sstaley
Written on Dec 28, 2019
There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror?
Here are just a few things on Harry's mind:
• A Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with a personality like poisoned honey.
• A venomous, disgruntled house-elf
• Ron as keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team
• The looming terror of the end-of-term Ordinary Wizarding Level exams
. . . and of course, the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. In the richest installment yet of J. K. Rowling's seven-part story, Harry Potter is faced with the unreliability of the very government of the magical world and the impotence of the authorities at Hogwarts.
Despite this (or perhaps because of it), he finds depth and strength in his friends, beyond what even he knew, boundless loyalty; and unbearable sacrifice.
Though thick runs the plot, listeners will race through these tapes and leave Hogwarts, like Harry, wishing only for the next train back.
- ISBN10 0807220299
- ISBN13 9780807220290
- Publish Date 21 June 2003 (first published January 2003)
- Publish Status Inactive
- Out of Print 1 October 2023
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Listening Library
- Edition Unabridged edition
- Format Audiobook (CD)
- Pages 23
- Language English
- URL https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780807220290
Reviews
moraa
Written on Dec 23, 2019
Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.
4.5 stars.
12/23/19: I cannot say that I didn't enjoy this even if it caused me so much pain. The character development was superb, however, and the world building even more so.
I'm dreading the next one because I know I will be reduced to a sobbing mess.
Buy me cauldron cakes please.
remo
Written on Sep 28, 2019
sokodomo
Written on Jul 22, 2019
sa090
Written on Jun 26, 2019
June is a terrible reading month for me, has been since 2017 so far and even when I wanted to read more in it. I still ended up only completing one book, dropping another and also putting one on-hold till the interest comes back. In comes the idea to continue my reread of Harry Potter and to be very honest, it was one of the funnest reading experiences I’ve ever had.
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The Order of the Phoenix was the second book I’ve ever read in my life, after Goblet of Fire being the first and that was about 15 years ago so I’m a lot older now, I’m a lot more proficient in English and my mindset is totally different. I still didn’t expect the amount of fun I had while reading this book, it’s the biggest of the bunch if I’m not mistaken so small details here and there would surely not have been easily registered in my mind after the first read, so this reread journey felt like I’m seeing the entire series from a whole new standpoint. The main thing I’m enjoying this time around though is the fact that I can focus on the characters a lot more than before, Harry’s rage, Hermione’s tendency to be vicious when goaded and Ron’s immense desire to please.
The way Rowling wrote these characters makes them insanely relatable at their age, I’m not a teenager anymore, but being around the YA community for instance gives me a clear idea that the majority will find themselves filling one of these shoes in some way. Maybe not entirely, but still a bit of it. Personally and given that she’s my favourite character in the series, Hermione was just amazing in this book. The ideas she came up with, plus the return of our transforming friend was really really fun to see for me, but the hidden countermeasures she took was easily the highlight I loved to see.
Ron was a bit of a different case, there were some instances in the book where I thought that Neville was a lot braver than him based on previous books, but he still remains the balancing character when it comes to his two friends. I think his existence in particular is polarizing in the community, some find him great and others find him kind of pathetic. I’m in the middle so far, but I am leaning more on the pathetic side than not. His relationship with Hermione though, for me personally, is a definite terrible move on Rowling’s part, they’re not good for each other, at all and that opinion has yet to change, in fact, this reread is just solidifying it.
Harry to me, is the one who probably got the most development in this book. It was a great thing to see him being put in situations where he had to question his self worth, being the one who’s always celebrated and now being the one who’s not, was awesome. Even more so when the book shows how enforced these feelings are on his psyche, how it’s not just how own feelings he has to deal with and how he needs to adjust to those around him. The characters were just fantastic, Molly and Ginny Weasley in particular of the side characters were the highlights to me. The former because of how much she wanted to protect Harry’s childhood and the latter because of her slightly shown badass-ery, which I can’t wait to see more of.
Umbridge‘s reveal in this book or let’s say, induction into the series is always an amusing thing for me. Despite the evil nature of this women, her love for pink and cuteness when it doesn’t fit whatsoever with her description is just amusing. It doesn’t help that I was hearing her theme from the film whenever she was near the characters, literally gave me a smile on my face whenever she did something. Especially whenever I imagined her against McGonagall, I’m soooooooo bummed out that the film didn’t include how amazing Minerva McGonagall was in this book.
