Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
December 20th 2006 07:39
Harry Potter and the Prsioner of Azkaban
Among the Harry Potter fans, Prisoner of Azkaban is regularly counted as the best novel in the series to date. I agree that this is the novel that converted me to the series. I had read Goblet of Fire before, which was also the first HP novel I’d read only to see what the fuss was about, but that novel passed over my head. It was only when I read Prsioner of Azkaban that I fell hook, line and sinker to the delights of HP universe.
So, is it the best HP novel? Technically I think Chamber of Secrets was harder to pull off but this book gets the better ratings everywhere because of one word: chemistry. We meet Sirius and Lupin, two of the most engrossing HP characters for the first time and they are nevr again so fascinating and Harry and his friends are at the right stage and age(they are neither too grownup nor too young) and their interaction with the adults has just that right chemistry, which is what makes this novel so satisfying. More than any other HP book, this is a character novel; the entire plot, its symmetries, its surprises are rooted in the characters and because we care about everyone and not just the main trio, the book makes for a majestic reading. Also, it is of right length not suffering from bloatedness as do the latter novels.
A dreaded convict called Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban, the notorious prison. The wizard world is all atwitter and Harry Potter has to put up with extra-cautionary vigils around him because everybody thinks Black is after Potter. Harry is a bit irritated but not really worried. What makes him worry though is his encounter with Dementors, the guards of Azkaban, who suck out happiness and hope from people. Whenever a Dementor is near by, Harry can hear his mum and dad being killed and this makes him pass out, once in a crucial quidditch match. This might mean Harry’s house can’t win the Quidditch Cup, so Harry requests the new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lupin, to teach him how to combat Dementors. Harry also comes to know that Sirius Black is his godfather and had betrayed his parents to Lord Voldemort. Rowling can deliver standout climaxes and Prisoner of Azkaban has the best action at the end.
As I’ve said before, there is a Potter-Voldemort saga outside the novel’s main plot and it is from this book that this saga dovetails more and more into Harry’s yearly adventures until it takes over completely from Order of the Phoenix.
So, is it the best? As a true Harry Potter fan, I do not want to pick and choose between the novels( I've even tried hard to overcome my disappointment sometimes and work on liking the novels)so there, I can't choose. I do not know if it's the best Harry Potter ever but it is Harry Potter and that's enough for me.
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Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
To Cenacle,
Funnily enough, I'm reading this now to my daughter.
(She loves it. She calls him Potty)
I must admit, I do love this book...
The last one (so far), Half-Blood Prince, was pretty good too!!
K.L.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
It wasn't until book #3 (Prisoner of Azkaban) that I really got hooked. Certainly took things up a notch and got darker, from that point of view it may be the best.
Goblet of Fire was a fun read but didnt move the grand plot forward much till the last half.
Order Of the Phoenix, could have done with some serious editing but still contains some good juicy chapters and revelations.
Like K.L Ameroth I enjoyed the latest one, nice set up for the finale.
Sorry for not dropping by sooner Cennacle, great post.
Comment by cenacle
Thanks for the comments. I'm reviewing nothing but Harry Poter books this week and my thinking about these books agrees with yours.
Take Care
Comment by cenacle
Thanks. One thing I've never been able to understnad is how can you read books of Potter length to children. Aren't they a bit too long?
Bye