A review by aman757
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

adventurous challenging lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I liked the previous book in the Harry Potter series slightly more, but this one had some interesting points in it too. Part of the book focused on Hermione advocating for house elf liberation, which seems to be symbolic of a larger political meaning. One of the house elves introduced was named Kreature, and he worked in the Hogwarts kitchen at least for a time. There were also some other creatures/fantasy beings introduced that I enjoyed reading about, including trolls and centaurs. There was a new Hogwarts professor introduced also named Sirius Black, who is one of the professors suspected of aiding Voldemort in his return.

Another part of this book was Harry experiencing visions of facing Voldemort, which come to find out later are planted in his mind by Dumbledore to prepare him for a later battle. These visions make his blood boil and bring out feelings of an almost uncontrollable aggression. And then later in the book, Harry actually has his first battle with Voldemort, which ends with him escaping, setting the series up for the next book.