I can’t wait to reread the entire series and see what I’ll think by the end, but so far, I honestly have nothing, but praise when it comes to my enjoyment :)
Final rating: 5/5
ross91
Written on Mar 16, 2018
Djilan
Written on Mar 2, 2018
On to the next!
Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews
Written on Oct 18, 2017
I have a whole new appreciation for this book and another reason to loath Dolores Umbridge -- Dolores Umbridge is Sarah Palin! The similarities are glaringly obvious. I shall start at the beginning with her being McCain/Fudge's right-hand man {or women}. Both where not well known outside of their community before being promoted to a much higher position with each quickly becoming accustom to their new height of power and in turn becoming a "maverick" duo. Next, is the consist need for reform, Umbridge with what seemed like a never-ending stream of decrees and Palin's reform all across the board. Thirdly, is their uncanny likeness in appearance, each having a simpering smile and Sarah Palin wore a very similar suit in her Katie Couric interview that Dolores Umbridge dawns in the film. Again, there is the issue of banning books, Sarah Palin reportedly tried to ban numerous books from the Wasilla library and ironically Harry Potter was on the list; where as Dolores Umbridge banned the more advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts textbooks downgrading to a "safer" form of learning. Lastly is that horrible little "hem hem" quoted throughout the Order of the Phoenix signaling who ever is speaking at the present time should quit as she has far more interesting and important things to say, this relates to Sarah Palin as a myriad of people have been quoted as say that she expected to give a speech after losing the presidential election. There are so many comparisons, how could I not have noticed before?
Berls
Written on Aug 13, 2017
Amber (The Literary Phoenix)
Written on Jul 7, 2017
Considering the fact that OotP introduces Luna Lovegood, who is one of my favorite characters in the series, you’d think that this would get a star. Considering how perfectly unlikable Umbridge is, and how well-written she is, you’d think this would get a star. Fact of the matter is, most of the characters in this book are really good… but Harry. Harry Potter is the most frustrating, angry, selfish kid. I get that he’s gone through a lot, and I have to give so many props to Ron and Hermione for putting up with him. I dislike Harry so much in this book that it took it down a star for me.
The world of Harry Potter continues to enchant. In as far as setting goes, OotP is one of my favorites, because we get to explore a new corner of the world in the Ministry of Magic. I love the Department of Mysteries and I feel like there are so many possibilities and stories within the objects the friends come across. You also really get the feeling that they’ve only begun to brush the surface. If there was a series that followed a Department of Mysteries employee, I would absolutely read it.
A bit of a mini-rant here – most of the Department of Mysteries was cut from the film version of this book and while I generally like the movie quite a lot, I think the loss of that magic does the story a disservice.
The breakdown of the wizarding government and Hogwarts staff is essential to transition the wizarding world into this new, darker shade. For what it is, it’s done very well, developing characters and showing the true colors of people. Rowling has a theme to her plots where the ultimate endgame in all of them is “stop Voldemort” (excepting Prisoner of Azkaban) and even though it’s been used, we look forward to it. Of particular interest this time is that Harry doesn’t go in alone and play the hero. SPOILERS! I really, really love that Neville is the last man standing with Harry in the showdown in the Department of Mysteries. Despite all odds, we finally get to see what this character is made of, and we see a sampling of what ultimately becomes book seven.
As much as CAPSLOCK!Harry bothers me, he actually makes perfect sense and the stylistic choices in this book were good ones to suit the characters. As a narrator, Jim Dale also continues to do an excellent job. I have a bit of a pet peeve with his female voices (I mentioned this in the SS/PS review with Hermione), and I’m not crazy about Luna’s and Bellatrix’s, but I have a suspicion that I will get used to them. I sympathize – there’s only so many female voices a male reader can do, and I can always tell who is talking… he doesn’t use them twice.
Actually, I’m going to give extra props to Jim Dale on his reading, because I am simultaneously listening to The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, which he also narrates. Between the two different books the voices still all feel different. He masterfully uses tone and accent to differentiate between people. Ten points to Gryffindor!
This books is a series of extremes for me. I really don’t like Harry. I really love Fred and George. I really find it frustrating that Harry forgot about that incredibly useful mirror the entire story that could have fixed everything but he doesn’t even realize that. I love that Umbridge is a pink-cardigan, kitty cat plate villain everyone loves to hate. The two merge together to make a pretty good book, but it comes up short compared to the rest of the series.
Fred and George’s war against Umbridge is one of my favorite parts of the entire series, so it gets props for that as well.