Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SPOILER ALERT!! (BUT NOT REALLY, RIGHT?)

This is, without a doubt, my favourite book in the Harry Potter series! It is a perfect balance of the whimsy and curious nature of Philosopher’s Stone and the darker and more sinister tones of Chamber of Secrets. We also get a much deeper look at the classes that Harry takes at Hogwarts – especially Care of Magical Creatures and Divination, his newest subjects. Harry’s third year at Hogwarts is all about him being protected from Sirius Black, so the classes provide a diversion from the constant investigations he undertakes into the circumstances of this escaped convict. The plot to Prisoner of Azkaban has been strategically structured and it later becomes one of the most crucial elements to the entire series. We are lulled into what seems to be a peaceful contrast to what is happening in the wizarding community, and then in the second half of the book, we are introduced to some of the most epic imagery and sequence of events to come out of the series…

Werewolves, escaped criminals, time travel, Dementors, and no Voldemort!

When I say werewolves, I really mean one: Remus Lupin. And boy, what an awesome and wise character he is. He acts as Harry’s guardian angel for most of the book, protecting him from Dementors (we’ll get to those terrifying things later), detention from Snape, and even from himself during the school term. The scene where he forgets to take his Wolfsbane Potion and transforms in front of Harry’s eyes is frightening and ramps up the action in the otherwise monster-free book. He represents the grounded half of the novel and is hard to dislike, even as a werewolf. Arguably one of the best characters from the series.

The escaped “criminal” Sirius Black is another terrific addition to the book. We are overjoyed to find someone who loves Harry unconditionally, whilst being related (through friendship with his parents) to him! His constant checking in on Harry as “the Grim” is sweet and he values friendship highly, as shown when he declares that he’d rather die for Harry’s parents than to save himself. Not many characters could honestly do that, but we believe it when Sirius says it. It is also heart-breaking that Harry has been separated from someone genuinely good for his whole life up until now, but this brief encounter is one that is truly special.

On to time travel. It seems like it was only a matter of time before it was included in one of these books 😉 This is what makes the second half of the book truly exciting – the ways in which the actions of the observed characters fit together like a puzzle as Harry and Hermione retrace their steps. They have to think quickly and carefully about the sequence of events needed to rescue Buckbeak and save Sirius simultaneously. For example, when Harry is about to be attacked by Lupin, Hermione remembers that Lupin responds to a call from his own kind and howls, becoming the catalyst that draws Lupin away and leads Harry to the lake, all the while avoiding being seen by anyone else. An enjoyable and a stand-out climax.

Previously, I mentioned that the plot to Prisoner of Azkaban was structured strategically. One of the most indicative aspects comes from the inclusion of the Dementors. These bastards were not only creative imagery to represent depression by J.K. Rowling, but they give readers a true taste of a bleak outlook of Harry’s life and utilise this gloominess as a catalyst for one of the greatest and triumphant moments in the series: Harry saving himself via his stag Patronus. It was epic in the movie because it was epic in the book! I remember studying in English in high school and reading the passage where Harry and Sirius are surrounded by Dementors before passing out together. The language and descriptions were memorable and beautiful, even in such a terrible moment. Despite their horrible nature, these creatures are an imperative inclusion, in order to see the lows that bring about the amazing and powerful highs of magic, courage, and daring.

The book also unravels massive pieces of the puzzle of Harry’s survival while digging into the back story of how his parents were targets by Voldemort. It moves the plot along without it being overshadowed by the Dark Lord himself. The four creators of the Marauder’s Map replace Voldemort as the link to Harry’s past. Even though he is still a part of this story, he certainly isn’t in your face as much as the two previous novels. It is the only book without Voldemort being physically present, either as himself or as a teenager.

Also, how could I forget Lee Jordan’s Quidditch commentary? Enough said.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is an emotional read that encompasses all that is wonderful in this magical world. It is my favourite now and will be my favourite forever.

Is this book your favourite in the series?
If not, what is your favourite?
Do you like the addition of new characters?
Feel free to put your thoughts down in the comment section!

View all my reviews

What I read in February 2019

If you’ve read one of my previous posts: “What I read in January 2019”, you’d know that I managed to read eight books in one month! I was really hoping and expecting to do the same in February. However, I unexpectedly got asked to work some extra days towards the back half of the month and lost a chunk of my reading time. As a result I only managed to read five books and they are as follows:

“The Outsiders”- S.E. Hinton
“And the Mountains Echoed”- Khaled Hosseini
“The Shifting Fog”- Kate Morton
“The Ones You Trust”- Caroline Overington
“The Girl on the Page”- John Purcell

I had some mixed ratings this month with a couple of books that missed the mark and some that hit it out of the park. Overall I can’t say I was bored! If you’re interested in these titles, feel free to check out my individual reviews that I’ve posted previously on this site.

Looking forward to what March has in store for me…

Do you have any books you’ve been dying to read but haven’t yet? Are there some new releases you’ve got your eye on? Thinking of trying to read a new genre? Why not tick some books off that “To Read” list in March?

The Outsiders

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SPOILER ALERT!!

