Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Reviewed by: Jacob Roberts, Reference Assistant
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Suggested Age: Teens/Adults
What is this Book About? The third installment of the famed Harry Potter series is an oldie, but a goodie. It follows a young wizard in his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There are many new obstacles for Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione such as Dementors, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, a serial killer on the loose, the fate of a hippogriff, and of course the looming fear that Voldemort could still be out there somewhere lurking in the shadows.
My Review: I chose this specific installment of the Harry Potter series primarily because of how different it feels to me compared to the rest of the series. It is not uncommon for both casual readers and “Potterheads” to point out the continual darkening and maturing of the series (after all, the series’ ability to grow with the reader is what has allowed it to continue to prevail and remain relevant since it’s initial publishing in 1997). However, although this book seems to take on a darker and more gritty tone with the escape of Sirius Black, what makes it stand out against the rest of the series for me is that it is arguably the only book in the series that strays away from Voldemort as the main antagonist. The only other book that comes close to this is the Half-Blood Prince, yet even then it is evident from the beginning that it is Voldemort’s wishes that drive the antagonists of the story. Therefore, I wanted to call special attention to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, because even though it left the biggest plot of the entire series at the wayside, Rowling was able to create yet another wizarding masterpiece.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Dark, mysterious, fun
Give it a Try if You Like: The Magicians by Lev Grossman, Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, or Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
