Rating:  Summary: Worth the wait? Review: Don't worry - I'm not going to tell you who dies. But I have just finished this book and the biggest indicator to my thoughts on it must be that fact that I read it very quickly, despite its over 700 pages.I am glad to see that Rowling has flexed her pen-muscles a bit here, with a large vocabulary, some very beautifully written passages, and increasingly mature themes that deal subtly with issues such as beaurocracy, sense of duty, and a bit of ethics and morality. I think Graham Greene or Evelyn Waugh would be proud of some of the bitterness that can be found within these pages. Of course, most of it is spelled out to you and is a bit too easily digestible, but one must remember this is a children's book after all! Rowling continues to amaze us with her incredible imagination - her world stitches together so neatly and logically, it is a work of art in that sense. The romantic sideline is exactly that - a sideline. It reveals a side to Harry that I'm sure his fans have longed to learn about, and Rowling handles it with a fair amount of grace, but she directs your thoughts to adolescent social behaviour in a rather mechanical way. Don't expect Catcher in the Rye or Le Grand Mealnes! Rowling has diluted her plot too much with trivial scenes. Personally, I find Hagrid a bit boring. And how can Rowling justify placing all these scenes about wizarding exams and tedious school life between scenes dealing with death, life after death, and the end of the world and all that?! I say to you, JK: Raise your game! You (particularly through Dumbledore) treat Harry as a mature boy, able to deal with anything deadly or dangerous - so why does he care if he's caught in the corridor without his pencils properly sharpened?! Again, perhaps I am being unfair writing from an adult's perspective. One thing I am grateful to the author for is that her books don't all end too happily. This sounds a bit nihilistic, but I think it's the trade-offs, the compromises and the sacrifices that really inspire and move people, and will get young people talking and probably arguing about the themes in this book. Perhaps I read it too quickly, but I remember that the Goblet of Fire was more shocking. However, at the end of the day, if you're a fan, you'll enjoy it simply because it enlarges and enrichens the whole world that you would probably love to be a part of.
Rating:  Summary: Harry Grows Up (Best in the Series) Review: The death of Cedric Diggory at the end of The Triwizzard Tournament (Book Four) marks a turning point for Harry Potter. He has left childhood behind and begins the struggles of an adult. Not only must he cope with The Dark Lord but he also must face power hungry bearcats willing to sacrifice him for the stability of the Ministry of Magic. Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, misses a chance on Privet Drive but gains the power to make Harry's life miserable while at Hogwarts. Harry must also struggle with the fact that his choices and his inability to control his childish ways now have very real consequences. The choices he makes cost him the two things he loves one temporarily and the other permanently. Harry also learns a great deal more about himself, why he has faced his challenges and the reason he must spend summers at the Dursley's. He also must confront the reason for Snape's hatred of him. The Order of the Phoenix is perhaps the best book of the series. It is not only a book for children, mine are luckily not aware of several of the themes that are faced. The Order of the Phoenix carries on the magic of the Potter series. I can read it out loud to my children; we all enjoy it immensely, but for different reasons.
Rating:  Summary: ... AMAZING...! Review: It is SO beautiful... I'm in love with it... The paperprint and the cloth cover, and the cover... and everything... it is so well made that I recomend it to every #1 Harry Potter's fan because you NEED to have it, i guess that it's a prize for all of us, for the people that really cares about this boy...
Rating:  Summary: Another master work that surpases everything Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is yet another incredible book by J.K. Rowling. This fantastic book is much darker than the others, yet it has everything that we love about the Harry Potter series. In addition, the fifth book deals plenty with the emotions and problems of a normal 15 year old, it deals with things that most of can relate to. Everyone should read this book, because it has a heart stopping plot, sensitive moral, breath taking conflict, and so much more. If the maximum grade is a 5, then I'll give it a 500. In conclusion, this is an incredible book that everyone should read. (I would recommend that the parents read the book, prior to allowing any child younger than seven to read this great novel.)
Rating:  Summary: Excellent, but leaves you desparate for more. Review: J.K. Rowlings 5th installment is wonderful. There's a good deal of character development, and I think you'll find it hard to dislike Professor Snape after finishing this novel. And really, this is the strength of the book. Unlike the proceeding editions, there isn't the same driving mystery. Or at least it doesn't have the same prominence. You know that there's a great evil lurking, but it doesn't show itself until the very end. Instead, Harry and his friends are faced with the challange of an ever more invasive Minestry of Magic and of growing up. I think this book has some of the most delightful Weasley twins, Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore moments. You also get to see Neville really grow as a character. The Order of the Phoenix also left me with a sense of loss I did not feel after the the fourth book in the series. Although it is almost 900 pages long, I really wanted more. At the end of the 4th you are sad but also excited. You know that there's a coming battle ahead. I think at the end of the 5th you share Harry's sense of sadness and you feel lost with him. The 5th book leaves a number of important issues unresolved, and I think for that reason it doesn't stand alone as much as the earlier books. It is very much apart of the series and leaves you desparate for the next book.
