Time to review Goblet of Fire. OR Should I say...

The best book in this entire series.

  

I have to admit, until this book, I was still trying to wrap my head around the phenomenon that was Harry Potter. Is this a good series? Oh yes absolutely, but is it: I am going to name my dog Sirius, my child Harry, going to get a tattoo of 56 different HP quotes, write an entire page of the book on a wall inside my house good?

  

This book was the turning point for me. This book developed and cemented my love for Harry. A main character that, until now, I had no emotional attachment to. Their personalities flourished under JK Rowling's otherworldly ability to write about teenage angst and embarrassment.

For the entirety of this book, I was a teen again. I remembered every awkward stage I ever had. I remembered what it felt like to wish you were noticed, while thinking you'd rather die than do be the center of attention. I remembered the ultimate bliss, chaos and disaster that it was to grow up.

Harry, Ron and Hermione are officially little grown people in my eyes. And I not only grew to love them as friends, but respect them as mini adults, which made me extremely emotional. I have always wanted to be a mother, and reading this series for the first time as an adult made me think: Wow, is this what I am going to feel when I see my children turn into teenagers? Confused, but proud?

  

I don't even think I need to get into how fantastic the world building in this book is, how imaginative and utterly insane these characters are. How many layers and levels there are to them. I remember mentioning this on my review for Azkaban, we could spend literal hours debating every single character and we would never reach an agreement.

(*cough* snape *cough* - he's not that bad if you're read this as an adult, you guys are just too attached to the hatred you had for him as a child to let go. you just missed a lot of things about his duality and his capability for love and courage because you were 7 and you had no ability to read between the lines)

  

As for the writing itself, this was the most action packed, exciting, hilarious book in the series so far. It is better than Azkaban for sure, and I barely noticed how long it was.

So yeah, Goblet of Fire is why I can now confidently say:

> You want to spend one thousand dollars on a Harry Potter inspired Christmas tree? I mean, why wouldn't you?

You just bought a 850 dollar Hogwarts Lego set? Understandable.

Do you have the sorting hat tattooed on your forehead? I mean, we all get silly sometimes.

Do you own more Harry Potter merch pieces than you own underwear? Of course you do.

n   So here I am, anointing Goblet of Fire the PEAK of the Harry Potter series. n

Five stars ⭐ Duh.

Excelencia pura. Me encantó. Creo que este es mi favorito de la saga por ahora. En Harry Potter y el Cáliz de Fuego se desarrolla una prosa más madura y oscura. No puedo decir nada más; mi amor por este libro es indescriptible.

—Saludémonos con una inclinación, Harry —dijo Voldemort, agachándose un poco, pero sin dejar de presentar a Harry su cara de serpiente—. Vamos, hay que comportarse como caballeros... A Dumbledore le gustaría que hicieras gala de tus buenos modales. Inclínate ante la muerte, Harry.

Ahhh uwielbiam ten tom.

This is by far, so far, the darkest book of them all. Grim is the beginning of the book, grimmer is the foreshadowing and grimmest is the ordeal through which Harry alone survives.

Harry's trick of conveying only what he sees or dreams of is well poised in the book's narrative. It's the balance of the known and unknown that is intriguing. So many things happen.

One can barely cope with the events in the book. And we have to sort them according to what our theories are. Harry Potter is extraordinary in his ordinariness. Magic is so innately superficial in book 4, that's it's used as a tool rather than a luxury. That's it, from me.

Act 4 of 7, gents! And I’m stuck somewhere betwixt 4 and 5 stars for this one, so I’ll just write this review, pop on back to the beginning and smack a rating on this bad boy. (Disclaimer: I am on Hour 26 post-wisdom teeth surgery, on some painkillers no one should turn their nose up at, and desperate for solid food and human interaction. So in other words, bear with me, because this may be...somethin’.)



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Okay, let’s start with our characters. I always gotta discuss the same collection of several. Both Harry and Ron are pretty consistently eh characters for me (except in the first book, in which I really enjoyed Harry). Here, instead of being eh, I found them...annoying? It drove me absolutely insane that Harry kept procrastinating his clues - like no yeah, do your Divination homework the night it’s assigned, but please put the life-or-death clue off to the side for now. And don’t even get me started on their constant, needless bickering. Ugh. HOW ARE YOU BOTH SOMEHOW EQUALLY ANNOYING HERE?



