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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The beloved stories as you’ve never experienced them. Get ready to be transported to the world of Harry Potter in a captivating production that features hundreds of unique voices and immersive sound design that brings the wizarding world vividly to life in Dolby Atmos. You’ll hear footsteps echoing through the corridors of Hogwarts and the heart-racing whoosh of the Golden Snitch as it darts past your ears in the heat of a Quidditch match. Also featuring an electrifying new musical score, The Full-Cast Audio Editions present J.K. Rowling’s iconic series as a truly spellbinding listening event for the whole family.
'You are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions. The Headmaster thinks it inadvisable for this to continue. He wishes me to teach you how to close your mind to the Dark Lord.'
Dark times have come to Hogwarts. After the Dementors' attack on his cousin Dudley, Harry Potter knows that Voldemort will stop at nothing to find him. There are many who deny the Dark Lord's return, but Harry is not alone: a secret order gathers at Grimmauld Place to fight against the Dark forces. Harry must allow Professor Snape to teach him how to protect himself from Voldemort's savage assaults on his mind. But they are growing stronger by the day and Harry is running out of time...
Having become classics of our time, the Harry Potter stories never fail to bring comfort and escapism. With their message of hope, belonging and the enduring power of truth and love, the story of the Boy Who Lived continues to delight generations of new listeners.
'You are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions. The Headmaster thinks it inadvisable for this to continue. He wishes me to teach you how to close your mind to the Dark Lord.'
Dark times have come to Hogwarts. After the Dementors' attack on his cousin Dudley, Harry Potter knows that Voldemort will stop at nothing to find him. There are many who deny the Dark Lord's return, but Harry is not alone: a secret order gathers at Grimmauld Place to fight against the Dark forces. Harry must allow Professor Snape to teach him how to protect himself from Voldemort's savage assaults on his mind. But they are growing stronger by the day and Harry is running out of time...
Having become classics of our time, the Harry Potter stories never fail to bring comfort and escapism. With their message of hope, belonging and the enduring power of truth and love, the story of the Boy Who Lived continues to delight generations of new listeners.
27 pages, Audiobook
Published March 10, 2026
124 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
J.K. Rowling
703 books235k followersSee also: Robert Galbraith
Although she writes under the pen name J.K. Rowling, pronounced like rolling, her name when her first Harry Potter book was published was simply Joanne Rowling. Anticipating that the target audience of young boys might not want to read a book written by a woman, her publishers demanded that she use two initials, rather than her full name. As she had no middle name, she chose K as the second initial of her pen name, from her paternal grandmother Kathleen Ada Bulgen Rowling. She calls herself Jo and has said, "No one ever called me 'Joanne' when I was young, unless they were angry." Following her marriage, she has sometimes used the name Joanne Murray when conducting personal business. During the Leveson Inquiry she gave evidence under the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. In a 2012 interview, Rowling noted that she no longer cared that people pronounced her name incorrectly.
Rowling was born to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, and Anne Rowling (née Volant), on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bristol. Her mother Anne was half-French and half-Scottish. Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964. They married on 14 March 1965. Her mother's maternal grandfather, Dugald Campbell, was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War.
Rowling's sister Dianne was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old. The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four. She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories, which she would usually then read to her sister. She recalls that: "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it. Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee." At the age of nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales. When she was a young teenager, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind," gave her a very old copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels. Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.
Rowling has said of her teenage years, in an interview with The New Yorker, "I wasn’t particularly happy. I think it’s a dreadful time of life." She had a difficult homelife; her mother was ill and she had a difficult relationship with her father (she is no longer on speaking terms with him). She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother had worked as a technician in the science department. Rowling said of her adolescence, "Hermione [a bookish, know-it-all Harry Potter character] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was eleven, which I'm not particularly proud of." Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English." Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth owned a turquoise Ford Anglia, which she says inspired the one in her books.
Although she writes under the pen name J.K. Rowling, pronounced like rolling, her name when her first Harry Potter book was published was simply Joanne Rowling. Anticipating that the target audience of young boys might not want to read a book written by a woman, her publishers demanded that she use two initials, rather than her full name. As she had no middle name, she chose K as the second initial of her pen name, from her paternal grandmother Kathleen Ada Bulgen Rowling. She calls herself Jo and has said, "No one ever called me 'Joanne' when I was young, unless they were angry." Following her marriage, she has sometimes used the name Joanne Murray when conducting personal business. During the Leveson Inquiry she gave evidence under the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. In a 2012 interview, Rowling noted that she no longer cared that people pronounced her name incorrectly.
Rowling was born to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, and Anne Rowling (née Volant), on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bristol. Her mother Anne was half-French and half-Scottish. Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964. They married on 14 March 1965. Her mother's maternal grandfather, Dugald Campbell, was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War.
Rowling's sister Dianne was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old. The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four. She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories, which she would usually then read to her sister. She recalls that: "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it. Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee." At the age of nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales. When she was a young teenager, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind," gave her a very old copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels. Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.
