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Summary: All Answers Are Revealed
Review: In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix all questions that you have been longing to be answered are finally revealed. It helps to understand everything that has been done or said in the previous editions. This book is exciting and funny but there may be some dissapointments in it. By the end of the book you will be waiting for the next.
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Summary: the latest harry potter book
Review: Holding in my hands the fifth Harry Potter novel - a towering, monolithic adventure spanning 870 pages - I have to wonder how different The Order of the Phoenix might have been had Potter-mania not caught on the way it did. When Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone hit shelves back in 1998, it was a modest and taut 309-page read. (Well, OK, it still is. As far as I know, the book hasn't morphed into Sammy Davis Jr.'s Yes I Can since last I checked.) Over the years, the books have grown and grown, which is fine, except the stories haven't always been able to keep pace.
Such is the case with Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, a darkly exciting novel that builds from an intriguing opening to a mundane middle, and finishes with a suspenseful, spectacular climax. Spreading the plot anemically like this allows readers to spend a great deal of time just living in Harry's world, where we watch events from his perspective unfold in almost real-time. This does much to endear the reader to the characters - you genuinely feel like you're in this together as you read - but it's not for the impatient. If you're new to Harry Potter, this is not the place to start. Things pick up with almost no back-tracking as we find ourselves now five years into the events of an increasingly complex arc. In fact, so much has happened that I found I needed to go to previous books for reference, trying to determine the significance of quite a few, at first, unfamiliar characters (am I the only one who forgot the Weasleys have a son named Bill?).
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Summary: Not quite Twain or Dickens, But ...
Review: J.K. Rowling has produced a great adolescent novel. While coming of age stories are staples of both quality and popular literature, modern "quality" ones tend to be painfully self-indulgent. A century or so ago, Mark Twain's Huck Finn had the sense to decide that freeing his friend Jim was more important than going to heaven and Dickens' Pip (_Great Expectations_) learned just how foolish had been his self-indulgent adolescence. The writers understood that purpose resides beyond the self. Then, around fifty years ago, critics became enamored with the likes of Holden Caulfield, and the self-indulgent study of adolescent ennui came into fashion. Granted, the readers receive a far deeper exploration of Holden Caulfield's psychological makeup than Twain or Dickens ever offered a reader, but we have paid a terrible price for this exploration. Authors and critics stepped forward to claim that solipsistic self-exploration was "what it's about," and few seemed ready to say, "Yes, this is what adolescence is like, but you've got to step out and take on the world even though the entirety of William James's 'blooming buzzing confusion' seems to be doing its blooming and its buzzing within the confines of your emotions." Can one experience the confusion of Holden Caulfield and yet set forth boldly as Huck Finn? Harry Potter tries, as the many of us who have not grown up to be self-indulgent agoraphobics have done exactly that. We've sorted through the world, discovered the faults and flaws of the outside world, come to terms with our own weaknesses, and occasionally saved the world (or some tiny little piece of it) in the process. Harry Potter is a real adolescent, writ large. He is a wizard; he has a Destiny; he is the hero of childhood fantasy. He is confused, impulsive, traumatized, and full of both anger at the world and self-doubt. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry suffers all the deep pangs that are the fodder of modern literature yet manages to stand true to himself at the end. Harry has heart, and, as Dumbledore notes, that is what matters. In the Harry Potter books, Harry tends to create or force the final confrontations. Harry unintentionally cooperates with Voldemort again in this piece, propelled, as always by selflessness rather than malice. Harry may need Voldemort in order to discover what is within himself; Harry also feeds Voldemort as he presses ever greater challenges onto himself, leaving us to ask: is Harry responsible for Voldemort's increasing power and the consequences of these ever more violent confrontations? It is dangerous to act in a world where we posses only incomplete knowledge, but part of Harry's appeal is that he does act, rather than retreating Hamlet-like into indecision. Harry also must discover that his finest role models are not perfect; this is another element of the adolescent rite of passage. Harry, always the underdog in the Muggle world and always the defender of the underdog in the world of wizardry, discovers something unsettling in the form of one of Snape's memories. The revelation explains much of Snape's animosity toward the Potters and Black, and offers Rowling's readers an uncomfortable window into the adolescent world. The more rambunctious behavior of Harry and his friends, throughout the books, has consistently appeared as either benign or justified. In our real world, the behavior of "good kids" is all too often neither. Rowling reminds us of the adolescent play that is scarring to all involved: victims, victimizers, and even those who would object but were powerless to do so. And she leaves Harry with the choices of justifying (improperly) his heroes' actions, rejecting his heroes, or accepting that even the best wizards have flaws. