Well, it’s taken me a couple months to get around to it, but I had to
weigh in on the fifth chronicle of Harry Potter. After all, I was one of
those loonies who stood in line at midnight to receive a copy hot off
the press, and after polishing it off in a week, I’m distressed about
having to wait who-knows-how-many-years for the next installment.
Order of the Phoenix
is a lengthy tome at 870 pages, and it takes 200 pages just to get to
Hogwarts. Just as each book in the series has been longer than the last,
each has also been darker. Several key characters sustain heavy
injuries in this novel, and one dies. Hogwarts itself becomes an
oppressive place, thanks to the intervention of the Ministry of Magic
and Professor Umbridge, the sadistic woman the Ministry places in charge
of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry, now 15, is notably different
in this book than in others. Sullen, angry at the world, he often lashes
out against even those closest to him. Many of his relationships suffer
as a result.
The complex plot is set into motion when Harry
and his cousin Dudley are attacked by Dementors in their prim and proper
neighborhood. After receiving some startling revelations about the
connections of his neighbors to the magical realm, Harry is escorted to
the magical world for safekeeping until his trial (for conjuring a
Patronus to deflect the Dementor attack, thus breaking the rule against
the use of Underage Magic). There, he learns of the Order of the
Phoenix, a secret society comprised of witches and wizards who believe
Voldemort will soon return. Members include such familiar faces as the
Weasleys, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and, surprisingly enough, Severus
Snape. Of the new faces, the most engaging is a young Auror who calls
herself Tonks and enjoys using her special abilities to change her
facial features.
The main preoccupation of the first 200 pages
is whether Harry will be evicted from school for his violation, a worry
which is much more troublesome to Harry than to readers because we
already know he’s going to make it to school. Once he does, though,
there are many changes in store for him. The arrival of Umbridge renders
Snape almost benign by comparison, and Harry discovers details about
his loathed professor that add a great deal of insight into his
personality. Distraught by Umbridge’s refusal to actually teach the
class anything useful, Harry forms a secret organization to teach his
fellow students Defense Against the Dark Arts. Among his students are
new character Luna Lovegood, the somewhat loopy daughter of the editor
of a magical tabloid, and his old crush Cho Chang, who becomes the
source of much of Harry’s frustration throughout the year. Also in the
group is Neville Longbottom, who is afforded a much larger and more
noble role in this novel.
All of the characters undergo major
developments. Ron and Hermione both become prefects, and Ron also joins
the Quidditch team, though his lack of prowess on the field leads to
incessant harassment by the Slytherins and a brawl that results in the
banning of Harry, Fred, and George from the team. Fred and George have
their biggest role yet in this book, providing constant comic relief and
leading a revolt against Umbridge. In fact, they were one of the high
points of the book for me, and I only hope that they won’t disappear
from the series now that they have left Hogwarts. Percy has not
disappeared, but he appears from the sidelines, exchanging his loyalty
to his family for loyalty to the Ministry and exhibiting a maddening
level of arrogance. Hagrid and Dumbledore are both absent from the book
far more than they are in it, and their decreased presence casts an
additional pallor on an already bleak school year. Meanwhile, an
unexpected glimpse of Gilderoy Lockhart sets up what is sure to be
further involvement in the next installment.
Meanwhile, Harry
is haunted by visions seen through Voldemort's eyes, and he is plagues
by sudden rushes of emotion that seem to stem from his connection to the
Dark Lord. Harry's reactions to these visions eventually lead him into a
grand confrontation with his nemesis, one that whose consequences will
be almost too difficult for Harry to bear.
Order of the Phoenix
is such a rich tapestry of descriptions, characterizations, and plot
twists, it is very difficult to convey its scope and complexity in a
mere few hundred words. Although I’m not sure I would say this is my
favorite Potter book yet, as it is very dark and the protagonist is
beginning to seem like a brooding Annakin Skywalker, making it seem as
though he is in more danger of being pulled over to the dark side than
was previously thought. It was well worth the wait, however, and now I
am eager to see what is in store for Harry Potter VI. Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be spell-binding.
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