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Summary: Harry Potter Grows Up
Review: It is probably inevitible that, due to this series' overwhelming popularity, negative criticism from "experts" will follow. Book 4, The Goblet of Fire doesn't deserve it. The protagonist (Harry), the plot, and the allusions in the story line have all matured. J.K. Rowling's books deserve to be considered classic literature. My fourteen year old son finished the book in less than two days. He loved it. His comments, with eyes shining, were "This is really dark, this is really good. It all fits together." There is no question in my mind that this is a book for the older youth, maybe a mature 11 year old and older. The story is darker, more "real" and clearly pivotal for the remaining books in the series. Please don't push this one on your younger reader. Please do let your older child enjoy the author's crazy off-center world, realistic tension between right and wrong, and loving and accurate portrayal of the early teen years.
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Summary: Harry Potter is back again!
Review: Harry Potter's newest adventure certainly lives up to the previous three books by Rowling. All of Harry's familiar troubles, including Malfoy and Snape, as well as some new crisis appear. As Hagrid says to him, "It's always something with you Harry". However, there's a slight difference in this year's story, Harry's growing up. Not only have he and Ron noticed that Hermione is a girl, there are others at Hogwarts causing all sorts of butterflies in Harry's stomach. Instead of the day to day type of story that Rowling used with the first three books, The Goblet of Fire focuses on one big event that affects Harry throughout the year. Altogether, it reminds the reader that sometimes bad things happen and the hero doesn't always win, but the triumph is in continuing on. I highly recommend this to all Harry Potter readers, and can't wait for year 5.
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Summary: Goblet of Fire Burns Magically Bright
Review: The first amazement provided by Harrry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the size of the book. At 734 pages it is massive. The second amazement is how quickly that is forgotten as one gets drawn into Harry's most unusual world. As the fourth book in the series I expected a bit of a formula. I couldn't have been more wrong. There is nothing formula-like about this book. Many things, like the Mauraduer's Map and house elves, from the previous books appear once again but in unexpected ways. The returning characters are growing and learning and so don't always behave as they did when they were younger. As an adult, I am throughly enchanted by the unexpected twists in turns in this book. The Goblet of Fire stands alone as a amazing book, you don't have to read the others to understand and enjoy it but you'll want to!
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Summary: A Delight
Review: I bought this book for my granddaughter. Her absolute delight in receivng it was worth infintiely more than the small sum that I paid for it.
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Summary: You'll not want to put it down!
Review: J.K.Rowling has out done herself yet again! If you have read the other three, you are going to really enjoy this one. Rowling sets up the book so people who have not read the other books can follow along. Don't let the size scare you, it flows so nicely you'll not want to put it down! There is plenty of action, new romances, and shocking events that will keep you entertained. A must buy!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book, while almost twice as long as the other Harry Potter novels, is as good as or better than the previous 3; I devoured it an an evening (staying up until 3 am to do so).To be honest, it took me quite a while to read the Potter books because I considered them to be children's books - not what someone like me would want to bother with reading. I was, however, forced to eat my words. These books appeal to people of all ages, and take me back to remembering a time when everything was new and wonderful. This particular book, Vol. 4 of a planned 7 volume series, is a bit darker than the previous novels, and contains some, well, extremely unhappy events. It almost seems that as Harry ages, the complexity of the books increases (of course, the complexity of life DOES increase as you get older...).
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Summary: Drink Deeply from the Goblet of Fire!
