Harry Potter: Another Annakin Skywalker?
Written: Aug 08 '03 (Updated Sep 12 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: great character development, constant action and plot twists
Cons: very dark
The Bottom Line: The most complex and darkest book of the series, it leaves us to wonder if Harry can indeed prevail against the dark forces that plague him.
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| bilbopooh's Full Review: J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Order of the ... |
Well, it’s taken me a couple months to get around to it, but I had to weigh in on the fifth chronicle of Harry Potter. After all, I was one of those loonies who stood in line at midnight to receive a copy hot off the press, and after polishing it off in a week, I’m distressed about having to wait who-knows-how-many-years for the next installment.
Order of the Phoenix is a lengthy tome at 870 pages, and it takes 200 pages just to get to Hogwarts. Just as each book in the series has been longer than the last, each has also been darker. Several key characters sustain heavy injuries in this novel, and one dies. Hogwarts itself becomes an oppressive place, thanks to the intervention of the Ministry of Magic and Professor Umbridge, the sadistic woman the Ministry places in charge of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry, now 15, is notably different in this book than in others. Sullen, angry at the world, he often lashes out against even those closest to him. Many of his relationships suffer as a result.
The complex plot is set into motion when Harry and his cousin Dudley are attacked by Dementors in their prim and proper neighborhood. After receiving some startling revelations about the connections of his neighbors to the magical realm, Harry is escorted to the magical world for safekeeping until his trial (for conjuring a Patronus to deflect the Dementor attack, thus breaking the rule against the use of Underage Magic). There, he learns of the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society comprised of witches and wizards who believe Voldemort will soon return. Members include such familiar faces as the Weasleys, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and, surprisingly enough, Severus Snape. Of the new faces, the most engaging is a young Auror who calls herself Tonks and enjoys using her special abilities to change her facial features.
The main preoccupation of the first 200 pages is whether Harry will be evicted from school for his violation, a worry which is much more troublesome to Harry than to readers because we already know he’s going to make it to school. Once he does, though, there are many changes in store for him. The arrival of Umbridge renders Snape almost benign by comparison, and Harry discovers details about his loathed professor that add a great deal of insight into his personality. Distraught by Umbridge’s refusal to actually teach the class anything useful, Harry forms a secret organization to teach his fellow students Defense Against the Dark Arts. Among his students are new character Luna Lovegood, the somewhat loopy daughter of the editor of a magical tabloid, and his old crush Cho Chang, who becomes the source of much of Harry’s frustration throughout the year. Also in the group is Neville Longbottom, who is afforded a much larger and more noble role in this novel.
All of the characters undergo major developments. Ron and Hermione both become prefects, and Ron also joins the Quidditch team, though his lack of prowess on the field leads to incessant harassment by the Slytherins and a brawl that results in the banning of Harry, Fred, and George from the team. Fred and George have their biggest role yet in this book, providing constant comic relief and leading a revolt against Umbridge. In fact, they were one of the high points of the book for me, and I only hope that they won’t disappear from the series now that they have left Hogwarts. Percy has not disappeared, but he appears from the sidelines, exchanging his loyalty to his family for loyalty to the Ministry and exhibiting a maddening level of arrogance. Hagrid and Dumbledore are both absent from the book far more than they are in it, and their decreased presence casts an additional pallor on an already bleak school year. Meanwhile, an unexpected glimpse of Gilderoy Lockhart sets up what is sure to be further involvement in the next installment.
Meanwhile, Harry is haunted by visions seen through Voldemort's eyes, and he is plagues by sudden rushes of emotion that seem to stem from his connection to the Dark Lord. Harry's reactions to these visions eventually lead him into a grand confrontation with his nemesis, one that whose consequences will be almost too difficult for Harry to bear.
Order of the Phoenix is such a rich tapestry of descriptions, characterizations, and plot twists, it is very difficult to convey its scope and complexity in a mere few hundred words. Although I’m not sure I would say this is my favorite Potter book yet, as it is very dark and the protagonist is beginning to seem like a brooding Annakin Skywalker, making it seem as though he is in more danger of being pulled over to the dark side than was previously thought. It was well worth the wait, however, and now I am eager to see what is in store for Harry Potter VI. Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be spell-binding.
Harry Potter books:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
bilbopooh
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Member: Erin McCarty
Location: Erie, PA
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