This book really made my CRY. And it was not just tears, I was CRYING out loud. If you've read it (or at least have seen the movie) you surely know that a very important character dies and GOD, it was heart wrenching, the tears came flowing like a waterfall. I didn't want him to die :(...

Overall, I really liked this book, but I think it was way too long, it had some chapters that weren't relevant to the story...

BUT THEN... there are some chapters I loved! I think my favorites were "Snape's Worst Memory" (Just... Padfoot, Prongs and Moony, what else can I ask for?) and "The Centaur and the Sneak" (Dumbledore was AWESOME in this one!).

ALSO: Characters that kicked ass in this book:
- Professor McGonagall (WOW).
- Fred and George Weasley.
- Dumbledore.
- Sirius.
- Remus.

AND... I hate Umbridge.

This is my new routine to reread HP books to take
a trip down my memory lane because reading these remarkable books make me remember the times I was so excited to get my hands on them: the younger, crazier, stupider, less experienced, naiver but always happy version of myself. These books always bring out the noisy, mischievous, fiery, cheery child we hid inside the walls as we grow up.

But right now, I totally agree that we need revisions and new perspectives as the world changes: we definitely need spinoffs! We need to read stories with more cultural, racial and LGBTQ community representation. Creativity of intelligent mind shouldn’t be blocked by bleakness.

Let’s wish we may get those spinoffs we dreamed of in near future!

n  

“Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure.”

n


Reread - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix always gives me a challenge whenever I start reading. It's 870 pages for US edition and 1000+ pages for Thai edition. The book starts off with a summer when Harry banters with Dudley, and there comes the Dementors. So Harry has to use his magic to expel those nasty things. He never knows before his act will bring him to M.o.M. In the beginning, J.K. Rowling used the first few chapters to introduce us about the Order of the Phoenix. That got me chilled the first time I was reading about this order. I loved to see the good guys being together and figthing the Dark Lord. I was so excited about this book anyway.



I have a feeling that Harry in this book is not like Harry, the one I know, he throws a tantrum when his friends don't believe about what happened last year. I understand about his age making him not stable, if I can call it. The only person I want to talk about is Professor Umbrige, I call her the pink toad, she's the character that unify everything around this book impeccably. Seeing everyone fighting with her and restraining her not to destroy the Hogwart's system make this book unique unlike the first four books. I couldn't stop laughing then.



n  

“Is it true that you shouted at Professor Umbridge?"
"Yes."
"You called her a liar?"
"Yes."
"You told her He Who Must Not Be Named is back?"
"Yes."
"Have a biscuit, Potter.”

n

I laughed out loud because of this scene. This book contains many emotions I can't describe all of it in one review. Do you believe me ? It is far better than the movie and the last M.o.M. scene is beyond exciting. The movie cut it out and I was so angry for that !

n  

“You know, Minister, I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts...but you cannot deny he's got style...”

n

The sad thing in this book is about Sirius. If you've read it, you'll know why. Every time I get my head around it, I want to cry and cry. It's so touching and heartwrenching to see that thing happens. Nonetheless, reading this book is like growing up. There's not only happiness in your life, you have to face so many regrets and learn how to move on like Harry and his friends. All I can say is this book is not just a book, it's my life !



More at http://goo.gl/GMGytx

I had to re read it. I was in such a nostalgic mood.

Im dalej w las Potterowej sagi, wykazywałam tym mniejszą ŚWIADOMĄ znajomość kolejnych tomów. Przykładowo, ostatnie części łyknęłam raz, może dwa razy w życiu. Zawsze jednak miałam mgliste przeczucie, niemal pewność, że to właśnie piąty rok spędzony w Hogwarcie jest moim ulubionym. Świetnie się składa... Bo bardzo nie lubię się mylić.

Uwielbiam "Zakon" w całej rozciągłości. Ba, ma on osobną kieszonkę w moim serduchu. Nie wiem czy to kwestia rozbudowanej fabuły, pełnej wzlotów i upadków, okazji do śmiechu i łez (jak to ja - im więcej płaczliwego katharsis, tym lepiej)? Czy chodzi może o multum zgrabnych, nienachalnych mrugnięć okiem puszczonych w głąb historii (podium mojego osobistego rankingu zajmuje wielki come back Lockharta)? W każdym razie, nie bez znaczenia pozostaje specyficzna aura, wywrócenie dotychczasowych realiów do góry nogami, przenikanie się aktualnego z wypieranym  uporczywie "dawniej".

