Rowling, J.K. - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter #5) - Informal Buddy Read; Starts December 16, 2014--REVISIT-- June 2018

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

I think another thing that bothered me in this book was how Hermoine (view spoiler)[ doesn't get punished, or even questioned, about leading Umbridge into the forest in the hope that she is taken by the Centaurs. I found it odd that she basically tried to get someone killed and no-one mentions it. Then Dumbledore is able to rescue Umbridge from them after some time has passed? I'm not sure that worked for me. (as much as I didn't like Umbridge!!) (hide spoiler)]

[Jackie]

I'm through Chapter 14.

(view spoiler)[It's hard for me to see Ron being made prefect. I agree that someone else might have made a better one. I also am getting frustrated with Sirius and the unnecessary chances he's taking. And Umbridge, what a evil woman! (hide spoiler)]

[Jaclyn]

Jackie wrote: "I'm through Chapter 14.

[spoilers removed]"

I agree about Sirius. I feel bad for him, but he's acting kind of ungrateful. He's safe right? But he's acting very immature.

[Jaclyn]

Ch. 27: (view spoiler)[Phineus was right... Dumbledore's got style! I just love everytime we get a glimpse of how powerful he is!! (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Jaclyn wrote: "chapter 9:"

(view spoiler)[I love that neighbours line. It's so funny. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Karen wrote: "End of chapter 14"

(view spoiler)[Sirius annoyed me so much in this book and he was such a bad influence on Harry. His whining about not being allowed to help or go outside just encourages Harry in his whining. Also Mrs Weasley is right he does seem to get Harry mixed up with James encouraging Harry to take risks when he should be trying to protect him. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

I agree Pigletto and it is a shame considering that (view spoiler)[ Sirius doesn't last much longer! (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Karen wrote: "I agree Pigletto and it is a shame considering that..."

(view spoiler)[Yes, it is a shame as he annoyed me so much I don't really miss him. I was sad for Harry but that's it. (hide spoiler)]

[Jackie]

I've finished. This was a reread for me but it had been so long since I read it that I had forgotten most of it.
(view spoiler)[I enjoyed it but not as much as the first time. Harry constantly seemed to be angry (though justified in many instances) and that started to be annoying. I remembered about Sirius but even that didn't seem nearly as sad as I remembered it. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Are we ready for book 6 in a week or so?
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[[deleted user]]

So I am rereading this one, and I can't help but notice (view spoiler)[ how all of the characters are just straight annoying. I mean, I get that they are growing up under some pretty strange circumstances, but really. Harry not only complains, he's mean to his friends and horrible to Cho. I get that boys can sometimes not understand how women think, but his misconceptions were bit sociopathic....Anywho, this was the book that made me realize how much I love Lupin, though. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

I do love that in this book we get to meet the whole Order. Watching Sirius and Lupin interact amongst each other is a real treat, and we get to meet some seriously great side characters like Tonks, Luna, and, I know, I know it's horrible...but Bellatrix. She might be a horrible human being but you can't deny that she is interesting.

[[deleted user]]

Taryn wrote: "So I am rereading this one, and I can't help but notice..."

(view spoiler)[My problems with this one are Harry is annoying, Sirius is so annoying that I don't care when he dies and that for me the first half really drags. This is the only one where I spend quite a bit of time wishing Rowling would just get on with it.

I love Luna, Tonks, the return of Lupin, getting to see a bit more of the adult world (those fighting for and against Voldemort) and Kreacher (there is just something about him saying all those insults that he thinks no one else can hear that I find rather funny and kind of endearing). (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Rebooting this thread to start a new buddy read of the series in November 2015

[Jen]

Yay! Thank you, Karen! I'll be starting Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix just as soon as I can tear myself away from the computer. :-)

[Jen]

Well, THAT was exciting. Just finished Chapter Two, "A Peck of Owls." (view spoiler)[Dementors in Little Whinging. Harry's expelled for using his Patronus Charm to fight them off. ... Harry's not expelled, only suspended. ... Aunt Petunia knows what Dementors are. ... Uncle Vernon tells Harry to get out. ... Aunt Petunia GETS A HOWLER. ADDRESSED TO HER. (!!!) Message says, "REMEMBER MY LAST, PETUNIA." (V-e-r-y curious!) ... Aunt Petunia says Harry must stay. (hide spoiler)] Wow.

