Book Review: Harry Potter and the Prisioner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars


Synopsis
Harry Potter, along with his friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can't wait to get back to school after the Summer Holidays, who wouldn't if they lived with the horrible Dursleys? But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There is an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school....

My Review:
Like the previous books, we begin the book with Harry with his horrid family the Dursleys. Because of the views the Dursleys have on magic, Harry to has to hide all things magic and not talk about his fantastic 'other' life. This is highlighted at the beginning of the book when his Uncle Vernon tells him that Aunt Marge is coming to stay and that Uncle Vernon has made this story up to hide the fact that Harry was a wizard. This makes Harry mad and does something that no wizards should do in front of Muggles. Harry tells Uncle Vernon that he has had enough grabs his things and walks out. He thinks that because of what he has done. He is going to be expelled from Hogwarts and will have nowhere to go. Like most of us at some point, Harry comes up with all the ways to live and make money while being on his own. Until all of a sudden a bus pulls up; how very British! This is where the book really begins... On the bus we hear all about Sirius Black. The mass murderer who is the first ever man to escape the Azkaban Prison. In book two we read a little about Azkaban prison and how horrible it is. In book three you read about all the details about Azkaban and why it is such a shock that Black was able to escape...


So did I like it? HELL YES I DID!! Finally I get it. I loved this book so much. It made me think, it made me gasp, it made me sad, and happy and well made my inner child scream for joy! With this book I found it finally made that cross over. This book is primarily a kids book make no mistake, and if you are a book snob then you probably aren't gonna try and read this. But if you are open minded, you will love this book. The language and style of writing is easy to read. But not too simple for adults to enjoy. The book has twists and turns enough to grip the older reader, yet simple enough for younger readers to understand and keep reading  the book. I am starting to love the three kids just like they were my own. I was reading the book and saying out loud "Harry! You really shouldn't do that. You are sooo gonna get caught!" Yet at the same time the more I read of the series the more I seem to find parts of me in each of the characters.


I unfortunately have to have a break from reading Potter right now as I have a pile of books to read and review and because of this I feel kinda sad. I see book four on my book shelf and I just wanna read it! My friends are there, Snape is there, my inner child is there.


Fantastic reads for the whole family during bank holiday weekend.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Harry Potter is a wizard. He is in his second year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Little does he know that this year will be just as eventful as the last...


My Review:
The Book begins where the last book finished. Harry is back with the horrid Dursley's. They still don't like Harry and still see him as an inconvenience. After an incident at the house, Harry is condemned to his room where he is locked in. Down beat and without any letters from his friends, Harry thinks this is the end of his time as a pupil at Hogwarts. But Ron along with his brothers help Harry to escape and once they arrive at Hogwarts a mystery starts to unravel. People have been attacked within the walls of Hogwarts. Rumours are flying, but who or what is causing these attacks.... And why?

The thing with the world of Potter is that there is always someone in your life who is obsessed with it. Two of my best friends are and so is my son. Because of this I have decided to give them a go. After the first one, which didn't quite hit the spot for me, I was hoping that this one would kick start my love for all things Potter and I would soon start to instantly recognise that Hufflepuff was a Hogwart's house name and not some form of Pokemon. Which by the way I now know all the house names!

Other than that I don't know where to start and what to put in this review other than ' I read it'. It was okay. It was readable. It...was pleasant. I am starting to feel that I am not falling in love with Potter the way I should. Is there something wrong with me? Do I need to see a shrink?  There is nothing wrong with Potter. If I were a child I would LOVE these books. Be obsessed with them like I am with Lord of the Rings. But I am just not grabbed. I could easily pick up the book and carry on from where I left off. But with that I could easily put the book down. There are some positives. I really am getting quite fond of the characters. Ron is my favourite, yet I find that I have a lot of the same traits as Hermione. The plot has quite a few twists and turns, some that I did not expect. It was for me the ending that let it down. A couple of odd sub plots that just I felt had no reason to be put in the book, even though I have been informed that some of these 'sub plots' make sense further on in the books. All in all it was average, that's all I can really say.

I will be reading the next one after a little break. I hope that book three will start the love.