Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

by JK Rowling

Harry is expecting news of the Dark Lord's return. He expects to see it in large letters across the front page of the Daily Prophet. But the news does not come. And when the attack occurs it is not some deadly Death Eater assault hundreds of miles away. It is in the form of the gliding chill of a Dementor attack, and the target is Potter himself.

The fifth Harry Potter novel is not so much an epic as a much-coiled rope of many intertwining strands.

With its scenes of torture and humiliation at Hogwarts it is not the easiest of reads, but inspite of its enormous length it never becomes a chore to read.

An excellently crafted romantic storyline involving Harry's crush, Cho Chang fails to provide much of a lift to the overall depressing tone, and Harry's friendship with Ron and Hermione is tested as the many pressures Harry is under produce frustration, anger and even rage.

The story suffers not so much by attempting to cover too much ground, but by seeking too many routes to get to its destination. But the well-signposted final drama of the novel - fought out in the eerie halls of the Ministry of Magic - does not disappoint.

LITREV Rating - 4 / 5