2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
[I think I have finally outgrown this series and fandom, and I can no longer in good conscience support it, thanks to She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. My once-love of the franchise has turned sour; I am disenchanted, disinterested, and I can't look at it fondly anymore. I will always have the memories, but not the books.]
Final Score: 4/5
2020 EDIT: I'll be brief due to a limited word count: I liked this instalment in the magical and dangerous world of 'Harry Potter' much more than I did the first time reading, when I was a teen. The writing is a great as ever. Harry's angst, anger, frustrations and grief are totally understandable. There are a lot of terrible adults in this series! Umbridge is the worst, alongside Draco and Snape (I now think that in the films Imelda Staunton was far too likeable an actress for her character to have as much of an impact as in the books, where Umbridge is especially evil and loathsome). I have a better appreciation on this reread.
Also, Neville is a brave hero.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
Harry Potter Reviews
Book 5: 'The Order of the Phoenix'
Ahh nostalgia. I remember when EVERYBODY brought a copy of 'The Order of the Phoenix' to school, reading it on the grounds and talking about it. But here are my own thoughts on it, which I am happy to share.
This is longest book of the series - 766 pages of my copy - and, in my opinion, the weakest. But that doesn't make it bad. There's still the excellent, engaging writing, the memorable cast of characters, the suspense, and the drama to keep the reader turning the pages. I really like it.
However, if there is one word in which to characterise the overall content of 'The Order of the Phoenix', it would be:
Angst.
There is a lot of angst and bleakness in this novel (not to mention sh***y adults), making it a little less enjoyable than J.K. Rowling's previous books, which still have copious amounts of charm and wonder despite the dark and serious turns the stories take. 'The Order of the Phoenix' is an angsty book, which is understandable, giving the subject of this instalment in Harry's adventure, which I'll get more into later.
First, the plot:
Fifteen-year-old Harry Potter gets sent to trial at the Ministry of Magic after using his Patronus charm to ward off two Dementors in his Muggle home, saving himself and his cousin Dudley. Hogwarts students are forbidden to use magic outside of school grounds, and it is only through the interference of the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, that Harry isn't expelled. On top of having a criminal record, Harry has to deal with the knowledge that his greatest enemy, Lord Voldemort, has returned with plans of world domination, but no one will believe him, except his closest friends. Authority figures at the Ministry of Magic are dead-set on ruining Harry's reputation; claiming him mad for insisting that Voldemort - the most feared dark wizard ever known - is alive. The wise and powerful Dumbledore's reputation is also being threatened by the cowardly wizard government. There is a conspiracy on both the good and the evil sides.
The Boy Who Lived through Voldemort's killing curse is starting to lose patience and trust with everyone - including his friends Ron and Hermione. He is losing his temper - and his mind. (Both Hermione and Ron are appointed fifth-year Prefects at Hogwarts by the distant Dumbledore, adding to Harry's abandonment issues). Luckily there are people who believe him - in an organisation called the Order of the Phoenix, which includes Harry's godfather Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Mad-Eye Moody, and the new character Nymphadora Tonks among others. And, surprisingly, the reviled Hogwarts Potions Master Severus Snape.
With so much going on this year at the Hogwarts School - O.W.L. exams, Dolores Umbridge the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher from the Ministry - is there any time or thought to even begin to find Voldemort before all is lost? Harry also becomes the leader of a secret group called Dumbledore's Army. This is where Hogwarts students rebel and practice DADA magic; Umbridge is determined that they remain ignorant of Voldemort's return and so nothing is actually taught about the Dark Arts (hello, censorship). Harry is also having more and more visions where he is Voldemort himself, committing acts of torture on wizards near and dear to him.
What is happening to our hero? What are the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters - including Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius's cousin - planning in this, the scariest year of Harry's life so far?
There is a lot of content to talk about in this book. It's even larger than a brick, but not a lot of progression occurs in terms of plot.
Among other things already mentioned, this instalment gives us: Mrs Molly Weasley's worst fears of a war brewing that're exposed by a Boggart, the Black family tapestry, Kreacher the house elf, Thestrals, the breakout character of Luna Lovegood, the sickening sweetness of the scheming Umbridge, Ron joining the Quidditch team, St Mungo's Hospital (featured in one of my favourite chapters, where Gilderoy Lockhart makes a cameo appearance), Harry's first kiss, Snape's Occlumency lessons, Snape's worst memory of being a student at Hogwarts, the Weasley twins literally leaving Hogwarts with a bang, Hagrid's giant half-brother Grawp, centaurs in the Forbidden Forest (one of whom is now a Divination teacher at Hogwarts), and a prophecy which finally explains Harry's role in Voldemort's plans and why his parents were killed fourteen years ago.