Review: _Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire_ gripped me from the opening scene at the Riddle House (like so many of Rowling's creations, very aptly named) to the end-of-year parting at King's Cross Station. Though the book's length may give rise to caution among those wary of sequels, J.K. Rowling has by no means succumbed to the diarrhea of the pen too often found in writers of multiple bestsellers. Like the previous three Harry books, "The Goblet of Fire" is well paced and tautly structured. It really does require all 734 pages of the American edition to tell the whole intricate story, or rather, as much of the story as the author will reveal at this time. In book four, Rowling (intentionally or not) gives a nod to many questions large and small posed by her fans. We learn who does the cooking and cleaning at Hogwarts, what happened to Neville Longbottom's parents, how to pronounce "Hermione," where other schools of magic may be found, and what Dumbledore can really be like when he's angry. We learn more about Hagrid, the Malfoys, and Snape (one of the most interesting developments is a hint that Snape's relationship with Harry may undergo a change for the better in the future). Along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, we learn of hexes and curses and defenses against the Dark Arts. And always, Rowling manages to weave together the least details and most seemingly unrelated subplots into a whole that is cohesive, uncontrived, and satisfying - though leaving the reader wanting much more. At about page 600 I found myself very sorry that there were only 100-some pages to go, because I knew that this would be all I would have until book five. I haven't felt that way about a book since hearing Sam Gamgee say "Well, I'm back," and wishing I could keep following him, Frodo, and their friends through more adventures in Middle-earth. The much-discussed first forays into romance for the leading characters are lightly and deftly handled, and while important are certainly not a main focus of the book. The effect of the romance subplots is to show how Harry, Ron, and Hermione are growing up and beginning to see themselves and one another in new ways. Along with romantic yearnings, they begin to exhibit other changes: Ron becomes edgier and more outspoken, Hermione learns to shrug off ridicule and be less rule-bound, and Harry continues to develop the bravery and valor of his parents - and of his House's founder, Godric Gryffindor. Harry's biggest challenges so far, not surprisingly, come in this book. Instead of flying in Quidditch matches, he is involved in an important year-long event that has temporarily superseded Quidditch at Hogwarts. The challenges he overcomes in the course of this event form the core of the book. Woven into the story are Lord Voldemort and his servants, and their attempts to bring He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named back to full life and power. Mysterious disappearances and even a death or two in "The Goblet of Fire" have, as in any good mystery story, more than one plausible suspect; and, as with any good mystery story, the solution ultimately eluded my several attempts at deductive reasoning - though the clues are present. Death casts a shadow over book four, particularly in the final chapters, where the usually boisterous end-of-year banquet is quite somber and the conclusion of the special year-long event is robbed of its triumph. But as Rowling told The Times, "if you really are honestly going to examine evil actions then you have a moral obligation not to fudge the issue." Her handling of murder in this book is sensitive and not, I think, likely to engender nightmares in young readers; as Rowling promised, it is "upsetting but not damaging." I can't say the book was completely perfect. Some minor flaws exist: Harry innocently poses a question to which he should well know the answer from a previous book; he convenient overlooks a recently-learned spell that could easily resolve a certain difficulty; he witnesses a magical effect in which the results come somewhat out of order. In addition to noting these minor errors, I was a bit dissatisfied with the way the ending of the year-long event was handled - I would have liked a bit more pomp and ceremony and a bit more official attention to the tragedy of the death that occurs. However, I can see why Rowling ends the year at Hogwarts on a quieter note than usual. One very good result of this is that Harry is given time and space to recover from his ordeals, which is a refreshing change from the usual adventure series in which the hero bounces from crisis to crisis with no time to absorb, reflect, or grieve. Time and re-reading will certainly offer me new perspectives on "The Goblet of Fire." But meanwhile, I'm glad to say that this is an excellent addition to the Harry Potter stories and one I will certainly read again and again - while waiting eagerly for book five! I highly recommend this book and the preceding three to any child or adult who enjoys great fantasy, mystery, and adventure.
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Summary: Maybe we're all children at heart?
Review: I admit it - I'm a grandmother who is hooked on Harry Potter books, and proud of it. The latest entry is the most complex and best yet. I stayed up until 2 a.m. to finish this book because it kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Rowling's mixture of the mundane and fantastic keeps you guessing all time. Its this same interweaving of plot elements that make you love these books. Both adults and children can relate to Harry, Ron and Hermione. As an adult, these books bring back to me a lot of the feelings I had as a child when there were so many things about the adult world that I didn't understand so that they seemed like magic to me. I especially appreciate the fact that Rowling doesn't sugar coat anything. Not everything in childhood is sweetness and light and this book has a bittersweet ending that reflects that. I can't wait for the next installment myself and my grandchildren can definitely look forward be being the recipients of the entire series. books.
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Summary: Harry's future looks Grim, and so is Goblet
Review: First, I love these series, and anything that sounds negative is merely a reflection of my comparing it to the first three installments. The Goblet of Fire, is overall great. However, this is one case where perhaps Rowling went too far in plotting and dropping details that may or may not flower into important hints about just what danger lies ahead for Harry. Goblet gets off to a decidedly slow start, and for some reason I can't quite put my finger on, seems to have lost the "fun magic." There are lots of events that couldn't happen in the Muggle world, but these seem rather drab... perhaps I have come to accept the excitement of Quiditch and other fantastic adventures as the norm, but I found the first half of the book a little too much like watching football on TV and flipping to some crime show during the commercials. All in all though, this was definitely a page turner and we get to see more of the favorite characters who have become not only Harry's, but all of our friends. A definite buy, but I'm already waiting for #5 and hoping it's better than this one. By the way, there are parts of this book which I wouldn't want children under twelve to read. I got up and checked under my bed and in my closet more than once!
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: I think that this book is awesome, I mean all the Harry Potter books are awesome. This is one of those books where you start it and can't put it down until the very last word. Its unpredictable and keeps your mind thinking 'till the very end. I recommend this book to all ages of readers looking for adventure. This is a must read book. I give it two wands up.
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