Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

It's the summer holidays and soon Harry Potter will be starting his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry is counting the days: there are new spells to be learnt, more Quidditch to be played, and Hogwarts castle to continue exploring. But Harry needs to be careful - there are unexpected dangers lurking ...

J.K. Rowling continues to surprise and delight with the power of her rich, demanding and action-packed storytelling.(via Goodreads)

I'm sorry to say that I struggled with The Goblet of Fire. This will seem very trite, as I've said it no less than fifty times by now, but I think my pre-knowledge of the story has very much affected my enjoyment of the Harry Potter world. I don't know if having watched the films many times is the only reason for this, or if it's also because I'm not 'clicking' with Rowling's narrative, but whatever the reason I wish I could undo it!

Nevertheless, even though my read didn't go completely well, there were still aspects of it that I enjoyed, such as the introduction of many new and interesting characters, and the never-ending wisdom of Dumbledore (I've bookmarked a couple of pages so I can revisit his quotes!)

But I'm not giving up on the Harry Potter series, and I'm still planning on reading the remaining books. Perhaps, though, I'll take my time, read them alongside other books, and leave my ratings on Goodreads instead of reviewing each one on my blog.

Rating: 3 / 5

Review: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter, along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can't wait to get back to school after the summer holidays. (Who wouldn't if they lived with the horrible Dursleys?) But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There's an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school...(via Goodreads)

As I read further into the Potter series, I increasingly realise why these books are so popular with all generations. It's not just the underworld of magic, but also the intricacy of the prose. I love how Rowling plants clues and Easter eggs along the way, gently linking a small event in a previous book to a larger one in the present, building plotlines gently. As a reader, it makes me feel very rewarded.

The Prisoner of Azkaban also surprised me more than the previous two in the series. Again, it's impossible for me not to continously think about the films, having seen them first. But compared to The Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets, the on-screen version of Azkaban changes much more. I understand why they had to do this: there are many parts of the book which involve characters waiting for events to occur for prolonged periods of time. And unlike in a written story, a film can't constantly illustrate this kind of time lapse in a way that wouldn't seem mundane. So scenes, especially those nearer the end, had to be cut and altered for cinematic purposes.

Anyway, that's another exciting Harry Potter book I can now be happy about having read! Now on to the next four.

Rating: 4 / 5

Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Harry, Ron and Hermione have returned to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their second year. (But Harry and Ron only just made it - they missed the Hogwarts Express and had to get there in a flying car ...!) Soon the threesome are immersed in the daily round of Potions, Herbology, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Quidditch.

But then horrible things start happening. Harry hears evil voices. Sinister messages appear on the wall. But nothing can prepare the three friends for what happens next ...

A brilliant sequel to the award-winning Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (via Goodreads)

I thought I'd have a little break in between reading the first and second books in the Harry Potter series, but I couldn't stay away!

The Chamber of Secrets is just as good as The Philosopher's Stone, but with a deeper sense of suspense. This is also Harry's second year at Hogwarts, so the reader gets to explore more of the castle and its inhabitants along with him, as well as many further aspects of the wizarding world.

New characters are introduced, and one of the most impressionable on me was Gilderoy Lockhart; a famous and very self-absorbed wizard who fancies himself a little too much! He is precisely the opposite of Harry, who is modest and prefers not to boast about his accomplishments. I think this is one of the most distinguishable characteristics of Rowling's writing – her ability to create well-developed, vivid characters. It's hard to get one mixed up with another.

However, like I said in my review of The Philosopher's Stone, it's a shame that I can't erase what I remember watching in the films! It certainly takes away some of the excitement.

Even so, I can't wait to read the rest of the books. I'm starting on The Prisoner of Azkaban now, and will read the entire Harry Potter series before I start with anything else (or at least try and read them alongside other books!)

Rating: 4 / 5

Review: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a cloak of invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter. Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. (via Goodreads)

It feels great to have finally read The Philosopher's Stone! Though I thought they were good, I wasn't completely spellbound by the films and hadn't watched all eight until they were shown on the movie channels. But, having then done so and felt their appeal grow on me, I decided it was time to at least attempt to read the books.

Sometimes when a book is well-loved by such a wide audience, it can be daunting delving into its pages for the first time because of such expectancy. Thankfully, though, I enjoyed The Philosopher's Stone. Rowling has done an amazing job of creating a hidden world of whimsical magic, I wished for it to be real. I thought, must I live in the Muggle world? Why couldn't I get a letter inviting me to study at Hogwarts? On my next trip to London, should I go searching for Platform 9 and 3/4 at King's Cross Station? And it seems unfair that I can't get an owl to deliver my mail!

The book is also very British, which I loved. Even though Hogwarts is an establishment like no other, I was still brought back to my own school days with that beginning-of-year uncertainty, teachers that both encouraged and intimidated, and students who were prefects, head boys and girls, good friends and aggravating classmates, and, of course, those uniforms.

However, one thing lost on me was some of the excitement, having seen the film quite recently and remembering the outcome of certain events. Though as with any adaptation, many parts of the book had been changed or left out completely, which meant that some suspense still lingered.

I plan on reading the next couple of books in the series, at the very least, which I'm eager to do as soon as possible. If things go well, this'll probably all result in a partial addiction (I already want take the train into London and go on a Potter tour!)

Rating: 4 / 5