I’m a big fan of reading books that I know absolutely nothing about because I’m not comparing my initial thoughts to pre-established opinions that I’ve come across. I love falling in love with stories that way and it was no exception with “The Outsiders”. It was a goofy, heart-breaking, philosophical read that captured the pressures and stoicisms teenagers often deal with. The characters are trying to keep their heads above water in what seems like an impossible, ephemeral existence. I could feel the intensity whilst reading. I enjoyed the themes of camaraderie and survival, which reminded me strongly of “The Lord of the Flies”.

Johnny’s death was so sad, but ultimately inevitable. He was so selfless and counteracted the personalities of the Greasers, so it was only a matter of time before he did something heroic.

Dally’s, on the other hand – that was so damn brutal. It was a death that, in spite of Ponyboy explaining that it was always meant to be, I did not expect AT ALL. He had been through so much in his life and hadn’t let death or sacrifice stop him before. He was a guy that seemed to keep on trucking. I was pretty surprised when that gun scene happened and, for me, it was the saddest and most crushing scene in the book.

One of the loveliest moments in the book was when Ponyboy is approached by Soc members, threatens them with a broken bottle, and then, after they leave, he picks up the broken glass on the road because he doesn’t want people getting flat tires. It was hilarious, sweet and indicative of how young people can be – a mixture of genuine and showing who they want to be.

The only reason I couldn’t give this novel five stars was that Ponyboy wasn’t always the most interesting narrator. He would describe the members of the Greasers in such a romantic way that they were all vibrant and fascinating to read. He would get psychological and theoretical about life and that was fine, but it got a little tiresome as he never described himself in any way that could match up to his perceptions of his gang members. I’m not sure if I’m a minority in that fact, but there you are.

If you’re a fan of “The Lord of the Flies” or even “Romeo and Juliet” in terms of gang warfare or rivalry, then I’d recommend this one. With a clever ending, equanimity in tough places and words to live by (“Stay gold, Ponyboy”), you can’t go wrong!

View all my reviews

The Ones You Trust

The Ones You Trust by Caroline Overington

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

SPOILER ALERT!!

I was genuinely confused after finishing “The Ones You Trust”. It had so much potential to be a really gripping, on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller with a touch of mystery to boot. But the clumsy writing and the random twists and turns ruined any chance for me to take it seriously.

Some of the choices that were made with the creation of the characters were also a bit perplexing. Like the names – who names children Seal and Fox-Piper? Every time their names popped up, I was mad, especially when the book was being ironic and shamed a character for being called Denim.

Emma’s actions and motivations also got under my skin way before it was revealed that she was a huge part of the kidnapping. Some of the reasons (now revealed as excuses and lies) that she gave for Fox-Piper not being handed in to child services were pretty flaky at best. Now that I’ve read the ending, I know it was meant to be that way, but at the time I was shaking my head and calling her dumb repeatedly.

Another one of her silly choices was not coming clean about catching Brandon watching pornography on his laptop. Because she hesitated and lied to police, it would have implicated her from the start and any chance she had of flying under the radar would have been destroyed. And speaking of Brandon, he just disappeared at the end of the book, almost like he was a footnote.

I also wasn’t sure how realistic it was to make Maven such a dominating presence in Emma’s private life. Can a network executive really be responsible for planning weddings, and telling their employees when to start families and where to go on holidays? Maybe that’s showing my naivety about the business of television management and public relations.

Also, why the heck did the police release the Lindt Ball Man? He was in custody one minute and potentially harassing Cassie the next! No explanation.

However, whenever the story was told from the point of view of Franklin, his account of the situation was informative and reflective of what actions police officers take in crimes such as this one. I liked the methodical steps that had to be taken as soon as the kidnapping was reported, and how his skepticism of Emma and Brandon intertwined with said steps. I took this into account when rating it, and it ultimately was what made me decide to bump it up to three stars.

I was hooked for two-thirds just because I wanted to find out who the kidnapper was, and now I wish I hadn’t bothered. It was a laidback and easy read that tried so hard to be the next “Gone Girl” and fell flat on its face. I probably wouldn’t read it again.

What did you think of this one? Do you think it deserved the Women’s Weekly Book Club Award? Did you find it charming or authentic? Did you see the twists and turns coming? Love it or hate it, I’m interested to see what you think!

The Shifting Fog

The Shifting Fog by Kate Morton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SPOILER ALERT!

This was the first Kate Morton novel I’ve read, and if her other novels are as good as this then I’m in for a treat!
This was so up my ally! I’m a huge fan of historical dramas and I couldn’t help but play the Downton Abbey musical suite whilst reading for the full effect.

Morton’s writing style is so effortless and natural that I never had trouble picturing any of the geographical landmarks of Riverton or had doubts about any of the characters motivations. It flowed beautifully. I enjoyed the use of sophisticated language that never seemed out of place in phrases or sentences and reflected the time period perfectly. I’ve added a lot of new words to my vocabulary based on what I’ve found in “The Shifting Fog”. Even the title refers to multiple elements in the story making it multi-faceted just on sight alone!

