Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
by J. K. Rowling
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Book Summary Information
Author: J. K. RowlingEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2004-05-01
ISBN: 043965548X
Number of pages: 560
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Reviews of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
Book Review: My favorite Harry Potter volume...
Summary: 5 Stars
After purposely avoiding the entire Harry Potter frenzied bandwagon, I finally gave in. My curiosity was peaked following a news story I saw in regards to some folks burning Harry Potter books in protest. I had to find out what exactly the fuss was about. Knowing nothing about the books I randomly picked up the Prisoner of Azkaban, actually the third book in the series by J.K. Rowling. The minute I began to read it, I couldn't put it back down and read the entire book and continued on to its two predecessors. I had joined the Potter fan world.
The story starts the same as each with Harry spending the summer at his dreadful aunt & uncle's house before returning to another year at magic boarding school - Hogwarts - where he is learning to be a wizard. In this, his third year at Hogwarts, Harry, now 13, is a teenager and all the complications that accompany that stage of life on top of discovering there is an escaped prisoner from the wizard prison Azkaban rumored to be pursuing him. Of course, the story isn't as simple as that. For the first time, we get a real look into Harry's past and the greater, darker story unraveling of Harry's connection to the evil Lord Voldemort that will run the remainder of the series. Even with the impeding moments of doom, life saving time travel and frightening shadowy Dementor's lurking about, the story isn't entirely angst filled. There are plenty of humorous moments originating from normal awkward coming of age relationships and experiences. From Harry's two best friends constant bickering to discovering girls and a map of secret passages that leads to plenty of trouble and humor along the way. When Harry is warned escaped Azkaban prisoner is after him, Harry prioritizes like most normal teenagers by focusing on what is really important - sports! Whatever lofty expectations the surrounding wizard community puts on him, Harry doesn't view himself as that hero. His story is much like Cinderella's story or The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Like Sara, Harry finds his fortune, who his parents were, and his new guardian, but his troubles are not solely with his wicked step family or a money hungry orphanage keeper. Throughout Harry & Sara stay true to the people who have stood by them thru hardship. They remember the true friendship and mercy from the few that bestowed it.
As a result of Harry being rather new to the Wizard World, he is naïve to the fear inspired by Lord Voldemort or rather "You-know-who" as the magic community refers to him as. This allows Harry to speak with a boldness that challenges the adults in his world to face a fear they don't wish to acknowledge. Harry sees the truth of what is to come, what they refuse to see; Lord Voldemort's return. In The Secret Garden, also by Burnett, Mary Lennox comes to mind. While she was not as humble or endearing initially as Harry or Sara, with her obstinate & stubborn curiosity she helps the adults in her world to face the fears literally crippling the one thing they were trying so hard to protect. As Harry unravels his parent's death, in the process he brings to light the truth of those comfortable deceptions the adults in his world have chosen to believe; but understanding and acceptance does not come quickly.
And as with all the Harry Potter series the magic jargon and side stories fabulously set the stage and draw you into its world. Harry's world isn't the idealistic fairy tale where everyone lives happily ever after. Becoming a wizard doesn't give Harry a perfect life nor does it return his parents, which is the one thing his heart aches for. It is what makes Harry a relatable and loveable character throughout the series. There are seven books total in this series by Rowling, not including a few fictional Hogwart's text books written as supplements. Six of the books are currently published with Rowling working on the final book due out in 2007. You won't find me in line at the midnight release for the highly anticipated finale, but I will be preordering! It is a great fairy tale with boundless imagination and humor for all ages
Summary of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
Harry Potter has to sneak back to Hogwarts, after accidentally inflating his horrible Aunt Petunia. But once there everyone is whispering about a prizoner who has escaped from the famous wizard prizon, Azkaban. His name is Sirius Black, and as a follower of Lord Voldemort he is determined to track Harry Potter down -- even if it means laying siege to the very walls of Hogwarts!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 neighborhood 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
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