Neville, on the other hand? Cemented his status as a fave o’ mine. His backstory is great. He really deserves to be in Gryffindor, the brave li’l guy, and I just want to give him a big hug. Snape, meanwhile....Well, somehow he outdoes himself here. I just don’t know how I’m going to hold onto this rant until book 7. God, you guys, get ready for a tsunami of anger, I guess.



And let’s discuss that feminist message, shall we? I, first off, love that my perhaps-all-time-favorite character Hermione gets political as hell in this one. Mad respect, girl. And for a cause that she’s laughed at for, even one that would make her life far, far easier in every means if she just backed off it! (I’m seeing some parallels to feminism here….) Plus, her defeat of Rita Skeeter, who taunted her for her appearance and reduced her meaning as a person to the boys she spent time with, is just amazing.



And don’t even get me started on the representation of women in professional sports in this book! Fabulous enough that almost half of the Gryffindor quidditch team is female, but the fact that there are women competitors in the Quidditch World Cup? Amazing! There’s no underestimating the empowerment that representation lent to young, female readers who dreamed of being athletes.



If only this wonderful treatment of women - and we know that Rowling is a tried-and-true feminist - extended to the Triwizard Tournament. But alas, all we get is...Fleur. Fleur’s only trait is her beauty (cough cough, reminds me of someone we know, cough cough, CHO F*CKING CHANG), she (like Rita Skeeter to Hermione) is reduced to the boys she spends time with/thereby must be flirting with (Cedric, the Ravenclaw quidditch captain), and, worst of all, she’s not a good competitor. She gives an eh performance in the first task, receives pity-points in the second, and is ignored and eliminated in the third. Ms. Rowling, my love, couldn’t she at least use her looks cunningly to distract her opponent? If you were only going to give us one girl competitor out of four, couldn’t she at least be, well, good?



There were fewer stupid mistakes in this one, but there were still some. One being that somehow magic-less mermaids painted pictures of themselves on a rock...underwater. Unless they’re sourcing that fancy schmancy under-da-sea paint, they should not be able to do that. Also, the search for Sirius is never mentioned by the many (many, many, many, MANY) members of the Ministry of Magic we are CONSTANTLY seeing in this book. Or by Rita Skeeter. Which doesn’t make sense, because that search was a big f*cking deal. (And don’t you think ol’ Skeeter would want to bring up that failing when she’s writing inflammatory articles about Hogwarts and/or the Ministry?)



But this comes down to the same thing all these reviews come down to: the world. Goblet of Fire gives us the biggest look into the Wizarding World since Sorcerer’s Stone (Quidditch World Cup! Triwizard Tournament! The operations of the Ministry of Magic!), and because I love looking at this world so flippin’ much (plus fewer teeny errors) I have to give this a high rating.



Bottom line: definitely better than the second and third, and maybe (MAYBE!) an almost-tie for favorite-so-far with the first one. The feminism contains some mixed messages, there are a couple things that don’t make sense, and I still haven’t found a way to kill a fictional character (but when I do, watch your back, Severus). But the world, Hermione, Neville’s story, and a couple other great things overcome all that. This book rocks! Hurray!

Sports Star Shocker. Leading Triwizard Champions abducted by Arch-villain! "There's no respect for fair play in the sporting arena these days!" - Hogwart's Herald

JKR pulled out all the stops and weaved together a real multi-layered winner.

But, wait, some of the minor characters have a word or two to say, they always do, never getting enough time on page to express themselves properly.

Beware! Dangerous and possibly indiscreet comments ahead - Read at your own Risk!

The Triwizard Tournament has ended.

The Blast-Ended Skrewt (Speaking to the Sphinx after everyone has gone home) "Hey babe, how about you and I shoot on down to Hogsmeade and get wasted on shots?"

The Sphinx: (Looking prim) "I'll let you know, I'm a good girl."

The Blast-Ended Skrewt (Rolling out his sucker) "Get a load of this little puppy. You'd be surprised how flexible it is."

The Sphinx (Rolls her eyes) "Well, Okay then ... By the way, do you like riddles?"

The Blast-Ended Skrewt (Shrugs his shoulder plates) "What's a riddle?"

The Sphinx (Sighs) (Soto voce) "Not another one... Where oh where am I gonna find a real man?"

Buckbeak (Pops his head around the corner of the hedge maze) "Yoohoo!"