Jak zwykle w przypadku ulubieńców brak mi słów, by w pełni oddać buzującą w moim sercu fascynację. Cieszę się świadomym pozyskaniem "nowego" ulubieńca

5th reread - 02/11/2017

Things I love about this book:
- although it's one of the darker and sadder books in the series, it's also arguably the funniest one
- McGonagall's sass
- Hermione's sass
- Harry's sass (like yeah he's especially angsty in this one but he's also sassy as hell)
- Everybody's sass towards Umbridge basically
- "Give them hell Peeves"
- Fred & George Weasley
- although detestable, Umbridge is arguably the best villain in literary history, only because she is so realistic in her portrayal and her totalitarianism and fascism and cruelty towards people who are unlike her or don't agree with her is something that you could easily find in people irl in position of power and that's terrifying
- Thestrals (even though the fact that HP couldn't see them since year 1 is a major loophole)
- my unfeeling heart sobbing because of feels towards the end
- learning about Black's family tree
- Bellatrix
- WEASLEY IS OUR KING
- Luna Lovegood is the most precious human being ever ever ever ever ever
- Harry's loss and Luna being the only one able to console him of that loss
- Dumbledore shedding a tear and finally seeming human instead of this great, omnipotent, untouchable, perhaps sometimes quirky wizard (although he's that too, but it's nice to see the vulnerability)
- the magical implications of The Room of Requirement
- all the answers we're given by Dumbledore !!!!! finally !!!!!!
----------------

I don't even need to review this one because anyone who has even the least bit of decency in them knows that the Harry Potter books are the BEST SERIES OF ALL TIME. Period. The end. No buts.

Full review and other non-spoilery reviews can be found @The Book Prescription

* On a scale from one to ten, how obsessed with Harry Potter are you?
me: about 9¾

(A) 86% | Extraordinary
Notes: An angsty apprehension, it's a tome of teacher torment, misbelief, new girlfriend grief, and dread no longer dormant.

*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:

Progress updates:

05/04/2020 - Preamble

(1) You can tell things have gotten dark from the title sequence. No longer shiny metal against still skies. Now it's rusty, pitted metal against billowing clouds.
(2) Prior to my current re-read of the series, this was my favorite. Before that it was "Half-Blood Prince." Wonder if it'll keep its position or if I'll have a new favorite this time.

05/05/2020 - 4%

(1) Harry: "Why had Ron and Hermione got together without inviting him along, too?"
- Oh, I can think of a few reasons...
(2) Harry openly insulting his aunt and uncle and picking a fight with Dudley? This isn’t the Harry I know!
(3) Super-angsty to start. "No one understands me, no one tells me anything"... Someone’s been listening to Radiohead.

05/06/2020 - 6%

(1) If you’re a wizard, don’t give your kids the initials AF, they’ll likely be a squib: Arabella Figg, Argus Filch.
- Mrs. Figg's cat keeps tabs on Harry. Wonder if it's magic?
(2) Petunia: "I heard — that awful boy — telling her about [dementors] — years ago."
Harry: "If you mean my mum and dad, why don’t you use their names?"
- She means Snape.

05/07/2020 - 8%

(1) "Mundungus Fletcher" is maybe Rowling's most expressive name, alluding to the words "fungus," "dung," and "retch."
(2) Rowling loves adverbs. "Stupidly" is perhaps the most overused.
(3) Lupin: "And this is Nymphadora —"
Tonks: "Don’t call me Nymphadora ... It’s Tonks."
- She does take his name when they're wed. Can't be that insistent on it.

05/08/2020 - 9%

(1) Tonks: "Are you mad, Mad-Eye?"
- Well, it's in the name. Though it could just be the eye that's mad.
(2) House elf heads line the hallway of Sirius' place. Awfully macabre... though muggle taxidermy is common, so is placing urns on mantles.
(3) Ron and Hermione spend the summer mostly alone in bedrooms together... wonder what they do all day?

05/10/2020 - 11%

(1) Who knew Percy would be the Weasley black sheep?
(2) Bill leaves Egypt for a desk job in London just to be close to Fleur. Some might call that romantic... others might call it stalking.
(3) Molly: "Who’s left all those Dungbombs outside the kitchen door?"
Also Molly: "Ginny, your hands are filthy, what have you been doing?"
- I mean, put two and two together.

05/11/2020 - 12%

(1) '"Arthur!" said Mrs. Weasley, rounding on her husband. "Arthur, back me up!"'
- Is it really backing up a point if it's by coercion? and in front of everyone at that?
(2) "[Harry] had been touched by what [Mrs. Weasley] had said about his being as good as a son, but he was also impatient at her mollycoddling."
- Wonder if "mollycoddling" is why she's named Molly?

