This one is still my favorite!

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. :(

I'm trying to remember how I felt at the start of this but I can't!
I remember that I was a bit bored and then I liked some things and then I was wondering about other things and we reached the end and it felt like I'm reading another book.

I'm not complaining at all, I feel like this was one of those books that tried to have more than one plot and did it well to an extent. Personally I was so confused with the Hermione and house elves thing, I didn't know if it was a serious thing or not, I still have absolutely no idea how to feel about that.
I also don't know how to feel about the games, cuz they were entertaining enough, but games for entertainment's sake alone and no real risk was never my thing.

The end was so packed that for a second I thought this wasn't the same book! I liked it and I know what happens, it was really fun and even a bit shocking to see a twist after twist at the end like that.

The book as a whole was really good, I didn't like the very angsty teen moments, I hated that these kids grew up and now they all want to date and stuff but I also liked that some things were challenged like the friendship Harry and Ron have, also side characters like Neville and what happened to his parents.

It's not what I expected in some ways and it is in others, I definitely still prefer Chamber of Secrets of all the books but this was good.

------------------------------------------------
Buddy read with Snape's wife

„We are as strong as we are united. As weak as we are divided”.
Cóż to była za podróż! Ilekroć czytam tę serię, czuję się jakby otulało mnie przyjemne ciepło bezpiecznego dzieciństwa. Pomimo upływu lat, wciąż kocham tę część najbardziej ze wszystkich.
Chyba już zawsze będę miała słabość do tego niezwykłego czarodzieja i jego niesamowitych przyjaciół.

The hero of the fourth Harry Potter novel is the author J.K. Rowling.

IMHO this is where she hit her stride and was moving forward with confidence as a storyteller. Sorcerer’s Stone was published in 1997 and was 322 pages. Chamber of Secrets was from 1998 and was 341 pages. Prisoner of Azkaban (which many reviewers have labeled as the best novel) was published in 1999 and was 435 pages. Perhaps more noteworthy was that sales of the book and critical acclaim had grown exponentially as word of this great series spread out from reading groups and exploded into bestseller status. Buoyed by the success of her earlier books and by selling the film rights and preparing for the upcoming film in 2001, Rowling literally knew without a doubt that people were buying what she was selling.

Goblet of Fire was first published in 2000 and was a bold 734 pages. (It would later win the Hugo for Best Novel). It is the most ambitious of her novels to date and expands beyond Hogwarts into other magic schools and other countries and into the Ministry of Magic and pushes and elbows into our muggle world. Most noteworthy, though, is that we see Rowling’s personality and self-assurance shining through in her language. Not quite swaggering with virtuosity but certainly with a playful earnestness and ease borne of knowing what she’s doing and knowing that people are digging it.

Two rival wizarding schools have arrived for the Triwizard Tournament. Champions from each school will compete to win and represent their academy. The Ministry of Magic is following closely and so are the Death Eaters, the remnants of Voldemort’s followers. Voldemort has grown stronger and is threatening to awaken back into the world and to threaten Harry.

Rowling’s dialogue and characterization, already exceptional, blooms here and we get to know a plethora of fascinating players. She expands her already impressive world building into what is becoming Pottermore, the Harry Potter Universe. The growing maturity of the main characters is matched by the increasingly mature tone of the narrative.

Excellent and I’m off to the next book.

*** 2024 reread -

Great characterization, I had not noticed before how good was the dialogue and how she described the characters. Moody was especially interesting because… you know, but Rita Skeeter was a gem.

The scenes under the water during the games were my favorite

Is there anyone else out there who thinks Goblet of Fire was the high point of the whole Harry Potter series?

I'm just wondering if I'm strange or something. :)

Normally, I congratulate myself for finishing a 500 + page novel but after reading 734 pages of this book, my only reaction was “How could it already be over?”The more I read Harry Potter, the harder I fall in love with J.K. Rowling. I couldn’t grasp how she could make this most fantastic series with the most complex and most expertly planned out plot, you could tell she was so sure of the story the moment she started writing the first book. Her attention to detail is more than impressive and the diversity and the realness of her characters are just unbelievable. Every single character (even inanimate ones) is fully developed. I am just absolutely, completely, astonished!

ONTO THE RANDOM STUFF

Lol higlights
1. George and Fred and their skiving snack boxes. These boys are just too funny. “Maybe Harry’s next task is to attack Percy while he’s in the shower.”
2. Professor Dumbledore and his twinkling eyes.
3. Hagrid and Madam Maxine- a match made in er…the mountains?
4. When is Vicky short for Viktor? When Ron’s jealous. Lol.
5. “Herm-own-ninny” says Krum. (Bahahaha!)
6. Socks that screamed loudly when they became too smelly-Harry’s sweetest gift to Dobby.^^
7. Dobby calling Ron “Wheezy!”
8. Super cute Pigwidgeon being called “Pig” (Bahaha!)

