things played out? Quite the contrary. It's when the worst possible thing happens, with the worst moods and everything, that true character really comes out. Besides, isn't it unecessary when loved ones die in real life? Think about it, people. And stop wasting my time with your whining. Now, for all those who loved the book, I have this to say: Rock on! Even with all the one-star reviews I see immediately, this book achieved 4-1/2 stars. Let that be the measure of the quality of the book, not someone's preset idea of what "should" be in the book. Oh, and dark overtones don't equate to bad book, either. And now that I'm finished blowing off steam, I humbly apologize for wasting your time with a review that turned out much longer than I had thought.
Rating:
Summary: Wow
Review: The Order of Phoenix was well worth the wait! The book is long, but I was surprised with how quickly I made it to the end. In fact, I tried to pace myself so the enjoyment of reading the book would last longer, but alas, I couldn't stop turning pages. J.K. Rowling has made Harry a more belivable character. I don't think the change in his personality was any more abrupt than the tragic events that lead to the anger and rebellion that he demonstrates in "Order." In fact, I should qualify that. Harry's personality hasn't really changed. He has been through more than the vast majority of 15-year-olds, and I think he is simply reacting as a teenager would. Toward the end of Goblet, Harry saw a colleague die before his eyes after Harry suggested that they touch the trophy at the same time. Then, with little explanation for what had happened and what to expect, he was sent back to the Dursleys for another summer of anxiety and emotional abuse. Knowing that Vol- err... He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was back, but hearing nothing from his school or his friends, only added to Harry's constant anxiety. After arriving at Hogwarts, things didn't get much better. He discovered that the Wizard government was making him out to be a crazy liar, that his father was also not a perfect teenager, that Dumbledore was distancing himself from Harry, that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher was out to make his life horrific, and of course, he learns that relationships (Cho) can be complicated. Harry is not a kid anymore, but he isn't quite mature enough to understand and deal with some of those challenges. However, during the last few pages, after many of his questions were answered, I saw Harry become more himself again. I enjoyed the subplots that were (as some other reviewers have suggested) "unnecessary." Of course they were not vital to the central plot, but they are important to the story as a whole. Hermione's determination to free house-elves, Hagrid's brother, Percy's rebellion, and Ron's being horrible at Quiddich, were parts of every-day Hogwarts that make the story come alive. It is the subplots that make me wish I were one of Harry's friends going to school at Hogwarts. The subplots also help to develop characters and make the reader love or hate them even more. There has got to be something to the mysterious death of one of my favorite characters. The way it happened was too abrupt and too odd for J.K. to leave unresolved. That isn't her style. But that doesn't worry me at all. Luna and Sir Nicholas both made brief references to it toward the end, and I have a feeling this will resurface in Book 6. "Order" was dark, but I don't agree that it was not balanced. I think that we must balance this book (as well as each of the other individual books) with the series as a whole. Voldemort just returned to power. Of course there are more downs than ups. This book would have been completely unbelievable if Harry was cheerful and happy during half of it. Besides, I think that the last chapter indicated that Harry has matured and will see things from a different perspective in the future. He knows now that his friends and Dumbledore would truly do anything for him and that they have his best interest in mind. He should also have learned that things happen for a reason and that answers will come to him when it is time for them to. This book was a fantastic transition. Many questions were answered and many more questions were asked. Anything left unresolved just makes me thirst for Book 6. The world knows that Voldemort is back now, so the next two books are going to be intense. Get ready!
Rating:
Summary: More depth
Review: I disagree with the premiss of the negative reviews. In this book, Harry shows MORE depth of character. He is changing as you would expect a teenage boy to change. Of course he is angry! Look at what he has been through. If you want him to stay the same then just reread the first 3 books. The Goblet of Fire, and the Order of the Phoenix are deepening the characters. The first three books introduced the main characters, the last two begin to explore who they really are and what they are about to become. It is very subtle, but I feel that I know these three better now that I have read the Order of the Phoenix. The book is a page turner. I couldn't put it down. The only disappointment was that I finished it too quickly; knowing that I will have to wait for the next one.