05/12/2020 - 14%

(1) '"Size is no guarantee of power," said George. "Look at Ginny."
"What d’you mean?" said Harry.
"You’ve never been on the receiving end of one of her Bat-Bogey Hexes, have you?"'
- Married life will fix that.
(2) "Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, and George ... [looked] rather peculiar, as they had tied cloths over their noses and mouths."
- Life imitates art.

05/13/2020 - 19%

(1) "Mrs. Weasley ... started fussing with [Harry's] T-shirt, tucking in the label and smoothing out creases across the shoulders. He wished she wouldn’t."
- Get used to having a mom.
(2) The Ministry has jurisdiction over Britain and Ireland. Huh, must not have split when Ireland left the union.
(3) "a heavy locket that none of them could open."
- Hmmm, curious...

05/14/2020 - 20%

(1) "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."
- In other words: Latin, Old-French, Anglo-Saxon, Irish, Old-English.
(2) Molly: "I don’t believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!"
George: "What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?"
- Well, Harry was facing expulsion. Between Ron, Neville, Dean, and Seamus, Ron's the clear choice.

05/15/2020 - 22%

(1) '"Mrs. Weasley had hung a scarlet banner ...Congratulations Ron and Hermione — New Prefects."'
- Cut out the "New Prefects" bit and you could reuse that banner.
- It's always "Ron and Hermione," like they're a music act or a comedy duo.
(2) "Harry’s mood suddenly lifted. His father had not been a prefect either."
- It nearly always boils down to daddy issues.

05/16/2020 - 23%

(1) Considering the amount of time prefects spend together, it's no wonder so many end up as couples.
(2) "[Harry] would have liked Cho to discover him sitting with a group of very cool people ... he would not have chosen to be sitting with Neville and Loony Lovegood, clutching a toad and dripping in Stinksap."
- Ginny's also there, but Harry's as yet blind to her.

05/17/2020 - 24%

(1) '"Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?" he asked.
"Shut up, Malfoy," said Hermione sharply.'
- More Ron/Hermione mirroring. Until now, it's always been Ron who's defended Hermione's honor against Malfoy's jibes. Here it's the other way around.
(2) With Delores Umbridge, it'd be far more fitting for her initials to be FU instead of DU.

05/18/2020 - 25%

One of these things is not like the other.

(1) Students find it odd that Umbridge wears a pink cardigan. Not so much because it’s ugly, but mainly because it’s muggle attire. You know who else wears muggle clothes? Fudge. Umbridge is an insincere flatterer who does, or wears, anything to get to the top. A simple pink cardigan can say a lot about personality.

05/19/2020 - 27%

(1) "Harry was too used to [Ron and Hermione's] bickering to bother trying to reconcile them; he felt it was a better use of his time to eat his ... steak-and-kidney pie."
- Smart. He's got his priorities straight.
(2) Harry: "[Umbridge's speech] sounded like a load of waffle to me."
Hermione: "There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle."
- Mmm... waffles.

05/20/2020 - 28%

(1) Hermione hates Lavender because she's anti-Harry.
- She'll hate her even more when she's pro-Ron.
(2) Ron and Hermione as prefects are like an old married couple. Hermione even bosses Ron around like Molly does with Arthur.
(3) "Cho was almost always surrounded by a gang of giggling girls."
- That gang sounds terrifying!
- I always hated Cho.

05/21/2020 - 30%

(1) "Poisonous toadstools don’t change their spots," said Ron sagely.
- It's a much sharper metaphor than leopards.
- Ron's all about wizarding common sense.
(2) Umbridge sings her responses to student queries. Though, Mary Poppins she's not.
(3) '"Have a biscuit, Potter."
"Have — what?"
"Have a biscuit!" [McGonagall] repeated impatiently.'
- Take a biscuit, Harry!

05/22/2020 - 31%

(1) Hermione: If you don’t stop doing it, I’m going to —"
Fred: "Put us in detention?"
George: "Make us write lines?"
Hermione: "No ... but I will write to your mother."
- Ouch! She sure knows how to twist the knife.
(2) Hermione knits woolly hats and hides them under rubbish, hoping to trick house elves into freedom as they clean.
- I mean, that's just unethical.

05/23/2020 - 34%

(1) Angelina's not an ideal Quidditch captain. When she's stressed she gets bossy, when she can't get her way she gets stressed, and so on.
(2) Ron spots Harry's scarred hand and implores him to tell McGonagall or Dumbledore.
- Yet another Ron scene given to Hermione in the film.
(3) Knitting things no one wants is yet another trait Hermione has in common with Molly.