All pretty grim and complicated. Harry himself is in a right state throughout: constantly shouting, being blind to other people's problems, and prone to thoughtless, sarcastic remarks. Given his dire situation - and age, not to mention Voldemort influencing him through his lightning bolt-shaped scar - Harry's attitude in this novel is perfectly understandable. The wizard who murdered his parents is back, and he is generally thought to be a mad attention seeker. He saw Cedric Diggory die. His anger and outbursts scare even him, and the prospect of being turned into Voldemort's weapon makes him fear for his own humanity and his friends.
But with 766 pages of suffering through his angst from his perspective, it got grating after a while.
But I will now mention the positive aspects of 'The Order of the Phoenix'.
First, Dolores Umbridge.
You do NOT want to get a detention from this teacher, as Harry does frequently in this novel. On the outside she seems like a prim lady in comfortable pink cardigans, with moving pictures of cats on decorative plates in her office at Hogwarts. But underneath this saccharine act is a devious monster who could rival the Death Eaters with her deception and bigotry of anyone who isn't a pure-blooded wizard and witch. What a glorious addition to the cast! Umbridge is a Ministry member sent to overthrow Dumbledore and change Hogwarts to suit the Ministry's own image. She is a tyrant who represents the paranoia of a desperate and out-of-control government originally formed to earn the trust of civilians and bring law and order in ways which are for everyone's best interests and safety. Umbridge is the face of the corrupt Ministry of Magic in its current state over Lord Voldemort's revival. Unlike the Order of the Phoenix, the Ministry is cowardly, quick to judge, and irrational. Like the Death Eaters, they are narrow-minded, controlling, and will go to any lengths to get what they want out of people. Including casting the three Unforgivable Curses. You can't say there aren't people like Umbridge in real life, and that's what makes her terrifying.
Second, Luna Lovegood.
I love this girl, plain and simple. Not that she herself is plain and simple, which is what the other Hogwarts students (and teachers) think of her at first. Nastily nicknamed "Loony", she is sweet, caring and funny, though always seems to be in a world of her own. She is the textbook definition of the term "Cloudcuckoolander", and a great foil to the more logical Hermione. Luna doesn't let her isolation from others bother her, and she tries to stay happy in the face of bullying, and the threat of the Dark Lord in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds. No doubt dear Luna is hiding a ball of pain inside of her and is covering it up with a bright-eyed view of things. I love characters like this, as they hold a lot of potential for multi-layered story arcs and character development. In a way it's admirable, and adorable. I also love the roaring lion hat she wears at one Quidditch game. Soon Luna Lovegood becomes one of Harry's most trusted friends at a time when Harry is finding it difficult to confide in anyone who isn't keeping secrets from him or who just isn't around when he needs them.
Third, Tonks - another new female character of worth. She is a young member of the Order of the Phoenix, and a Metamorphmagus with the talent to change her hair colour at will. She is fun and open-minded, despite coming from a prejudiced magic family background.
Fourth, Bellatrix Lestrange.
What a wonderfully batty murderess! While she may be mad because of her foolish lust (not love) for Voldemort, there is a reason why 'Harry Potter' fans love her so much. She is a testament to going mad with power. As well as being Sirius's cousin, Bellatrix is Draco Malfoy's aunt (she is his mother Narcissa's sister, making Sirius related to the Malfoys. Well, practically everybody in 'Harry Potter' is related to the Black family, but I digress). Similar to a witch heard about in stories like 'Macbeth', Bellatrix is a cackling crone with a sadistic nature. She absolutely loves being evil and this is apparent from her dialogue and actions. She possesses no conscience or human decency. Umbridge would easily turn out like her, if given enough power and control...
Fifth, Harry's kiss with Cho Chang, his love interest for two years. It is well-written: cut to the aftermath just as she walks closer and closer to him, saying "I really like you, Harry". He describes the kiss as "wet" to Ron and Hermione. Although it's possible Cho is still harbouring feelings for Cedric Diggory, who was murdered at the end of 'The Goblet of Fire', so Harry's first kiss will most likely not be his only one with the same girl. He's just starting to get to know girls romantically.
