« Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Main | Secret No-Fly Lists and Other Airline Irritants »
August 23, 2004
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Well, I know it's 1 o'clock in the morning, but I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and I thought I should take the first crack at reviewing it now.
The Order of the Phoenix is the fifth volume in the Harry Potter series, and is by far the "darkest" yet. Even the cover is darker -- the English version has given up its usually cheerful pastel colors for a dark blue.
This lightning-fast read weighs in at just under 900 pages of torment for our tragic young (but growing) hero...
(for those who have not yet read book 4, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire fair warning... spoilers (of book 4 plot) abound! (couldn't resist))
This volume begins, as always, with Harry at the Dursley's (his aunt and uncle). This year, however, Harry has more on his mind that trying to tolerate the Dursley's horrid treatment. He is paying careful attention to news -- both from the Muggle world and the Wizarding one.
[SPOILER WARNING]
Harry is keeping an ear out for word that Voldemort (yes, I can say his name; no, I won't call him "Voldy") has been attacking people again. Harry witnessed the Return of Voldemort merely a month before this story begins, and so he is waiting for him to strike -- and is becoming increasingly disturbed that he's heard nothing. Of course, it doesn't help that his best friends in the world are all together and seem to know something, and have sworn not to tell.
And thus we embark on by far the least pleasant journey on which Ms. Rowling has expertly guided us. Harry returns to a Hogwarts full of students who don't believe his story about how Cedric Diggory died, instead choosing to believe that Harry is simply trying to increase his fame. Of course, this opinion has help -- the Ministry of Magic insists that Harry is wrong.
JK Rowling has captured quite nicely (actually, rather nastily) how emotionally charged life can be for a boy of fifteen who must face daily mocking from nearly everybody he knows; Shouting matches between Harry and nearly every other character are inserted at precisely the right moments -- when it is understandable but somehow absurd...
And boy does the Boy Who Lived ever know how to let someone have it. He hurts a great many people -- including those he cares very deeply for -- throughout this book. Indeed, as far as Harry is concerned, the only good thing to have come of his fifth year at Hogwarts is that perhaps, perhaps, in the future he will be more mindful of his emotions, and choose when it is appropriate to act upon them, and when it is appropriate to instead destroy some treasured possessions (a favorite pillow, perhaps?).
And that's it. I will say nothing more on the subject. At least, not until the arrival of book 6, which, I have been informed (makes me sound important when I phrase it that way, doesn't it) will be entitled Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I can also, (non-)exclusively reveal to you that neither Harry Potter nor Tom Riddle is the Half-Blood Prince who is featured prominently in the new volume's title. And with that:
Posted by andrew at August 23, 2004 01:12 AM