In a World Where Anything Goes

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers (Philosopher) Stone

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (#4 Harry Potter) by J.K. Rowling

Rating: 9/10

Summary: Harry Potter is back for his fourth year at Hogwarts. During the summer, Ron’s family has invited him and Hermione to see the Quidditch World Cup. During the games, the dark mark is seen in the sky and the games end early. At school they learn that Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament, where three students are chosen to participate. Two other wizarding schools are invited, Beauxbatons, an all female school, and Durmstrang, and an all boy’s school. This year, 4 students are picked to participant, and of course Harry is one of them.

My thoughts: I enjoyed how this book still included Voldemort, yet the majority of the adventure related around the Triwizard Tournament. A larger book then the last 3, the three tasks were very well described, and throughout the challenges I constantly cheered and recoiled hoping all the characters would be okay.

With the progression of the stories, you can see J.K. Rowlings writing improved and her stories getting darker. I love how this progression also relates to the growth of the characters and the hardships they have to endure along the way. We can see how this book is darker than the others, considering that one character dies in this novel. Hogwarts is now, not as safe as it used to be and Harry and his classmates are not impervious to harm.

Quote p.173: “Harry put his Omnioculars to his eyes again. It was hard to see what was happening below, because leprechauns were zooming delightedly all over the field, but he could just make out Krum, surrounded by mediwizards. He looked surlier than ever and refused to let them mop him up. His team members were around him, shaking their heads and looking dejected; a short way away, the Irish players were dancing gleefully in a shower of gold descending from their mascots.”

Harry Potter series:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers (Philosopher) Stone

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (#3 Harry Potter) by J.K. Rowling

Rating: 10/10

Summary: Harry Potter is back for his third year at Hogwarts, after a horrible summer at the Dursley’s. During the train ride to school, Harry has learned about the existence of dementors as well as Sirius Black, a convicted murderer that has escaped prison. Due to a sighting of Black near the school, dementors are posted at all exits of the castle to help protect the students. This, in no way deters Sirius Black from breaking into the castle a few times. After Harry receives a magical map that shows the location of everyone in school, he notices the name of a wizard who has been thought dead for years. After this discovery, things in the castle just get worse for Harry and his friends.

My thoughts: My favourite of the series, I absolutely loved how many new and exciting characters are part of this story, their descriptions were in depth and unique to each. At times I wasn’t sure whether I should love or hate a specific character.

The story line was fantastic and very magical, and showed a real progression within the main characters as to how they mature. Right at the beginning, when Harry runs away from the Dursley’s you see a side of him that finally shows he is ready to stand up for himself.

The story had more than enough action with bits and pieces of random other aspects of magic, like Quidditch matches, Divination and Herbology classes. While most of these had little to do with the overall plot line, they are well inserted to continue to allow the reader a true sense of being a part of this magical world.

Quote p.118: “Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin’s hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry’s eyes darted downward, and what he saw made his stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water…”

Harry Potter series:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers (Philosopher) Stone

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (#2 Harry Potter) by J.K. Rowling

Rating: 9/10

Summary: Harry Potter is back for his second year at Hogwarts. Before being saved by Ron and his brother, Harry discovers Dobby, a magical creature who shows up in his bedroom and warns Harry not to go back. Once the term starts, things take a turn for the worse, students, teachers and ghosts alike are found petrified once the chamber or secrets has been opened. Throughout the semester Harry learns he can speak Parslemouth, the language of snakes. Will Harry and his friends be able to defeat the evil that is once again lurking at Hogwarts?

My thoughts: Once again the novel features everything from friendship, loyalty and courage. Of course I knew that Harry would once again prevail and win, it was nonetheless interesting to see how Voldemort choose to come back. With 5 more books to come, it will be fun to see the various techniques he will try in order to finally defeat Harry Potter.

The author’s writing has strengthened and her descriptions are still very abundant with any new aspect that shows up, she does however begin to focus more on the relationships between characters. I really do enjoy seeing the characters mature and grow as normal kids would in everyday life.

Quote p.376: “The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, “I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward.”

Harry Potter series: