Monday, November 29, 2010

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban

This 3rd installment to the phenomena that is Harry Potter has to be my favorite out of the earlier books in the 7 book series.
Before I go onto tell you why, I have to ward all of those who have not yet reds them, that there are going to be some spoilers below, do feel free to look away if you do not want to find out more.

The introduction of a new character is the reason that I love this book so much, this new character is miss-interpreted and falsely put in the prison of azkaban for 12 years, by the end of the novel this 'mad man' manages to capture the readers hearts ( along with Harry own) after the truth is revealed.
Before I talk to much more about this, I will introduce the book:

As another horrible summer month with the Dursley's comes to an end, Harry gets a surprise on his birthday, but not a good one, his 'aunt Marge' is coming to stay.
After one to many insults from his aunt, Harry looses his cool and blows his aunt up like a giant balloon. His spontaneous act leaves him scared and with out a place to stay, as he storms out of the Dursley's house.
Unknowingly Harry calls for the wizard night bus, which takes him to The Leaky Cauldron by Diagon Alley, when on this bus Harry learns about the 'mad man' black who has escaped from Azkaban.
Awaiting harry at the Leaky Cauldron is the minister of magic who is surprisingly happy to see Harry and does not punish him for the use of magic outside Hogwarts. Instead he makes Harry promise to stay with in the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley before returning to school.

The day before the Hogwarts express the Weasley's and Hermione join him, and Harry discovers later at night that Black escaped from Azkaban so that he could come after Harry.

Once back at Hogwarts Harry, Ron and Hermione settle back into school life and the adventure that come with it.
There are many new things to be met at Hogwarts this year, werewolfs, dementors, boggarts, maurades map, lupin and black.
Professor Lupin,another new character who is loved by all, Is to be the new defense against the dark arts teacher. His cool manners and fun lessons make him a favorite with the students, especially Harry who turns to him for help against the dementors.
The dementors are horrible creatures that feed off peoples happiness (J K Rowling has said in an interview that the dementors resemble depression and the feelings of cold, numb and sadness that come with it).
The dementors affect Harry more than others as he had known great loss, and through the dementors Harry hears the last words his parents spoke before they died.
Lupin helps Harry learn spell that can sent the dementors away, during these lessons through out the year Harry learns small things about his parents through their old friend, Lupin.

Thanks to Hagrid, who is now the professor of care of magical creatures, we are introduced to a new animal, the hippogriff, and one in particular called buckbeak who plays an important role towards the end of the book.

We also see the troubles of childhood friendship as Harry, Ron and Hermione battle with friendship troubles after Hermione told on Harrys mysterious broomstick that was sent by an unknown person ( as well as due to troubles with Heremiones new cat) we see the three of them discover where their loyalties lye, after weeks of not talking, due to blacks break into the castle followed by the news of buckbeaks execution bringing them back together.

Through out the book we learn more and more about Sirius Black, he was Harry's dads closest friend, he is Harry godfather and he betrayed Harry's parents.
It is not until the end that the truth is uncovered and Harry learns a lot of new information about his dad and what really happened the night they died.
Harry suddenly discovers that he is standing in a room with his dads best friends, one of whom did betray them, but it is no one that anyone has expected.
It does strike me as off at how fast Harry warms to Black and agrees to the proposal of living with him as his godfather and guardian.
I can only assume it is in a desperate attempts to know his parents better through the person that knew them best, and represent his want of a solid father figure, as a boy who longs for family and a place to belong.

his dream of living with Black is soon ripped away from him, as the true culprit gets loose when Lupin ( having forgotten his potion) turns into a werewolf, and causes havoc.
Black ends up locked away again, and only Harry,Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and Lupin know the truth.
Harry and Hermione have to go on a difficult mission to free the innocent black from a horrible fate. Once free Black has to run and go into hiding.

harry's immediate trust and love for Black creates the reader to also love the character.

This book is a turning point in the series as it gets a lot darker, and opens a new darker atmosphere for the next books.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets

After a miserable summer with the Dursley's, Harry is ready to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
But this seems a difficult feet, as on Harry's 12th birthday he receives a visit from a house elf called Dobby, who tells Harry he cannot go back to Hogwarts as it is too dangerous for him, as bad things are going to happen.
When Harry refuses to agree, Dobby gets Harry into trouble with the Dursley's, leading him to being locked up like a prisoner.
Trapped Harry worries as to how he is going to escape and get back to Hogwarts, a simple task, but he cannot use magic which makes his problem a very serious one.
We see the magical wonders begin as Harry is woken one night, soon after he is locked up, to discover Ron, Fred and George Weasley floating outside his bedroom window in a 'borrowed' flying car belonging to Mr Weasley.
We encounter the sharp and cleaver wit of Fred and George, which most would find hard not to be entertained by, in their reuse attempt which frees Harry from the horrible Dursley's house.

The flying car takes us to the Weasleys house where awaits a very angry Mrs Weasley, the house is a mismatch patchwork of rooms and floors that creates a tall (slightly wonky looking) house.
We see two contradicting opinions as Ron apologises for their house not being much, in an embarrassed manner, where as Harry thinks it is amazing, it is not only the first magical house he has been in, but also the first loving family, full of warmth that he has never encountered before.