Rowling has said of her teenage years, in an interview with The New Yorker, "I wasn’t particularly happy. I think it’s a dreadful time of life." She had a difficult homelife; her mother was ill and she had a difficult relationship with her father (she is no longer on speaking terms with him). She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother had worked as a technician in the science department. Rowling said of her adolescence, "Hermione [a bookish, know-it-all Harry Potter character] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was eleven, which I'm not particularly proud of." Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English." Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth owned a turquoise Ford Anglia, which she says inspired the one in her books.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 22, 2026
This continues to be the ultimate edition of this series, bloody brilliant!
November 14, 2025
The end of the 4th and now the entire 5th book had that foreboding, dark tone. One of the complaints some have about this book is it kind of just plods along slowly. I actually like that. I’ll stay in the Harry Potter world as long as Rowling wants to keep us there. Another great Harry Potter book.
March 19, 2026
I swear these full cast audio editions get better with each book. I rarely hand out 5 star reviews, but I would give this one a thousand stars if I could. This one is my new favorite so far in the series. Will that change with the next one? Perhaps. Listen, the immersive experience I had listening to this book was much deeper than the others. The sounds of secretive whispers, shuffling of sneaky footsteps, creaky doors, background conversations, and suspenseful music several times left me thinking someone was knocking on my door or standing next to me talking. I even went to my window a couple times to see who was standing outside before I realized the sound was coming through my AirPods.
Soooo much happens in this book. Too much to go over in detail, but I’ll hit on a few things. We are well past the wonder and joy of “Yer a wizard, Harry,” and going full steam ahead into witnessing the terrible power of Lord Voldemort. Both sides are growing their allies, preparing for a catastrophic battle that will soon come. Professor Umbridge makes her debut as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Persecutor of Children…whatever you want to call her. She’s easily one of the most detestable characters in the HP series, rivaling even Snape. I think her and Voldemort could’ve been BFFs with matching bracelets.
We get to sink down a little further and gaze more deeply into the mystery surrounding Harry and Voldemort’s past and present. We see lots of doom and gloom, as well as some very impressive spell work and strange things hidden in the Ministry of Magic. Some formerly calm and collected characters get a little unhinged and I loved it. Go off Dumbledore and Neville! 👏 Luna Lovegood is introduced into the story, bless her weird little Crumple-Horned Snorkack loving heart. The Weasley twins of course are still going on with their shenanigans, but have stepped it up a notch. Molly Weasley says Harry is pretty much her son (my heart 🥹). There’s Quidditch, a student army, Harry attempting to get a girlfriend and almost immediately ruining it, new magical creatures, giants, and so much more.
This book is pivotal because we also see Harry suffer and struggle a lot, revealing parts of himself we previously have not seen. As famous as he is, he is also deeply wounded and it’s easy to forget at times that he’s just a teenager facing some really heavy things. The poor kid could probably benefit from a magical therapist or a Zoloft potion. Harry has never been portrayed as a character with a wonderful home life. We know how the Dursley’s have treated him, and we know what happened to his family, but in this book, we see a much more vulnerable and tormented side of him. There’s a lot of darkness in this story and plenty of grief and loss, but there’s also some joy and a few laughs. I truly hated to see it come to an end. I always try to take my time listening to these and stretch them out over a few days or a week so that I don’t feel like I have to wait as long for the next book. I’ve read physical copies of this series countless times and I’ve listened to the audiobooks narrated by Jim Dale, but these Audible versions have by far been the best way to experience this magical world. I’ll say it again, if you ain’t listening to them, you’re missing out and I cannot wait until book 6 releases next month.
Soooo much happens in this book. Too much to go over in detail, but I’ll hit on a few things. We are well past the wonder and joy of “Yer a wizard, Harry,” and going full steam ahead into witnessing the terrible power of Lord Voldemort. Both sides are growing their allies, preparing for a catastrophic battle that will soon come. Professor Umbridge makes her debut as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Persecutor of Children…whatever you want to call her. She’s easily one of the most detestable characters in the HP series, rivaling even Snape. I think her and Voldemort could’ve been BFFs with matching bracelets.
We get to sink down a little further and gaze more deeply into the mystery surrounding Harry and Voldemort’s past and present. We see lots of doom and gloom, as well as some very impressive spell work and strange things hidden in the Ministry of Magic. Some formerly calm and collected characters get a little unhinged and I loved it. Go off Dumbledore and Neville! 👏 Luna Lovegood is introduced into the story, bless her weird little Crumple-Horned Snorkack loving heart. The Weasley twins of course are still going on with their shenanigans, but have stepped it up a notch. Molly Weasley says Harry is pretty much her son (my heart 🥹). There’s Quidditch, a student army, Harry attempting to get a girlfriend and almost immediately ruining it, new magical creatures, giants, and so much more.
This book is pivotal because we also see Harry suffer and struggle a lot, revealing parts of himself we previously have not seen. As famous as he is, he is also deeply wounded and it’s easy to forget at times that he’s just a teenager facing some really heavy things. The poor kid could probably benefit from a magical therapist or a Zoloft potion. Harry has never been portrayed as a character with a wonderful home life. We know how the Dursley’s have treated him, and we know what happened to his family, but in this book, we see a much more vulnerable and tormented side of him. There’s a lot of darkness in this story and plenty of grief and loss, but there’s also some joy and a few laughs. I truly hated to see it come to an end. I always try to take my time listening to these and stretch them out over a few days or a week so that I don’t feel like I have to wait as long for the next book. I’ve read physical copies of this series countless times and I’ve listened to the audiobooks narrated by Jim Dale, but these Audible versions have by far been the best way to experience this magical world. I’ll say it again, if you ain’t listening to them, you’re missing out and I cannot wait until book 6 releases next month.
December 22, 2025
-2019-
How many rereads of this will it take for me to finally get over this ending? 💔
-2020-
"But some part of him realised, even as he fought to break free from Lupin, that Sirius had never kept him waiting before… Sirius had risked everything, always, to see Harry, to help him… If Sirius was not reappearing out of that archway when Harry was yelling for him as though his life depended on it, the only possible explanation was that he could not come back…"
I AM NOT OK
That's it... That's my review.
Bye ✌🏼
-2023-
I'M ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED 😭
This book will never NOT hurt 💔
-2024-
It was unbearable, he would not think about it, he could not stand it… there was a terrible hollow inside him he did not want to feel or examine, a dark hole where Sirius had been, where Sirius had vanished; he did not want to have to be alone with that great, silent space, he could not stand it-
I can't stand it either, Harry 💔
-2025-
'He gave Narcissa information of the sort that is very valuable to Voldemort, yet must have seemed much too trivial for Sirius to think of banning him from repeating it.’
‘Like what?’ said Harry.
‘Like the fact that the person Sirius cared most about in the world was you,’ said Dumbledore quietly.
STAWP 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
How many rereads of this will it take for me to finally get over this ending? 💔
-2020-
"But some part of him realised, even as he fought to break free from Lupin, that Sirius had never kept him waiting before… Sirius had risked everything, always, to see Harry, to help him… If Sirius was not reappearing out of that archway when Harry was yelling for him as though his life depended on it, the only possible explanation was that he could not come back…"
I AM NOT OK
That's it... That's my review.
Bye ✌🏼
-2023-
I'M ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED 😭
This book will never NOT hurt 💔
-2024-
It was unbearable, he would not think about it, he could not stand it… there was a terrible hollow inside him he did not want to feel or examine, a dark hole where Sirius had been, where Sirius had vanished; he did not want to have to be alone with that great, silent space, he could not stand it-
I can't stand it either, Harry 💔
-2025-
'He gave Narcissa information of the sort that is very valuable to Voldemort, yet must have seemed much too trivial for Sirius to think of banning him from repeating it.’
‘Like what?’ said Harry.
‘Like the fact that the person Sirius cared most about in the world was you,’ said Dumbledore quietly.
STAWP 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2026
this is my least reread HP book after Chamber of Secrets, but there is so much I forgot because it was left out of the movies, like how Umbridge was the one who sent the dementors after him in the beginning just to get him expelled??? that she almost used the cruciatus curse on him?? I was honestly sad to remember that Harry's quote in the forest when tells Umbridge he "must not tell lies" when the centaurs are attacking her was actually a movie quote. (it was brilliant) this book is so much better than I remembered, but it's still filled with harry being a brooding moody teenager which got very annoying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2026
When I read this the first time, I thought it was too long. I still think that but I can look past it because this part of the story is just so good!
March 23, 2026
Harry is always really annoying in this book, but I found the narration to be extra annoying. A lot of screaming and yelling - had to turn my volume down a lot. Otherwise was great.
December 10, 2025
Loved it!! Same as the others, Stephen Fry is such an awesome narrator.
I thought the first half of the book was captured well by the movie but the second half got ALL out of whack. A number of cuts were made that seemingly could’ve been fixed by adding a line or two?? I’m relieved to be past Umbridge cause I was dreading her whole plot line obviously.
SO hype for The Half Blood Prince, I feel like it’s a lot of people’s favorite and after how much I enjoyed books 4 and 5 I have a feeling that one is going to be next level.
I thought the first half of the book was captured well by the movie but the second half got ALL out of whack. A number of cuts were made that seemingly could’ve been fixed by adding a line or two?? I’m relieved to be past Umbridge cause I was dreading her whole plot line obviously.
SO hype for The Half Blood Prince, I feel like it’s a lot of people’s favorite and after how much I enjoyed books 4 and 5 I have a feeling that one is going to be next level.
March 20, 2026
⭐ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix — Full-Cast Audiobook
Going into Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix I was slightly cautious after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire The ageing-up of the younger cast didn’t work there, and it pulled me out of the story more than I’d have liked.
Thankfully, this instalment is a noticeable improvement.