Sixth, 'The Order of the Phoenix' also gives the reader a glimpse into Snape's past - into his Pensieve - when he was bullied by Harry's father, James, and the rest of the Marauders. This is a fascinating look into life at Hogwarts before Harry and his school friends were born, and we see what Harry's parents were really like as students. Lily initially despised James for being immature and spoiled. This alters the boy wizard's pure and untroubled view of his parents; who they were as people is in fact a lot different to what the adults closest to him have been telling him. Snape's accusations of James being a trouble-making brat suddenly look truthful. This gives Harry more cause to question everything he has been told in his years as a wizard. But he will come to realise that no one - even in death - is perfect: for James grew up and earned Lily's love eventually. Character growth and maturing at its finest.
Seventh, Harry's hero complex faces a deconstruction. His need to save everyone without using his head first leads to terrible consequences, and to the price of a death that will cause Harry to scream, "I don't want to be human!" to the ever-patient Dumbledore, whose own life is filled with unspeakable shadows...
Eighth, at St Mungo's we see what has become of Neville Longbottom's parents. Poor, poor Neville.
Also worth noting is Ms Rowling's refusal to kill off Arthur Weasley, Ron's father. He was meant to die in this book, but Jo, upon realising that this will lead to there being very few positive father figures in the 'Harry Potter' series, opted out of this plot point. I mention this because as the series goes on, and a wizard war brews, more and more characters will get killed off. The child-friendly charm will fade away as Harry and the gang grow up and see the world as a dark and truly dangerous place to be. On Jo's part, the decision to spare one character a death scene shows both restraint and a reflection on what certain deaths will mean to certain characters. Mr Weasley's demise would perhaps have made the series too dark for its own good (look at how dark this book is already), and would have left Ron and his family grieving with barely a glimmer of hope that makes 'Harry Potter' so endearing and life changing for readers of all ages. In hindsight, it also would have made Harry an ineffectual hero, seeing as in 'The Order of the Phoenix', it is his warning vision which saves Mr Weasley's life.
Well, I'm knackered. I'll leave this review of the brick at that. Now onto thoughts of the movie version:
A lot of people don't care for the film adaptation, but honestly, I don't think it's that bad. The climatic battle is truly spectacular, and the death scene is well-done and sublimely creepy. Voldemort's possession of Harry is the film series' scariest moment, in my opinion. I really like the kiss scene as well; it's nice and nicely-shot. However, it isn't perfect. Witches and wizards are somehow able to cast precise spells from their wands without saying the incantations out loud. I was disappointed that the St Mungo's Hospital scene was cut out, although I suppose this was to make the film not any longer or more costly than it already was. And in the book, it is Cho's friend Marietta Edgecombe who betrays the existence of Dumbledore's Army to Umbridge; Cho and Harry break up because she stands by her friend-turned-traitor. But in the film, the Dumbledore's Army member who rats them out is Cho herself - whilst under the influence of Veritaserum. This makes Harry look douchey for breaking up with her, as she is entirely blameless for her actions. You'd think he'd be more understanding and apologetic, since he spends the whole movie struggling to fight Voldemort's control over him. And Snape's memory: why remove the one reason for why the memory is his worst? It's not because Harry's father used to bully and humiliate Snape (the true reason? I'll reveal in another review due to spoilers). By not including Lily in the memory, the whole sequence ends up being rather pointless.
But oh well, can't have it all.
'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' - in my view, out of all the books, this is the most difficult to place. It's a good book, with plenty of magical, intense and frightening moments, and clear themes of government corruption and paranoia, rebellion and free will. However I find it to be mostly cluttered as opposed to the more orderly and well-placed structure in the other books. There are too many secrets to keep track of, and the need for further editing is apparent.
Thankfully, 'The Half-Blood Prince' will put things to better order than 'The Order of the Phoenix'. Despite what Dumbledore tells Harry, there are still many secrets not yet revealed. Get ready to learn everything about Lord Voldemort, and about the ultimate betrayal and sacrifice, on Harry Potter's next (and possibly last) year at Hogwarts.
Harry Potter Book 5:
Final Score: 3/5
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