As we learn in the first novel (Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone) there are many dangers, as well as wonders lying in Hogwarts, due to the dark wizard Voldemort.
Once reaching Hogwarts (Harry and Ron having to resort to the flying car as their transport to the school due to Dobbys further attempts to stop Harry from returning) Harry, Ron and Hermione settle back into school life.
Their new professor of defence against the dark arts, Eildory Lockhart, a arrogant and false character.
Through the extravagant ( and as we learn extremely enjoying) Lockhart we can see two opposite reactions to fame - Lockhart lives for his fame and glory and tries to categorise Harry with him, where as Harry (modest and unsure of himself) prefers to keep hidden from attention.
A clear representation of their opposition in feelings is displayed through Colin Creeves photography, where a struggling Lockhart is trying to drag Harry into the photo, but Harry pits up a good fight and manages to stay un-observed in the photo.

Hogwarts faces dark and troublesome times as Harry begins to hear voices a few days before a threatening writing appears upon a wall, followed by a number of attacks on students, which left the students petrified into a frozen state.

We learn from the writing on the wall that the Chamber of Secrets has once again been re-opened and the legends is discovered by the students 'Slytherin.....sealed the Chamber of secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseals the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic' page 165.
The mister in the chamber is one 'which the heir of Slytherin alone can control' page 166.

Events get strange has Harry continues to hear a voice that no one else can and later in a school duelling lesson the reader (along with Harry) discover that harry can speak parseltongue, which is the ability to talk to snakes, is highly rare and is a trait which the fonder of Slytherin was famous for. After this discovery, Harry who was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, became a suspect among the students for being Slytherin's heir.

Fear spread among the school when Dumbledore is removed from the castle by the school council and Harry, Ron and Hermione try frantically to discover where the Chamber of Secrets is.

On the night Hermione discovers what the monster is, she is attacked and petrified into a frozen state, only a few days after do Harry and Ron discover a piece of paper clutched in Hermione's frozen hand that will lead them to discover where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is and go onto rescue Ron's sister, Ginny, who has been taken by the monster.

Harry again finds himself alone with Voldemort (only this time Voldemort is in a different form)
Harry has luck and skills on his side as he once again walks away from Voldemort, as always 'good triumphs over evil'. Knowing a little more about himself, and thankful that even though he has a rare skill that Slytherin possessed, this does not have to make him a bad person.

Once again J K Rowling's imagination carried the reader into the unexpected and magical world of Hogwarts, showing the reader Harry's struggles and triumphs as he not only defeats the dark lord again, but also faces ordinary childhood troubles at school.
I sometimes feel ,when I am, reading these novels that I am begin given a chance to re-live the joys and troubles of childhood again, through Harry and Hogwarts, only this time a little wiser!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Harry Potter and the Philosophers stone

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone is as captivating and magical as I remember.
As the novel begins we discover Harry as a baby being left on the door step of his horrible aunt and uncle Dersley, the first chapter is through the point of view of uncle Dersley and we learn of what a bullying character he is.
We then jump forward ten years and the young boy Harry Potter takes on his role as the protagonist and main focaliser of the novel, the narrator stays with him as Harry discovers his wizarding ancestors and the truth about his parents and their world, which was now to become his as well. When Harry enters into the world of Hogwarts School we learn about the wonders and dangers, we watch Harry make friends for the first time with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as well as discover that Hogwarts was a place that he could call home.
The adventures; fun and dangerous, that we experience with the three friends develops each characters into their own.
Hogwarts never fails in creating an cozy and friendly atmosphere as equally as it can denote danger and fear, the combination is captivating.
The tone of the novel is straightforward, fitting for a childrens novel, the language is simple and easy to grasp making it the perfect book for all ages.
The narrator never imposes moral judgement on any character, allowing the reader free range of imagination in order to praise or condem a character.
Hidden with on the novel are so many great and important lessons:
'it does not well to dwell on dreams and forget to live'
'the truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treating with caution'
'it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends'

I had not read the novel in a long time, and I believe that it was more captivating now than it was went I last read it years ago, it displays the joy and struggles of childhood (in a rather more exciting world) with such perfection.

And now it is time for me to re-open the pages of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets!!!

Friday, November 19, 2010

J K Rowling

Before re-immersing into the world of Harry Potter I would like to write a few words about the spectacular author J K Rowling who has re-introduced literature and the joy of reading into the lives of millions of young and old readers with her exceptional imagination and talent.
17 years in the making, this tale of childhood confusion, danger and adventure in the wizarding world has captured us all.
And with these few words I am now going to disappear into the phenomena that is Harry Potter!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

First book......

I am going to begin with a series of books that have been read by millions and universally reviewed and analysed for not only the books; but also the films. With the new film being released this week, I can not resist dusting of the books and once again diving into the world of Harry Potter........

Beginning

I am by no means a novel analysis or critic, I merely have a deep passion for reading and have decided to challenge myself to read a book a week (which is not really going to be a huge challenge). As I work my way through the pages of the rather large variety of books I am going to read, I will write my own form of a review and point out my likes and dislikes of each book.
I am always looking for a blog or website which can suggest novels worth reading, and since I mostly come to a dead end, i am hoping that this blog might become a place were people can get inspiration for their next book.