05/24/2020 - 35%

(1) Ron makes the Quidditch team by process of elimination. Two people fared better at keeper tryouts, but Angelina found one whiny and the other unreliable. Thank goodness for that!
(2) "[Harry] walked on, feeling quietly elated ... [Cho] did not hate him for being alive!"
- Well, that's an awfully low bar. I'm fairly sure most people don't hate him for being alive.

05/25/2020 - 37%

(1) O=Outstanding, E=Exceeds Expectations, A=Acceptable, P=Poor, D=Dreadful, T=Troll.
- And people complain about my grading system...
(2) Fred: "Nothing wrong with a good, healthy P."
- I expect higher brow humor from the likes of Fred and George... puns are my thing.
(3) Feel free to use my gifs. I post them on Imgur at: https://imgur.com/user/jaysongo/posts

05/26/2020 - 39%

(1) '"But Sirius, this is taking an awful risk —" Hermione began.
"You sound like Molly,” said Sirius.'
- Hermione/Molly comparisons continue.
(2) Hermione: "You know, I was just saying to Ron when you came in... we’ve got to do something about [Umbridge]."
Ron: "I suggested poison."
- Well, poison would certainly be effective.
- Ron, always with the practical ideas.

05/27/2020 - 41%

(1) Ron: "You’re not still in contact with [Viktor], are you?"
Hermione: "So what if I am? ... I can have a pen pal if I —"
Ron: "He didn’t only want to be your pen pal."
- Ron knows what's up.
(2) "The barman ... [had] a great deal of long gray hair and beard. He was tall and thin and looked vaguely familiar to Harry."
- Hmm... who's tall and thin with a long beard?

05/28/2020 - 44%

(1) Ginny starts dating Michael Corner, Ron hates Michael Corner... it's math.
(2) Hermione: "It says in Hogwarts, A History that the founders thought boys were less trustworthy than girls."
- On the whole, sure. Though a girl is the book's big turncoat.
(3) Harry: "Don’t worry, I’ll behave myself..."
- Moments after founding a clandestine outlaw combat guild.

05/29/2020 - 47%

(1) In the book, The Room of Requirement is Dobby's idea, in the film it's Neville's. Same with gillyweed in "Goblet of Fire."
- Ergo, film Neville is book Dobby.
(2) Hermione: "I think we ought to elect a leader."
Cho: "Harry’s leader."
Hermione: "Yes, but I think we ought to vote on it properly ... It makes it formal."
- I don't know... the vote seems rigged to me.

05/30/2020 - 51%

(1) '"Good luck, Ron," said Hermione, standing on tiptoe and kissing him on the cheek ... He touched the spot on his face where Hermione had kissed him, looking puzzled, as though he was not quite sure what had just happened.'
- Ron had the same reaction with Fleur, except Hermione doesn't have veela powers.
(2) "Weasley is Our King" is a hit song. Everyone sings it.

05/31/2020 - 52%

(1) "Hermione was going skiing with her parents, something that greatly amused Ron, who had never before heard of Muggles strapping narrow strips of wood to their feet to slide down mountains."
- My feeling exactly! But then, I'm from the tropics.
(2) Dobby: "HAVE A VERY HARRY CHRISTMAS!"
- "Harry" as an adjective means to harass. So, I suppose I'll take it as a pun.

06/01/2020 - 54%

(1) '"Mistletoe," said Luna dreamily, pointing ... over Harry’s head. He jumped out from under it. "Good thinking ... It’s often infested with nargles."'
- I'd ship Harry and Luna.
(2) Ron: "What does she see in Krum?"
Harry: "I suppose he’s older, isn’t he ... and he’s an international Quidditch player."
Ron: "Yeah, but apart from that."
- Ron's too obvious sometimes.

06/02/2020 - 58%

(1) Harry: "Are they doctors?"
Ron: "Doctors? ... Those Muggle nutters that cut people up?"
- Ron's descriptions of the Muggle world never ceases to be a treat.
(2) Arthur: "I was just reading about Willy Widdershins’s arrest ... You know Willy turned out to be behind those regurgitating toilets last summer?"
- Well, that's a loose end I never expected to be tied up.

06/03/2020 - 62%

(1) Arthur: "Well, I don’t know whether you know what — what stitches are?"
Molly: "It sounds as though you’ve been trying to sew your skin back together ... but even you, Arthur, wouldn’t be that stupid —"
- I guess Ron takes after his mother.
(2) "Harry was sure he saw Neville slip the wrapper into his pocket."
- One of the most poignant lines in the entire series.

