HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX: JK ROWLING

 

GENERAL OVERVIEW:

RATINGS: 3.5/5

GENRE:

 ADVENTURE, FANTASY, MAGIC, SUSPENSE,THRILLER, DRAMA

AUTHOR: JK ROWLING

Date of Publication: JULY 11,2003

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joanne Rowling is her original name. JK Rowling is her pen name. She also writes as  Robert  Galbraith.She was born on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England.J. K. Rowling is a British author and philanthropist. She is best known for writing the Harry Potter fantasy series.
She started working as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International when she conceived the idea for the Harry Potter series. She was striked with the idea while on a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990.
She earned a BA in French and Classics at the University of Exeter.
She was married to Neil Murray in 1992 and got divorced in1995. She has three children.

INTRODUCTION:

Harry Potter and  the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth book from the Harry Potter series. This book is the struggle of Harry Potter at Hogwarts during his fifth year at Hogwarts. The book is supposed to be interesting with the resurrection of Voldemort and O.W.L exams.

Prior Harry and his cousin Dudley are attacked by Dementors. Harry is forced to use magic to fend them off and has to attend a hearing at Ministry of Magic. This hearing reveals a lot more about the magical world outside Hogwarts and the major antagonist Voldemort.

The title Order of the Phoenix is because a secret order or a pact is being held to defeat the Voldemort under the leadership of Dumbledore. But most of the Wizards are against the Order and the rubble is amongst the Wizards themselves.

The fifth book introduces the readers with new Defence against the Dark Arts Teacher along with many different positive and negative characters. This book is full of different twists and turns leading Harry to confront Voldemort. And will Harry be able to defeat him after all??

ANALYSIS:

The hearing at the Ministry of Magic is the most intense part of the series. The pre hearing and post hearing scenes from protecting Harry against Demetors literally gives you goosebumps. You are able to vision the scenes and act as a spectator stealthily watching everything of it. You have a strong desire of warning Harry of the obstacles and the dangers that lay ahead in Harry's path.

When Harry is made to sit in that particular chair of verdict while Ron and Hermione are off to fulfilling other missions you have to admit that your heart is in your neck.The arguments amongst the judges is so heated up no matter how much Harry pleads it as a self defense he is sure to be proved guilty by the opponent's.

The new(which is always NEW every year) Defence against the Dark Arts Teacher is so offensive. From the way she dresses up to the way she speaks squeaking noises is so irritating. And the thing that gets on to your nerves the most is she hates Harry a myriad.And that what makes the book interesting for the readers as well as hell of a lengthy. The punishments she sets for her disliked students to the new rules she sets at Hogwarts makes her a character of hate. Even those readers who try to find good in villains will have to have a second thought cause there's none in her. I really have to admit that it was oddly satisfying when Hermione wittily led her to doom.

Harry surreptitiously creating his own army to defend the Voldemort is so cool. The way most of the Gryffindors as well as students from other houses are convinced to join his army boost up your as well as Harry's confidence.

There are lot more activities going on in this book. Let alone the Harry's, Dumbledore's Army the adult Wizards are also creating their own army ORDER OF THE PHOENIX which the book is titled to.

We already know Harry has visions when Voldemort's around him or is about to attack his new victim.And with this super powers Death Eaters summon Harry to Department of Mysteries. He is deceived by them in guise of his loved ones in danger. There he is attacked by other large group of Death Eaters.

We are introduced to Bellatrix Lestrange who is so very cruel and dangerous. During the duel with the Harry Potter's group and the Death Eaters she uses the death spell to kill one of Harry's closed friends. This leads Harry to completely grieve and angry and furious the same time. But the members of the Order help Harry out escape the deadly duel to safety.

They too find about the prophecy about Voldemort's death which is soon destroyed. The reason he is summoned there was the prophecy. And yet the prophecy got destroyed without its message to the Death Eaters. This so infuriated the Death Eaters that they killed one of Harry's closed friends.

CRITICISM:

This book really does not have a major binding content. It is actually the sum up of all the pieces of events together. From the attack of Demetors in the beginning to the attack of Voldemort's towards the end is glued together with introduction of new flavours in between.

The antagonist character Dolores Umbridge plays the role of a teacher. And teacher is someone who is respected and obeyed by students. And children's try to imitate their actions cause they think they are always good. And introducing a teacher who is so agonizing will definitely create a dilemma among the students reading it's fifth series.

And again it includes a lot of political dramas which is not quite understandable by kids and teens who prefer the book. It actually starts with a hearing at a court with the debate amongst the wizard lawyers and ends with the political preaches of Albus Dumbledore. It becomes quite violent and aggressive at some points.

I got a bit annoyed because Harry, Hermione, and Ron were always arguing. Most of the time they could not stick to a plan. The way they could read each other minds in the previous books, this one lacks it.

The lesson Harry takes from one of the annoying and hatred Professors from the Order  definitely urges  you so strong to stop in the middle.Harry's Occlumency lessons go poorly. But he is introduced to one of the major secrets from his parents. This creates a confusion in Harry whether he really was their son. I find this part oddly interesting that kept me going on.

This book contains a lot of revelation about Harry and his parents. I couldn't believe myself why Harry was to stay at the hateful Dursleys every summer. So I gave it a second go to believe.Trust me it's not that bad. It also contains the secret power related to Voldemort with a plot of prophecy. Which is obviously destroyed by the Order of the Phoenix. I wonder what twist would occur only if Voldemort had heard the full Prophecy?? Somewhere inside you wished the story to be in favour of the antagonist. Just to see what Harry and his Army were capable of.

MY CLOSING THOUGHTS:

This book is definitely the longest. If you wish to skip this book and move on to the next you are definitely missing a lot more,even this book makes you boring.This book ,in the beggining, is hard to keep up but closer to the end it is hard to put down. It really gets quite emotional towards the end. There is way more duels and wars in this book than necessary. But it is duels that brings the change in plots and introduction of new interesting characters.
Overall this is a good read though with a longer sitting. Don't you feel the same? Please do feel free to comment.

Happy Reading ❣️

BY SANJITA NAPIT