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Summary: Series getting progressively worse
Review: Rushed out to get it on the first day.
Verdict: Boring.
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Summary: JK Rowling's Newest Harry Potter Book
Review: HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX is the newest book in the celebrated "Harry Potter" series. It came out at midnight, June 20; where many Harry Potter fans eagerly waited in line for the newest arrival. I was one of those people. HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX starts where the fourth book left off- Voldemort has returned again. In ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, however, the wizarding world is in shambles. The Ministry of Magic adn Cornelius Fudge are determined to crush the "rumor and far-fetched story" of Voldemort returning. Dumbledore and Harry are
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Summary: Rowling's Best Yet
Review: It took me just two days finish the 870-page behemoth because I just had to know what was happening next. This is the most action-packed and heart pounding Harry Potter yet. The characters have more depth than ever, and the plot is the most intricate. Year 5 is a true triumph which will be enjoyed by readers of any age.
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Summary: Wow, am I the first?
Review: I thought I'd spend the week luxuriating in this book but last night I couldn't help myself and stayed up late finishing it. This book is a bit darker than the rest in the series. You-Know-Who is back, and is becoming a threat not only to Harry but to the entire wizarding world as well. And Harry (and Hermione and Ron) are all caught up in the throes of adolescence, which means they are moody and easily distracted by things like jealousy and longing. This book introduces the Order of the Phoenix, a secret magical society whose members don't always agree with each other on everything, but who can (for the most part) put their animosity aside to join forces against He-Whose-Name-Must-Not-Be-Spoken. Many new characters appear, and surprising things are revealed about other characters. The gloominess of Harry's world begins to fall away halfway through the book, when people decide to start actively resisting the followers of What's-His-Name (as well as the disbelieving members of the general magical public, who seem to prefer dwelling in a cozy state of denial until the truth is not so easily avoided). I was almost starting to think Harry had lost his magic when I got to this point, as he was spending a lot of his time wandering in a state of emotional turmoil while snapping at his best friends (just like a real fifteen year old). Fortunately the story began to pick up steam somewhere around the middle and I stayed up late to finish it. I love the way this magical universe expands laterally. We learn more about the characters, we get to see the inside of places like the Ministry of Magic and St. Mungo's Hospital, and we find out much more about wizardly politics while still staying within the general framework of the previous books. Yes, Harry has his first kiss (as well as his first date). And yes, a major character dies (not a main character, a major character). And yes, Harry eventually gets out of his moody teenage angst, which sparks resistance against the new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor and all the changes in Harry's world that have come with her. It takes a while for him to get around to it, which is why I give this book four stars instead of five. Hang on through the depressing parts, and be aware that this Harry book has a lot more emotional intensity than the last four.
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Summary: The Greatest Writer ever Walked the Earth!!!
Review: J.K. Rowling didn't disappoint her fans. If anything she just scooped in more fans! If I could've rated this book a 100 I would've done so. It just gets better and better. Sure was worth the long wait..!!
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Summary: An Excellent Addition to the Harry Potter Series
Review: In the newest installment of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling proves that 3 years was well worth the wait. Order of the Phoenix is able to keep the reader on the edge of their seats through all 870 pages. However, even though this was the best written book, thusfar, in the series, parents of young readers should realize that the tone of the books is getting darker and many of the themes may be too much for really young readers (under age 10) to fully understand. . . although parents will have to make that decision for themselves. This was a book that could be enjoyed by those from early adolescence to full fledged adulthood and I am looking forward to the arrival of the last 2 in the series.
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Summary: when does #6 come out?
Review: I think it started off slowly, but was really good in the middle. Some new characters were added, and some previous side characters got developed more. I was a bit upset at the end, but can't wait for the next one!
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Summary: Keeps getting better!
Review: The story is more complicated, the characters have more to deal with and the action, twists and turns never stop. Just like being a 15 year old. It was impressive to see the writing continue to grow up with the characters while still maintaining the same spirit of the previous 4 books. I cheated and bought the book on CD over the weekend and plowed through it on a long trip. Now I'm going back and actually reading it. A full and satisfying experience from cover to cover.
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Summary: Innocence lost
Review: Rowling comes through again! Harry Potter's fifth year at Hogwarts provides lots of excitement along with lots more darkness than the previous books. While I enjoyed the book greatly, a shift in the tone of the narration was clear: Harry is angry rather than innocent, frustrated by friends and enemies alike, during both a dreary summer on Privet Drive and upon return to school. He feels more alone and burdened by his destiny (of which we learn a great deal more) than in past volumes. The innocent 10-year-old of the first novel is gone, replaced by a darker, deeper teen with raging hormones. There is certainly nothing objectionable in this book, but the children who are just now starting to discover Harry Potter will have trouble, I think, understanding his motivations. The 15-year-old son of a friend of mine has grown up with Harry, Hermionie, and Ron, and, no doubt, will identify strongly with the main characters. I felt, however, a sense of loss while reading this book. I knew that this book was going to be darker (and longer) than the previous books, but I still mourn the absence of innocence in the children. Both L. Frank Baum in the Oz books and C. S. Lewis in the Narnia books managed to retain the innocence of their characters while fleshing out their lives. Of course, Lewis managed this only by exchanging the maturing children for younger people throughout the series (as when Peter and Susan do not return to Narnia with Edmund and Lucy, but the latter are joined by Eustace on the Dawn Treader). Despite all the above whining, the book is a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it!
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Summary: "O" for Outstanding
Review: First, this review is a bit vague. That vagueness is on purpose as I don't wish to ruin any of the surprises in the fifth installment of the Harry Potter series. For serious fans of this series, the wait for this book has seemed very long. The good news is that the book was worth the wait. While the first few books of the series were very binary, the Order of the Phoenix reveals a much more complex world. While there is still a pronounced struggle between good and evil, the Rowling's characters seem more human as we learn about their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Through the book, themes and storylines continue to develop that have been woven throughout the first four books. The most interesting theme is the continued exploration of the power of love as it relates to the way that the characters interact. In a coming of age story (which book 5 is), perhaps the most important element is the suspense that builds as the characters move through the story. If one doesn't feel that the characters might mature in unhealthy versus healthy ways, then the book lacks the power and honesty that makes it a true coming of age story. Here, Rowling's honesty in dealing with the characters presents a believable (although sometime painful) picture of not only the wizarding world but also our world. The 5th year students at Hogwarts have to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). While the students have to wait until July for the results of their exams, we can say that Rowling passes the 5th book in this series with an "O" for Outstanding!
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