Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (HP5) | by J.K. Rowling
Kindle edition | Young Adult
Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is desperate to find out why his friends, Ron and Hermione, have been secretive all summer.
But before he even gets to school, Harry survives a terrifying encounter with two Dementors, attends a court hearing at the Ministry of Magic and is escorted on a night-time broomstick ride to the secret headquarters of a mysterious group called the Order of the Phoenix. – GOODREADS
Once a HP fan, always a HP fan. It’s one of those amazing series that has charmed the world and continues its magical spell long after the release of the final book. I think this is my fourth read of the series and I notice new details each time. The books are so rich with gems of detail that are waiting to be found. It was another great trip down memory lane, and even more vivid, given that I had traveled to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade, at the end of 2014. Every HP fan should go there. The books absolutely come to life. (See some of my pics at the end of this review)
Harry is definitely a lot angrier in this one. It’s understandable, but frustrating at the same time. Sometimes I just wanted him to chill, and think things through logically. But I guess that was the whole point of this book, to explore how Harry coped with the feeling that he had been abandoned. He was obviously super angry and frustrated and his feelings were mirrored by Sirius, who was in hiding and also deeply annoyed at his isolation and helplessness.
On the flipside, Ron and Hermione’s playful banter, bordering on annoyance, and tinged with a building affection added some balance. Plus there was Luna Lovegood.
“I think I’ll just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn up – it always does in the end.”
She’s so cool – that’s all I need to say – fans of HP understand that she’s just so fascinating.
The introduction of such a nasty piece of work, Delores Umbridge, added another layer of opposition for Harry to contend with – right at the heart of where he felt the safest – Hogwarts. ‘I must not tell lies’ has been undoubtedly etched into the memory of all readers, along with a million opinions on how we would like to throttle her and her fluffy pink cardigan. Remember this… (Booya!)
DU “Potter, do something! Tell them I mean no harm!”
HP “I’m sorry, Professor… but I must not tell lies.”
DU “What are you doing! I am senior undersecretary Delores Jane Umbridge! LET… ME… GOOOOOOOO!”
So many things happen in this story; Hagrid returns from his giant hunt with a surprise; Mr. Weasley is injured, and Harry quietly suspects that he’s Voldemort’s weapon. For some reason, I didn’t remember much detail of St Mungo’s from previous reads, so those parts were like a whole new setting to behold.
It’s also a time of discovery for Harry, as he learns of his father’s school-day escapades, whilst attending his Occlumency lessons with Snape. It shows us another side of Snape and provides a window into why he’s like he is, and Harry begins to doubt his father’s character. He internalizes everything and doesn’t talk it over with Hermione and Ron. I’m sorry to say that Harry does annoy me in this book. He’s become too cocky and won’t listen to anyone else, even Dumbledore. So it’s not surprising that we see this climax in an explosive confrontation.
HP5 is a period of enormous growth for Harry. We’ve all seen how he has dealt with extreme situations since his wizarding life began in book 1. But in this book, Harry is growing up. So, in addition to the constant threat from Voldemort and his followers, he is also battling his own feelings and trying to find his way.
Each time I re-read these books I love them more. A great installment of the series that takes us through the tough personal conflicts of our hero, while he continues to battle the darkness that lurks all around. It’s a no-brainer that this book would appeal to all HP fans.
Check out my other Harry Potter reviews:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (Sorcerer’s) Stone
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
As promised here are a few of my thousands of pics from my recent visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
WARNING: There are lots!! It was a struggle to pick favourites.
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S.W. Lothian - Author 
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