This might lose me a few followers or
anger a few Potter fans, but I'm going to say it anyway, this book is just too
long.
There are moments of pure genius, the
whole Ministry of Magic escapade towards the end is really good, and the way
Professor Umbridge gets under your skin and frustrates the reader as much as
she does the characters in the book, is great, but other bits are just too long
winded.
Take Hagrid's brother Grawp as an example,
I know he has to be there, so as to affect the ending, but it could have been
done quicker and more effectively, as could the whole of the beginning.
The time it take for Harry to be attacked
by dementors, summonsed to the Ministry of Magic for trial, found innocent,
explore his Godfather's house and get to Hogwarts, is frustratingly slow.
Again, I realise that some of what
happens, happens for a reason and adds to the overall story, but cleaning the
curtains in one of Sirius Blacks reception rooms is totally unnecessary.
Unlike the film, Dobby turns up, Hermione
goes on about SPEW again, which is also unnecessary, and we get an insight into
how much Sirius and Snape hate each other; all the while, Voldemort is gets
stronger, Harry is falling in love and The High Inquisitor of Hogwarts - the
aforementioned Umbridge - is implementing evermore draconian punishments.
I like the conflicting emotions that Harry
has over Cho and Ginny, the isolation when Dumbledore ignores him and he's
banned from quidditch, and the solace he finds in Dumbledore's Army. I like
Christmas at St Mungo's (wizard hospital) and the introduction of Luna
Lovegood, but it takes over seven hundred pages before the world accepts
that Voldemort is back, and it could have been done quicker.
In conclusion then, if you want to know
the whole story, it's a book you have to read, but compared to The Goblet of
Fire, and the two books that follow, this one is a bit of chore.
Four stars then, because in spite of the
negatives, hidden within those many pages are moments of pure pleasure.
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