⸻
The Trio — Finally Settled
Harry and Ron are much better here. They still sound older than they should if you think about the timeline, but it’s far less distracting. More importantly, they no longer sound identical, which makes conversations much easier to follow.
Ron also feels more natural again. He’s not quite back to how strong he was in the earlier books, but he’s no longer taking me out of scenes either. It’s a clear improvement.
⸻
Umbridge — The Standout
Umbridge is easily the highlight of this audiobook. The performance is outstanding perfectly irritating, smug, and quietly cruel.
She captures a very real kind of villainy, which makes her more uncomfortable to listen to than outright monstrous characters. Every scene she’s in carries tension, and you start to dread her presence. Exactly as it should be.
⸻
The Reading Experience — Format Matters
This is the first time I’ve actually enjoyed this story.
Reading the physical book has always been difficult for me. It’s long, the chapters are often very dense, and I tend to lose focus, especially in the slower sections at the beginning.
The audiobook completely changed that experience.
The full-cast format, combined with the sound design, kept me engaged in a way the physical book never has. I was able to stay focused for longer and follow the story more consistently, rather than reading in short bursts and losing momentum.
It really highlighted how much format and structure affect reading stamina.
⸻
Standout Moments
There are some genuinely brilliant scenes here, and the audiobook elevates them:
•Hagrid and McGonagall vs Umbridge and the Ministry, chaotic, tense, and incredibly satisfying.
•Grawp the giant, strange but memorable, and the performance helps sell it.
•Quidditch scenes, the sound design shines here. The crowd, the pace, the movement, it all feels alive.
These moments show how effective the full-cast format can be when it fully leans into the scale of the story.
⸻
Bellatrix — A Miss
Bellatrix didn’t land for me.
She’s meant to feel cold, unhinged, and dangerous, but the performance leans too heavily into a snake-like tone. It ends up sounding more wet than threatening, similar to the issue I had with Voldemort previously.
There’s a lack of sharpness and control in the delivery, which makes the character feel less impactful than she should be.
⸻
The Consistent Core
As always:
•Dumbledore is solid.
•McGonagall is excellent, especially in confrontation scenes.
•Hagrid continues to bring warmth and emotional weight.
These performances remain consistent and help ground the story.
⸻
Final Thoughts
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a clear step up from Goblet of Fire.
The improved performances from Harry and Ron make a noticeable difference, Umbridge is a standout, and the audiobook format genuinely enhances the experience, especially for a story that can feel slow and difficult to stay focused on in print.
It’s not perfect. Bellatrix is a weak point, and the ageing of the cast still isn’t entirely convincing. But the strengths outweigh the distractions.
Most importantly, this is the first time I’ve been able to stay fully engaged with this story, and that says everything.
Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Going into Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix I was slightly cautious after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire The ageing-up of the younger cast didn’t work there, and it pulled me out of the story more than I’d have liked.
Thankfully, this instalment is a noticeable improvement.
⸻
The Trio — Finally Settled
Harry and Ron are much better here. They still sound older than they should if you think about the timeline, but it’s far less distracting. More importantly, they no longer sound identical, which makes conversations much easier to follow.
Ron also feels more natural again. He’s not quite back to how strong he was in the earlier books, but he’s no longer taking me out of scenes either. It’s a clear improvement.
⸻
Umbridge — The Standout
Umbridge is easily the highlight of this audiobook. The performance is outstanding perfectly irritating, smug, and quietly cruel.
She captures a very real kind of villainy, which makes her more uncomfortable to listen to than outright monstrous characters. Every scene she’s in carries tension, and you start to dread her presence. Exactly as it should be.
⸻
The Reading Experience — Format Matters
This is the first time I’ve actually enjoyed this story.
Reading the physical book has always been difficult for me. It’s long, the chapters are often very dense, and I tend to lose focus, especially in the slower sections at the beginning.
The audiobook completely changed that experience.
The full-cast format, combined with the sound design, kept me engaged in a way the physical book never has. I was able to stay focused for longer and follow the story more consistently, rather than reading in short bursts and losing momentum.
It really highlighted how much format and structure affect reading stamina.
⸻
Standout Moments
There are some genuinely brilliant scenes here, and the audiobook elevates them:
•Hagrid and McGonagall vs Umbridge and the Ministry, chaotic, tense, and incredibly satisfying.
•Grawp the giant, strange but memorable, and the performance helps sell it.
•Quidditch scenes, the sound design shines here. The crowd, the pace, the movement, it all feels alive.
These moments show how effective the full-cast format can be when it fully leans into the scale of the story.
⸻
Bellatrix — A Miss
Bellatrix didn’t land for me.
She’s meant to feel cold, unhinged, and dangerous, but the performance leans too heavily into a snake-like tone. It ends up sounding more wet than threatening, similar to the issue I had with Voldemort previously.
There’s a lack of sharpness and control in the delivery, which makes the character feel less impactful than she should be.
⸻
The Consistent Core
As always:
•Dumbledore is solid.
•McGonagall is excellent, especially in confrontation scenes.
