Tags: print
July 1, 2003
Book review: Harry Potter has it all. Again.
Harry Potter is just your average teenage boy. He procrastinates in school, fantasizes about his crush, panics over his upcoming exams, and wiles away the hours with his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Of course, these normal activities occasionally get put on hold while Harry creates subversive organizations to illegally teach his friends magical self-defense, learns to shield himself from demonic possession, cares for an adolescent giant with an attitude problem, and as always, battles the forces of evil to save the wizarding world from impending doom.
J.K. Rowling’s fifth installment in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, takes a darker, more action-packed turn than its prequels. With the return of Lord Voldemort, history’s most feared dark wizard, the magical world has become sharply divided between the followers of Albus Dumblemore and the secret organization the Order of the Phoenix, who believe Voldemort has indeed been resurrected, and Cornelius Fudge and the Ministry of Magic, who, with their refusal to acknowledge Voldemort’s return, jeopardize the lives of wizards and Muggles (non-magic people) alike. Written with Rowling’s characteristic subtlety and thought and packed with rich ideas and characterizations, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix effortlessly speeds the series towards its climax with grace and distinction.
Order of the Phoenix takes a different path than the rest of the series, the prior books in which follow a fairly predictable formula. Not only is Harry’s universe now a darker, scarier place, it becomes much more complete in this novel. Once again rescued from Privet Drive, the home of Harry’s intensely Mugglish aunt, uncle, and cousin, Harry rendezvous with Ron and Hermione at the secret headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix at the home of his godfather, Sirius Black. There he learns of the war that has been brewing in the wizarding world—not between Voldemort’s followers and good wizards, but between those who believe that Voldemort has returned and those who do not.
Convinced that Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is conspiring against him, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge plants Dolores Umbridge at the school as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Umbridge immediately embarks upon a mission to prevent her students from actually learning any defensive magic and to halt the spread of rumors concerning Voldemort’s return. In response, Harry and Hermione formulate a secret club with several other students, including Harry’s crush Cho Chang, the school’s resident space cadet Luna Lovegood, and the incorrigible Weasley twins, to teach each other hexes and spells in preparation for the dark times ahead. Meanwhile, Harry worries about his prophetic dreams and the fate of his godfather and his colleagues in the Order of the Phoenix.
Like the plot, which Rowling has been slowly developing and hinting at throughout the series, several characters in Order of the Phoenix gain depth and complexity that they have lacked. Taking sides reveals the sinister face of Fudge, once bumbling, now paranoid and obsessed. Additionally, Harry himself gains dimension and humanity. Though in Order of the Phoenix he is prone to fits of self-pity and somewhat conceited depression, these mood swings, while less likable than his previous flawless heroism, are more realistic and appropriate to his age and situation. Considering the amount of stress he has been under for five years, we can forgive him the occasional tantrum.
Perhaps the most fascinating character development is that of Professor Severus Snape, the Hogwart’s Potions Master and Harry’s least favorite teacher. (He’s no great fan of Harry, either.) When Snape is ordered by Dumbledore to begin teaching Harry Occlumency, or the art of defending one’s mind against penetration and control, Harry learns the traumatic secrets of Snape’s past that shred light on the enmity Snape bears towards him and his dead father. In true Rowling style, the information is surprising and enlightening, answering questions posed in previous books, yet asking more.
Rowling’s attention to detail and adeptness at continuity throughout the series distinguishes her from other, more careless authors in the fantasy field (David Eddings comes to mind). A passing remark concerning Professor Trelawney in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third Harry Potter book, turns out to be of vital importance in Order of the Phoenix. Similar plot devices set up hundreds, sometimes even thousands of pages in advance manifest themselves when they are least expected, giving the book spark but also connecting the events and years in Harry’s life. Rowling’s subtle humor works in a similar fashion, with the set-up and punchline for a joke often being separated by several chapters. Her intricate weaving of characters, plot, and details is smoothly appealing and so well applied that you barely notice it.
Though Order of the Phoenix flows well, at some points you get the feeling that Rowling is juggling too many subplots at once. She leaves little decided in the end and abandons several miniplots mid-book, including that concerning Snape’s past relationship with James Potter, Harry’s father. Additionally, the budding romantic tension between Ron and Hermione, so apparent at the end of the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, has been put on hold while they attend to more pressing, life-threatening matters; it is barely alluded to in Order of the Phoenix.
