First Printing by Bloomsbury in 2003
Cover Art and Illustrations by Mary Grandpré
My copy was printed in 2004 by Scholastic. I recieved it as a Christmas present along with the first four books in the series as a boxed set.
After witnessing Voldemort murder Cedric Diggory and his subsequent return to power, Harry spirals into depression. His summer with the Dursley's leaves him isolated from all of his friends, and when he finally reunites with them everyone is reluctant to give him any details on Voldemort's movements. Worse still, Professor Dumbledore, the man he trusts the most, seems unwilling to see or even speak to Harry at all. Harry longs for the comforts of Hogwarts, but when he returns he finds the school a very different place. Hogwarts has welcomed a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher yet again. This time, the post is taken by Professor Dolores Umbridge. Professor Umbridge is undersecretary for the Minister of Magic, and it becomes clear that the education of students is only a fraction of her interest in Hogwarts. She is a plant from the Ministry, ready to implement government control in the way Hogwarts teaches its students. Soon enough, the students are no longer allowed to use magic and teachers are being fired left and right. Harry's mood blackens as his home is changed, and anxiety churns in him as Umbridge attempts to find the whereabouts of his godfather- Sirius Black. But is his mood purely a product of his surroundings, or is something more sinister at play?
Final Rating: 5 out of 5
This will always be my favorite book out of the series. Harry's internal conflicts are heartbreaking to witness, and for the first time he lashes out on those around him to deal with is pain. His actions are realistic, making him more of a whole person and less of the unwavering hero. And Professor Umbridge is the perfect villian. I think most Harry Potter fans can say that they hate her more than they hate Voldemort. The whole book is a success, both advancing the plot and diving deeper into the world of wizardry. It was a pleasure revisiting this book, and I can't wait to come back to it again.Favorite Quote:
"'You do care,' said Dumbledore. He had not flinched or made a single move to stop Harry from demolishing his office. His expression was calm, almost detached. 'You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it.'- Page 824.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is available in both physical and digital copies from all major booksellers, including Barnes and Noble and Amazon.
