Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) - Harry Potter 6 Books

Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2661 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08
• Released on: 2004-08-10
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 870 pages

Amazon.com
As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence, complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school. Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief... or will it?

The fifth book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series follows the darkest year yet for our young wizard, who finds himself knocked down a peg or three after the events of last year. Somehow, over the summer, gossip (usually traced back to the magic world's newspaper, the Daily Prophet) has turned Harry's tragic and heroic encounter with Voldemort at the Triwizard Tournament into an excuse to ridicule and discount the teen. Even Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the school, has come under scrutiny by the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to officially acknowledge the terrifying truth that Voldemort is back. Enter a particularly loathsome new character: the toadlike and simpering ("hem, hem") Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, who takes over the vacant position of Defense Against Dark Arts teacher--and in no time manages to become the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, as well. Life isn't getting any easier for Harry Potter. With an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their Ordinary Wizarding Levels examinations (O.W.Ls), devastating changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team lineup, vivid dreams about long hallways and closed doors, and increasing pain in his lightning-shaped scar, Harry's resilience is sorely tested.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, more than any of the four previous novels in the series, is a coming-of-age story. Harry faces the thorny transition into adulthood, when adult heroes are revealed to be fallible, and matters that seemed black-and-white suddenly come out in shades of gray. Gone is the wide-eyed innocent, the whiz kid of Sorcerer's Stone. Here we have an adolescent who's sometimes sullen, often confused (especially about girls), and always self-questioning. Confronting death again, as well as a startling prophecy, Harry ends his year at Hogwarts exhausted and pensive. Readers, on the other hand, will be energized as they enter yet again the long waiting period for the next title in the marvelous, magical series. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal
Grade 4 Up-Harry has just returned to Hogwarts after a lonely summer. Dumbledore is uncommunicative and most of the students seem to think Harry is either conceited or crazy for insisting that Voldemort is back and as evil as ever. Angry, scared, and unable to confide in his godfather, Sirius, the teen wizard lashes out at his friends and enemies alike. The head of the Ministry of Magic is determined to discredit Dumbledore and undermine his leadership of Hogwarts, and he appoints nasty, pink-cardigan-clad Professor Umbridge as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and High Inquisitor of the school, bringing misery upon staff and students alike. This bureaucratic nightmare, added to Harry's certain knowledge that Voldemort is becoming more powerful, creates a desperate, Kafkaesque feeling during Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. The adults all seem evil, misguided, or simply powerless, so the students must take matters into their own hands. Harry's confusion about his godfather and father, and his apparent rejection by Dumbledore make him question his own motives and the condition of his soul. Also, Harry is now 15, and the hormones are beginning to kick in. There are a lot of secret doings, a little romance, and very little Quidditch or Hagrid (more reasons for Harry's gloom), but the power of this book comes from the young magician's struggles with his emotions and identity. Particularly moving is the unveiling, after a final devastating tragedy, of Dumbledore's very strong feelings of attachment and responsibility toward Harry. Children will enjoy the magic and the Hogwarts mystique, and young adult readers will find a rich and compelling coming-of-age story as well.
Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
Harry is 15, angry and alienated. Gone is the eager, wet-behind-the-ears boy wizard. He's morphed into a surly teenager. The story is slow to start, but a peerless performance by Jim Dale spins even long passages of exposition into gold. Once Harry reaches Hogwarts, the pace accelerates and the fun begins. Voldemort is secretly marshalling the dark wizards for war, the new Dark Arts teacher runs Hogwarts like a fascist state, and Harry learns of an ancient prophecy explaining his psychic connection to Voldemort. More thoughtful, missing the playfulness of earlier adventures, this artful coming-of-age story provides the perfect backdrop for Harry's adolescent angst and awakening consciousness. Dale's wizardry transports listeners to places Muggle and magical, and Rowling's inventive plot shifts and fresh characters make this "must listening" for older Potter fans. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

J.K. Rowling Rocks!!!
Yet another great Harry Potter book!! comparing to the movie... this book it's way beyond it. There's nothing like reading a good book and this is one of those books you must read =)

One of my favorites in the whole series.
I think this was one of my favorites in the series. I have to say that Rowling does such a great job of creating characters that seem so alive, I actually feel as though I know them. I just want the story to keep going on and on and on.

Things Get Serious
Originally pulped almost 5 years ago now, this book has just been read in our household. We are really, really late to the Harry Potter party, but isn't that the best way to be? Considering that we would have to have waited 3 years between books four and five, and now we get to dive into the 6th book the night after finishing the latter, is a fortunate thing for us.

Order of the Phoenix is the longest of the series, and culminates in an epic battle at the end which does not let down in the action department. There are new enemies introduced in The Order: both Dark Eaters and one enemy who is an apathetic/insane bureaucrat. And whether or not we can trust Snape has still not been entirely hammered out for us.

By the fifth book, our hero has turned from a child to a young man. He is dealing with much more complex issues than most have to deal with (predestination, seeing a friend die, issues of orphan hood) and yet when he lashes out in anger we still click out tongues at him. Rowling makes sure to show that Harry Potter is human (a magical human) and although he is destined to save us all, he still can't understand girls, really hasn't learned how to study for a test, and can't keep from feeling jealous when friends do better than him.

The pattern is followed here, just as it was in the past four books. Harry deals with his hateful biological family, goes to school, danger ensues, and there is a battle at the end--Just a regular school year for the students at Hogwarts.

There's one thing that I think this series does best, perception. In the fifth book, the war is well under way in the normal world, but the reader has to go to school and deal with everyday issues with the three heroes, despite the ever hanging anxiety that the world is falling down outside the school grounds.

The characters are funnier and truer than ever. And if we had to be honest, the brain behind this entire operation is Herminie. She is rarely wrong, and always knows what to do. Harry just has the talent to carry out the ideas and Ron cracks jokes and nearly kills himself along the way.

It's a great read, especially for fans of the series who have not made it this far.