Grrr inducing moments/characters
1. Fleur Delacour, I am not very fond of ze way you act although I find ze way you talk fab.
2. Ron, you could really be an idiot sometimes. “Caught on, have you? Took you long enough.”
3. Draco, you foul creature! Don’t worry, Harry. I’ll make you a personal badge I’d wear all the time saying Harry Potter is the best. Rub the badge and it’ll change into “Harry Potter is the bestest!”
4. THAT RITA SKEETER!
5. He who must not be named is officially back! *shivers*
6. Harry, you could be a pain sometimes, you know? All the danger signs are there. Your dreams, your scar, your name out of the goblet. Why won’t you listen to Hermione?

Woah moments
1. Harry against the Horntail: Way to go, Harry!
2. The triwizard tournament of course
3. Basically all the tasks! Harry is awesome! 50 points to Gryffindor for answering the Sphinx’ question.

Hermione moments
1. Hermione, her big heart and brain for the SPEW, I mean S.P.E.W.
2. ”So basically, you’re going to take the best-looking girl who’ll have you, even if she’s completely horrible?”
3. Her relentless support to Harry.
4. Hermione and the Yule Ball.

Sherlock thought
1. I was almost sure it’s Mr. Bagman who was the culprit. I was terribly wrong. I’m no Sherlock after all.

Crying moments
1. Ron and Harry made up. (I was positively howling right along with Hermione)
2. J.K. Rowling says “let the killing of noble characters begin”  Cedrick!  *wails*
3. Harry and his big heart.  The twins really deserve the bag of galleons.  Let me give you a Mrs. Weasley signature rib crushing hug.

A few of the many things the movie got wrong or missed to include:

1. Winky & Dobby & Mr. Bagman.
2. Went on ruining the mystery of the story right from the beginning. Ugh!
3. Rita Skeeter’s most well deserved punishment.^^ All thanks to Hermione.^^
4. Wormtail being all smug.
5. Hermione’s ball dress should have been periwinkle blue!

P.S. Harry's first attempt at romance happened here so it makes perfect sense that I'm posting this review on Love Day. What's more perfect is I get to greet my smart and sexy French Friend, Anna a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you're having the best day, my awesome friend! I was going to read something else for you but I can't keep my hands off Harry Potter. I am positively hexed. Lol.

4th read: October 2019 - April 2020 (Physical & Stephen Fry audiobook)
★★★★★
read for the 24 hour harry potter readathon

3rd read: June 2018 (Stephen Fry audiobook)
★★★★★

2nd read: June - July 2017
★★★★★
SOOO many good scenes they should have included in the movie! Like  SPEW, Moody confiscating the map, Hermione discovering Rita Skeeter as an unregistered animagus, etc.  AHHHH I wish they could have made a 10 hour movie to include everything lol.

کتاب چهار از جذاب‌ترین‌های مجموعه‌ست‌. جام‌جهانی کوییدیچ، مسابقات ترایویزاد و اتفاق مهم آخر داستان که همه چیز رو تغییر میده. اینجا هری، رون و هرماینی دیگه انگار از کودکی خارج شدند و مشکلاتشون هم با خودشون بزرگ شده. چیزی که در این کتاب خیلی دوست دارم به نمایش گذاشتن احساساته. حسادت، ترس و جوانه‌های عشق

کانال تلگرامم که این کتاب‌ و صوتیش رو آپلود کردم و ریویوها رو هم می‌گذارم
Maede's Books

۱۴۰۱/۹/۲۵

This was the beginning of my addiction to POTter. I had previously experimented with and enjoyed POTter on 3 different occasions, but could easily have walked away and never touched the stuff again. Then, under some pressure from some POTterHEAD peers of mine, I tried the newest blend called the Goblet...and everything changed. As the warm, easy, potato chip prose crossed my blood-brain barrier, euphoria ensued. My inner child was smitten.

I...was...hooked and I...was...happy.

Ignore the so-called "experts" who say POTter is brain cell killing pap. Don’t listen to those jaded, book snobby squares. Most of them are wound so tight they wouldn’t know a good book if it sat on their face and wriggled.

POTter makes you feel good. POTter makes you smile. POTter makes you joyous and giggly. Hell, POTter makes you want to use the word giggly.

POTter is enjoyable and fun. That's enough for me.

So what made the Goblet so much more addicting than the rest of the POTter I had tried. Part of it was that I had already seen the movies (up through Order of the Phoenix) before I got my hands on genuine POTter. The first 3 were fun but I felt like I had already "been there done that" as they were pretty faithfully adaptated for the screen. Still enjoyable, but not enough to put the POTter monkey on my back.

