Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Review

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, # 5)

By: JK Rowling

Publication: June 21st 2003 by Scholastic Inc.

870 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--It's official: the evil Lord Voldemort has returned. His influence is suddenly everywhere in the Wizarding world, and his former allies, the Death Eaters, are returning to his side in droves. In response, the Order of the Phoenix, which worked to stop him during his last rise to power, has reconvened. This time, all of the adults Harry trusts have joined in. And even though Harry is at the center of many of their plans—Voldemort is intent on killing him, after all—they want so badly to protect him that they are keeping him completely out of the loop.

Problems are cropping up at Hogwarts, too, where government officials are meddling in just about everything. And just because Voldemort and the Death Eaters are threatening open warfare does not mean that fifth-year students get out of their exams. Meanwhile, Harry's powerful connection to Voldemort seems to be growing even stronger, as he realizes that he has direct access to the Dark Lord's mind. It's time for Harry and his friends to take drastic action, but the course they choose will have terrible unforeseen consequences.

Truly dangerous times have arrived in the fifth Harry Potter novel, but it never loses the trademark fun, excitement, and wonder at the possibilities of magic.

Where to start?

Again you get more information with every book, and this is true of book 5 as well. It takes making it to the very end of the book before you get any real information in this one though. Granted, you did get alot of information packed into the last little bit. Another thing to consider is that alot of the information you could figure out on your own.

I remember this being one of my least favorite movies, and this remains true for the books as well. I wouldn't rate it quite as low as the first two books, but it also wasn't quite on the same level as the third and fourth books either. So I guess if I could I would rate it 3.5.

The excessive rules and regulations put on the students at Hogwartz was just as frustrating for the reader as it was for the characters, as I'm sure was JK Rowling's plan--as I've said in prior reviews, frustration isn't 100% bad. (Side note, I'm a horrible speller anyway, but since I'm listening to the audiobooks and not reading these, I don't see the words and therefore spelling errors are more probable with JK Rowling's world.) However, it makes sense in the overall story for the ministry of magic to need to control the school when the minister himself refuses to acknowledge the scary truths he must soon face.

The characters continue to develope interests in the opposite sex, and as the last book, I really appreciate how true to the characters' ages these experiences are.

My source tells me that book 6 and book 7 are the best yet, which makes sense. Starting book 6 tomorrow.

Updated: July 7, 2018