Title: Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
(Harry Potter Series #3)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: YA, Fantasy
First published: July 8th 1999
Finished reading: September 25th 2014
Pages: 317
“Besides, the world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.”
Some know already that I’m currently rereading the seven books of the Harry Potter series. Book number three, Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, is one of my favorites and marks the beginning of a growingly dangerous wizard world where Voldemort is about to rise again. Growing up along with Harry and his friends the first time I read these books, I could really appreciate the books becoming darker over the years… And it makes sense as Harry is growing up as well. J.K. Rowling did an excelent job with this third book, and is able to tell us a both terrifying and magical story in only threehundred pages. Lupin is probably one of my favorite Defense Against The Dark Arts teachers, and I remember being glad J.K. Rowling decided to use him again in later books. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban is, like the previous books, a definite must read for anyone who enjoys reading YA fantasy and won’t disappoint. It’s just magical!
WARNING: Spoilers! Please don’t read this summary if you haven’t read the previous books yet...
Just as Harry thinks his summer with the Dursleys cannot get worse, his aunt decides to stay at her brother’s house. She despises Harry and uses every opportunity to criticize and humiliate him. Harry tries to be patient as he cannot use magic in presence of Muggles, but enough is enough and he ends up accidently blowing up his aunt. Fleeing the Dursley house, he gets picked up by a very special bus and when he arrives at The Leaky Cauldron they are waiting for him. But he doesn’t get expelled as he was expecting; they actually seem very glad to see him alive. A dangerous murderer has escaped the wizard prison of Azkaban and is currently on the loose… And what Harry doesn’t know, is that the same wizard named Sirius Black is looking for him.
Everybody seems to be concerned about Harry’s safety but Harry himself. They don’t let him go anywhere alone and this doesn’t stop when they arrive at Hogwarts. They fear Black will attempt to enter Hogwarts and attack him. Dumbledore has agreed to have the Azkaban prison guards, creatures named Dementors, at the gates of Hogwarts to prevent this. They don’t seem to obey all the rules though and approach the students various times. The Dementors have a terrible effect on Harry. Every time they are close, he hears the last moments of his parents’ life… And he faints. Black is spotted close to Hogwarts, and then he managed to enter the school and attack the portrait that guards the entrance of the Griffindor common room. New security measures are taken, and Harry is trying to weapon himself against the Dementors with the help of professor Lupin. Then one night the horrible truth comes out and Harry starts seeing the past events in a whole new light…
Poor Harry doesn’t get a break, does he? Surviving Voldemort three times already (twice in the first two years at Hogwarts), you think he deserved a nice and quiet third year. But no, this time a dangerous criminal is trying to kill him and people turn out to be different than who they seemed to be. I loved the final scenes and I wish I could have a watch like Hermione’s… A great reread and definitely worth reading if you haven’t already!
Great review. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban is my favorite in the series 🙂
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Thanks! 😀 It’s one of my favorites as well…
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Actually, I’m toying with the idea of rereading the whole Harry Potter series, too. It’s been a while since my last time. 😉 Thanks to your great review (and because “The Prisoner of Azkaban” is my favourite part) I really want to get serious with this plan. 🙂
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The Harry Potter series is only of my all time favorites and definitely worth reading numerous times. 😀
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Great review. Prisoner of Azkaban will always be my favorite of the series. Sirius and Buckbeak and Dobby. Sigh.
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I totally agree; Sirius, Lupin, Buckbeak… Some great characters in this third book! 😀
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Ohhh! Lupin! Best Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor ever 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Definitely!
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It’s definitely been too long since I’ve re-read these! I’ve got to somehow find some time.
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It definitely takes some time with seven books, but they are easy and relatively fast to read… I’m looking forward to the fourth book which I will probably read in two weeks or so. 😀
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The Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite! I love the marauders, I always hoped for a prequel. Yeah they definitely get darker as they go. This is the last of the happy years for Harry, poor kid, it only gets worse after this. I so have to reread these!
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A prequel would have been awesome! I would love to read more about the young Sirius, Lupin and James back when they were still at Hogwarts. 😀
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