Review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling definately knows her characters, and she demonstrates that knowledge in the fifth book of this series.




The Order of the Phoenix is a continuation of the Goblet of Fire; the Goblet of Fire leaves the reader wondering what will happen now that Lord Voldemort is back. The Order of the Phoenix picks up on that thread and leaves us readers hanging once again for the sixth book.



In this novel, Rowling gives us a new character dimension in Harry. Harry now has anger and a more complex personality, like the teenager that he is. He is fed up with being the "Boy who Lived." He is fed up with the turmoil, the danger, the conflicts in his life. He is fed up with not being trusted to know the whole story behind his story; he is just fed up. He is also conflicted because of his age, not just because he is dealing with Lord Voldemort. He is experiencing all of the torment, confusion, and mixed-up feelings that 15 year old boys deal with. Rowling gives us a realistic teenager in this novel.



I have mentioned before, but will repeat myself here: One of the fundamental reasons that these novels work so well, is that if you take out the magic and the wizarding, you are left with realistic characters who experience and deal with life like the rest of us do. These characters deal with all of the issues that our own teenagers do: Harry trying to weed through the trials and tribulations of dating are as equally interesing as Harry weeding through the trials and tribulations of fighting the Death Eaters. Of course, if you take out the magic and wizarding, you are taking out all of the imagination and the "magical world" that Rowling creates for us.



Rowling knows what she is doing: with her imagination, her creativity and her knowledge of what makes a hero in the Western tradition of novels. If you have studied Western literature at all, you will know that the hero needs to be isolated from others while he is defeating evil. He needs to stand alone to win. Western tradition also requires the hero to defeat and replace his father while becoming the true hero.



Harry gets more isolated from his adult support system as these novels progress. He has already lost both parents, and the Dursleys (his Aunt and Uncle) are pretty much useless. In this novel, he also loses an important beloved and trusted adult. However, his support system of peers continues to grow and strengthen. The relationship he has with Hermione and Ron are not only necessary to his fight against evil, but it is necessary to the success of these novels. This relationship is the backbone of these novels.



If you are a Harry Potter fan, and if you are reading the 5th novel you are a fan, you will love this one. We get a more complex, realistic Harry. We get another villian to hate besides Lord Voldemort. We get some resolution and another action-packed ending. We also get to wait for the next installment of the series.



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reviewed by Sbarranca