Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling - Book Review

“HARRY, DID YA PUT YAH NAME IN THE GOBLET OF FIYAH?” Well, if you’ve seen the Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire movie adaptation at least once, then you know this moment well.

The moment where Dumbledore shouts at Harry because the goblet of fire announces that he’s a contestant in the Triwizard Tournament is by far the greatest source of memes in the Harry Potter fanbase. However, don’t let that define the fourth entry in the series.

French, unearthly, mesmerizing witches, dragons, and a talking sphinx are just three of the many shockingly entertaining elements you’ll find in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In this book, we’re introduced to other wizarding schools.

You thought that Hogwarts was the only one, huh? Think again. Angel-like Fleur who enchants everyone with her Veela powers and the brooding Quidditch player, Victor Krum, who is borderline obsessed with our beloved Hermione, are two characters from different cultural backgrounds.

Rowling demonstrates the cultural differences between the students of Hogwarts, Beauxbaton, and Durmstrang quite artistically. Frankly, book 4 is quite entertaining with its different Triwizard Tournament quests, Quidditch World Cup, and sub-plot involving Mad-Eye Moody and Barty Crouch. You’ll never find a dull moment in this book.

In addition, we witness our three heroes struggle with their newly found romantic feelings and first crushes like any teenager. This adds a realistic touch, as we see Harry struggle with anxiety-inducing mundane stuff like asking his crush, Cho, to the school dance.

However, don’t let that fool you. Despite being mostly light-hearted and funny, you can’t help but feel that something sinister is lurking within this book, and you’re actually right. From the very first scene in this book, we get to know that Voldemort is planning his inevitable return, after disappearing for two years.

The final two chapters alone are very graphic, which makes you think that Rowling is steering the series to a darker, more serious path. All in all, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a well-balanced experience of teenage fun, adventure, and sheer horror.