06/04/2020 - 63%

(1) Hermione gets Harry and Ron homework planners for Christmas, which is kind of like gifting someone a diet book... it sends a message.
(2) '"I want you to take this," [Sirius] said quietly, thrusting a badly wrapped package roughly the size of a paperback book into Harry’s hands.
"What is it?" Harry asked.'
- It's Chekhov's Gun... uh, Chekhov's book-sized package.

06/05/2020 - 66%

(1) Neville should have been the one to kill Bellatrix. Would have been justice for torturing his parents to insanity.
(2) I figure with a name like Madame Puddifoot, your career options are rather limited. Either be the proprietor of a girly tea house or a shop for comfortable women's shoes.
(3) Seems like Hermione withholds information from Ron just to see him beg.

06/06/2020 - 68%

(1) '"Women!" [Harry] muttered angrily.'
- Well, that's what you get for dating your student.
(2) "Rita sat up straight again, her eyebrows raised, and drained her glass of firewhisky."
- Teatime's a bit early for firewhiskey.
(3) Hermione: "Harry, you’re worse than Ron... Well, no, you’re not."
- Ron, still champion of not being able to read girls' romantic signals.

06/07/2020 - 70%

(1) Harry to Snape: "Why do you call Voldemort the Dark Lord, I’ve only ever heard Death Eaters call him that."
- It's misdirection. Have the villains all do one thing and cast doubt on an ally by having him do the same.
(2) Trelawny: "You c-can’t sack me! I’ve b-been here sixteen years! H-Hogwarts is m-my h-home!"
Umbridge: "It was your home."
- Cold-hearted.

*character limit

For some reason i had it in my head that, although i love everything about this book series, this book in particular was one of my least favourite Harry Potter books but after this reread i truly cannot think why.
There are so many elements of this book that i deeply love (Luna Lovegood, Dumbledore's Army, Fred and George kicking it up a notch and the Quibbler to name a few) that i'm confused as to why i wasn't more excited going in to it.

This was a fantastic read, i split my reading between the audio and the book, but despite the fact that it is very long, I found myself whizzing through it, desperate to read just a few more chapters every time.

I'd give this 10 stars if i could!

n  “I’ve had enough, I’ve seen enough, I want out, I want it to end, I don’t care any more—”n

The ending this book was too emotional. Heartbreaking in every way what Harry has gone through and had to endure.

————————————
100th reread.

I’m exaggerating. I don’t know what number I’m on.

Rowling is such a gifted storyteller and incredible at creating characters with distinct voices. I'm appreciating the world-building a lot more now as well. She crafted it beautifully throughout the series.

- Harry’s grief was palpable and it hurt. A lot.
- Harry and Cho’s relationship was boring as hell.
- Dumbledore is my favourite character ever. He’s open with his mistakes and the way he came to care and protect Harry warmed my soul right up.
- Umbridge is worse than Voldemort. Son of a witch.
- Fudge should’ve died.
- As well as Percy.

5 stars

“Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.”



You know, I think this book gets a bad rap. Yes Harry is angsty. Yes it's a tad bit whiny. But after having read the whole series, while Goblet was the turning point, Order of the Phoenix was where we saw the universe change and set the course for the rest of the series. PLUS it's the book that introduced Luna Lovegood!!!! How could it not be a great book???



Spoilers ahead for those who haven't read the series (and if you haven't I can't even with you). This takes place after the murder of Cedric Diggory and everyone is prepping to face the Dark Lord. Harry is often kept out of the loop, which doesn't help because he's feeling isolated as is. When the Ministry of Magic starts interfering at Hogwart's, things can only go down from there...

“Hello, Harry" said George, beaming at him. "We thought we heard your dulcet tones."

"You don't want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out," said Fred, also beaming. "There might be a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you.”

Love this book! Despite the shouty caps angst from Harry, this book is full of fun moments and information I missed the first time around. It's also Harry's book of disillusionment, with Dumbledore and the memory of his father. There were also giant hints at Snape and Lily in this one that are so much more obvious now...

I loved getting to know more about Neville, dear sweet boy he is. I kind of want a spinoff series from his point of view, kind of like Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow. Plus I loved that we get to know Ginny a bit more in this book too, now that she's not afraid to talk in front of Harry.

Anyways, love this book. I recommend y'all read it or reread it.

“Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human —”

“THEN — I — DON’T — WANT — TO — BE — HUMAN!”


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(obviously a reread) *cries*