Rating: 
Summary: PERFECTO
Review: IT WAS MOST EXCELLENT, THE BEST OF THEM ALL. ORDER IS MUCH DARKER AND I LIKE IT LIKE THAT. ITS VERY REBELLIOUS AND EVIL, U WILL FIND THIS BOOK HARD TO PUT DOWN
Rating:
Summary: I was not disappointed in the least.
Review: I saw quite a few reviews in which the writer seemed upset about Harry becoming angrier in this, the 5th installment of the Harry Potter series. Well guess what? He's 15!! A teenager! And teenagers are often angry, selfish, and annoying. Besides, his life isn't exactly picture perfect. Personally, I believe it was a step that Rowling needed to take. Had she continued to portray Harry as friendly and agreeable all the time, it would have made the book less realistic, especially for teen readers. One of the things that makes these books so popular is that kids can identify with Harry. But he's still the same Harry, and my opinion of him did not change. However, he was not the only one to be depicted as a flawed human being. In fact, many of the characters in this book are shown to be imperfect. This is something, I think, not to find annoying but to appreciate. It brings us closer to the characters. For we have all been, at one time, angry or whiny or scared ourselves. Rowling doesn't sugar-coat things, for her books are not meant to be fairy tales. Those qualities that are unattractive are shown to be unattracive. The beautiful ones to be truly beautiful. Though this book is darker than the last, I enjoyed it more. Rowling packs quite a lot into it, even for its size. I found it surprising, exciting, and at times poignant, and I was not at all disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: darker, wiser
Review: Readers of the first 4 books of the series will have found a familiar pattern amongst them: begin with boredom amongst the Dursleys until something unexpected happens on desperately-trying-to-be-normal 4 Privet Drive, then off to a summer adventure, then a train to Hogwarts, where the mysteries of the summer slowly build up amongst more innocent pursuits of school, friends, and quidditch, until a wiz-bang of a finale. But all that changes in book 5. The wiz-bang starts right off the bat. Everything and everyone is darker, from the Ministry of Magic down to the most harmless Mrs. Weasely. The familiar challenges, and the unfamiliar looms even more frightening. Despite the usual understated jokes and cleverness, the characters and the plot are more twisted than before. Though there is more of a repite mid-book, this is definitely a tale of teenager and not a child. And of course, the ending is as wiz-bang as ever. If the first four books were a build up to "Will Voldemort return?", this is the beginning to "What to do now that he's back?" There are many unexpected gems to this book. Fred and George Weasely, having long been two of my favorite characters, are fleshed out very nicely. So is Ginny Weasely. Peeves the poltergeist becomes lovable, suddenly. And we find out even more hidden advantages of having a phoenix as a pet. Having been waiting for this book for so long, I felt a profound sense of loss after finishing it. It certainly was not because I was disappointed by the book, surprised, yes, but not at all disappointed, but because now I don't know how much longer I need to wait for the next two. Please, JK, take pity and don't make it long!
Rating:
Summary: Best of the series to date!
Review: JK Rowling has out done herself. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is by far the best in the series to date. I knew it would be hard to top Prisoner of Azakaban but she has done so brilliantly. Added to the challenges Harry must face from his enemies, Harry has grown into adolescences and must deal with the pains and insecurities of growing up. Despite its size the book never drags. I couldn't read fast enough. I was mesmorized from page one and found myself sorry to see the final word and longing for the next in the series. In fact I had several AHA moments while reading and am currently reading it again for the second time just to be sure I captured every detail to memory. Thank you Ms. Rowling for this delightful and enchanting book.
Rating:
Summary: A Modern Masterpiece
Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is undoubtedly the richest installment in J. K. Rowling's series. Her latest novel opens up many pathways that future volumes might follow. The author has developed each character to new boundaries. In this book, Harry is enlarging his role as a leader. In the past he has only had leadership over his fellow Gryffindors and his Quidditch team, but this time he achieves respect from members of other houses. Ron is trying to fit into his new role as a school prefect, and Hermione Is beginning to change out of her well-disciplined character. She challenges the new rules, which she thinks are un-fair, and tries to do what she thinks is right. Now that Voldemort has returned in this latest volume, it only seems logical that darker and more powerful characters reveal themselves.
Rowling answers some unexplained aspects that have mystified readers in the past. Seeing that the volumes are becoming richer and more in depth as the story goes along, we can hope that the next two books in the series will continue to be among the best yet written. --Geran
Rating:
Summary: Well worth the wait!
