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hrh99's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
pbraue13's review against another edition
4.0
I love Harry Potter, god knows I do, but this will always be my least favorite in the series. While it has peak sassy Harry and McGonnegall moments it is still very bloated and too long. Yet, I still love it! Umbridge is a wonderfully evil villain and while most people have a problem with angsty Harry I gave him more of a pass this time. Imagine handling the whole world telling you you're lying about your trauma whilst going through puberty whilst trying to fend off someone who wants to kill you whilst dealing with a person who is so narrow-minded they're willing to cause you bodily harm to shut you up; you'd be angsty too! Also some of my favorite lines of the series come from this book such as, "There is no shame in what you are feeling, Harry... On the contrary... the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength." or “We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are.” It's a wonderful book, not perfect, but still wonderful.
jujurolly's review against another edition
5.0
JK Rowling I will never forgive you for killing Sirius !!!!!!!
megcorban's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was not one of my favorites because it simply dragged on too long and there was definitely some filler that could have been cut. I’m incapable of giving any Harry Potter book less than 5 stars though because I still loved reading this.
markh892's review against another edition
5.0
Another Harry Potter book another amazingly enchanted read. Compared to the last couple books I feel like we were given more information and previously unintroduced content which I enjoyed. Featuring the character to whom I've never felt more hate towards, Dolores Umbridge, these books definitely let you know that Harry Potter is maturing along with the books. Featuring a heart warming amount of teamwork we are taken on a journey through Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts.
nirellis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Still a good series (and by an unknown nameless anonymous author crazy how the books just suddenly appeared one day, my theory is that they were written by Emma Watson) but anyways it’s giving trying to reach the word-count, I mean damn this book did not have to be so long
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment
suzmccurry's review against another edition
5.0
My daughter ordered me to re-read her favourite Harry Potter book and so I did. I'm (obviously) displeased with J.K. Rowling but there is something about Harry Potter books that are so comforting during difficult times. I just find these books so damn soothing! I can't help it.
But it was useful to re-read this one, because I can hopefully have some conversations with my Harry Potter-obsessed child about some of the problematic elements in these books, now that they're fresh in my mind. Aside from Rowling being anti-trans, there are also the goblins (yikes), and in this book and Goblet of Fire, the issue of the house elves. Hermione is basically made to feel foolish here because the house elves (Dobby aside) want to remain enslaved?!? Oy.
But it was useful to re-read this one, because I can hopefully have some conversations with my Harry Potter-obsessed child about some of the problematic elements in these books, now that they're fresh in my mind. Aside from Rowling being anti-trans, there are also the goblins (yikes), and in this book and Goblet of Fire, the issue of the house elves. Hermione is basically made to feel foolish here because the house elves (Dobby aside) want to remain enslaved?!? Oy.
holly2kidsandtired's review against another edition
5.0
Delightfully entertaining. The book opens with a bored, 15-year old Harry. He's full of normal teenage angst that is compounded by the fact that he's feeling abandoned by the wizarding world. He managed to finish the Triwizard Tournament, only to watch Cedric die at the hands of Wormtail and then find himself face to face with Lord Voldemort. As soon as school ended, he was sent back to the Dursley's with no significant contact from Ron and Hermione. After defending a dementor attack on himself and Dudley, he is faced with expulsion from Hogwarts.
This book could be considered the darkest, so far. Harry returns to school to find that he is the object of scorn and ridicule. The ministry has been playing down the events of the last year and refuses to admit that Lord Voldemort has returned.
Harry is also a teenager. He's facing difficult exams. He's tired of being famous. When he finally gets to Grimmauld Place and meets up with Ron and Hermione again, he lets loose with frustrated rant. It was dead on for a teenager who is angry at the fact that while he has, several times, fought the greatest wizard of all time, he is still treated like a child who doesn't understand.