I think I've only read this book maybe twice before, and most recently over ten years ago, so much of this story is seeming and is going to seem quite astonishing. :-)

Apart from the above spoiler, I really like that Uncle Vernon has the same trouble with Wizard words that Mr. Weasley has with Muggle ones. :-)

And Mrs. Figg (view spoiler)[is a Squib? She knows Dumbledore? I did not see that coming! (hide spoiler)] I had completely forgotten that! :-)

[Jen]

Why oh why is JKR so fond of larger than normal spiders?! *aggrieved sigh* They've been in every book since Book 2 (Aragog *mutters darkly*). HP#3: Ron's Boggart. HP#4: In the maze. And now HP#5: "...where they found spiders large as saucers lurking in the dresser..." *shudder*
(Chapter Six: "The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black")

It might not be so bad for me if it weren't for the fact that Ron is so obviously terrified of them. The only one of the four that I haven't had replaying on instant video in my head is, perhaps oddly, the one from Book 4, and that one wounded Harry! (But Ron was elsewhere. Without Ron, I can detach myself in the same way I do when I have the misfortune to see a real spider. So long as the characters don't show fear, I'm fine.)

[Jen]

Just finished Chapter Nine, "The Woes of Mrs. Weasley," and it was heartbreaking. I have tears in my eyes. In a previous chapter (Eight: "The Hearing") we had excellent news: (view spoiler)[Harry was cleared of all charges! (Much to Fudge's disgust.) (hide spoiler)] And earlier in Chapter Nine, (view spoiler)[Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Weasley kids got their Hogwarts letters...and Ron and Hermione got Prefect Badges! (hide spoiler)] :-)

I really don't understand or like Fudge. His attitude doesn't fit for me with how he was in the early books. Anybody else find this odd?

[Jen]

Anyway, I'm stopping for the night before starting Chapter Ten. I'd intended to stop sooner, as my eyes have been stinging for sleep for a few chapters now. However best laid plans, and all that, meant that every time a new chapter started I got sucked in and was halfway through it before I realized I had intended to stop! lol

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Yes, the start of this book is very action packed!
I still find dementors scarier than spiders ;)

I never really understood why Ron was chosen as a prefect. Any theories?

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "Yes, the start of this book is very action packed!
I still find dementors scarier than spiders ;)

I never really understood why Ron was chosen as a prefect. Any theories?"

For some reason, the Dementors just aren't that scary for me. Though I suspect it likely has something to do with the fact that I am disabled by Major Depression, so having the happy sucked from my life really wouldn't leave me much worse off. I just try to imagine my life without all of my "happy" distractions and, voila! Dementors! ;-)

I think it makes sense that Ron (view spoiler)[was chosen as Prefect, if you look at it from Harry's perspective (which he struggled with, but sort of got to): When would Harry have the time to do Prefect stuff? His life at school is so full of other things, that I really don't see how he'd have been able to make it work without really changing how he behaves in the books. Ron, being the fourth Weasley kid to be so honored, makes much more sense. He's often in the thick of things with Harry, but I can see how he'd have time to handle Prefect duties.

The clincher for me is that Harry's father wasn't a Prefect, and Ron's three oldest brothers were. It really works for me when I think of it this way. And I think it's nice that JKR found a way to put Ron first. He's so often overshadowed by Harry (not to mention by his family and Hermione). (hide spoiler)] :-)

[Jen]

Hmmm. I didn't have all that much that needed replying to this morning, so I figured I'd just pop on real quick and then get to reading Chapter Ten and on. ...

Two hours later, I'm now ready to get off the computer and go read. *sigh* How does this happen? Is science trying to discover why time warps (or if there are time warps)? If not, someone should really get on that. ;-)

Back later! :-)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

It's not that I thought Harry should be a prefect (I don't think he should) more why Ron rather than anyone else. Sure it's nice for his family, but that wouldn't normally be a factor for a school.
Maybe it's just because I've never cared much for Ron so that's why I question this choice

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "It's not that I thought Harry should be a prefect (I don't think he should) more why Ron rather than anyone else. Sure it's nice for his family, but that wouldn't normally be a factor for a school...."

You've never cared much for Ron? Whyever not?

Another reason I can see Ron as being a good choice for Prefect is because who else could it be? We haven't seen enough of Dean and Seamus, and Neville wouldn't have done at all. Can you see Neville as Prefect? (I can't see him in a position of authority over his school mates. If he stepped up, I think he'd either hate it or overdo it; either that or he'd be too hesitant.) Of the other two... Maybe Dean, but I can't imagine a Prefect that hasn't been featured as much as Ron has.

And when you think of Ron as he was in the year one finale, playing lifesize wizard chess, I think he's a good choice. He's got a good brain. He's just often overshadowed by Harry.

[Jen]

So I had a weird thought come at me out of nowhere during my reading today. These books are told in third-person but we only ever see Harry's POV. Weird.

lol

[Jen]

I'm now about to start Chapter Seventeen, and it's been almost 200 pages since my last update. So while I'm paused, I should probably talk about what I've read so far...

I've only read this book maybe three times counting this time, and I've now realized why that is. And it's not just because I've only read book six once.