And there it is! Oh, there were a couple of minor hiccups but what the hell - easy to ignore given how good everything else was. Now it's time to get started on The Order of the Phoenix.

Strongly Recommended: A solid enjoyable, 5 'Sports Rule at School,' stars.

Reread this in March 2023 with the fine folk over at Nightmares and Dreamscapes.

“The truth is generally preferable to lies.”
-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

JK Rowling knows how to write highly readable text. She specializes in short, highly digestible paragraphs. The pages flow pretty quickly.

She also elevates the problems of Harry Potter from just one boy to good versus evil.

However, this book was too long. I wish that Rowling shortened the book, cutting out Rita Skeeter, Quidditch, and The Yule Ball. She could have easily sold these bits of Harry Potter as short stories.

2025 Reading Schedule
JantA Town Like Alice
FebtBirdsong
MartCaptain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
AprtWar and Peace
MaytThe Woman in White
JuntAtonement
JultThe Shadow of the Wind
AugtJude the Obscure
SeptUlysses
OcttVanity Fair
NovtA Fine Balance
DectGerminal

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There is an incredibly somber mood that descends on me every time I finish this book in the series, and reading it with the illustrations did nothing to change that. I felt the drawings were impeccable, and I loved how some of the characters were reimagined to look a different way than portrayed in the movies, my favorite being Mad Eye Moody. Now, the long wait for the remainder of the illustrated editions. :(

Re-read 9/25/21:

My daughter and I read this book together and I'll let her say what she liked the most:

The final duel between Harry and Voldemort! The reversal and the unexpected aid!

I loved when his name came out of the goblet of fire! So surprising! I knew it would go horribly.

I loved when Harry was fighting the dragon, but it was the spell that summoned his broom that I liked the most!

I disliked absolutely NOTHING about the book.


(I have to admit, teaching my girl to read by HP is probably the best thing I could have done. Being INTERESTED in the freaking tale helps a LOT with the whole reading and comprehending bits. :)

Original review:

Buddy-read and re-read!

It's Barty Crouch time! This is the first time that a non-titular character in Rowling's work becomes the main character, crowding out Harry, Hermione, and Ron altogether! He even crowds out the plight of the house elves!

All Hail Barty Crouch!


Ahem. Sorry. I've been under the Imperius curse. For a long time. Sorry. In fact, it's been almost the entire length of this novel. I just broke out from under it only to find that my place is a mess and there are approximately 365 pairs of socks draped over all my bookcases. (Don't ask.)

I loved this book more than the movie, alas. I especially loved all the times under the Veritus potion where we get a full breakdown of events from Barty's PoV, obviously, and to a lesser degree, the House Elf Liberation Front. I feel for you, Hermione!

And, of course, I miss the fact that Harry's winnings in the Tournament went to the twins. I thought that was brilliant in the books and inexplicably missing in the movies. Seriously! I want to hit something! Or at least curse it.

If you haven't read these books, shame on you. If you have, you feel me. Right? :)

(A) 86% | Extraordinary
Notes: A tone transfiguration, it's so the boy-girl drama, bright to start, but breaks your heart, and ends in tears and trauma.

*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:

Progress updates:

03/15/2020 - Preamble

(1) I've said it before in comment replies, but I've always considered books 4-7 to be four parts of one very long book, which I call the "Voldemort is Back Saga."
(2) Attending the Wizarding World Cup was mentioned at the end of "Prisoner of Azkaban." I think the only other tease of events to come was book six when HRH decided to leave Hogwarts.

03/16/2020 - 2%

(1) The opening chapter is the first one not in Harry's POV. Another aspect that separates the latter books from the first three.
(2) The village of Little Hangleton reminds me a lot of Pagford from "The Casual Vacancy." Both feature an abandoned manor house, for example. I wouldn't be surprised if the germ of that book started with this chapter.

03/17/2020 - 8%

(1) Harry to Sirius: "[Dudley] got really angry and chucked his PlayStation out of the window. That’s a sort of computer thing you can play games on."
- Historical inaccuracy. This takes place in 1994, the Playstation didn't come out until late 1995.
(2) Last book, Hermione's letter mentioned Ron five times. Ron's letter here mentions her once :(

03/18/2020 - 10%

(1) I think it's intentional, that right after Molly sort of intimidates Arthur into submission, Hermione does the same thing to Ron. It's juxtaposition!
(2) I hear the name "Ludo Bagman," and all I think of is "Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong." In my head he's Australian.
(3) Wonder why Albania's such a hot wizard vacation destination?