•Hagrid continues to bring warmth and emotional weight.
These performances remain consistent and help ground the story.
⸻
Final Thoughts
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a clear step up from Goblet of Fire.
The improved performances from Harry and Ron make a noticeable difference, Umbridge is a standout, and the audiobook format genuinely enhances the experience, especially for a story that can feel slow and difficult to stay focused on in print.
It’s not perfect. Bellatrix is a weak point, and the ageing of the cast still isn’t entirely convincing. But the strengths outweigh the distractions.
Most importantly, this is the first time I’ve been able to stay fully engaged with this story, and that says everything.
Rating: 4/5 ⭐
October 19, 2025
SUMMARY:
There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror? It's not just the upcoming O.W.L. exams; a new teacher with a personality like poisoned honey; a disgruntled house-elf; or even the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Now Harry Potter is faced with the unreliability of the very government of the magical world and the impotence of the authorities at Hogwarts. Despite this (or perhaps because of it), he finds depth and strength in his friends beyond what even he knew, boundless loyalty, and unbearable sacrifice.
REVIEW:
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Harry Potter has been having a rough summer with the Dursley family trying to find out any news about Voldemort now that he was back in his own body. Unfortunately Harry is attacked by Dementors while he was with his cousin Dudley and he had to do magic in order to defend them both even though it was against Wizarding Law to perform magic as he was under age. When Harry was able to produce the Patronus to save himself and his cousin Dudley form the Dementors that attacked them had been an intense and scary moment as he was alone with the fear that even though he was saving them he could be expelled from Hogwarts. Things do not get better for Harry and his friends even at Hogwarts they aren't safe as the Ministry of Magic sent Professor Umbridge to teach at the school in the position of the dreaded Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
It was such a fun and exciting moment when Hermione convinced Harry to start a Defense Against the Dark Arts secret club for everyone that wanted to learn especially because professor Umbridge wouldn't allow them to learn or practice spells. When Harry watched as Sirius fell into the Veil after Bellatrix killed him was the most heart wrenching moment for him as he lost that last person that he loved that was a parental figure in his life and the person that knew his father the most. J.K. Rowling delivered another adventure full of mystery and unbearable loss for everyone. Harry, Ron and Hermione grow so much in their fifth year at Hogwarts as they work together and with other students to save the school from Professor Umbridge who used her power to make sure that no one would be able to disobey her commands. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in Harry's adventures with Ron and Hermione against Voldemort.
There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror? It's not just the upcoming O.W.L. exams; a new teacher with a personality like poisoned honey; a disgruntled house-elf; or even the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Now Harry Potter is faced with the unreliability of the very government of the magical world and the impotence of the authorities at Hogwarts. Despite this (or perhaps because of it), he finds depth and strength in his friends beyond what even he knew, boundless loyalty, and unbearable sacrifice.
REVIEW:
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Harry Potter has been having a rough summer with the Dursley family trying to find out any news about Voldemort now that he was back in his own body. Unfortunately Harry is attacked by Dementors while he was with his cousin Dudley and he had to do magic in order to defend them both even though it was against Wizarding Law to perform magic as he was under age. When Harry was able to produce the Patronus to save himself and his cousin Dudley form the Dementors that attacked them had been an intense and scary moment as he was alone with the fear that even though he was saving them he could be expelled from Hogwarts. Things do not get better for Harry and his friends even at Hogwarts they aren't safe as the Ministry of Magic sent Professor Umbridge to teach at the school in the position of the dreaded Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
It was such a fun and exciting moment when Hermione convinced Harry to start a Defense Against the Dark Arts secret club for everyone that wanted to learn especially because professor Umbridge wouldn't allow them to learn or practice spells. When Harry watched as Sirius fell into the Veil after Bellatrix killed him was the most heart wrenching moment for him as he lost that last person that he loved that was a parental figure in his life and the person that knew his father the most. J.K. Rowling delivered another adventure full of mystery and unbearable loss for everyone. Harry, Ron and Hermione grow so much in their fifth year at Hogwarts as they work together and with other students to save the school from Professor Umbridge who used her power to make sure that no one would be able to disobey her commands. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in Harry's adventures with Ron and Hermione against Voldemort.
March 26, 2026
4.5 stars
Starting off by saying that I haven’t read this book in a few years and kind of low key forgot flipping great it is! There are so many amazing parts that are just not in the movie that are so good! Not to mention the movie has so many things that were changed not just left out that I can hardly even watch the movies from movie five on. Anyway, I’m reviewing the audio here and I said before that I’m very partial to Jim Dale’s narration and that still is true. I love the main narrator, but I am so annoyed with Snape’s voice. His pronunciation and entire attitude is just completely different than I would expect it to. I especially hate his pronunciation of “Potter” because he says it like “Putter!” Harry and Ron sound too old for 15-year-olds. Harry is so whiny throughout the last half of the book. He has super weird, gasping breaths when he’s upset. Bellatrix Lestrange’s voice is also annoying. like in the book she’s annoying, but she’s more evil than annoying, but in this narration she’s definitely more annoying than evil, i hated Unbridge but no matter who voiced her she just is the worst. I really ended up liking Professor Trelawney‘s voice and I love Sirius, Hermione, Ron, Hagrid and Mad Eye Moody‘s voices.