Despite these minor flaws, Order of the Phoenix is all that readers have come to expect from Rowling and more. Complicated characters, an engaging plot, running gags, and the Weasley twins—they’re all there, in fine form and ready to once again dazzle you with they’re charms and intricacies. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is worthy of the hype and worth the wait.
J.K. Rowling’s fifth installment in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, takes a darker, more action-packed turn than its prequels. With the return of Lord Voldemort, history’s most feared dark wizard, the magical world has become sharply divided between the followers of Albus Dumblemore and the secret organization the Order of the Phoenix, who believe Voldemort has indeed been resurrected, and Cornelius Fudge and the Ministry of Magic, who, with their refusal to acknowledge Voldemort’s return, jeopardize the lives of wizards and Muggles (non-magic people) alike. Written with Rowling’s characteristic subtlety and thought and packed with rich ideas and characterizations, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix effortlessly speeds the series towards its climax with grace and distinction.
Order of the Phoenix takes a different path than the rest of the series, the prior books in which follow a fairly predictable formula. Not only is Harry’s universe now a darker, scarier place, it becomes much more complete in this novel. Once again rescued from Privet Drive, the home of Harry’s intensely Mugglish aunt, uncle, and cousin, Harry rendezvous with Ron and Hermione at the secret headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix at the home of his godfather, Sirius Black. There he learns of the war that has been brewing in the wizarding world—not between Voldemort’s followers and good wizards, but between those who believe that Voldemort has returned and those who do not.
Convinced that Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is conspiring against him, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge plants Dolores Umbridge at the school as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Umbridge immediately embarks upon a mission to prevent her students from actually learning any defensive magic and to halt the spread of rumors concerning Voldemort’s return. In response, Harry and Hermione formulate a secret club with several other students, including Harry’s crush Cho Chang, the school’s resident space cadet Luna Lovegood, and the incorrigible Weasley twins, to teach each other hexes and spells in preparation for the dark times ahead. Meanwhile, Harry worries about his prophetic dreams and the fate of his godfather and his colleagues in the Order of the Phoenix.
Like the plot, which Rowling has been slowly developing and hinting at throughout the series, several characters in Order of the Phoenix gain depth and complexity that they have lacked. Taking sides reveals the sinister face of Fudge, once bumbling, now paranoid and obsessed. Additionally, Harry himself gains dimension and humanity. Though in Order of the Phoenix he is prone to fits of self-pity and somewhat conceited depression, these mood swings, while less likable than his previous flawless heroism, are more realistic and appropriate to his age and situation. Considering the amount of stress he has been under for five years, we can forgive him the occasional tantrum.
Perhaps the most fascinating character development is that of Professor Severus Snape, the Hogwart’s Potions Master and Harry’s least favorite teacher. (He’s no great fan of Harry, either.) When Snape is ordered by Dumbledore to begin teaching Harry Occlumency, or the art of defending one’s mind against penetration and control, Harry learns the traumatic secrets of Snape’s past that shred light on the enmity Snape bears towards him and his dead father. In true Rowling style, the information is surprising and enlightening, answering questions posed in previous books, yet asking more.
Rowling’s attention to detail and adeptness at continuity throughout the series distinguishes her from other, more careless authors in the fantasy field (David Eddings comes to mind). A passing remark concerning Professor Trelawney in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third Harry Potter book, turns out to be of vital importance in Order of the Phoenix. Similar plot devices set up hundreds, sometimes even thousands of pages in advance manifest themselves when they are least expected, giving the book spark but also connecting the events and years in Harry’s life. Rowling’s subtle humor works in a similar fashion, with the set-up and punchline for a joke often being separated by several chapters. Her intricate weaving of characters, plot, and details is smoothly appealing and so well applied that you barely notice it.
Though Order of the Phoenix flows well, at some points you get the feeling that Rowling is juggling too many subplots at once. She leaves little decided in the end and abandons several miniplots mid-book, including that concerning Snape’s past relationship with James Potter, Harry’s father. Additionally, the budding romantic tension between Ron and Hermione, so apparent at the end of the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, has been put on hold while they attend to more pressing, life-threatening matters; it is barely alluded to in Order of the Phoenix.
