Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 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?

Book five in JK 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. 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 teenager. Even Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the school, has come under scrutiny from the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to officially acknowledge the terrifying truth: that Voldemort is back. Enter a particularly loathsome new character: the toad-like and simpering ("hem, hem") Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the minister of Magic, who takes over the vacant position of defence against dark arts teacher--and in no time manages to become the high inquisitor of Hogwarts. Life isn't getting any easier for Harry Potter. With an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their examinations, devastating changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team line-up, 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 Harry Potter and the Philosopher'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 energised as they enter yet again the long waiting period for the next title in the marvellous magical series. --Emilie Coulter

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Relaxing and great easy listening - Rated
Fantastic. If you like (or love) Harry Potter then this is the thing for you! Stephen Fry reads it wonderfully and brings the story to life. JK Rowling is a superb author and this is a magical book. I often draw or paint whilst listening to it and enjoy it immensely. It is also good if you don't really have time to sit down and open a book. You can do something else whilst listening to this, which makes it really not very time consuming.
Great Audiobook - 10/10!

My least favourite Harry Potter - Rated
I didn't enjoy this as much as the other novels.I think it dragged on a bit.The book is the thickest and I think some could have been cut.Didn't enjoy the film much either but still can't wait for the next.

A Grower - Rated
When I first read this book, I didn't like it at all, but it is a book that growns on you, It is now one of my favourite books.
There is a lot to take in, and it is a long read, but if you stick with it, it is absolutly wonderful.
It has the same humour as the other books, and is beautifully written.
It will always be one of my number once books.

One of the Better Pieces of British Literature - Rated
Please note: this review is intended for those who have not yet read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix but it does not make a huge difference if you have.

This is my favourite book in the much-praised Harry Potter series. It describes Harry's fifth year in much detail presenting new challenges for Harry to face and some growing up emotionally that he has to do.

A new character is introduced with the return of many familiar ones, including for a short spell, Professor Grubbly-Plank. (I'll let the reader of the review who has not yet read this book to form their own conclusions about this piece of information). A character close to Harry's own heart is lost in the struggle against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Harry feels anger, first crush, despair, loss and amusement in this fast-paced, unputdownable book. I recommend this book to anyone deliberating on buying, it is a fantastic example of J. K. Rowling's writing prowess. I have been nothing but praising of this book in this review, and the reason I have not given it five stars is because nothing is perfect, and somethings, personally, I mildly diskiked on a very small number of occasions. Let this not dissaude you in buying this book, it is fabulous!

Everybody loves it! - Rated
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! What does that spell?
AMAZING i love it! I am in top english
and you wanna know where all my brilliance came from...
Harry Potter audioboooks read by the fab Stephan Fry.
They ALL, i'm tellin ya get them ALL, rock the hats off
the books and movies! Really and TRULY they do.
I NEVER switch them off, in the bath, bed, shower, kitchen...
you name it...ITS ALWAYS ON! It'll get some of your kids
away from the TV that can never teach you as much as these CDs!
GET THEM GET THEM TOTALLY GET THEM they are and always will be

100% W-I-C-K-E-D!!! xxx