Author- JK Rowling
Series- Harry Potter
Published- 1999
Page Count- 317 (Original UK Hardcover)
Publishing House- Bloomsbury
Rating- 5/5 stars
About the Author
There is a lot of information about JK Rowling on her website, so I've picked the key bits for this section.
Jo conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper.
For most children, summer vacation is something to look forward to. But not for our 13-year-old hero, who's forced to spend his summers with an aunt, uncle, and cousin who detest him. The third book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series catapults into action when the young wizard "accidentally" causes the Dursleys' dreadful visitor Aunt Marge to inflate like a monstrous balloon and drift up to the ceiling. Fearing punishment from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon (and from officials at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who strictly forbid students to cast spells in the nonmagic world of Muggles), Harry lunges out into the darkness with his heavy trunk and his owl Hedwig.
As it turns out, Harry isn't punished at all for his errant wizardry. Instead, he is mysteriously rescued from his Muggle neighbourhood and whisked off in a triple-decker, violently purple bus to spend the remaining weeks of summer in a friendly inn called the Leaky Cauldron. What Harry has to face as he begins his third year at Hogwarts explains why the officials let him off easily. It seems that Sirius Black--an escaped convict from the prison of Azkaban--is on the loose. Not only that, but he's after Harry Potter. But why? And why do the Dementors, the guards hired to protect him, chill Harry's very heart when others are unaffected? Once again, Rowling has created a mystery that will have children and adults cheering, not to mention standing in line for her next book. Fortunately, there are four more in the works. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson
As it turns out, Harry isn't punished at all for his errant wizardry. Instead, he is mysteriously rescued from his Muggle neighbourhood and whisked off in a triple-decker, violently purple bus to spend the remaining weeks of summer in a friendly inn called the Leaky Cauldron. What Harry has to face as he begins his third year at Hogwarts explains why the officials let him off easily. It seems that Sirius Black--an escaped convict from the prison of Azkaban--is on the loose. Not only that, but he's after Harry Potter. But why? And why do the Dementors, the guards hired to protect him, chill Harry's very heart when others are unaffected? Once again, Rowling has created a mystery that will have children and adults cheering, not to mention standing in line for her next book. Fortunately, there are four more in the works. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson
Taken from Goodreads.
Opinions
PoA (Prisoner of Azkaban) is my second favourite Harry Potter book, so rereading it was an absolute joy. It introduces us to my two favourite characters in the entire series, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. It's also the only one without Voldemort in, which is such a good change from the other books. It's also the one that starts to get darker and changes the entire tone of the series. The movie also did it great justice and the soundtrack is one of the best.
I really do hate Aunt Marge. She is beyond cruel to Harry and I don't blame Harry for losing control when she is there. I know I've said this several times, but Harry does deserve better. It makes it more bittersweet when he gets the birthday presents from Hermione, Ron and Hagrid.
The Knight Bus is one of my favourite parts of this book. It's such a unique idea and I love the added Shrunken Heads that they use in the movie. I wish the movies had included more of Stan and Earnie as in the books they're just great. I would recommend listening to this one on audiobook, especially the Stephen Fry version as the voices he does are exactly how I imagined Stan and Earnie.
I honestly wish I could visit Diagon Ally as the description in this book just makes me fall in love with it. I could honestly spend hours at Florian Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. If I could I would be at the Magical Mangerie and I would take Crookshanks home as I love that ginger moggie so much. If I ever get a cat of my own, Crookshanks is one of the names I am considering calling my cat.
The dementors are the best creature in the books. It's unthinkable to imagine a world without happiness because of the dementors. I love the metaphor behind them, that Expecto Patronum can get rid of them and that they are able to get rid of depression. They are very scary and well thought through and I never thought I'd have a fangirl moment of a dementor.
Professor Lupin is the best thing to happen to Harry at this point in his life. He tells him things about his parents and shows him kindness when he feels isolated. I just love Remus Lupin and really want a prequel series about him and the Marauders.
Quidditch in this books is very important and I love that it's more central than in the other books. It makes me very happy that Gryffindor finally wins, but it breaks my heart when Harry's broom breaks. But it is odd that Sirius buys him a broom because surely the goblins at Gringotts would recognise his vault number.
Divination and Care of Magical sounds like amazing subjects and I would love to take lessons in them myself. Basically, I wish I was a wizard and that I could go to Hogwarts. Hagrid being a professor is really sweet, but I'm not sure how qualified he is to teach. I know this is fiction, but if you think about the logistics, Hagrid would need a teaching qualification to teach.
