Well, I finished it a little while ago - gotta say it took me by surprise and really needed a little getting used to. The style of writing is different, the world is different and so are the characters. I guess it is to be expected, since the people are now older and their world is in a lot more turmoil, what with the return of Lord Voldemort and all that. The world in Hogwarts is a lot darker, less action and a lot more oppression. One prominent change in the outlook at the school can be seen in not so much emphasis placed on the Quidditch matches as before. In the previous books, the matches were really important events - now, they are kinda there, that’s all.
Another interesting feature is the moral ambiguities surrounding some of the main characters - no one is plain evil or good anymore - there are more shades of gray and a questioning of things that were accepted as facts. Dumbledore seems strong and feeble and old - Harry seems intelligent, stupid, vain and heroic - Hermione seems overbearing and courageous - Ron seems befuddled and leader-like. It is really nice to see the characters coming on to their own and spreading their wings.
I think this book has clearly moved out of the childrens’ book realm. It is a lot darker - it wasn’t as much fun as the fourth book even, but I think that was the idea. This wasn’t supposed to be as funny, hyper or innocent. there isn’t much humor in a world that is bracing for a war with the dark forces of Lord Voldemort that might wipe them off completely or worse, leave them as slaves to the evil. I wasn’t that stricken by the much-hyped death, I should say - maybe because I had expected it (of course, I expected each one of the main characters to die at one point of the book or the other) - it was also much too sudden and there isn’t much building up of dread to the point of the death, so you don’t exactly linger on it until a while after.
On the whole, the book has been a very interesting read. For some weird reason, it seemed like a preview for the sixth book than something that stood on its own. Everything is buildup for what is certainly coming, the ultimate showdown between the forces of good and evil. One thing I can say, is that I cannot wait for the sixth book now. I have got to add that there is absolutely nothing triumphant about this book’s ending - nothing like the previous books, where you closed the book with a big smile on your face, bec ause Harry won the Quidditch cup or the House cup or the Triwizarding tournament or such. Nope. There is only despair and the tremendous burden of what is coming.
p.s. It is amazing how much the Hogwarts school under a certain person turns more and more into a communist state behind the Iron Curtain.
Posted by shanti at June 22, 2003 10:26 AMTrackBack URL for this entry:
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Brilliant Preview that cudnt hav said it better !! :beam: i got started on reading the book this evening (yes yes i got it :nice:) and as far as i have read the feel of depression and change certainly sets in and JKR builds it up wonderfully…:mad:
Posted by: Sade at June 22, 2003 10:59 AM
Thanks, Sade :) I really liked the book - it just is different from the rest.
Posted by: Shanti at June 22, 2003 11:35 AM
Non Potter comment. Shanti, could you please change my URL in your blogroll to “www.yazadjal.com”
Thanks!
Posted by: Yazad at June 23, 2003 4:33 AM
Sure, Yaz!
Posted by: Shanti at June 23, 2003 6:30 AM
You have captured the essence of the book really well. I have to second that this book is no longer for younger children (7-10). Its moved into the young adult category. This book sure was a surprise but I do miss the innocence of the previous books. I miss the innocent kids.
Posted by: Ashwini at June 23, 2003 9:01 AM
Could anyone tell me what is the difference between the kids version and the adults version of the Order of the Phoenix! :huh:
I hope it isn’t some version where Harry and Hermione have secret nightly rendezvous behind Hagrid’s hut! :mad:
Posted by: Sameer at June 23, 2003 9:26 AM
Sameer, there is no difference. The only difference is in the cover of the book. The adult version has ..uhmm… a more adult “friendly” cover. This was done for adults who might want to read Harry Potter in public but would be too embarrassed to be seen with a Kids book.
Posted by: Ashwini at June 23, 2003 9:39 AM
LOL, Ashwini - may be they should branch out the content and put in a little more “adult-friendly” stuff ;)
Posted by: Shanti at June 23, 2003 10:01 AM
Probably the best book of the series. Definitely better than the last one, which ranks as my least favorite. I’m actually glad the book is less kid-like. This is a generational series, really meant for the kids who started out reading the first Harry potter and are doing some growing up on their own.
If you want adult-friendly Potter, you might, er, want to take a peek at alt.sex.(..) sites. I’m sure there’s healthy adult eroticism :tongue3: there for the taking.. :beam:
Posted by: Suman Palit at June 23, 2003 2:38 PM
LOL, Suman - I think this book is a little hard to like initially, since it is a complete departure from the child-like quality of the earlier books. Once you are done though, all you want to do is go back and read it again, since there is so much more information and so much more character study.
Thanks for the , er, “alternate” suggestions ;)
Posted by: Shanti at June 23, 2003 3:57 PM
The difference in Harry is apparent in the first chapter itself!
btw, thanks Ashwini. I think I have the kids’ version. :tongue3:
Posted by: Sameer at June 23, 2003 10:08 PM
My brother has a few things to say about it too. Since I’m not a Potter-aholic (read only the first one), I can’t comment.
Posted by: MadMan at June 24, 2003 1:14 PM
You almost make me want to read this.
I started reading the fourth Harry Potter book and I’m sorry to say I lost interest about 50 pages in. I decided I just didn’t care anymore. :-(
Posted by: Dean Esmay at June 25, 2003 2:12 AM
Thanks for the link, MadMan - it was a good review :)
Dean, you have to read the fourth to understand a lot fo the fifth, since there are a bunch of sub-plots that carry on over the books. It is well worth the time, though :)
Posted by: Shanti at June 25, 2003 8:58 AM