03/19/2020 - 11%

(1) Apparently, wizards don't use the metric system. Arthur needs Harry to help him pay the campsite manager in muggle money.
(2) "The Lovegoods" are mentioned here. Probably Luna and her father – her mother having passed.
(3) The only thing we know about Cedric, thus far, is he's handsome and athletic. Same as last book. Worth reminding, I guess.

03/20/2020 - 14%

(1) In the book, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys all cheer for Ireland. In the film, Harry and Ron support Bulgaria... I suppose so it doesn't look like they're all in Slytherin.
(2) Crouch has a "toothbrush mustache," also known as the Hitler mustache... or alternatively, the Charlie Chaplin mustache.
(3) Crouch to Percy: "Thank you, Weatherby."

03/21/2020 - 16%

(1) The Bulgarian mascots are veela... who can entrance men at will. Women aren't affected, which is an argument for having some female players... at least when playing Bulgaria.
(2) "'Let’s have a really loud hand for the gallant losers — Bulgaria!' Bagman shouted."
- "Runners-up" would have been more prudent, if only for political sensitivities.

03/22/2020 - 18%

(1) Just like "Weird!" is Ron's catchphrase, "Honestly!" is Hermione's. She says it, for example, whenever Harry or Ron are entranced by veela. You'd think "the brightest witch of her age" would understand it's involuntary.
(2) In the books, Hermione's always scared, while Ron's brave in the face of danger. In the films, it's the other way around.

03/23/2020 - 20%

(1) Boy, after the World Cup, wizards be clamoring for portkeys like it's toilet paper at a Costco. Mass hysteria!
(2) Harry says his scar hurt. Ron suggests they play quidditch to de-stress while Hermione insists he needs a nap. Ron and Hermione sort of have a fun parent/strict parent dynamic in this situation. Very much like Arthur and Molly do.

03/24/2020 - 22%

(1) Harry's dress robe is brand new and bottle-green, while Ron's is shabby, lacy and second-hand. It's totally Ron's Cinderella moment!
(2) Bill: "[Rita Skeeter] called me ‘a long-haired pillock’."
Molly: "Well, it is a bit long, dear ... If you’d just let me —"
Bill: "No, Mum."
- In the film all the Weasley boys and Harry have really long hair!

03/25/2020 - 24%

(1) '"Hogwarts is hidden," said Hermione, in surprise. "Everyone knows that ... well, everyone who’s read Hogwarts, A History, anyway.”
"Just you, then,” said Ron. "So go on."'
- Hermione citing "Hogwarts, A History," expecting everyone's read it, and Ron saying she's the only one who ever has never gets old. It's my favorite recurring bit.

03/26/2020 - 26%

(1) I just put together that "Beauxbaton" means "beautiful wand" in French. Mind blown! I don’t speak German so I can’t say if "Durmstrang" means anything. Though, knowing Rowling's penchant for stereotypes it's probably something downright Wagnerian: turmoil, fury and the like.
(2) Apparently, Durmstrang offers courses in breakdancing. (see gif)

03/27/2020 - 27%

(1) "Squeezing the bubotubers was disgusting, but oddly satisfying. As each swelling was popped, a large amount of thick yellowish-green liquid burst forth."
- Ironically, or fittingly, this is use to cure acne.
(2) "Professor Trelawney kept predicting Harry’s death, which he found extremely annoying."
- To be fair, he very often does nearly die.

03/28/2020 - 29%

(1) Lavender: "Oooh, which one’s that, Professor?"
Trelawney: "It is Uranus, my dear."
Ron: "Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?"
- Ron will regret planting that seed.
(2) Hagrid: “Yeh’ll do wha’ yer told or I’ll be takin’ a leaf outta Professor Moody’s book... I hear yeh made a good ferret, Malfoy.”
- Sadly, Hagrid can't legally do magic.

03/29/2020 - 30%

(1) Moody forcing Neville to witness the imperius curse is really cruel, knowing the backstory.
(2) '"It’s all right, sonny,” [Moody] said to Neville. “Why don’t you come up to my office?... we can have a cup of tea..." Neville looked even more frightened at the prospect of tea with Moody.'
- Wonder how Moody prepares tea, and what china he uses.