There's just so much in this book that I don't really like: (view spoiler)[Sirius's attitude. Ron's bickering with Hermione. Harry's bad temper. Dumbledore's odd behavior toward Harry. Dolores Umbridge. Cornelius Fudge... (hide spoiler)] I get that this is supposed to be a darker story than the earlier books, but downright depressing? :-(

[Jen]

Hmmm, I guess I didn't really say too much about what I'm reading. But what can I say? I'm honestly feeling too discouraged to remember anything I really liked (if there was anything I really liked).

I should probably get back to it before I talk myself out of wanting to continue.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Jen wrote: "So I had a weird thought come at me out of nowhere during my reading today. These books are told in third-person but we only ever see Harry's POV. Weird.

lol"

Good point!

I think with Ron I just always got annoyed with him as he is a bit whiny and immature... and yes I know that is the age so I really do forgive him...lol He is my least favourite character

This is a difficult book for me too because of the reasons you mentioned, and particularly Dolores. I can't stand her and those detention scenes are just awful. This is my least favourite book of the series

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "This is my least favourite book of the series."

It's definitely my least favorite so far. :-( So much so that I'm going to delay reading more so that I can post to Facebook and get some encouragement from the "real life" friend I'm reading these books with/for. I might also post to my Tumblr. This book is depressing me. It's discouraging, especially since I'm really not looking forward to book six.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

fair enough!
The book may be hard to read but it plays a really important part in the overall story so I hope you can get motivated to continue. From memory there are some nice scenes towards the end with Dumbledore too

[Jen]

Just finished Chapter Twenty-Three, "Christmas on the Closed Ward." I'm writing this with tears in my eyes from (view spoiler)[Neville's pocketing of the empty Droobles Blowing Gum wrapper his mum gave to him (hide spoiler)]. In other news, the story had lighter/happier moments after my last update. I can't think of any right now, but I do know that my recent reading wasn't as depressing as it had been.

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "fair enough!
The book may be hard to read but it plays a really important part in the overall story so I hope you can get motivated to continue. From memory there are some nice scenes towards the ..."

Thanks for the encouragement, Karen! I did see it earlier, when you posted it. I thought I'd replied; sorry I didn't. It helped me to continue, knowing that there are good scenes to look forward to. :-)

[Jen]

I had been thinking to read more before sleepytime, but as I paused to make updates and check notifications, I think I'm going to pause further and go to bed now for sleep. I'm feeling tired/sleepy. I don't think I've been getting very much good sleep lately, as going to bed before midnight seems awfully early to me. But oh well. I'll be up earlier-than-usual tomorrow morning and will definitely get this book finished then. Only about 355 pages to go, I think. (I'm on p.515, which is the last page of Ch.23.)

I'll be back after I wake up! Thanks again for the encouragement, Karen! :-)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

No problems, sleep well!

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

I just went back in my comments. If you get to chapter 29 there are some fun scenes wth Fred and George ;)

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "I just went back in my comments. If you get to chapter 29 there are some fun scenes wth Fred and George ;)"

I'm slogging through Notifications at the moment, lol. I had a record 19 in Goodreads this morning. Saved this one for "last" so that I could read/comment/resume reading...

But while I've been reading/commenting elsewhere, at least four more notifications have cropped up. lol

So I'm excited to reach Ch.29 and fun with the Weasley twins, but it has to wait just a little bit longer (please, just a little bit longer!). ;-)

[Jen]

I'm actually in the middle of Chapter Twenty-Seven, "The Centaur and the Sneak," but wanted to record an LOL quote from p.526, in Chapter Twenty-Four, "Occlumency." Ron (view spoiler)[is on the Knight Bus for the first time: "'I've changed my mind,' muttered Ron, picking himself up from the floor for the sixth time, 'I never want to ride on here again.'" (hide spoiler)] It's perhaps funnier when you read the previous pages for the lead-up. ;-)

I didn't want to pause at the time to record this because I had only restarted my reading for the day a few minutes earlier, and it felt too soon (I didn't want to interrupt the story, in other words).

So instead, I paused at a rather critical moment in Ch.27, on p. 608, when (view spoiler)[Dobby has unexpectedly arrived in the Room of Requirement to tell Harry something about Umbrage (hide spoiler)]. But what that something is, I don't yet know, though I have my suspicions, because I paused for some reason (food? potty break? outside to scold my mother - "come inside, NOW!" and clean up after my dog? all of the above? lol). ARGH!!!

Anyway, I'm now about to get back into it, on page 608, just as soon as I check on Goodreads notifications. ;-)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

lol
Although you're distracted, I'm glad to see you are continuing and finding some lighter moments!

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "lol
Although you're distracted, I'm glad to see you are continuing and finding some lighter moments!"

Yeah, I really appreciate those lighter moments. I'm now only ten (10!) pages from the end, but I got distracted partway through Chapter Thirty-Eight. *sigh*

Anyway, I'm not going to say more now. I want to get back to it. Probably I won't have many story comments to make until I finish and write my review.

