Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by J. K. Rowling
This was the fifth and largest installment of the series, all together 766 pages.
Lord Voldemort has returned, and Harry knows this, as do all his friends, but not all are so willing to believe the return of the Dark Wizard, and this what this book deals with. Harry will have to stand his ground, and to help him with this - the Order of the Phoenix, now declared outlaws by the Ministry of Magic for contradicting them.
It is also Harry's fifth year at the school, and he is about to receive his OWLs, a sort of a wizarding equivalent for... well I'm not sure what. The 6th year would present NEWTs, which are one step further and after that there would be the final year, after the wizards and witches are of age (17 in the magical world). So, indeed. And, present in the book, so far, my all-time least favourite character of all, I think (Ms Umbridge). She was just, pure evil! I mean Voldemort's horrid, but this woman is malign, if not in the expected way. Or maybe it's just my hate toward the bureocracy of the school systems talking...
After finishing this book, I claimed it was my second favourite (this changed later), since I read through the "last" 500 pages in one sitting, looking forward to what will happen, it was a great thrill and there was much suspense. Too much even. Not many books will make you cringe out of sympathy towards the characters if they have to deal with raging unfairness... This one did. A great book.
(ALTHOUGH, there were certain points were the sheer teenageness of Harry got on my nerves, he was quite a brat, but you know, it was only expected, lots of pressure on him.)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
by J. K. Rowling
Harry is on his sixth year at Hogwarts, having received OWLs in the necessary subjects to go forward with his studies. He is looking forward to his favourite lesson of Defence Against the Dark Arts, and celebrates not taking Potions with his enemy Snape, BUT the teachers have changed, and well... What I was getting at, is that he is able to study Potions without Snape as a teacher, and he becomes top of class with the help of a text book once belonging to the Half-Blood Prince (I just wanted to clear up the title here).
In general, the magical community has now more or less accepted that Voldemort is indeed back. Lots of adventures and mishaps, as always. No one could be trusted for certain, and allegiances are tested (the official blurb helped me out here), and well, the book ends in quite a sad event..
Also a large part of the book dedicated to the relationships. Only natural for 16-year-olds. This was fun to read. And funny, too. Ron and Hermione are one of my favourite couples in fiction.. Nice.
The book read quite quickly, mostly because I couldn't wait to go on to the last book of the whole series. Just when you think Rowling has exhausted the plot and you think every character has finally been introduced, she presents another twist and then another. And the plot devices she uses are never dull.
I love the book is not a first, but a third person narrative. I've always preferred the latter.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J. K. Rowling
Now, the end is here, well quite literally. The last leg of Harry's journey. He has left Hogwarts on a secret mission trusted to him by Dumbledore. And it is a dangerous one, Voldemort is now intent, moreso than ever before, to capture and kill him. The Ministry has been overthrown by dark forces, and danger lurks everywhere. In addition to his mission, a new thread is introduced, the search for the (Deathly) Hallows.. Just when you thought it was complicated enough.
This was my second favourite book of the series, the fifth installment thus reduced to the 3rd place among my favourites of them all. (Although it doesn't mean the rest are dull, but these I love the most; well, actually, I did not like fourth book that much, it just dragged).
The book had the ending I wanted. I had read about it before, hence I was unaffected by some of the surprises (thankfully! - I could've been miserable otherwise). Anyways, justice prevailed, and the Good guys won, of course. I think you guessed that much.
Nevertheless, I must emphasize yet again and again the sheer brilliance of Rowling's imagination. She is absolutely amazing and brilliant, and INVENTIVE. And I loved the epilogue, I like my happily-ever-afters! A perfect ending to a perfect series, no doubt (not easy to keep up the suspense 'til the last page!). And this is my final answer. I think I'll miss reading the books... Which just goes to show the quality, doesn't it?
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