Number 12 Grimmauld place is so cool. The most ancient and noble house of black, order of the phoenix, the cleaning, it is so cool how it all connects back in the end! Losing Sirius is so hard for Harry and understandably so! But I always feel bad he doesn’t see Lupin, the Weasleys, and Hagrid in the exact same way as Harry saw Sirius.
I also love getting to know Luna Lovegood more! She and Neville really up their game during year 5. Ginny is super cool and again, book Ginny is the coolest, movie Ginny was a vanilla crap fest.
to be honest kind of really drives me crazy that Dumbledore took this long to warn or tell Harry anything about what he knew or even thought he knew about Harry. The real best part of this book is the scene in the department of mysteries - the entire part, because the movie just changes everything. It leaves stuff out like willy-nilly style! The book is so so good and explains so much more backstory.
If you’ve only watched the movies (which is crazy tbh!) then you better listen to this one asap. It’s epic.
Starting off by saying that I haven’t read this book in a few years and kind of low key forgot flipping great it is! There are so many amazing parts that are just not in the movie that are so good! Not to mention the movie has so many things that were changed not just left out that I can hardly even watch the movies from movie five on. Anyway, I’m reviewing the audio here and I said before that I’m very partial to Jim Dale’s narration and that still is true. I love the main narrator, but I am so annoyed with Snape’s voice. His pronunciation and entire attitude is just completely different than I would expect it to. I especially hate his pronunciation of “Potter” because he says it like “Putter!” Harry and Ron sound too old for 15-year-olds. Harry is so whiny throughout the last half of the book. He has super weird, gasping breaths when he’s upset. Bellatrix Lestrange’s voice is also annoying. like in the book she’s annoying, but she’s more evil than annoying, but in this narration she’s definitely more annoying than evil, i hated Unbridge but no matter who voiced her she just is the worst. I really ended up liking Professor Trelawney‘s voice and I love Sirius, Hermione, Ron, Hagrid and Mad Eye Moody‘s voices.
Number 12 Grimmauld place is so cool. The most ancient and noble house of black, order of the phoenix, the cleaning, it is so cool how it all connects back in the end! Losing Sirius is so hard for Harry and understandably so! But I always feel bad he doesn’t see Lupin, the Weasleys, and Hagrid in the exact same way as Harry saw Sirius.
I also love getting to know Luna Lovegood more! She and Neville really up their game during year 5. Ginny is super cool and again, book Ginny is the coolest, movie Ginny was a vanilla crap fest.
to be honest kind of really drives me crazy that Dumbledore took this long to warn or tell Harry anything about what he knew or even thought he knew about Harry. The real best part of this book is the scene in the department of mysteries - the entire part, because the movie just changes everything. It leaves stuff out like willy-nilly style! The book is so so good and explains so much more backstory.
If you’ve only watched the movies (which is crazy tbh!) then you better listen to this one asap. It’s epic.
March 26, 2026
5/5 Stars
I listened the audible full cast version, but it's not up for some reason it's not up so this is the version I'm posting it as. This is the only book that I think I liked less upon my current reread/relisten even though it's still amazing. It's no fault of audible, the cast is once again incredible and the actor who voices Harry, in particular, shows off some really impressive talent.
This was very interesting to me to see how I viewed Harry here vs my initial read through as a young teen. I related so much to Harry, about being the only one who understood things correctly and wanting to shout until everyone understood. Even though that exact same behavior drives me nuts as an adult, I can't help but feel like they nailed angsty teenage 15 year old me in a way that few books ever have. This hit at exactly the right time for me. As I mentioned though, as an adult reading, I've started feeling super irritated with Harry. He's constantly shouting at and pushing away the only people who believe him and care about him. He also makes an extremely dumb decision near the climax that makes me want to strangle him, particularly regarding a gift that Sirius got him which Sirius instructs him to use if he ever needs him. I get emotions are running high, but I needed this to at least be addressed somehow in the text since it's such an obvious blunder by Harry.
But I still love the resistance against umbridge and the ministry as much as I did the first day I read it. Book 4 sets up a very black and white good vs evil set of bad guys, and book 5 muddles the waters between who is an ally and an enemy in a way that I find really interesting. The amount of injustice the students go through only for a nice cathartic ending is very satisfying.
I'm officially caught up with the audible full cast releases and I'm so sad I have to wait a whole month to get the next one, but it might be great to take a little break and try something else to come back fresh next month.
I listened the audible full cast version, but it's not up for some reason it's not up so this is the version I'm posting it as. This is the only book that I think I liked less upon my current reread/relisten even though it's still amazing. It's no fault of audible, the cast is once again incredible and the actor who voices Harry, in particular, shows off some really impressive talent.