It is stated that Fred and George have had the Marauders Map since their first year and we know that Fred and George are 3 years old than Ron. So Ron is now in his third year and we know that the Map shows that Peter Pettigrew is in Hogwarts. So why didn't Fred and George confront Ron about having a known dead man in his bed? I mean, I understand if they're respecting his privacy, but they have a father who works in the ministry, so surely they must know who Peter Pettigrew is.
Snape is horrid in this book. He has bullied Neville so much that Snape is his worst fear. He is trying to sabotage Lupin's career. I really don't understand how people can like Snape, as at this point he is nothing more than a manipulative man, who can't let an old grudge die.
Hermione in this book has to be my favourite version of Hermione. She applies for a time-turner just so she can do more classes. She manages to save Sirius and Buckbeak and still get top grades? She is a new kind of badass, one who does amazing things and still does her homework. And when she punches Draco in the face, it makes me exceptionally happy.
Like my last two reviews, there is so much I could say, so here are some honourable mentions:
Carenza x
I really do hate Aunt Marge. She is beyond cruel to Harry and I don't blame Harry for losing control when she is there. I know I've said this several times, but Harry does deserve better. It makes it more bittersweet when he gets the birthday presents from Hermione, Ron and Hagrid.
The Knight Bus is one of my favourite parts of this book. It's such a unique idea and I love the added Shrunken Heads that they use in the movie. I wish the movies had included more of Stan and Earnie as in the books they're just great. I would recommend listening to this one on audiobook, especially the Stephen Fry version as the voices he does are exactly how I imagined Stan and Earnie.
I honestly wish I could visit Diagon Ally as the description in this book just makes me fall in love with it. I could honestly spend hours at Florian Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. If I could I would be at the Magical Mangerie and I would take Crookshanks home as I love that ginger moggie so much. If I ever get a cat of my own, Crookshanks is one of the names I am considering calling my cat.
The dementors are the best creature in the books. It's unthinkable to imagine a world without happiness because of the dementors. I love the metaphor behind them, that Expecto Patronum can get rid of them and that they are able to get rid of depression. They are very scary and well thought through and I never thought I'd have a fangirl moment of a dementor.
Professor Lupin is the best thing to happen to Harry at this point in his life. He tells him things about his parents and shows him kindness when he feels isolated. I just love Remus Lupin and really want a prequel series about him and the Marauders.
Quidditch in this books is very important and I love that it's more central than in the other books. It makes me very happy that Gryffindor finally wins, but it breaks my heart when Harry's broom breaks. But it is odd that Sirius buys him a broom because surely the goblins at Gringotts would recognise his vault number.
Divination and Care of Magical sounds like amazing subjects and I would love to take lessons in them myself. Basically, I wish I was a wizard and that I could go to Hogwarts. Hagrid being a professor is really sweet, but I'm not sure how qualified he is to teach. I know this is fiction, but if you think about the logistics, Hagrid would need a teaching qualification to teach.
It is stated that Fred and George have had the Marauders Map since their first year and we know that Fred and George are 3 years old than Ron. So Ron is now in his third year and we know that the Map shows that Peter Pettigrew is in Hogwarts. So why didn't Fred and George confront Ron about having a known dead man in his bed? I mean, I understand if they're respecting his privacy, but they have a father who works in the ministry, so surely they must know who Peter Pettigrew is.
Snape is horrid in this book. He has bullied Neville so much that Snape is his worst fear. He is trying to sabotage Lupin's career. I really don't understand how people can like Snape, as at this point he is nothing more than a manipulative man, who can't let an old grudge die.
Hermione in this book has to be my favourite version of Hermione. She applies for a time-turner just so she can do more classes. She manages to save Sirius and Buckbeak and still get top grades? She is a new kind of badass, one who does amazing things and still does her homework. And when she punches Draco in the face, it makes me exceptionally happy.
Like my last two reviews, there is so much I could say, so here are some honourable mentions:
- The train to Hogwarts at the beginning of the book.
- Hagrid's first Care of Magical Creatures lesson.
- The Grim.
- Crookshanks and Scabbers fighting.
- Harry, Hermione and Ron learning the truth about Sirius.
- Sirius inviting Harry to live with him.
- Harry conjuring an amazing Patronus.
- All the trips to Hogsmeade.
- Ron getting Pig and Harry getting permission to go to Hogsmeade.
Carenza x
