Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling - Book Review

Everyone might remember this book as “the book where Harry is a drama queen,” which is partly true; nevertheless, I consider Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix the darkest book in the series so far.

Following the disastrous aftermath of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry finds himself again within the clutches of his abusive muggle relatives.

This time, however, he finds himself completely isolated, with no contact from his friends or Dumbledore, while he desperately tries to catch any news about Voldemort’s return.

The ministry solidifies its dictatorship by announcing that Harry is a liar who wants attention and that Voldemort has been dead for years. Of course, our poor Harry finds himself villainized by everyone, even his closest confidants, as he struggles to prepare for the next inevitable stand against Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Book 5 is emotionally overbearing at times because we see Harry isolated, depressed, and gaslighted. Everyone ignores his traumatic experience of watching Cedric get murdered in cold blood.

Even Dumbledore, the kind mentor, whose guidance has been crucial for Harry, is strangely distant. Harry can’t really catch a break in this one; plagued by vile visions and dreams that come true, he can’t even depend on his mind to be a safe haven.

Book 5 is the biggest book in the series. Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix indubitably suffers from the mid-series syndrome, as it feels like a huge filler of teenage temper tantrums.

However, it picks up near the end, where it throws many action sequences at you, where Rowling doesn’t pull any punches. She doesn’t hold back when it comes to jeopardizing the safety of beloved characters.

If I had any doubt that the Harry Potter series belongs more to the young adult genre rather than children literature, then this book eliminated any doubt.