This was very interesting to me to see how I viewed Harry here vs my initial read through as a young teen. I related so much to Harry, about being the only one who understood things correctly and wanting to shout until everyone understood. Even though that exact same behavior drives me nuts as an adult, I can't help but feel like they nailed angsty teenage 15 year old me in a way that few books ever have. This hit at exactly the right time for me. As I mentioned though, as an adult reading, I've started feeling super irritated with Harry. He's constantly shouting at and pushing away the only people who believe him and care about him. He also makes an extremely dumb decision near the climax that makes me want to strangle him, particularly regarding a gift that Sirius got him which Sirius instructs him to use if he ever needs him. I get emotions are running high, but I needed this to at least be addressed somehow in the text since it's such an obvious blunder by Harry.
But I still love the resistance against umbridge and the ministry as much as I did the first day I read it. Book 4 sets up a very black and white good vs evil set of bad guys, and book 5 muddles the waters between who is an ally and an enemy in a way that I find really interesting. The amount of injustice the students go through only for a nice cathartic ending is very satisfying.
I'm officially caught up with the audible full cast releases and I'm so sad I have to wait a whole month to get the next one, but it might be great to take a little break and try something else to come back fresh next month.
March 15, 2026
Again, not the target audience for these, but enjoyable stuff once Rowling finally gets around to patching up the holes in the story and setting us on a direct path of confrontation with a threat that spent a few books being a bit too theoretical. Even the recurring punishment of Dickensian torture with the Dursley's is given a (very thin) motivation, in fact Rowling-as-Dumbledore spends a whole coda apologizing for things that didn't make sense in the previous ones.
The central mystery brings back a bit of what I liked about the parallel narrative in the first book, but in the form of a murder mystery setup, where the reader can actually solve the mystery of Harry's visions before the reveal toward the end, which felt rewarding for a book like this, where the genre normally follows the other murder mystery trend of throwing together some bullshit at the end and just proclaiming it was all planned out.
Voldy is given a chance to act as mastermind even while getting his henchmen jobbed (although a lot of this 'brilliance' is mostly down to Dumbledore getting a writer imposed lobotomy). I did really appreciate the reveal about Harry's father not being a sainted victim, and his relationship to the sometimes-antagonist Snape being a bit more complicated than normal for kids books. The juggling of the light hearted school and teenager stuff with the high stakes stuff also melded a lot better here.
The production quality and full cast is still great.
The central mystery brings back a bit of what I liked about the parallel narrative in the first book, but in the form of a murder mystery setup, where the reader can actually solve the mystery of Harry's visions before the reveal toward the end, which felt rewarding for a book like this, where the genre normally follows the other murder mystery trend of throwing together some bullshit at the end and just proclaiming it was all planned out.
Voldy is given a chance to act as mastermind even while getting his henchmen jobbed (although a lot of this 'brilliance' is mostly down to Dumbledore getting a writer imposed lobotomy). I did really appreciate the reveal about Harry's father not being a sainted victim, and his relationship to the sometimes-antagonist Snape being a bit more complicated than normal for kids books. The juggling of the light hearted school and teenager stuff with the high stakes stuff also melded a lot better here.
The production quality and full cast is still great.
March 20, 2026
Rowling has a knack for writing completely unlikeable characters.
Every scene with Umbridge makes me want to strangle her.
MouldyWarts is still completely pathetic (yeah such a "powerful" wizard and he's skulking around hiding and torturing his FOLLOWERS in the shadows and throwing widdle tantwums like an overemotional toddler when he can't get his way), and Bellatrix "ooh, pick me master, I'm sooooo evil and edgy uwuwuwu" Lestrange can honestly do one. Honestly, why didn't THEY get the horrible deaths?!
/rant
Anyway, this installment - other than that^ lot - is decent, a pretty good story plus introduces us to Thestrals properly. Loses a star for simple frustration (Harry, open the effing parcel Sirius gave you. Or actually learn Occlumency like you were supposed to. Or, y'know, GO TO Grimmauld Place with the Floo Powder instead of sticking your head in the fire and yelling if you were that worried, jfc. Or - and here's an idea that could have stopped the whole fiasco - TRUST SNAPE. Because he worked in the shadows himself, on YOUR side.)
Okay I'm ranting again, sorry.
Anyway. Stellar performance by Stephen Fry as always, really love his voices for Dumbledore and Hagrid especially!
Every scene with Umbridge makes me want to strangle her.
MouldyWarts is still completely pathetic (yeah such a "powerful" wizard and he's skulking around hiding and torturing his FOLLOWERS in the shadows and throwing widdle tantwums like an overemotional toddler when he can't get his way), and Bellatrix "ooh, pick me master, I'm sooooo evil and edgy uwuwuwu" Lestrange can honestly do one. Honestly, why didn't THEY get the horrible deaths?!