The twists were brilliantly done! The only one I guessed early on was Grace’s connection to the Hartford siblings. Everything else was a shock and a surprise, which is definitely what you want in a good story.

If I had to play devil’s advocate, the only thing I could pick out that could annoy readers is that only in part 3 of the novel is Robbie Hunter thoroughly explored. If you’re willing to wait until then it’s absolutely worth it! Playing devils advocate is particularly tough for this book though, I enjoyed it that much.

I can’t praise this enough! If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey and are looking for something that screams pre WW1, then give “The Shifting Fog” a try. And if you have read it already, did you enjoy it as much as me? Were you a fan of the use of language and memory? Is there anything I haven’t mentioned that you also loved, or that you didn’t like? I welcome your input!

View all my reviews

And the Mountains Echoed

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
S P O I L E R A L E R T !

I found “And the Mountains Echoed” moving. Strong themes of history, memory, and family ring throughout and it was beautiful to read. Although not as good as its predecessors, it still weaved an intrinsic tale that captured me immediately.

The fairytale that is told to Abdullah and Pari at the beginning was heart-breaking, but also a fantastic mirror of the central plot of the book. If it wasn’t used to parallel the tragedy of separation of the siblings it could have been a great book on its own.
I also particularly loved a quote that can be found on pages 118-119. It spoke to me about fate and I found it really stuck with me after reading it.

However I did find some faults that, unfortunately, prevented it from earning five stars from me.
To start, the moment when Pari is taken away was completely botched. It wasn’t written explicitly, it was implied and it really didn’t pack as hard of a punch as the trials and tribulations his characters from his other novels experienced. The transition wasn’t there and I had to go back a few pages to make sure I wasn’t crazy for missing it. It didn’t do much for my heart-strings personally.

Due to the different stories all connecting by specific characters, the chapters contained an overload of content that spanned decades and I discovered that I had to put it down for a couple of hours to let the previous story sink in before starting the next. I would recommend other readers do the same.
It was a very similar experience to reading “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, where Charlie’s diary entries covered a lot of time.

The ending though…It broke me. I have personal experiences of loved ones losing memories and nursing homes and it reminded me of those hard times. It definitely is a bittersweet ending, not at all like Disney’s “Coco”.
So if you’re looking for something bright and meaningful to make that gut-wrenching reveal less painful: good luck!

Overall I found the book enjoyable and clever. Some stories grabbed me more than others, such as Pari Senior’s, Pari Junior’s, Nabi’s, Parwana’s and Idris’.
It definitely had its own identity and I would definitely recommend it to others who love Hosseini’s work.

So is this one of your favourite Hosseini novels? Did it stack up to his other works? Did you enjoy the structure of the narrative? Whatever your thoughts, put them down below!

View all my reviews

The Girl on the Page

The Girl On The Page by John Purcell

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
S P O I L E R A L E R T !

I received my uncorrected proof copy of “Girl on the Page” whilst attending the Harper Collins publishing roadshow in August of last year. I had it signed, and Purcell left the following message on the title page:

“To Ellie
A book for book lover.
John Purcell”.

Boy was this book indicative of its author’s typo. It was terrible, and I feel terrible for saying that it wasn’t good but I feel obligated to be honest when I read. I haven’t read a book this bad in such a long time and I have to say it was an interesting experience.

Why did it suck? Here are a few of the key reasons I found whilst reading:

-It boarded on being pornographic with sex overshadowing the publishing elements in the first two thirds. It was kind of gross to see the word “cock” crop up so many times and it didn’t enhance the story by being mentioned. The whole point of Amy taking on this job seemed to take a backseat to her sex-life. It was really uncomfortable reading scenes of people filming others having oral sex and getting off on it. Not what I expected to read and not at all welcome to me personally.
-It was written so clumsily. I’m hoping the final copies of the book turned out a little better because, to me, there were some phrases in the dialogue that seemed unnatural and wouldn’t be spoken the way they were in real life.
-Does Purcell believe all women are sex-crazed maniacs? People like having sex and that’s wonderful! But when it is Amy’s primary hobby (aside from binge drinking) I couldn’t help but wonder if some sort of education should have been given to Purcell…
-As mentioned previously, the dialogue was a problem for me. Characters seemed to say one thing and their movements would reflect the antithesis. For example, there is a conversation between Amy and Max that starts off with one of them vehemently rebuking the other, but then their body language conveys the exact opposite on the next page. It’s almost as if the character is entirely indecisive. Another example comes when Amy tells Liam she can’t continue their sexual relationship because they are hurting Liam’s wife: Gail. In the next page break, Amy talks about how Gail is unfairly dictating her sex-life and that she’s shit! What the hell? Make up your mind!

When the story got back on track talking about the publishing world, it was fascinating to read. I was genuinely interested in hearing about deals being forged and how specific contracts were formed. This was what prompted me to give it two stars.

Aside from that, complete drivel. I’ll be giving my copy to someone else poste-haste!

So if you have read this gem before, what were your thoughts? Did you loathe it as much as me, or am I completely crazy? Was there any elements that could have been done better? Whatever your thoughts, leave them down below.

View all my reviews