Back soonish! :-)

[Jen]

Finished. I think I'm going to give this book five stars, too. Despite my feelings of discouragement in the first quarter/third, most of the story turned out to be really, really good. I laughed out loud in a few places, cried in other places.

I have a few scenes that I will remember with great fondness. Like (view spoiler)[Umbridge being ushered out of Hogwarts by Peeves (hide spoiler)] in the final chapter. And the (view spoiler)[swamp from and departure of Fred and George (hide spoiler)] around Chapter Twenty-Nine. :-)

And pretty much all of what I didn't like was at least true to the characters' characters, so... Five stars. :-)

[Jen]

So it took me a l-o-n-g time to read those final ten pages because I'm watching Monday Night Football. Which is in overtime. And is now tied AGAIN.

I also have a headache. :-(

So I'm going to go to bed for sleepytime once the game is finally over and write my review first thing in the morning. And I don't think I'm delaying starting book six, which I'm dreading. I really do have a headache and it already is feeling like it's starting to turn into a migraine. :-(

It's purely a bonus that writing my review in the morning will give my "real life" friend time to give me encouragement for book six. ;-)

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Jen wrote: "Finished. I think I'm going to give this book five stars, too. Despite my feelings of discouragement in the first quarter/third, most of the story turned out to be really, really good. I laughed ou..."

Yes all good points. I'm glad you found some positives!
I love that scene in chapter 29. So much fun in an otherwise mainly bleak storyline

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "Jen wrote: "Finished. I think I'm going to give this book five stars, too. Despite my feelings of discouragement in the first quarter/third, most of the story turned out to be really, really good. ..."

I finally got my review written. To my happiness, I found that I had a lot of good things to say, so my review wasn't as dark as I feared it would be and it supports the fact that I gave the book five stars. :-)

Chapter Twenty-Nine definitely stands out as a favorite. It and the final one. Sooo much to love. :-) (See my review for more details. I'm sorry, but I don't feel up to rewriting it here.

As it's not yet 10:30a here, I think I'm going to go through the many Goodreads notifications I have waiting for me before starting book six. So long as I open it before noon, I'll feel proud of myself. (Unfortunately, my mother woke me up "early" this morning (it was about 8:30a) when she sent my puppy into a frenzy and started vacuuming. lol)

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

We're revisiting this buddy read for Tower Teams VI.
Join us anytime from May 12th to July 31st.
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Participating in a Harry Potter buddy read with a member from a different team, or with a member of NBRC who isn't on a Tower Team = 40 points
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[Abbey]

I'm in for #5 for Tower Teams once we get to it in the order (or others join). This is my most re-read book, but it's been probably 2 years since I last read any HP!

[Jessica]

Team Remus Lupin

(view spoiler)[I really liked this book. I like how Ron and Hermione get made perfects in this book. I like how they meet Luna, and I really like Luna, even if she is a little crazy. I love how they form their band of Dumbledore's Army. I love how Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna all go with Harry to the Ministry of Magic when Harry goes to rescue Sirius. I thought that Deloris Umbridge was hilarious. I was glad when Harry and Hermione got rid of her. (hide spoiler)]

[Silje]

I just started this one for team Remus Lupin. Anyone around to discuss it?

I'm only a few chapters in (doing audio so it doesn't go too fast). So far I think that (view spoiler)[Harry is behaving like a brat! He is having a major teenage tantrum about not being kept in the loop. Sure, I get that he feels left out since he doesn't have much contact with the wizard world when staying at the Dursley's, but totally unfair to take it out on his friends who aren't any more in the loop than he is, besides being at the headquarter.
This is one of the moments where I feel Harry thinks he is important and has the right to all information. Molly Weasley is the voice of reason in this; they are underage, barely 15! Who would ever let kids that age be a part of a war council (more or less)?
He also know perfectly well after four years that Albus Dumbledore does nothing without reason. Why jump to a conclusion so fast?

Fudge is another infuriating character in this book. He act like a religious fanatic; no way to make him see or hear anything besides what he want to. He refuses to see reason and logic, believing, like a small child would, that if you ignore something long enough it goes away...trying to get Harry expelled just to discredit his character is way too extreme (hide spoiler)]

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Team Sprout

I've been iffy on re-reading this one or not. (view spoiler)[not sure I can handle whiney Harry and crazy Umbridge (hide spoiler)], but I probably will start tomorrow.

[Silje]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "Team Sprout

I've been iffy on re-reading this one or not. [spoilers removed], but I probably will start tomorrow."

Good point...But I want to re-read the last two books and it just wouldn't feel right to skip a book:P

[Silje]

I'm looking forward to see how (view spoiler)[ Prefect Ron is going to handle Fred and George's experiments with new toys and tricks=P (hide spoiler)]