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher epitomizes the Dark Art of the Twentieth Century. Those of us who have lived through 1984 may see her as a figure of ultimate evil, one far more depraved than the merely malicious Voldemort. She is the bureaucrat, the agent of societal convenience and unquestioning obedience to authority. All who would argue with her are not merely wrong, they are misguided or deceitful obstacles to the Truth. Order is all, and Order derives only from unquestioned obedience to the rules as delineated by the State. Her methods of punishment are Kafkaesque; her aims include the destruction of independent thought. Question Nothing! It is basic nature for an adolescent to rebel against such a figure; what is difficult is efficacious rebellion, rather than pointless or self-destructive opposition. Can an adolescent learn when to fight and when to pretend acquiescence? Yes, this book is dark in tone, raw with the emotions of adolescence and with its external actions a perfect mirror to Harry's confused, angry young mind. In the world of childhood, tomorrow always dawns fresh and new; for an adult, tomorrow's dawn carries the consequences, for good or bad, of the night before. For an adolescent, the dawn is always painful as consequences are a fresh addition to the world, and last night's experiments in living were sure to have produced at least some undesired results. The lessons are intense, the learning rapid, but understanding may be long years away. The brightest thought, and Rowling lets us end with this thought, is that there are others who have felt the pain of adolescence, who have confronted the great human questions, and who have not only survived but have grown into strong, effective adults. Harry Potter may be letting a generation of kids know that one's life matters, even in its harshest, most confused periods. It should be letting a generation of critics know that there is more to adolescent self-discovery than simpering self-indulgence. This book suggests that Huck Finn can feel like Holden Caulfield on the inside, yet still behave as Huck Finn. It also suggests that there is no excuse for behaving like Holden Caulfield -- and I like that suggestion.
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Summary: boring start, but gets better
Review: I have just finished reading 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix', and I thought that the book started off slow, and until Harry got to Hogwarts, I wasn't constantly reading it, but when he gets to Hogrwarts the book starts to get really good, with their new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher being 'almost as bad as Snape', too much homework, and OWLs coming up, this is still a must read book.
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Summary: ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING BOOK EVER
Review: The latest edition to the harry potter series is one of the most adventureous and breathtaking part of the series.Truly J.K.Rowling has a way with words that makes you feel as if you are in the story with Harry.
The first half of the book is a bit sluggish and drags a wee bit than usual.But the second half is outta this world .......its just great.
Overall its a great book and a 'must read'....the only drawback being that the basic story does not advance that much as i had expected......and not much revealed as compared to the 3rd book.
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Summary: definitely dark
Review: I only gave this book a four because it is so dark. Although this holds true somewhat in all the Harry Potter books, this one seems to "not let up". I very much enjoyed the way it shows Harry's mental struggles as he matures into an adult. I do have to say as many others have stated that this book pretty much leaves you feeling very depressed afterward, mostly because of the finally but also because all the way through it our hero faces constant dismall times that never seem to brighten up as any glimmer of hope seems to be shot down almost immediately into yet another depressing situation.
Still a good book and just as the other Potter books, I couldn't put it down until I finished it, however, be prepared as you will not get that "fuzzy feel-good" sensation at the end of it. I also recommend at least reading books 3 and 4 prior to this for a more throrough understanding of everything happening in this book.
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Summary: A fun read if not totally enchanting.