Then came the Goblet of POTter and it was a big, huge, tightly-rolled fatty at 750 pages. The cut, diluted movie strain couldn’t hope to be as potent as the primo original and the story was finally given the room to breathe and take on an epic feel. It was completely addictive. The world-building details started coming fast and furious and the characters were given considerably increased depth. Add that to Rowling’s breezy, “ear friendly” prose and I found myself spaced out for hours turning the pages and still hungering for more.

It’s high praise indeed when I say that 750 pages did not contain a single dull, ploddy moment. This was fun and wonderful and a pleasure to experience. It deserves to be recognized for the iconic work that it is in the realm of YA fantasy.

Is it popcorn? Certainly.
Is it a joy to read? Definitely.
Is it one I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to all lovers of feel good, comfort food? YES.

5.0 stars.

Winner: Hugo Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (2001)
Nominee: Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (2001)
Nominee: Bram Stoker Award (YA) for Best Novel (2001)

”Curiosity is not a sin, but we should exercise caution with our curiosity.”

The fourth Buddy Read with my book lover!

This was initially going to be four stars, but the last 100/150 pages were just so un-deniably amazing I couldn’t help but bump it up half a star. For my first few reads they’ve started off quite light, however within the first chapter this was dark! We got deaths and treachery, and I was here for it/ We got more characters and they were SO good! We had Moody, Krum, Fleur, Cedric Diggory and Winky!. Now this is one of the very very few times that I have watched the films before I’ve read the book (no judging here) and out of the four books so far this one has the most differences, but the book was so much better!

There’s such a dark atmosphere to this, and I was often questioning what was happening. I adored the backstory of Crouch and his family I was just like WHAT IS HAPPENING! While this is getting darker there are still fun moments, my favourite being Pigwidgeon what a lovable little owl! Not only this but we got more glimpses of Sirius and I loved how protective he was over Harry. This is the first glimpses I’ve seen in to Ron and Hermione have jealous spats and not only that but Hermione starting S.P.E.W (SPEW?!).

What I liked?
- The Quidditch world cup, I loved that everyone had to dress up to try and pass as muggles, also the mascots of each teams were an added bonus
- Hermione calling Malfoy a “Twitchy little ferret” ahahahahahahaha!
- Nifflers!
- The Pensieve and seeing all of the memories, it was so well done.
- Everyone coming out of the wand!
- Dumbledores speech for/about Diggory. My heart!
- Rita Skeeter and all of her little secrets!
- THE BUILD UP WAS SO GOOD!

What I didn’t like?
- Friendships being broken for such a long period of time…
- Some parts seemed to drag ever so slightly for me

Overall I didn’t expect was how emotional I found everything?! I mean I was close to tears at some points which I was very surprised at. I’m really looking forward to starting ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, I’m hoping we still get all of the darkness and lots of new characters! SIGN ME UP!

Philosopher’s Stone - 4.5 Stars
Chamber of Secrets - 4 Stars
Prisoner of Azkaban - 5 Stars
Goblet of Fire - 4.5 Stars
Order of the Phoenix - 4.5 Stars

***Please note that this review may contain spoilers for the overall series, not just this book.***

UPDATED REVIEW - - SEPTEMBER 16TH 2021:
I don't have much to add to what I wrote previously. The dates for my listen this second time are almost the same as last year which was unintentional and I'm oddly pleased about it!

I was especially troubled by Moody's months long imprisonment in his own magical trunk - - it's a terrifying prospect.


ORIGINAL REVIEW - - SEPTEMBER 18TH 2020:
I have always loved these books and have always found that there is something about them that holds up well to constant rereading. I feel like I get more from them each time, as a fresh perspective mixes in with an overwhelming dose of nostalgia and I get completely caught up in stories that are so familiar but still feel new and exciting as well.

I actually got a copy of this book for my seventh birthday, so it felt quite fitting that I spent a portion of my birthday twenty years later listening to the story. It's interesting how things can work out like that, even if it is just a simple thing. I used to carry around my hardcover copy pretending it was a spell book, muttering spells of my own invention to myself. I also have a paperback copy that is missing pages after I lent it to someone who damaged it (lesson learned!) and has a blood stain on the page where Frank is listening to Voldemort and Wormtail -- I think I gave myself a paper cut, though I can't recall for sure now.

I still have memories of reading this book at my Nana's house (not on my birthday). I had been enthralled all day, and the third task was absolutely gripping --- I loved it. And then Harry and Cedric decided to touch the cup at the same time, which seemed perfect. I kept turning the pages, ready for cheers and school pride, and things took a shocking turn. I can still recall the jolt I felt when Cedric was killed, so unceremoniously, so off-hand. I hadn't seen the movies yet (they may not have been made) so everything was still the way I pictured it. Now I can't help but add touches of Daniel Radcliffe or Ralph Fiennes to events (though I keep the red eyes from the novel for Voldemort), or David Tennant, who looks nothing really like the book describes but is so good in the film that he has kind of imprinted into my mental image of Bartemius Crouch Junior, overriding whatever I imagined before.