Despite these minor flaws, Order of the Phoenix is all that readers have come to expect from Rowling and more. Complicated characters, an engaging plot, running gags, and the Weasley twins—they’re all there, in fine form and ready to once again dazzle you with they’re charms and intricacies. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is worthy of the hype and worth the wait.
Discuss this Article
The 4th book, Goblet of Fire, could have been shorter. Order of the Phoenix is even longer, but I never felt like there were pages wasted. The book is intense and action-packed. I think one reason I like this book better in many ways than the earlier books is that Harry and his friends have matured. They spend much less of their time whining about how unfair the adults are. (This is a major theme in children's stories. Little kids always feel the rules being set by adults are unfair, so they enjoy concepts like "Look how unfair Aunt Petunia is! Look how unfair Professor Snape is!")
Perhaps SCO needs a discussion board for Harry Potter where we can discuss the books with plot spoilers and all. It might attract summer readers... :-)
Before last week, I had never read a Harry Potter book, believing them to be stupid, kiddish and useless. Then, my friend loaned me the first one and I was immediately enthralled. I practically dropped every other thing I was doing and finished all 5 books in about a week. I hope that everyone gets a chance to read them, and I agree that there should be a Harry Potter forum.
Sure, there is a major flaw.. When the dark Lord killed Harry's parents, he killed James Potter first. But when their ghosts return at the end, the order supposedly is the latest killed first, so Lily Potter first and then James.. But it was the other way round.. That's the only flaw I could see in the forth book. It's by far the best of all, of may be the fifth too. not sure.... oh I love J.K. Rowling....:)
regards,
Teja
Srinivasa JKR admited makeing that huge mistake with the order of the parents deaths and acutally rewrote it for latter additions of the book. (This is in my view one reason she is a lousy author.)
The other thing that really got me was that she didn't allow Umbridge to be killed by the centurs. She spent the whole book makeing everyone hate her and then they just let her off. I was very disapointed that she was not killed.
The other thing that really really annoyed me was how incrediablly stupid the Order of the Phoenix acted with the profacy. They clearlly could have destroyed the recoard of it and avoided all the problems that happened in the book.
i personally want harry and hermione to get together
Personally, I want Harry and Hermione together as well. I just don't think that Ron and Hermione make a perfect match. There's a difference between opposites attracting and two people that simply clash altogether.
Harry Potter rules!!!!
this book is excellent, as is the review!
yay!
i love you J.K. Rowling!!!!!
LUV HARRY POTTER WITH ALL MY LIFE!
hola fellas,
Just finished the Goblet of fire for the third time and I still don't see any chemistry between Ron and Hermione. As regards to "What's up btw Hermione and Krum during the summer?", well, PeatRtoNy, I feel Ron was just curious coz he couldn't help the natural "comrade curiosity", if you will... It hasn't even occured to Ron to ask Hermione first for the Yule ball...Nah.. it was just curiosity that made him nosy about Krum-Hermione correspondence... Now, I am not saying that they both pairinigup in the next book is an impossibility.. Like you said, JKR hinted it in the chat. But if we go by the book(s), they are just good friends... And I would love to see them pairup.. Would make a lovely pair....Wish I could a Hermione for myself.. hehehe..
but then, what would I know ;)
Hail JKR,
Teja
I think between Ron and Hermione isn's, how did they say? Romantic Tension? Yes I think they did say something like that. Are we reading the same books? Rowling is very clever and wrote about Ron's reaction when he knew that Ginny has got a boy-friend. Wasn't it the same reaction that he had with Hermione and Krum. I think it's very interresting to know Hermione's feeling to Harry. Or no? I think she like's him more than just her Best Friend. And in this book the friendship of Harry and Hermione is chanching. They are going to be more than friends.They would be a Perfect Pair. But their is a thing I didn't understand, I think Rowling must give us a explication why some people went ghost's like Nick and other people no. Look Harry's parents died and Harry was so little, I mean he was only a yaer old, wasn't he? And they go...... I didn't understand that part. But I loved the Book, I think it's the Best of all!!!!! I can't wait for Harry Potter 6!!!!!!!!!!!