"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by J.K. Rowling
Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K. Rowling
My Grade: A
So, I finished "Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix" on Tuesday night and I have a lot to say.
I'm liking the angry emo Harry. It was a little startling at first seeing what a temper he had, but as I read on it seemed very real to me. I think it's only logical for his character to feel this way considering all the stuff he's been through (or about to go through)...
Evil Villain Trying To Kill You + Hormones + Girls + Teachers From Hell = Teenage Angst Galore
That's pretty much all I have to say about that.
Now THE DEATH. By the time I got to chapter 3 or 4, I had a gut feeling that Sirius would be the “big death” that Rowling had warned us about. Before I read the book, I was pretty much convinced, I think like many people that it would be Dumbledore or Hagrid... but that seemed a bit too obvious, huh? Rowling has proven to be less obvious than one would think. During the start of the book, I think it became very clear that a Weasley or Sirius were doomed. I knew it wouldn't be Arthur, because his attack was just too soon in the book. I had a feeling it might have been Ron near the end, but I still wasn't too convinced as I was pretty sure it was going to be Sirius by then... and I was right. ;___; One of my favorite characters. I'm devastated of course, but for some reason I didn't cry. Perhaps because I expected to... so many people I know who finished the book before me did. I dunno... his death just seemed kind of anti-climatic to me. Maybe because he didn't leave a body... he just went away. Despite several characters repeating that "Sirius is dead" over and over, it still didn't sink in, because at least with Cedric, his "dead body" was mentioned numerous times to really get the message through... it just seemed more, done. I did wish though that if she was going to kill Sirius like that, she could have at least had his name cleared. He died still being thought of as a notorious murderer. I hope the reappearance of Wormtail (who was oddly absent from all the action in this book) in the later books will help at least to do that.
I still have little sympathy for Snape... whether the "Snape's Worst Memory" chapter was supposed to do that or not. He seemed just as slimy and unlikable as ever, yet maybe just a little more sympathetic… but just a little. Mind you, I don't know if he deserved getting bullied like that, but then... he still seemed to be hateful nevertheless, that it's sort of understandable why other students would take a disliking to him. I stand by my opinion that Snape's unpopularity is his own damn fault. Of course I'm being sort of hypocritical in a way when I say I liked that that chapter made James more human in that he wasn't always the decent guy he would grow up to be... yes, even James Potter was a typical (hot shot) 15 year old boy. I've been reading some people's reactions to this chapter and I have to laugh (these people are also the reason why I tend to stay away from the fandom in general)... the way they talk about him you'd think he was the anti-christ... and proclaiming that him being a dick when he was 15 proves he couldn't possibly have been a nice guy EVER, is just utter crap. PEOPLE CHANGE... it's call growing up, maturing (something Snape seemed to have a very hard time doing). Teenage boys are some of the most evil creatures on the planet... 2nd only to teenage girls. *ahem* Didn't mean to get into such a rant, anyway... 15 year old Sirius was no surprise, just as much of a rascal as ever. Although, considering the kind of family he came from... he was a downright saint. There's just something about Snape's character that bugs me and makes it hard for me to truly like him... yet I can continue to adore Sirius. I don't know what it is. Perhaps it's charisma? Sirius seems to exude it from every pore and Snape (to me at least) seems to utterly lack it. I also think Snape is a bit childish holding grudges on the children of his schoolmate bullies... that makes him no better than James and Sirius. In fact it makes him more pathetic in my opinion. I will say however that his actions near the end of the book (concerning his duties for the Order), started to heighten my opinion of him... but then it went back down with his next encounter with Harry. We shall see if this character can be redeemed in my mind in the next 2 books (if he survives through the next 2 books that is).
Luna turned out be less annoying than I feared (seems to harbor a bit of a crush on Ron, if I'm not mistaken)... I thought she was kind of cute. Cho, on the other hand... thank GOD Harry seems to have gotten over her. And speaking of Harry's love life. I still think that there is a future romance between Harry and Ginny. I thought I saw small little signs here and there that I interpreted as clues to such an idea. Ginny and Harry locking eyes in the hospital and her quickly turning way... something that Ron said... I still think there’s something there. I do love how confident and spunky Ginny has become too.
And Lupin, oooh my beloved Lupin. Frankly, he wasn't in the book enough as far as I was concerned. What a wonderful character, made me smile every time he talked or was mentioned. Even when it was a sad situation.
Other ponderings...
- Percy is as big of a prat as always. Good riddance to him. He's not good enough to be a Weasley anyhow.
- What will happen with the twins, cause in hindsight, they're now basically high school drop-outs. Will they continue to prosper from their joke shop and forget about school or will they have to go back and repeat their 7th year?
- Will Ron continue to be the Gryffindor keeper or will he conclude it was too much pressure for him? Is Harry back as seeker (one would think)? Since Angelina was in her last year, who will be the new captain? It has to be either Katie (as I got the impression she was in her 6th year in book 5) or Harry, as they have been on the team the longest.
- Will this book be the last and only appearance of Dolores? God, let's hope so. She was quite possibly the most annoying character ever... I swear I started to twitch whenever she appeared.
- McGonagall officially ROCKED in this book. As did Mad-Eye Moody. Too cool geezers. :D
- Fudge seems to get more annoying with every book, am I right or am I right?
- Of all the surprise relations Rowling could have sprung up on us, I have to say making Sirius and Narcissa cousins was pretty damn surprising... I don't think anyone saw that one coming.
- When Dumbledore said his love for Harry was more than just "headmaster and pupil"... what exactly did he mean? Is he trying to say something? Why did he not expand on that? Is there more to this confession or am I just looking into nothing?
- Will Ron and Hermione ever snog?
- Was Ginny really serious when she said she was dating Dean? Did she say she was dating him or was she just thinking about it?
- Why was Aunt Petunia so upset about Voldemort coming back? Is she a squib? Or does she actually care more about her dead sister than she appears to?
- Overall, I loved this book. I'll be thinking about it for a long time.