So, Cedric was dead, dark magic was done and I tried and failed to get to sleep. I ended up having to resume reading. I think I finished the book that night, exhausted, frightened and enthralled. It astounded me that things this time didn't really wrap up neatly. There was no return to safety. The Wizarding World had irrevocably changed and Fudge didn't even care! Or cared in the wrong way, about the wrong things. He doubted and blustered and downplayed. I was shocked. Harry had witnessed murder and betrayal and brutality and nothing could make that OK. It may have been the first book that really, truly shook me, and although I already loved books, it was Harry Potter as whole, and the darkness of this one in particular, that made me realise how vital and real a fictional story could become. I think this was also the first one where I had to wait for a long stretch of time to read the next. I couldn't save up, borrow from a neighbour or beg for a gift because it wasn't out yet. So, of course, I reread and reread. The first four books are my most worn for this reason. Thankfully I was a fairly careful child, so my copies are still readable, though certainly a little battered.

When I be started listening to the series as read by Stephen Fry I don't think I was quite prepared for what an emotional experience it would be. I knew I cared passionately about this world and it's characters, but I think I had forgotten just how much. Returning to such loved books ended up feeling especially calming during this time of a pandemic and the stresses that come along with that! It's been nice to disconnect from that and focus on books when I have the time. Everything I have read in recent months has made for a welcome distraction, but Harry Potter in particular.

Seven things really struck me this time, not significant or insightful observations, just the things I thought the most:

1). Bill is so cool. A wizard who dresses like a rock star (I kind of merge any musician that seems actually cool into my mental image of Bill, though of course Domhnall Gleeson is in the mix too!) I've always loved Bill. He's probably my favourite Weasley ---- or at least tied with the twins. And Charlie.

2). Krum is so sweet and may actually be my favourite character of the book. He's a superstar who is quite nice. He loves Hermione and isn't a prat about it. He's clumsy and brilliant and I loved Stephen Fry's take on his accent. In the movie they make it visually obvious that he is under the Imperius Curse in the Third Task, but although it's a chilling shot, I wish they hadn't, because the entire point was that you can't tell when someone is under its control. If everyone's eyes were so obviously clouded, you could just look at someone and discern whether or not they are making their own decisions. In the book, Harry and Cedric are not sure why Krum acted as he did. Harry only finds out later. The mystery is vital.

3). Cedric, or rather, Cedric's "echo", asking Harry to take his body back to his parents really upset me. I knew it was coming, but it still made me cry. I think it's because Cedric used to seem to mature and grown-up, but now I realise he was very, very young. I was going to say 'was a child' but that feels a bit condescending. Young man.

4). Neville and his parents. Everything about this is so painfully sad. I'm both looking forward to and dreading everything about this that comes in the next book.

5). Dumbledore feels more powerful in the books than the films I think. In the movies it's a lot of being told how powerful he was, and we don't really see it until the end of the fifth movie (in a rather brilliant battle scene) whereas I feel like the books more effectively build up just how incredible he is and some of the tougher elements of his personality come through earlier so feel less abrupt. There is this edge to him that is present in the later parts of this book that show he is much more than this friendly, eccentric old guy. Though he is that too!

6). Wormtail's blunder, Mr. Crouch's insanity slipping into moments of lucidness, and his murder at the hands of his son felt really eerie. It felt just as creepy and sad as ever. Also, later when Crouch Jr. says that his father loved his mother, I just found that particularly touching. Crouch (Sr.) can feel quite villainous but that detail does humanise him. Everything about his family situation felt horrifying, and I had a great deal of sympathy for him. I think he saw his son clearly, but can't help wondering if his lack of care for his child made him more vulnerable to Voldemort. Nature, nurture or a mix of both?

7). Winky and Dobby. I love them. I don't think Winky was in the movies(?). I remember I was really looking forward to seeing her, and her little outfit, and Dobby's outfits, especially the tea cosy, and feeling quite disappointed by their absence. I know things had to be cut, but Dobby featuring more here makes everything that happens later even more poignant.

I'm really looking forward to starting Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix soon. I know some people don't, but I've always loved the angst, anger and brooding that comes along with that one!


Updated 2023:
Seventh time listening. I don't quite a favourite book from the series, but as I listen to each book I consider that one my favourite. This one does have particular weight to it though, because I have so many memories linked to it. It was also the first of the books I owned, and even though I did end up reading the series in order, this was sort of the beginning point for me.