Review: The fifth installment of the gargantuan institution that is Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix brings Harry, Ron, and Hermione back for another helping of wizardry mischief, midair broom-inspired sport, and of course, Dark Lord-induced evil machinations. Selling 8 million copies within the first week of sales, this eagerly anticipated novel delivers the same charming adventures that readers have grown to love. Quick hit: this long, very long, page-turner leads you through the mystical world of wizards, but fails to deliver the great finale that the entire story so gracefully built up for. I remember, back when I was a youngster, reading the first three novels. Oh the good ol' days of unemployment, affording me the opportunity to catch up on the then-growing buzz called Harry Potter. Breezing through those first three stories, I found myself whisked away into a magical world of sorcery. With its setting of modern-day London, the Harry Potter universe offered a quaint throwback to simpler times in the midst of today's speed-obsessed world. Rowling was masterful in painting the vivid images of the wizarding world, revealing the nuances of magic through her simple, yet detailed musings. The greatest facet of her style could be found in the ease of reading her stories. Every Harry Potter adventure was a quick read, paced beautifully to bring you action amongst drama, all the while unveiling a world bound only by your imagination. So, how does the newest book stack up? It manages to produce the same charming feel of previous installments, welcoming its audience back into Hogwart's school and Harry's life. It is once again a page-turning offering from Rowling, almost addictive in its exquisite prose. Yet, it fails to take advantage of the last novel, never striking out new territory as its predecessor so boldly accomplished. Rather, it followed more closely to the first three novels, the year-long mystery slowly revealed and the climatic battle with the evil forces of Lord Voldemort. In the story, Harry finds himself a target at school once again. To his fellow students, the young wizard is a laughable, publicity-seeking, showoff. To his professors and most respected guardians, he is the vulnerable, overwhelmed youngster. And to his mortal enemy, Harry represents the ever-present thorn-in-the-side. After the events of the last fourth novel, Harry's world has become something filled with protective secrecy. He cannot know what is happening around him for fear that Lord Voldemort may use that knowledge for the forces of eeeevillll. Unfortunately, this leads Harry back to familiar territory. Once again Harry is an outcast at his school. Once again, Harry is at odds with unyielding professors. Once again, we watch Harry valiantly attempt to beat the odds. The slight difference this time comes in Harry's angered impatience. Gone is the innocent, bewildered, young wizard; instead, he's been replaced with the typical angry teen. Secondly, the mysterious plot is never mysterious. Whereas previous stories offered mysteries that required detective deduction, this story is only mysterious because key figures refuse to tell Harry anything. In past books, the audience happily rode alone with Harry as his gang of cohorts somehow unearthed the answers to the unmanageable puzzles. In this volume, Harry is literally kept in the dark by all those who protect him. From the sage father-figure Dumbledore to the maternal Mrs. Weasley, every person in Harry's life openly admits to knowing more than Harry but refuses to share with him. In that sense, it is slightly unsatisfying when the end result arrives and his protectors simply admit everything he deduced was something they should have told him earlier. A true mystery takes the audience along for the ride, while this mystery just hid behind a big curtain until it was time to come out. As far as the writing, Rowling seems to be in her element once again. The length of the book remains daunting, checking in at 870 pages. With the enormous size of the book, one might expect Scarlett to collapse in her fields as she proclaims her dedication to a house. But I digress, Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix is a long novel, yet the pages turn effortlessly. The author offers unobtrusive details that flesh out characters and settings seamlessly. Once again, the halls of Hogwarts spring to life with Rowling's writing, and every character breathes with invigorated energy as they manage through the school's halls. In all honesty, the 870 pages required increased reading time, but they never became overwhelming or inexcusably long. This book, nearly three times as long as the first novel, flowed just as smoothly as any of the previous offerings. Several new characters are introduced, but none take on significant importance. Whether it's the new adult friend in Tonks or the new schoolmate Luna Lovegood or the new shady classmate Abercrombie, they all take secondary and tertiary roles in the story. Their inclusion is unnecessary and inconsequential, yet not incomprehensible. The newest antagonist, Professor Umbridge, is annoying and meddlesome, but fails to create much mystique in her presence. Unlike previous Dark Arts teachers, Umbridge simply exists in Harry's world, even though her role may be key to his mystery. Overall, this is a fine read. Its length may actually be a blessing, offering an extended escape into the wizard world. The writing is simple and flowing, making it rather enjoyable. However, the story fell slightly short, never delivering a grand finale that one might hope for after 600 pages of buildup. And while the status quo was shifted in the last novel, things return to normal in this installment, only tweaked to allow for an angry Harry and increased visits with old characters like Lupin and Sirius Black. In that sense, Rowling hit the reset button, bringing Harry back to old ground and only offering minimal development in characters and story. A fun read if not totally enchanting.
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Summary: JK Rowling, Please get an editor
Review: I loved the first 4 books of the series, and they have gotten progressively better. However, this book was 850+ pages of pure dribble. If you do want to read this book, I suggest you flip to page 600 and start from there. The plot is horrible, the characters are horrible, and the neverending blah blah blah is unbearable.
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Summary: This is an awesome follow-up to the Goblet of Fire
Review: This book was fabulous. It is undoubtedly darker than the others. However, it was great to read. The descriptions and characters seem to come to life in your head as you are reading. I loved this book and can't wait for the next.
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Summary: Another year, another duel
Review: J. K. rowling has an obvious formula, Harry Potter is misunderstood but sincere, under attack by evil forces, the victim of his unpleasant Muggle family, and the book climaxes with, what else, a duel to the death (someone else's death of course) with Lord Voldemort. Lots of distraction in the form of the Weasley twins' new joke store, new magic animals, and new teachers. However, it is a good read, although I found the absence of Dumbledore throughout most of the story to be strange, I think he is one of the most interesting characters. Rowling has been compared to Dickens, and although her writing is not of the same quality, she shares with Dickens the ability to write a really satisfying, loooooong book that will keep you reading for several days. Too many tricks, not enough substance, but still interesting and enjoyable.
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