J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Pros: More Harry Potter, Rowling's growing literary polish.
Cons: A darker tone than any previous HP book. Someone dies.

This review contains no major plot spoilers - I promise! General comments about the plot are clearly marked between double rows of asterisks, with the text in italics. To anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the past few years, it's ...

Pros: Dolores Umbridge, the Ministry of Magic vs. Dumbledore et. al., the scenes at Hogwarts
Cons: dark, Harry starts out whiny and rebellious, bits are confusing

This review contains some spoilers for the first four books in the Harry Potter series. Ho ...

Pros: Fantastic finale
Cons: Too much teenage angst and not enough action

The fifth book in the highly popular Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the biggest yet, weighing in at 766 pages. Unlike the previous books, there is no attempt here to make it a stand-alone book – you really ...

Pros: Ginny's development and the fact that the book is finally out
Cons: Too dark, too long, and a dreadfully turgid pacing

Harry Potter lay outside on a hot summer day, waiting impatiently for important news. It was a scene ...

Pros: Well.. Harry Potter is a cool kid.
Cons: Depressing, too long, the story line is too dark, not enjoyable

I know that I am like, the 200 and something or other person who has reviewed this book. However, I think I have an original take on it. I've read all the 'Potter' books and I really enjoyed them. That is, until I read The Order of the Phoenix. I ...

Pros: Harry, Ron & Hermione as leaders, Umbridge, Dumbledore's Army
Cons: Slow beginning, some poor pacing, lack of Dumbledore, Hagrid, and other favorites

Like thousands of other Harry Potter fans, I've been rereading Harry's previous adventures in anticipation of this week's release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the sixth book in the phenomenal series. And while rereading "Harry Potter and ...

Pros: Harry Potter grows up.
Cons: 'Harry Potter' does not.

Though the measurable utility of a ‘Order of the Phoenix’ review is as elusive as a snitch, I find m ...

Pros: Well written, exciting story, it's Harry Potter!
Cons: Dull in some places, Harry's moodiness

It took me a few years to fall into the Harry Potter craze, but I finally did earlier this year. I read the first four books quickly, but the fifth one, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix just looked a little intimidating to me. I read ...

Pros: Questions answered, secrets revealed, it's a new Harry Potter book!
Cons: I had more questions at the end of the book than at the beginning.

Before I begin, I would like to point out that I do discuss the plot in my review but I have taken g ...

Pros: Harry and his friends are back.
Cons: Harry had an attitude problem at times. Someone died.

I had been looking forward to reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for a long time. I loved the first books in the series and was anxious to find out what would happen to Harry and his friends next. I reserved a copy at my ...

Pros: Gripping climax sets up future stories
Cons: Overly long; Harry's anger

By the time the Harry Potter series came to my attention, book four was out. I was put off by how many pages it was. Then this book came out and had even more. Even with as much as I love reading and how fast I read, the idea of talking a book almost 900 ...

Pros: darker content, superb ending, character appearances from earlier books
Cons: Harry's TEMPER!

As my first entry into everything Harry Potter is a bit unusual, I must say that I’m quite th ...

Pros: Returning to Hogwarts! good character development
Cons: It really IS too long, and not appropriate for all 9-12 year olds

Ah, but it was nice to see Harry again. Granted, he's not quite the Harry I remembered and loved... ...

Pros: Great new characters and fleshing out of old characters
Cons: profanity; longer than it needed to be; Harry's attitude

On Friday, June 20, 2003, my husband and daughter, and I joined over 1000 other excited folks at the ...

Pros: Characters, Mature level, Enthralling story, Excellent vocabulary
Cons: A few underdeveloped characters, Minor continuity errors

Well, this will be a bit of a break in a pattern for me. In the last two years, I have reviewed suc ...