4.5 out of 5 stars
As was the case with Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire, I'm ashamed to say that this is the first time in my twenty-two years of life that I read Order of the Phoenix. Although I've watched the movies countless times, but they aren't really considered canon, so they don't really count, and apparently, you aren't a devout Potterhead until you've read all of the books, and honestly, I don't disagree with the Harry Potter fans that make the argument that you haven't read the books to really experience the Wizarding World (because of the differences between the books and the movies). But there are also people out there who have a preference for watching films over reading books, and that's fine too. Personally, I'm affronted by the fact that it took me this long to read all of the books, I read Sorcerer's Stone at the age of seven or eight and I absolutely loved it. I'm just now realizing the gravity of this situation, it really is unbelievable.
Anyway, you came here for my review of Order of the Phoenix and instead you're getting a ranting Islam who's made a startling realization. Okay, as you can tell by the four and a half stars I've given the book, I very much enjoyed it. Forgive me in advance for making comparisons between the movie and the book. I was surprised as to how nearly accurate the events of the film were to the book, I expected a larger difference in likeness. There was a part that did not, however, make it into the film: The gang's visit to St. Mungo's. There was quite a bit that went on there that later helped in making connections. Well, that and the unexpected reappearance of Gilderoy Lockhart aka the wizard who disgraced the Ravenclaw name. When we see him again, he's gone berserk. He's even more presumptuous than he was in Chamber of Secrets (if that's even possible) always assuming Harry and the crew want his autograph. Despite the fact that he was a fraud that built his career around lies, claiming the accomplishments of other wizards as his own, I pitied him. He was so clearly out his mind that he latched onto his false success because he had nothing else.
Enough about Lockhart, The trip to the Ministry was weird, particularly the room that held the tank full of human brains. WHAT WAS THAT? I've been trying to wrap my head around the possible significance of that scene and its implications, but I could not think of one plausible explanation as to why the Ministry was keeping human brains in a tank. It was so un-Wizarding World-like that it's part of the reason I gave Order of the Phoenix four and a half stars when it could have easily been a five star read. The other reason for the not-quite-perfect rating was Sirius. He infuriated me. He's supposedly made out to be a father figure to Harry, but I did not think that AT ALL. In fact, he was like a cool uncle than a father. He was always comparing Harry to James, and almost always giving him reckless advice in this book, and he was generally just so...silly. He wasn't the serious parental figure that was portrayed in the movies. And what was up with Harry's underwhelming reaction and subsequent grief for *SPOILERS* Sirius's death. He wasn't nearly as angry and heartbroken as I'd wanted him to be. When he visits Dumbledore's office after the events of the Ministry, he doesn't blame him for Sirius's death as much as he does for abandoning him over the summer and ignoring him throughout the school year! I mean, WHAT?! I was so disappointed with that bit. But, the rest of the book was excellent that it almost makes up for it.
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