Well, so Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix has been released, and people are flocking to the bookstores in droves. Some of course are only curios cats, while others like me, who have read the predecessors and have waited for this event with bated breath, are busy buying the book at an outrageous price. I’ve always felt that books are priceless and nothing is too much, but this is stretching it a bit.
All I can say, this latest book is much ado about nothing. Not that it wasn’t interesting, it was a bit of a damp squib as compared to the previous books. Frankly, I would never compare a book with its predecessors, but this book was written with only the existing fans in mind. I always found it laudable how JK Rowling wrote each book as a stand alone, as in if you haven’t read the first one its ok, coz the second one explains everything. In sharp contrast, the Order of Phoenix blithely ignores the possible fans by not explaining the obscure magical thingies. Leaving the first time readers quite in the dark, about stuff like a pen sieve, the philosophers stone, Dementors, Azkaban, Sirius Black, Cedric Diggory, the list is endless. The previous books were all full of interesting new magical adventures, adding just a bit of tragedy what with Harry’s stay at the Dursley’s and a sense of hilarity what with the interesting byplay between Ron, Hermione & the other Weasleys. This interesting combination kept the readers riveted page after page. With the Order of the Phoenix, JK Rowling completely forgets that its innovation which keeps her in demand. This book has nothing new to offer, besides adolescent hormones on rampage. As Harry reaches his fifteenth year, he develops the sense of self-pity, which he continuously wallows in, as he keeps reminding his friends that he has done so much for them and they are so ungrateful. (Hallelujah, and the heavens wept at this tragic hero’s woebegone condition.) The reader not only has to put up with Harry’s temper tantrums, but also with Sirius Black’s glum moods, Ron’s amazing lack of confidence in himself, Dumbledore’s self-recrimination bout, Mrs. Weasley’s stress, Snape’s unhappy childhood, well lets say they are not happy campers. Each character has a bone to gnaw on. You know, if we wanted to read about Adolescent woes, we would have read the normal dime-a-dozen books on High school woes. (Now, get the dig about being over-priced).
So, story as it goes is that as Lord Voldermot (ooh, I said his name, I must be plumb crazy to take such a risk) has arisen, much like the phoenix from the ashes, Dumbledore, the mighty headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Wizardry quickly puts together a motley crew to organize a defense against the dark lord. (Sounds familiar, Sauron, ring a bill??) Which he also names the Order of the Phoenix, which has some aurors, Harry’s Godfather (The much touted Sirius Black), Snape, MacGongall, etc. Harry of course is spending the miserable summer with the Dursley’s, and here starts his bouts of self-righteousness, self-pity, blah, blah. So the tragic hero is frustrated and Dementors attack him, so he is summoned to the Order of the phoenix headquarters where his best buddies are also residing. Of course, his dander is up again, as how come the hero knows nothing and the minions know so much. Well, after many useless pages, where all we gather is that Voldermot has risen, the Scooby-doo gang moves to Hogwarts for their school term, where again Harry is the object of ridicule and speculation, as nobody believes his Voldermot story. Boo-hoo. Many chapters fly by and we see, the Ministry of Magic has gone and decided to take-over the school, and their world has turned upside down. Harry, our tragic hero fighting the evil ministry is banned from playing Quidditch, so he decides to secretly teach other students Defence against Dark Arts. This is right about the time, the reader cries for some magical ability so he can hex JK Rowling. Blimey!! Ron of course starts playing Quidditch and rises from absolute ridicule to absolute worship in a space of a few games, while Harry bemoans his fate from the sidelines. Had enough, yet?? No? Ok, then so while all this happening, Harry is dreaming that he is Voldermot and killing people, and his infamous scar keeps on twitching as a ghastly reminder of his past. Harry refuses to consult Dumbledore, as he is in a mighty snit, about how Dumbledore won’t tell him anything. Yet he manages to save Mr. Weasly from imminent death, by dreaming about the Dark Lord and his misdemeanors. (Thank God, for small mercies). So, this sorry saga continues, as he is unable to talk to Sirius and his dreams continue and the Ministry is wreaking havoc at the School. Tedious isn’t it?? Now, the final chapters of the book are at hand, eagerly adding insult to the injury. Here Harry dreams right in the middle of an exam, that the evil Lord is torturing his Godfather, so of course, its Harry to the rescue. Only of course this Harry is not as mean as the other dirty one (whose camp I do want to attend), so he needs assistance to fight the Dark Lord (Ho-hum), so he takes his friends along, and of course the order crew can’t be too far behind. So ensues, the most humdrum of battles, as each good wizard duels with the Death-Eaters in painful detail.
In the fray, Sirius Black dies. I don’t know what Rowling cried about, she could have done away with some more dead weight, I reckon. So Harry then has a heart-to-heart chat with Dumbledore, where the latter professes his love for Harry, which made him do some wrong things (Why? That pervert!!!) like keeping in him in dark about the fact that Harry is Voldermot’s nemesis. (Yeah, big secret, I would have never guessed, what with the previous books being full of that and all!!) So, in the dying pages of the book, we see Harry in a pensive mood as he wonders what the future, bleak as it is, has in store for him. All in all, this was one order I could have done without. And if you don’t believe me, go pick up copy and see for yourselves. Till then, I reserve the right to say I told you so!!! - Mansi Bhagat