Book 16.  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 870
Release date: 2003

This is the one of the hardest books in the series to talk about.  There is so much greatness in this novel, which is shadowed by a few things here and there.  Hard to figure this one out.

What worked:  Quite a bit.  Her writing is much improved (except for a few things which you will see in the next section).  The plot and relationships are much more pronounced in this novel.  Things that were great?  Dumbledore's Army.  Harry's relationship with Cho.  The addidition in importance of Luna Lovegood, Neville, Ginny, Moody and even Tonks.  The beginning sequence with Harry and Dudley set the tone.  How the minstiry tries to manipulate things, especially the hearing.  Oh god, UMBRIDGE.  She was great and made Hogwarts so much more interesting.  Fred and George's, exit, and lastely...the fight at the Ministry at the end.  Yes, someone had to die, but it was handled very well.  I could go on for a while.  :)

I always find it intersting how Rowling can combine every day life at School, with knowing Voldemort is in the loose and the chaos that causes.  The kids still have to go to school and study as if the world is all in order.  I commend her ability to make that believable and interesting. 

What did not work:  As I said this was a book that was hard to judge.  Rowling's writing has improved so much, but it felt like this book needed to be edited more.  Too much of Harry whining about this and that.  We get it, he's ANGRY.  Didn't need to be beat over the head with it.  I am not saying a 15 year old boy wouldn't be that upset in this situation, but to keep reading about it, over and over and over.  Lashing out at EVERYONE.  It got old.  I was not that into Hagrid's story about the giants.  Then again he is the weakest character in the series.

Favorite quotes:  "You should write a book," Ron told Hermione as he cut up his potatoes, "translating mad things girls do so boys can understand them." 

Harry nodded.  He somehow could not find the words to tell them what it meant to him, to see them all ranged there, on his side.  Instead he smiled, raised a hand in farewell, turned around, and led the way out of the station toward the sunlit street, with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley hurrying along in his wake. 

Rating.  9.0 out of 10. All the was bothersome about this novel was countered by the great story and wondeful new points in the novel.  Seeing Dumbledore fighting Voldemort was as awesome as I imagined it would be.  A great book.