Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix By J.K. Rowling - Book Review
Hey there, fellow Hivers and bookworms!
It's been a while since my last review. But I'm back and here to give you the lowdown on the fifth book in the Harry Potter series - "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
If you've been following my previous reviews, you'll know that this is my second time reading the HP series, but my first as a full-blown adult. And let me tell you, "The Order of the Phoenix" is still the most boring book in the series, a real snooze-fest. This time around, I started reading it with the preconceived notion that it was going to be a drag. However, I can now see that the book is a necessary evil. It sets the tone and lays down the foundation for key plot themes that will unfold in the books to come. Which made me appreciate it so much more.
Even though I found it a bit tedious, I still managed to power through it in about 2.5 weeks in December and January. And let me tell you, I was itching to start the next book in the series. But enough about my struggle with this book, let's talk about the good stuff.
A Closer Look At Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix By J.K. Rowling
Ebook Cover from Original source, Pottermore.com (now wizardingworld.com).
The fifth instalment of the Harry Potter series takes a pretty dark turn, and from here on out, it only gets darker. The book starts out with Harry being isolated from the wizarding world all summer and struggling with the aftermath of the Triwizzard tournament and Voldemort's return. He is desperate for news but has heard nothing from his friends.
In the fifth book of the Harry Potter series, things take a dramatic and dark turn that sets the tone for the rest of the series. The story starts off with Harry feeling isolated from the wizarding world, stuck at his uncle and aunt's house in Privet Drive for the summer. Harry is struggling with the aftermath of the Triwizard Tournament and the return of Voldemort, and he's desperate for any news from his friends. But unfortunately, he hasn't heard a peep from them.
Things go from bad to worse when Harry and his cousin Dudley are attacked by dementors one evening. Harry uses magic to defend himself, which lands him in hot water with the Ministry of Magic. From there, the plot thickens as Harry finds himself in the middle of a battle between the Ministry, which still denies the return of Voldemort, and Dumbledore's secret society, the Order of the Phoenix. The Order comprises a group of Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin, Hagrid, McGonagall, Snape, the adults in the Weasley family (apart from Percy, who, to quote Ron, "is acting like a real prat"), and other familiar wizards who are on Harry's side.
We see our beloved trio - Harry, Ron, and Hermione - continue to mature and develop, Secondary characters like Neville and Ginny also take up more prominent roles, and we meet some new characters like Luna Lovegood, the quirky Ravenclaw.
So, the Order of the Phoenix is fighting for their cause in the greater wizarding community while Harry, Ron, and Hermione deal with the ever-changing climate at Hogwarts. Dumbledore is driven out of Hogwarts by Ministry official Dolores Umbridge, who has been breathing down all the teachers' necks and blocking them from teaching actual magic to students. Umbridge takes over as Headmistress and makes everyone's life miserable. In response, Harry, Ron, and Hermione form a club called Dumbledore's Army for students who want to learn to defend themselves against dark magic since it is not being taught in class anymore.
Meanwhile, Harry is getting flashes of Voldemort's thoughts entering his mind, which is pretty freaky. Snape is tasked with teaching him occlumency to block out these thoughts, but Harry has difficulty grasping the concept. Harry and Snape have a falling out, and lessons stop altogether. This leads to all kinds of drama, and Harry sees his godfather, Sirius, being attacked via Voldemort's thoughts. One thing leads to another, and Harry and his friends go on a rescue mission, which proves to be extremely dangerous. Death Eaters arrive on the scene, and the kids are hunted. Voldemort himself appears and attacks Harry. Help arrives at the final hour, but not without a cost.
In the end, the Minister of Magic sees Voldemort in the flesh, and there is no turning back from here.
All in all, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" might not be the most exciting read, but it still manages to deliver on the magic and charm that we've come to expect from J.K. Rowling's wizarding world. Just be prepared to put in some serious reading time and maybe have a cup of coffee or two on hand.
Rating: 4/5
What did you think?
I hope you enjoyed the read. And I'm keen to hear your thoughts on the book. Even better, if you've read it before, tell what you thought!
Much love from Sunny Cape Town,
@Mimismartypants
It's been a while since I read that to my daughter. I may not have read it all as we took it in turns to read on different nights. The books were a big part of her childhood, but have become a thing for the whole family. They do get very dark as it goes on.
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That's pretty cool. I will wait till mine is older and do the same. This was just for me! I'm actually done with the whole series already. On my 5th book for the year! Just have not found the time to post reviews!
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