Rating: 
Summary: Has her new little baby distracted JKR?
Review: I disagree with the people who believe this book is simply the best of the four. It easily makes the LAST on my list. I expected an interesting plot and characters that are believeable. I was extremely disappointed. I was in Canada the time the book came out and was trying to wait patiently till the time I got home to read the book. JKR missed her deadline for this book and it came out a year later. I was sure that the longer she took to write it the longer the book would be and therefore better. I was expecting a fast paced book that I could not put down. Instead, I found myself reading it at an incredibly slow rate and wondered what the book was about. The book would be complete with the end itself. The characters seem totally out of whack...where has their personalities gone? Has it all been neatly tucked into the previous four and that is what makes them so much better tahn #5? How come Harry is always so mean? People say it's because he's a teenager...but he was teen in the third book too. 870 pages are dedicated to a prophecy that doesn't even necessarily deem true! Ron says "mate" all of a sudden and Hermione just isn't as witty. If anything...she got stupider. how come suddenly Harry is that wonderful defense against the dark arts student despite his reputation with Umbridge? And why is Umbridge have only one dimension? All of the characters use to be real, they had 3 dimensions. And Albus Dumbledore--he has suddenly worn out. I was looking forward to his lecture only he seemed too soft and Harry was really mean to this soft man. And James was no hero. He really was conceited and mean and no role model at all. How can a role model be so mean to fellow students? I'm COMPLETELY unsatisfied by this book and I hope the next two are going to be better than the fifth. even if they were as good as the first I would be satisfied. Has J.K. Rowling just pooped out and got tired of her series? I bet her first book "Rabbit" was better than her latest creation.
Rating: 
Summary: The magic continues w/ a bit of slack writing.
Review: Though I thought this book was almost as fabulous as the first four, I think that Rowling might be slacking off in her writing. I don't, of course, mean lengthwise (as the book was 870 pages long) but in her wording. Her writing style used to have a sort-of "edge of my seat", creativeness to it. At the end of the book, I knew I had loved the story, but I wasn't quite as stunned (no pun intended) as I was after the other books. I do think that some of the editors should have noticed this in the print, but I guess not. I still love Harry and the gang, though. In this book, Harry has changed. He is a bit edgier, more sarcastic, and a little meaner. Some people are complaining that Harry is becoming non-likable, but Rowling has decided that Harry would grow up in the 5th installment of the series. At age 15, we all went through the same changes. Harry couldn't stay the naive, playful person that he used to be because then it wouldn't be realistic. Harry has a big load on his shoulders and he's starting to show that. In fact, the maturity of all the children characters has started to show. I was especially pleased that Rowling decided to bring background characters into the bigger picture, such as Neville Longbottom, Snape, Cho, and Ginny Weasley. The magic of Harry Potter continues and I will be looking forward to the final books.
Rating:
Summary: Better then Ever.
Review: I love this book. It is the most complex and interesting story J. K. Rowling has written yet. I am very sad to see that others are very dissapointed in this book. They seem unhappy that Harry is changing, as are his perceptions of the world. I enjoy this change. Harry's changing thoughts give him new life and his uncertionties give him a more 3-D apperance. You feel his frustrations and the realness of them mirrors your own on the matters of the magical world. He no longer always makes the best decisions and you will at some points in the book wince at his actions but even so J. K. Rowling so stunningly writes Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that you feel his actions are justified, if not the best of decisions. This is truly the best novel J. K. Rowling has written yet. I long for more then the 7 books Mrs. Rowling has told us she is to write.
I feel the uncomplementery reviewers are simply upset that Harry is changing. They refuse to love every page of it.And just to clear anything up, this book is long but not a page of it was unnessasary or boring. Each page is a joy to read, I should know, I've read it 4 times, the first time in a day. : ) I hope that if you are uncertion weither or not to read the book that you examine the two extreems of these reviews on amazon.
Cheers!
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