Series: Harry Potter #3
Published by Pottermore on December 8th 2015
Genres: Young Adult, Action & Adventure, General, Fantasy & Magic, Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary, School & Education
Pages: 448
Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of thirteen, since he has already survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It's assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be taking Professor Trelawney's ghoulish predictions seriously?
Okay, I know you’re wondering how it is that I’ve never read the Harry Potter series before now. I’ll go ahead and give the obligatory Potterhead gif use here and get it out-of-the-way before I continue…
I know that failure to read this series before now probably makes me a stinkin’ muggle but I’ll give a few thoughts anyway. I’m not going to elaborate much because really, does this series need more reviews at this point? Not likely. I know friends and family have been curious as to my thoughts though so, here we go!
From a Christian standpoint, this series just doesn’t bug me. To me, it’s just an imaginative work of fiction. I really don’t think waving a wand around and shouting occulus reparo would fix my nerd glasses. So, hopefully, I don’t break them!
I’ve had a few inquiries as to my thoughts as a Christian but it’s nothing you haven’t already read. If you’re of the mindset that this is going to drop me off into the deepest pits of hell for reading it, whatever I say isn’t going to change your mind. So, think what you will.
I think this was my least favorite book so far of the series. I felt like there was a lot of dialogue and a smidge too much quidditch. I guess because I’m adult I also thought Harry and Ron were a little crazy to run right into a fight with a black dog they thought spelled uncertain death. I mean, why not go and get Dumbledore? How poor Harry hasn’t gotten himself or Ron killed yet is a miracle.
Who knows, maybe this book is witchcraft because I’m questioning my immature desire to use gifs as I write this review. As I sit here musing, I’m also aware of how sadly true it is when my daughter says I’m like Hermione. Yes, the logical side of me sounds freakishly like Hermione in my head. I found myself identifying with her desire for knowledge and her impatience with Harry and Ron’s poor decisions. I’m going to go into a corner and cry because I’m apparently a bossy stick in the mudblood. I mean, she’s cool but I sure hope I’m not bossy! Oops, my kid says I am.
Anyhoo, I like this book. I would totally reread it and I’m definitely picking up the next one.
About J.K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling was born in July 1965 at Yate General Hospital in England and grew up in Chepstow, Gwent where she went to Wyedean Comprehensive.
Jo left Chepstow for Exeter University, where she earned a French and Classics degree, her course including one year in Paris. As a postgraduate she moved to London and worked as a researcher at Amnesty International among other jobs. She started writing the Harry Potter series during a delayed Manchester to London King’s Cross train journey, and during the next five years, outlined the plots for each book and began writing the first novel.
Jo then moved to northern Portugal, where she taught English as a foreign language. She married in October 1992 and gave birth to a daughter in 1993. When the marriage ended, she and Jessica returned to the UK to live in Edinburgh, where Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone was eventually completed. The book was first published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books in June 1997, under the name J.K. Rowling. The “K”, for Kathleen, her paternal grandmother’s name was added at her publisher’s request who thought that a woman’s name would not appeal to the target audience of young boys.
J.K. Rowling is currently writing the screen play, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an original story set in the wizarding world, some of which will be familiar to Harry Potter fans. It marks her screenwriting debut and the start of a new film series with Warner Bros.
J.K. Rowling lives in Edinburgh with her husband and three children.
You aren’t the first and certainly not the last to read Harry Potter as an adult. I have a couple of friends who didn’t read it because of their religion backgrounds and their parents adverse reaction the the series. I think if I were to ever we go and reread them now, I’d probably have similar feelings to yours but like you said, it’s still worth a reread eventually, lol
I am totally with you on it being nothing we haven’t seen or read before. My husband and I discussed whether or not it was ok to let our daughter read/watch Harry Potter and in all honesty kids books and tv shows are filled with a lot worse than Harry Potter. Great review x
Ty for your thoughts! It’s really no big difference to me than something like CS Lewis except for some mild language.
Very true!