03/30/2020 - 32%

(1) "Harry’s brain was as fogged as though it had been filled with the fumes from Professor Trelawney’s fire."
- As an alliteration aficionado, I approve.
(2) '[Harry] just finished predicting his own death by decapitation. "What’s in the box?" he asked [Hermione], pointing at it.'
- What's in the box? What's in the box!! (it's "Se7en" reference)

03/31/2020 - 33%

(1) Hermione turns on "Hogwarts, A History" for not mentioning house elf abuse. Priceless!
(2) '"You only like [Cedric] because he’s handsome," said Ron scathingly.
“Excuse me, I don’t like people just because they’re handsome!” said Hermione indignantly.
Ron gave a loud false cough, which sounded oddly like "Lockhart!"'
- Ron with the sick burn!

04/01/2020 - 34%

(1) The Beauxbatons sit with the Ravenclaws and the Durmstrangs sit with the Slytherins. Thus foreshadowing that Hogwarts' champion will come from Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, or both.
(2) Ron: "What’s that?"
Hermione: "Bouillabaisse"
Ron: "Bless you."
Hermione: "It’s French ... It’s very nice."
- Hermione, quickly after, stops liking French things.

04/02/2020 - 36%

(1) Hagrid dresses for courting just the same as he does for court!
(2) The Goblet of Fire is made of wood! Must be non-flammable wood.
(3) "[Crouch's] toothbrush mustache and severe parting looked very odd."
- Yes, uncomfortably odd. The mustache had me wondering, but the "severe parting" confirmed it. Crouch is intended to remind you of Hitler.

04/03/2020 - 38%

(1) '"Madame Maxime!” said Fleur at once ... "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!" Somewhere under Harry’s numb disbelief he felt a ripple of anger. Little boy?'
- Well, Harry is somewhat shorter than average.
(2) "Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?” [Dumbledore] asked calmly."
- Yes, "calmly." See gif.

04/04/2020 - 40%

(1) The Gryffindors throw a party to celebrate Harry (supposedly) cheating to get into the tournament. Celebrating deceit seems more like a Slytherin thing to me.
(2) Stephen Fry uses the same voice for both Hermione and Professor McGonagall. I don't know if it shows a lack of range for female voices, or if he's actually making some subtle point.

04/05/2020 - 42%

(1) Malfoy turns Hermione's front teeth the size of tusks. Ron, instead of immediately trying to fist-fight Malfoy, runs to comfort Hermione. That's character development!
(2) Rita Skeeter forces Harry to squeeze into a dark broom closet with her for an interview. In my head I'm screaming, "He's underage! That's the whole reason for the scandal!"

04/06/2020 - 44%

(1) Last book it was Hermione who was on the outs with Harry and Ron, here it's the opposite. I appreciate the mirroring!
(2) Rita Skeeter writes that Hermione's Harry's girlfriend... thus begins the boy-girl drama!
(3) Hermione: "[Krum]'s not even good-looking! ... [girls] only like him because he’s famous!"
- She'll change her tune soon enough.

04/07/2020 - 46%

(1) Hagrid shows Maxime, and by proxy Beauxbâtons, the secret first task simply to get her to like him. On one hand, it's helping the competition. On the other hand, everyone cheats anyway, and at least he gets the girl.
(2) '"Never mind me, how are you?" said Sirius seriously.'
- It finally happened! Been waiting the last two books for that pun.

04/08/2020 - 48%

(1) '"Hermione," Harry said, through gritted teeth, "will you shut up for a bit, please?"'
- Without Ron, I guess the job of reining in Hermione falls to Harry.
(2) Moody: "Cheating’s a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and always has been."
- I knew it! Though knowing the twist at the end, I question how true this statement actually is.

04/09/2020 - 50%

(1) '"Got a plan?" said Bagman, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Because I don’t mind sharing a few pointers, if you’d like them, you know."'
- Bagman low-key offering to help Harry cheat sounds a lot like the start of a drug deal.
(2) Rita Skeeter: "I wonder if you could give me a quick word?"
Harry: "Yeah, you can have a word ... Goodbye."

04/10/2020 - 52%

(1) Viktor Krum persistently stalking Hermione in the library is at the same time endearing and creepy.
(2) Shame the whole "Blast-Ended Skrewts" subplot was cut from the film. I would have liked to see what "the most repulsive things Harry had ever seen" looked like.
(3) Apparently, one elf's servile emancipation is another elf's grievous shame.

