First Edition

AKA the book where Harry gets very angry. That said, Harry's anger is incredibly realistic and well written. Still a good read, even if the fact that the whole plot revolves around lack of communication frustrates me ( )

I do remember this book being the point where my memory the plot starts to fade and my dislike of Harry really beings to grow! This one was more difficult to get through. The end section in the Ministry is brilliant but so much before that feels stretched out and bloated.

Harry is very whiny, shouty and despite his protestations to the contrary I really feel like his arrogance goes up a notch in this one. You're a teenager.. listen to the grown ups who know what they are talking about, and many of whom have lived through similar events before! Stop being a baby. (Also applies to Sirius.. who is a grown man). I guess his hormones have kicked in. From what I've seen working in schools, teenage boys do turn into real monsters at about 15. And then at the end he has Dumbledore apologising to him for his own stupid behaviour?! OK yes Dumbledore has done some questionable things.. but still. This annoyed me.

I'm not even going to go into his treatment of poor Cho. I mean.. ???!?!?!?!?!?

This is the book where we get real confirmation about what a horrible, horrible boy James Potter was (I find it hard to believe he grew out it entirely).. and lots of adults make feeble half-excuses for some revolting bullying. Poor Snape. Oh yeah and Harry poking his wand into Snape's most private memories?!?! Talk about a huge invasion of privacy. Why did nobody call him out on how incredibly NOT COOL that was?!

As much as this enrages me, I do love that Rowling chose to do this with James character rather than make him this perfect hero which would have been such a boring cliche.

I was gripped by the whole Ministry of Magic section; it's thrilling to get some real magic duelling going on, and Dumbledore doing awesome magic! The only negative is that because Sirius was a petulant whiny baby in this book his death really didn't have an impact on me.. plus it started off another bout of Harry's SHOUTING IN CAPITALS which annoys me to my very core!

And how the hell is Harry forget all about that parcel Sirius gave him with the mirror in it?! All those missions to sneak into Umbridges office and he knew he had something that'd help him speak to Sirius that entire time?! I really hate it when books do this..

On the plus side Ginny is really starting to come through and shine her awesomeness. I love her complete no-nonsense attitude and the way she deals with boys! Neville is also getting his confidence; and Hermione also does her best to call Harry out on his shit, and be the voice of reason. I love how rebellious she gets over Umbridge. Oh and Umbridge.. I think I find her actually more chilling than Voldemort.. *shudder*


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Gosh, Harry is really quite insufferable throughout the majority of this book. (July 2014) ( )

4.6 ( )