In my wrap-up post of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. let’s talk favorite and least favorite moments, and what we expect out of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
(Please be advised that this is a reread and I will be discussing book and movie spoilers.)
Order of the Phoenix is a book that I feel in the HP fandom is a bit divisive. You either love how dense it is, or you hate it. You detest Angry!Harry, or you tolerate him. (Or if you’re a real weirdo like me, you love CAPSLOCK!Harry.) Me? I adore this book. Sure, you’ve got some weird moments like Hagrid’s Tale that leads to bupkus later on, the odd beastiality whiffs of Aberforth and the goat, ParvLav lusting after a centaur, and Umbridge maaaaybe being gangraped by centaurs. You’ve got one of the most detestable villains ever put to fictional page in Umbridge. Sirius dies, and it’s awful. Dumbledore wafts around being mysterious and annoying and causing Sirius to die.
But. This book has got glorious Marauder backstory. The triumphant return of REMUS LUPIN. Sirius becoming as layered as an Awesome Blossom (damn you Chili’s for getting rid of this!) Petunia having secrets and Dudley getting interesting while Uncle V calls the most evil villain in the wizarding world”Lord Wossface.” Umbridge being one of the most detestable villains ever put to fictional page. (Yeah it goes in the plus and the minus columns at the same time.) McG being a badass witch beyond all measure. Hermione being a mini McG in her badassery. A new delicious villain in Bellatrix. The introduction of my bizarre Princess, Luna F’ing Lovegood. And above all, complexity. I adore complexity in all of my forms of entertainment. Sure, sometimes I want to watch America’s Next Top Model and veg, or read a frothy fairytale retelling. But most of the time, I want complicated characters with intriguing backstories.
Was I sad this book ended with Percy still being a jerkface? Yes. Was I mad at the weird plotholes? Also yes. Did Tonks’s Manic Pixie Dream Witch thing kind of irritate me?
Was the complete change of Ginny’s personality off-putting?
But overall, I loved where this book ended. I expected Harry to continue to angst next book. I expected more REMUS LUPIN. I expected more darkness. And well…the sixth book did not fully deliver for me. In fact, it’s my least favorite of all seven books. So if it’s your favorite, (like it is one of my best friend’s!) hold your nose and come prepared to argue with me next book. I look forward to it.
<—Previous Chapter Next Chapter —>
Join in with your thoughts below, on twitter, or instagram with #ReadHarryPotterWithMe. Follow me on my twitter @HSecretLibrary, pinterest, and my instagram @hermionessecretlibrary
What was your favorite moment in Order of the Phoenix?
What is your least favorite moment in Order of the Phoenix?
What did you expect or want out of Half-Blood Prince before you read it??
Picture taken at Buckingham Palace in London, England. Send me/tag me in your pics of you reading Harry Potter!