Review: I got into the Harry Potter books about two years ago. I read them because I work at a library and wanted to see what the big deal was...and to give me something else to talk to my patrons about! I was surprised how much I loved the first four books....it took me about 10 to 11 days to read them all! What J.K. Rowling does, she does extremely well...all of the Harry Potter books combine fantasy and wizardry with suspense, action and mystery. She creates fascinating and likable..and very evil...characters...her books are very fast paced and tough to put down...and she makes it all look so easy! I had the priviledge to read aloud the first chapter of "The Order of the Phoenix" in front of a group of kids and their parents on the day that the book came out and I had an absolute blast doing it!
The book gets off to a very fast and exciting start, like J.K. Rowling is saying, "I'M BAACK!" The book starts out in Privot Drive, where Harry is staying with his Uncle Vernon and his Aunt Petunia and mean, fat Dudley. Harry and Dudley are attacked by a pair of Dementors, which Harry wards off. His Uncle and Aunt think Harry attacked Dudley..of course....until Harry tells them about the Dementors...which leads to Aunt Petunia dropping a little bombshell of her own( which I won't tell you the specifics of; it's one of the books most pleasant surprises!). Harry gets into trouble for using magic, which leads to a hearing...then he's off to Hogwarts again, for maybe his toughest year yet. It was nice to be reintroduced to all of the characters again, like Hermione, Ron Weasley and his brothers, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Snape, Malfoy, etc... Harry has to deal with more frustration than ever before...and he blows up and gets angry more in this book than ever before...and it's easy to see why! Dumbledore, for some unknown reason, won't look at him, he has a new teacher, Ms. Umbridge, whose sole purpose seems to be to make life a living heck for Harry. He gets a crush on a girl and nobody seems to believe him about Lord Voldemort coming back. He also keeps having nightmares about walking down a long, dark corridor. The book is 870 pages long and some people have complained that it is too long. I'm absolutely fine with it's length, because the book is about as fascinating as the others and Rowling packs alot of story in it and takes the time to develop her characters even more. It is rather dark in tone and maybe not as pleasant as some of the others, for this is partly about Potter growing up and experiencing the joys and pains of being a teenager. It's also about friendship and loyalty. It's about alot of things and it's about all of them very well! I eagerly await the next book!
Rating: 
Summary: Miss Rowling does it again!
Review: Don't get me wrong, I loved this book, but it was the darkest one yet. It took me six days to read this book. Thats the longest it has ever taken me to read a HP story. It took me that long because 1. I limited the amount of reading I did a day so the book would last longer and 2. I had to reread some of it because I didn't know what was going on. The surprise death toward the end was really sad. I cried...I didn't like the ending so much. I felt that it ended too soon. But this book had some lighter moments too. It was the funniest book so far ( Oh, those Weaslys!) It was a wonderfully written book, that kept you on the edge. This is a must read book!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointment Beyond Disappointment
Review: To those of you who are expecting a novel equal to the others in this series, I regret to inform you that "Phoenix" does not even come close to the fantastic works of "Prisoner" or "Goblet." JKR must have been asleep when she wrote half of this. It is merely 870 pages of filler leading up to a death that is meant to be shocking, but when you read it, is predictable. If this wasn't pivotal to the series, I would tell you not to read it. But, alas, it is important, and at times, mildly entertaining. I'm sorry J.K. but please try better next time.
Rating:
Summary: A True Look Into the Life a Teen
Review: While I found much of the book dark I think it was a reflection of the times, so to speak. Yes, Harry is jealous, angry and sarcastic at times but that made him all the more real. Who wants a hero that is perfect, such people don't exist. But this Harry I can identify with and I wish he had been around when I was 15 because when times were difficult I would have known that I wasn't alone in my feelings.
While the reader knows what Harry is thinking he doesn't vocalize all his jealous or angry thoughts and I think that should be the example that people take from him.
I also think that the life lessons are important for children to grasp, censorship for example. Telling people not read something or talk about something because it is in disagreement with those in charge want you to know. Kids see these examples and they say, that's wrong and hopefully someday when they see it in real life they will have the courage to stand up and say the same.
The times for Harry make this a dark book but there is always dark before the dawn.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: Well Rowling never fails in her efforts! This book was just as wonderful as the other 4. I am rereading the entire set again! I look forward to number 6 also. This book seems to be a linking book for the inevitable that is to occur in the next 2 books. I am hoping her reference in part of the story leads us to hopefully believe we will see more of Harry beyond his years at Hogwarts! :-) I feel that that her style of writing as always has a purpose and not all over the place as some reviews have stated. She has defined a different world than most could imagine and keeps us up to date with that world and seems to have the insight as to how the various ages of children would react, from Ron's being mad about newby fans of his favorite Quidditch team to Harry's selfish behavior in other parts. (Don't you think by now he deserves to be a little self-centered considering all he has endured.) Anyway a wonderful read just keep them coming Ms. Rowling! :-)
| 