/rant
Anyway, this installment - other than that^ lot - is decent, a pretty good story plus introduces us to Thestrals properly. Loses a star for simple frustration (Harry, open the effing parcel Sirius gave you. Or actually learn Occlumency like you were supposed to. Or, y'know, GO TO Grimmauld Place with the Floo Powder instead of sticking your head in the fire and yelling if you were that worried, jfc. Or - and here's an idea that could have stopped the whole fiasco - TRUST SNAPE. Because he worked in the shadows himself, on YOUR side.)
Okay I'm ranting again, sorry.
Anyway. Stellar performance by Stephen Fry as always, really love his voices for Dumbledore and Hagrid especially!
March 25, 2026
Phoenix and Chamber were my least favorite Harry Potter books growing up, but my last two revisits to the series have finally upended this conviction and left me feeling that Order of the Phoenix, the longest HP book, might be the best in the series.
My fear with these audiobooks is that I might never read Harry Potter again. Which is silly, because most books I only read once, and these I've all but memorized over the years.
I still want to physically fight anyone who says Harry Potter isn't well written. Rowling has tapped deeply into the subconscious here, and Phoenix is where the series should have unravelled if she wasn't telling THE human story correctly, but it didn't. It set the final two books up splendidly, treated Harry's puberty and personality with the depth they deserved, and revelled in its mastery of criticism of bureaucracy and useless people. Dolores Umbridge is the stand out secondary villain of the series emerging from all of our subconsciousness to say, "I know her."
Even her silly naming conventions make sense when viewed from the perspective that these are kids books.
But I don't have to defend this franchise, it's staying power does that.
My fear with these audiobooks is that I might never read Harry Potter again. Which is silly, because most books I only read once, and these I've all but memorized over the years.
I still want to physically fight anyone who says Harry Potter isn't well written. Rowling has tapped deeply into the subconscious here, and Phoenix is where the series should have unravelled if she wasn't telling THE human story correctly, but it didn't. It set the final two books up splendidly, treated Harry's puberty and personality with the depth they deserved, and revelled in its mastery of criticism of bureaucracy and useless people. Dolores Umbridge is the stand out secondary villain of the series emerging from all of our subconsciousness to say, "I know her."
Even her silly naming conventions make sense when viewed from the perspective that these are kids books.
But I don't have to defend this franchise, it's staying power does that.
September 25, 2025
Fine performance by Fry, of course--but this is my least favorite of the series, as it sort of lumbers along advancing the plot by an inadequate amount for the page length. Not to mention that here Harry is the very image of a temperamental, unlikable adolescent.....the loyalties of his friends and allies certainly aren't built on any personal charm or charisma. Am skipping ...Half Blood Prince to go on the finale.
March 23, 2026
4.5 stars
Goodreads needs to update to provide the Audible version with the Full Cast so I had to select another version-
I loved this and will give it 4.5 stars - it is very long - 26 hours and so very good - except for the over acting of the Hermione Narrator - who drives me crazy. Even Harry’s narrator is a bit much with his over acting - tone it down please ! Ron narrator is the best out of the three kids for sure.
Goodreads needs to update to provide the Audible version with the Full Cast so I had to select another version-
I loved this and will give it 4.5 stars - it is very long - 26 hours and so very good - except for the over acting of the Hermione Narrator - who drives me crazy. Even Harry’s narrator is a bit much with his over acting - tone it down please ! Ron narrator is the best out of the three kids for sure.
March 26, 2026
Spectacular. From a performance standpoint, this feels like the strongest one yet. Keira Knightly was amazing as Dolores Umbridge. I also want to shout out Nina Barker-Francis, the voice actor for Hermione. I felt like she really shined in this book and her performance was a stand out. I continue to be impressed by the care and detail put into these audiobooks, and continue to believe that this is the best way to experience the series. The worst part is having to wait for the next one...
January 22, 2026
Gripping as I expected having read the books at least 3 times. The narration is the 4th time but the thing about this is that you continue to pick up little things that you may have missed or not appreciated. Stephen Fry is excellent and I can understand how so many people have raved about his narration.
December 15, 2025
The way the adults behave..........is interesting from the perspective of a 26 year old. But the story is still generally good...why, when Harry finds the mirror at the end, does he not think about how he could have used that to communicate with Sirius all along? A weird plot hole.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2025
Stephen Fry nailed it! If you haven't listened to his rendition of the Harry Potter series, it is definitely worth it.
January 31, 2026
Me ha dolido muchísimo el final, a pesar de saber bien lo que se venía.
Read
March 9, 2026ok that’s enough HP for now! the part with the mirror and nearly headless nick was quite sad though
March 16, 2026
This was such a fun way to reexperience these books; this one has always been my favorite of the series, and it was a truly enjoyable listen!
March 24, 2026
I’ve watched the movie so much that sometimes I forget how much better the book is. The plot is so much richer in the book and the full cast edition really brings it to life.
March 26, 2026
finished this then was blessed w the new series trailer???? i will consume all of the content and it’ll make me cry every time
March 26, 2026
Keira.
April 15, 2025
Interesting to read the British audiobook.
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