04/11/2020 - 55%

(1) "Why do they have to move in packs?" Harry asked Ron as a dozen or so girls walked past them .... "How’re you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?"'
- I've totally been there.
(2) 'Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light.
"Hermione ... you are a girl!"
"Oh well spotted," she said acidly.'

04/12/2020 - 56%

(1) "Hermione — who are you going to the ball with?” said Ron. He kept springing this question on her, hoping to startle her into a response by asking it when she least expected it."
- In other words, "Who's my new nemesis?"
(2) Parvati: "Padma’s going to meet you in the entrance hall."
Ron: "Right ... Where’s Hermione?"
- Wrong girl, Ron! Focus!

04/13/2020 - 57%

(1) Dumbledore apparently found the Room of Requirement, filled with chamber pots, when he needed to urinate.
(2) 'Hermione was now teaching Krum to say her name properly; he kept calling her "Hermy-own."
"Her-my-oh-nee," she said slowly and clearly.
"Herm-own-ninny."
"Close enough," she said.'
- Before I knew better, I pronounced it "Hermy-won."

04/14/2020 - 58%

(1) "The Weird Sisters ... were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn."
- Nice bit of historical accuracy there. 1994 was the very height of "artfully ripped and torn" clothes.
(2) Ron insists Krum only asked Hermione to the Ball to get info on Harry. Jealousy aside, that's actually a legit concern.

04/15/2020 - 59%

(1) Hermione: "Next time there’s a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"
Ron: "Well — that just proves — completely missed the point —"
Narrator: "[Harry] somehow thought that Hermione had gotten the point much better than Ron had."
- The saddest non-death scene of the series.
- Hermione's tough, but so weak for Ron :(

04/16/2020 - 61%

(1) Ron lays down some serious knowledge on giants. Filmmakers take note, Ron’s not dumb.
(2) "Ron and Hermione seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement not to discuss their argument. They were being quite friendly to each other, though oddly formal."
- Yes, classic "drunk at the office X-mas party and overcompensating the next day" behavior.

04/17/2020 - 63%

(1) Don't know if it's been accentuated, but Harry looks downright tiny in the gif.
(2) Harry: "What d’you do, sneak up here in the evenings to watch the prefects take baths?"
Myrtle: "Sometimes, but I’ve never come out to speak to anyone before."
Harry: "I’m honored. You keep your eyes shut!"
- Moaning Myrtle... more like Pervy Myrtle, amiright?

04/18/2020 - 65%

(1) Apparently, Myrtle being stuck in Hogwarts is sort of a jail sentence. The Ministry confined her there permanently for stalking Olive Hornby. So, technically she's a convict under a kind of house arrest.
(2) Ironic how it's "Moody" who gives Harry the idea to pursue a career as an auror. I guess good ideas are good ideas no matter the source.

*character limit

"Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it."

This is easily the best opening scene of the series by far. I love that it opens in a dream, explaining to us everything we will later understand as the book continues. Prologue who explain the plot of the book so vaguely that nothing makes sense until you close it have got to be the most exciting books.

I've read this book in particular several times. It's my favorite to fall asleep to because every chapter is exciting, and entertaining, and full of so much information. I feel like after you read this series a couple of times, you don't need to read it all together anymore simply because each book has a life of its own. And this book is all about Harry finally realizing that even though he lost his family all those years ago, even though he hasn't had one since, he does have one now with the Weasley's.

Every time that Molly shows up for Harry is one more reason she's the best mother ever written into a book. Every time she makes him feel loved, every time she includes him in with her family, every time she loves him unconditionally. I just don't think I've ever read a better developed mother in my life. For me, in this book, she's the star of the show.

This is also the first book where we get to see the corruption of the ministry and how poorly they act as a government in regards to misinformation and the holding back of fear. If they had done anything to inform people about what truly happened to Cedric, what truly happened to Harry... maybe half of the next book could have been avoided. I love this book for its complexity, its entertainment, and its link from the first half of the series to the second.

It's a turning point between childhood and having to grow up overnight. It's devastating and beautiful and every feeling between.

And it doesn't hurt to mention that I love the final scene, when Harry gives his winnings to Fred and George for their joke shop because people are going to need some laughs. It's so soft, so special to me, and just the perfect way to show that Harry will always think of everyone else. It's what makes him such a good hero.