Rating:  Summary: Amazing dark story Review: This is by far the darkest and scariest book of the series. Besides a slow start, the book immediatly takes hold of the reader. You just can't put it down. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking in for a good adventure/fantasy book. Just note that as the kids have grown up, so has the subject matter. Harry isn't your lovable 10 year old we've all come to love. He's a full blown teenager, meaning hormones and outbursts. Any Harry Potter fan though will not be disappointed.
Rating:  Summary: Just Amazing...! Review: What can I say for this... It's just wonderful... At last we have what we all were waiting for... Book 5... here we find a different Harry, a 15-year-old-Harry... I think I can say a more aggressive Harry, with more questions... He's not more the good boy... But he is still the best of all... Are we gonna see Harry's 1° love in here...? Are we gonna see his first kiss...? And, are we gonna say goodbye to someone important to all of us...? Well, just buy the book and let's start to read it... It is a very intrigating tale... I just loved it...!!!
Rating:  Summary: Ready for more Review: Book five of the Harry Potter series proves to be worth the long wait. It is a good solid continuation of the lives of wizards and witches so many of readers have become familiar with and attached to. The personalities of the all the characters take on a more three-dimensional quality. Yes, Harry is much more moody, but that comes with the age, not to mention the added pressures. While we find out more about Harry's past and family through this book, what is even more fascinating is the development of the other characters in Hogwarts (and not just Ron and Hermione). I have guesses as to what complicated relationships might develop within Harry's group, but I won't include any spoilers here. Perhaps the book is slightly darker than the last, but I believe the pre-teen age group would still be hooked (not to mention adults - I know more than a few people). Although strictly speaking I might have to give the book 4.5 stars. The middle section drags on just a bit, but the fast pace of the first and last 200 pages keeps readers interested. I inhaled the pages at night (way too late, of course), and found myself hoping for more at the end. The moment I finished the book I was ready for the sixth book. Again, I wait for Rowling's next installment with the same enthusiasm as ever.
Rating:  Summary: I can't believe no one has reviewed this yet! Review: Hey, um, the new Harry Potter book is out, hasn't anyone noticed? Anyway, Harry Potter 5 basically picks up where #4 left off. In case you haven't noticed, all five Harry Potter books have been getting progressively longer, but I think there's something of a cut-off between the later books and the earlier ones. For one, both 4 and 5 are over 700 pages. Harry is also older in them, with his crush on Cho a little expanded (especially in 5), and a bit of teenage angst. The emotions in 4 and 5 are often darker and more complex. Perhaps also Rowling has developed a more mature writing style. However, Harry Potter 5 is also quite a bit different from its predecessors. Like the review above says, its probably the darkest of the series so far, and almost certainly the most frustrating (unlike the other books, the end isn't much better either). As hinted at the end of 4, in 5 there is practically a civil war between Dumbledore and Fudge, although Dumbledore plays a more backseat role in 5 through most of the story. Several new characters are introduced as well, notably Luna Lovegood, a somewhat spacy fourth year student, Dolores Umbridge, who replaces Snape as the most evil teacher at Hogwarts, and several members of the Order of the Phoenix, but I'm not giving away what that is (you find out pretty quickly anyway), while older characters like Snape and Sirius are a bit expanded, and inter-character relationships become rather more complex. Critics of The Order of the Phoenix will point out that the plot is probably the least focused of the series, as the others are closely bound to the time of year, the next Hogsmeade visit, or the events of the Triwizard Tournament, while in Phoenix, the reader has a tendency to forget what time of the year it is (the book doesn't even mention Halloween, a major event in the others), and find themselves a little disoriented. But, I can say for Rowling that she has managed to be increasingly inventive in her storytelling, and that perhaps this is due to her more complex storyline. Another criticism is that, especially when dealing with Harry's emotions, the book has a greater tendency to ramble than any of the others. Again though, Harry often feels anger, frustration, and loss throughout the book, and these long descriptions are necessary to justify what could otherwise be seen as rash decisionmaking on his part. Finally, Harry Potter 5 demands a more complete knowledge of the other books than any of the others, which you could more or less read out of order (I read 3 before 2). Reading 5 before 4 would probably be confusing. Again though, this is to be expected as the series becomes longer and more complex. Overall Harry Potter 5 is a thoroughly entertaining read, fully deserving of its place in the Harry Potter series, although I suggest you read it only after the other four. One last note, it is over 850 pages long, but as I'm sure any avid Harry Potter fan will know, the pages fly by. I consider myself a relatively slow reader, and I managed to finish in 2 days. READ HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX!
Rating:  Summary: The Best Harry Potter Book Review: Overall this book was by far the best in the series, and as hard as I tried to read the book slowly and enjoy it to its fullest, I ended up reading it in a three day span. It's amazing how this one book can keep you on the edge of your chair throughout the book and at the end leaving you wanting more. I cannot wait for the sixth year at Hogwarts to be released and the third year movie next summer. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!!:)
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