Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K. Rowling
Published:
Genre: Children’s literature, Fantasy, Fiction
Start Date: 26th July 2022
Finish Date: 28th July 2022
Summary
'You are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions. The Headmaster thinks it inadvisable for this to continue. He wishes me to teach you how to close your mind off to the Dark Lord.'
Dark times have come to Hogwarts. After the Dementors' attack on his cousin Dudley, Harry Potter knows that Voldemort will stop at nothing to find him. There are many who deny the Dark Lord's return, but Harry is not alone: a secret order gathers at Grimmauld Place to fight against the Dark forces. Harry must allow Professor Snape to teach him how to protect himself from Voldemort's savage assaults on his mind. But they are growing strong by the day and Harry is running out of time...
Review
This is my first time since the movies come out that I have read the Harry Potter series, I have fond memories of Harry Potter.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is an angry book. It contains the usual chorus of Doxies, Puffskeins, Bowtruckles, Spattergroit and Thestrals, not to mention a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. The first few pages include a lonely Harry, an attack by the Death Eaters, and his possible expulsion from Hogwarts, among other seemingly tiny incidents, which eventually become fundamentally important to the storyline as a whole.
This is the longest book in the series. However, with so much going on, this makes for a cracking read. The book really delves into Harry’s potential and his past, which opens up more surprises for the readers. Though more protracted and perhaps less charming than the previous books, it is nevertheless well-written and engaging. Less blatantly “spiritual” and more character-driven than Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Order of the Phoenix is still dark from the outset. Families must still navigate all the spells, sorcery and intense conflict inherent in the series.
The Order of the Phoenix is where the Harry Potter series begins to get complicated. This ranges from simple character developments, to personal flashbacks and important discoveries, which will eventually help win the war against Voldemort. In many ways, this book is a very emotional journey for Harry.
J.K. Rowling portrays his teenage mood swings and attitude brilliantly, disguising them as reactions to specific incidents, just as Harry himself believes them to be. The general disbelief of the magical community that Voldemort has returned, along with Harry’s stubborn reaction to his isolated summer, perfectly compliment the age development of most of the characters. Meanwhile, thanks to Harry’s temper tantrums, Ron and Hermione are able to develop their friendship even further. Their bond beautifully encapsulates the awkward teenage friendships between boys and girls. Some witty moments also serve to highlight the stark differences in teenage maturities.
The battle scenes are very complex and readers may find themselves having to re-read them in order to get their head ’round what is happening. This might be a harder read for younger children than the previous books.
There were many insightful ideas littered throughout this fifth book. But the one deserving a mention finds its place toward the end of the book. It was when Harry and Dumbledore have their heavy, emotional confrontation after Sirius’ death.
Overall, the Order of the Phoenix is an excellent book and a wonderfully engrossing read. It takes the readers back into the wonderful yet rapidly-changing magical world of wizardry.
Looking at comparing the movie to the book; there are many aspects of the book that stands out to me, but I will tell you the ones that make a difference to me. Quidditch is not shown at all during the Order of the Phoenix. Ron becomes Keeper. Angelina Johnson becomes Gryffindor Quidditch captain. Harry and George are banned from ever playing Quidditch again by Professor Umbridge because they attacked Malfoy after being provoked, he insulted their mothers. Fred is also banned because he was going to punch Malfoy but was held back. Ginny becomes seeker after Harry is banned. This becomes important to Fred and George because this is yet another reason to leave Hogwarts.
The film opens up with Harry at the park. The book opens up earlier. Harry shouting at Hermione and Ron, angered that they got to be together at 12 Grimmauld Place while he was locked up at the Dursleys' house is omitted from the film. Harry is portrayed much calmer in the film than in the book. After Harry's hand is scarred from the Black Quill Umbridge forces him to use during his detention with her, it is Ron who discovers the scars, is sympathetic and tries to convince him to complain to Dumbledore and McGonagall, however in the fim this role is given to Hermione.
Luna Lovegood tells Harry about the Thestrals in the film. In the book, Hagrid does, during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson. A lot of rooms in the Department of Mysteries are absent from the film, such as the room with several doors and the Brain Room. In the film, during Dumbledore's duel with Voldemort, Dumbledore doesn't transfigure the statues and Fawkesdoesn't appear. Snape's worst memory is much shorter in the film. Lily Potter is completely omitted from it.
A lot of Harry's visions, such as former Ministry of Magic employee turned Death Eater Augustus Rookwoodtelling Voldemort how to access the Department of Mysteries, are not featured in the film. In the book, Harry is so upset by Sirius's death that he destroys Dumbledore's office. This doesn't happen in the film. In the book, Marietta Edgecombe snitches on Dumbledore's Army. In the film, Cho Chang does (under the influence of Veritaserum). In the book, Dumbledore has a quick duel with Cornelius Fudge and some Aurors before he leaves the school. In the film, he doesn't duel them. Harry's date with Cho Chang is omitted from the film.
Harry's interview with Rita Skeeter is omitted from the film. The film doesn't mention Ron and Hermione becoming Prefects. After Harry sees Snape's worst memory he uses Umbridge's office to talk to Sirius and Lupin about his disapproval of James's behaviour, but this scene is omitted from the film. There is only one howler sent to the Dursleys in the film. In the book, there are several. Hermione's obsession with S.P.E.W. and trying to set house-elves free even if they enjoyed working is omitted from the film.
When Fred and George leave the school in the book, there are giant chains attached to their brooms. No chains are attached in the film. All scenes that take place in St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries are cut out. All but one of the O.W.Ls are cut removing the scene where Professor McGonagall was attacked while trying to protect Hagrid from Umbridge and her Auror goons. Umbridge is portrayed much softer in the film than in the book. During the trip to the forest in the book she tells Harry and Hermione to go ahead of her stating the ministry place's a higher value in her life than theirs, while in the film she appears as if trying to protect them from the centaurs by shielding them. The information that Umbridge was the one who sent the dementors that attacked Harry and Dudley is omitted from the film.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️