He questions everything and he struggles with his attraction to Cho Chang. Professor Dumbledore seems to ignore him and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge, is an evil fascist who hates him. He's having nightmares about a door he can't get through, and he must take Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape.
There is a lot of action and a lot of angst. There are some funny parts. I love the scene when Harry is telling Ron and Hermione about his kiss with Cho and wonders why she was crying. When Hermione explains the emotional aspect of girls the interchange between her and Ron is priceless. I'm so glad they included it in the film.
Another great aspect of the book is when Harry, Hermione and Ron form the DA. Professor Umbridge won't teach them defensive spells and so Hermione takes it upon herself to convince Harry to teach them. That these teenagers all came together to do this is terrific and I loved seeing Harry have responsibility and the ability to teach his fellow classmates so many of the things he had used to defend himself against Voldemort. It was well done in the film too.
I always felt that Sirius' character wasn't well-developed and it was hard to believe that Harry felt so much connection with him, other than the fact that he was James' best friend. In the book, he's mostly sullen and angry, which is understandable. But, there isn't much compassion or affection shown. I much prefer the Sirius from the film. Gary Oldman really brought the character to life and he and Daniel Radcliffe really had a father/son chemistry. His death in the book was anti-climactic. His death in the film was heart-wrenching.
My other complaint with this book is Grawp. Hagrid doesn't need any extra, insignificant plot points. I don't see Grawp's purpose in the series. Even after finishing #7, his role isn't really necessary. He does nothing to improve the storyline. It's annoying and distracting. While I don't like Dobby, I don't understand why he hasn't been given more screen time since Chamber of Secrets. He has a much more imporant role than Grawp has in the remaining books.
Until 6 and 7 came along, this was my favorite book!
This book could be considered the darkest, so far. Harry returns to school to find that he is the object of scorn and ridicule. The ministry has been playing down the events of the last year and refuses to admit that Lord Voldemort has returned.
Harry is also a teenager. He's facing difficult exams. He's tired of being famous. When he finally gets to Grimmauld Place and meets up with Ron and Hermione again, he lets loose with frustrated rant. It was dead on for a teenager who is angry at the fact that while he has, several times, fought the greatest wizard of all time, he is still treated like a child who doesn't understand.
He questions everything and he struggles with his attraction to Cho Chang. Professor Dumbledore seems to ignore him and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge, is an evil fascist who hates him. He's having nightmares about a door he can't get through, and he must take Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape.
There is a lot of action and a lot of angst. There are some funny parts. I love the scene when Harry is telling Ron and Hermione about his kiss with Cho and wonders why she was crying. When Hermione explains the emotional aspect of girls the interchange between her and Ron is priceless. I'm so glad they included it in the film.
Another great aspect of the book is when Harry, Hermione and Ron form the DA. Professor Umbridge won't teach them defensive spells and so Hermione takes it upon herself to convince Harry to teach them. That these teenagers all came together to do this is terrific and I loved seeing Harry have responsibility and the ability to teach his fellow classmates so many of the things he had used to defend himself against Voldemort. It was well done in the film too.
I always felt that Sirius' character wasn't well-developed and it was hard to believe that Harry felt so much connection with him, other than the fact that he was James' best friend. In the book, he's mostly sullen and angry, which is understandable. But, there isn't much compassion or affection shown. I much prefer the Sirius from the film. Gary Oldman really brought the character to life and he and Daniel Radcliffe really had a father/son chemistry. His death in the book was anti-climactic. His death in the film was heart-wrenching.
My other complaint with this book is Grawp. Hagrid doesn't need any extra, insignificant plot points. I don't see Grawp's purpose in the series. Even after finishing #7, his role isn't really necessary. He does nothing to improve the storyline. It's annoying and distracting. While I don't like Dobby, I don't understand why he hasn't been given more screen time since Chamber of Secrets. He has a much more imporant role than Grawp has in the remaining books.
Until 6 and 7 came along, this was my favorite book!