Printable Version of Topic

Posted by: Fawkes17 Feb 22 2008, 06:10 PM

hey guys

just thought i'd start a thread to see what everyone thinks about OoTP.
i remember when it first came out, and lots of people said it was too long or it had too many side stories and the main chapters at the end were too rushed.

what's your opinions though?

in my personal opinion, i think this was my favourite book (can't say much for the film though!) and i loved it and i can't see why people dislike it so much.
x

Posted by: dumblond-peppa Feb 22 2008, 06:16 PM

Well, right now I'm Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Reading OotP and I have to say, I think its the worst book ( Still Brilliant though! ) I have to say it has a lot of stide storys, but then again, there all importent, we find that out in the end.

WoW I was like 8 when OotP came out

Posted by: harrypottergeek2 Feb 22 2008, 06:32 PM

I'll admit that I was a bit disappointed with the book overall, but only because I was expecting a war against LV, and we didn't get that until HBP. OotP was the first Potter book I had to wait for ( I got into HP after GoF was released), so when all the stuff I expected to happen didn't, it was a tad disappointing.

In all honesty, the length didn't bother me, especially once the trio and a few others went to the Ministry - that was an amazing scene! But the way that the Ministry (particularily Umbridge) impeded Harry and the Order in their fight against LV was very frustrating. There was some interesting information revealed, particularily at the very end with the "Sit down, Harry, I am going to tell you everything" scene (which, despite all the hype for it, I forgot about because it took so long to get there), but not much main plot advancement until the end.

Posted by: Shnoing Feb 22 2008, 06:46 PM

OotP is my favourite book. It's the only one I cannot (re-)read within one day. And I just like how dark it is. Well, ok, the first chapter of GoF was also excellent (that's where I started with HP). OotP is: introducing Luna, starting the DA, featuring the dreadful Umbridge (and we meet any number of Umbridges in real life, let me tell you!) and showing unexpected traits of humour in teachers (the swamp, "it unscrews the other way").

Posted by: dumblond-peppa Feb 22 2008, 09:13 PM

I was quit lucky, I got into HP only a year ago so I had only to wait for DH~!

Posted by: Sethtaylorsummer Feb 22 2008, 09:30 PM

Before I found Leaky and begain discussing it with people, OotP was my least favourite HP book simply because of all Harry's anger and Sirius's moroseness (to the point that I wasn't all that sad when he died because his behaviour had been annoying me). But after coming to Leaky and discussing things a bit I have much more appreciation for this book; I can see where they are both coming from now and so Harry's anger is understandable and Sirius's life is a bit heartbreaking

Now I really really like it (I always really liked it, but now it gets another 'really' ), and have a hard job finding a 'least favourite' ... I can reel off my favourites and this still isn't top spot, but it's not at the bottom anymore anyway.

Posted by: Blibbering Humdinger Feb 22 2008, 10:19 PM

I think its the most multi-layered complex, emotionally and plot-wise. Some people say it has too many words, but I don't think there is a word in excess in OOTP; everything detail is there for a reason. It was also the book that made me feel the strongest emotions (perhaps with the exception of rereading DH; first time around was too rushed)--maddening frustration at Umbridge/ministry, irritation/sympathy with Harry and his angst, strong sense of unity/friendship at those DA moments, etc.
I thinks its Jo's best writing, although its not what I pick of my shelf to reread often (that would be DH or HBP)

Posted by: groovygal2k Feb 23 2008, 12:52 PM

Although this is a very long book, i feel that every chapter was worth while. I read OOTP 3 times and everytime there was something new, as though it changed everytime i read it. its like when you see a film, no matter how many times you see it, you spot things you swear you never saw before. (depending on the film of course). i still believe to this day, that warner brothers, or who ever wrote the script, slaughtered the book! i loved the film, because its harry potter, but as a true supporter of harry potter, i believe it was a total ruin! anyway, back to the book. I loved the Book! Abso-Brillio! lol i might read it again actually, if i dont already know it word for word lol. oh wait thats the film lol once i finish my book pile (already upto 8) i will get around to OOTP!

Posted by: woodlands Feb 27 2008, 06:01 PM

This is my fave book ever!!! the fifth one... it was the first one I bought to read when I was 13... I have read it like 4 times and I think it's really awesome!!!

Posted by: Dora87 Mar 1 2008, 02:59 AM

A lot of people complained about it being too long, but it's one of my favourite books in the series. Its lenght allows Rowling to "explore" a bit more the wizarding world, the relationship between the characters, their feelings... then, we see the consequences of Voldemort's return and the beginning of the Second War.

Besides, there are many scenes I like very much: the fight in the MoM, Fred and George leaving Hogwarts, McGonagall vs Umbridge...

Last but not least: Sirius in this book is touching. (I really don't know how many times I re-read the last page of chapter 35, hoping it was simply a joke...)

Posted by: wendybird3 Mar 1 2008, 06:24 AM

OoTP...well it was long for sure. But I didnt feel like it was longer then needed. I liked it very much. There was so much in it. I am in fact re-reading it now for the 4th time (well I am in fact in 3 books at once now. I have the Jim Dale read of OoTP going at my computer (which is a lot of the time), DH playing in my car and am reading the paperback of HBP).

I didnt have to wait for any of the books to come out, I was able to go straight through since it was only about 4 or 5 months ago that I started (long story).

It was a bit of a change in how they fought. In the SS/PS they only went as far as the Chess Board for Ron and the potions for Hermione, Harry went on alone. In CoS Hermione was petrified so it was only Ron who went into the chamber with Harry (yeah Lockheart but I am talking about the trio ) but only as far as the cave in. Then in GoF Harry faced the dangers on his own while Ron and Hermione were only able to try to help him figure out what to do. But here in OoTP they, and now Luna and Neville go with him and face the danger, and fight and are even hurt right along with Harry. And what a huge amount of change it is for Harry to let them come, he always seems to think he needs to do things alone, but his friends and the love they have for each other is such a powerful weapon. If Harry feels alone and like he has no one on his side then he will be easier for LV to get to. The DA and his bond with the main 5 of the DA are a huge deal, he lets them in and they are a great team. I love this story line. And hey, it gave us Luna who I adore.

And as for Umbridge, while I so very much disliked her, so much so that I cheered out loud when she was carried off by the Centaurs. She was the thing that caused them to form the DA which was more then just DADA lessons, it was as I said above a growing expierience for them all.

I liked the movie too, but was dissapointed in what was left out. I should tell you that I all of the movies that are out now before I finished the 7 books, and I liked the movies more before I read the book versions of it but still like the movies and watch them whenever I have nothing to do and their isnt anything on tv I want to watch or will have one of them playing in my room to fall asleep to (I am an odd duck in that I cant sleep if it is to quiet so I have the tv going at night. )

So, I really liked OoTP (not my fav, thats a toss up between DH and HBP but then again to me they feel like they are really one book)

Posted by: dimbly Mar 2 2008, 05:06 AM

[color="#FF0000"]hellooo....

well to start off i juz wanna say dat order of the phoenix used to be my favourite book before half-blood prince abd deathly hallows was released.even though it's a very long story i never fail to read it every time during my long breaks.ootp is a very nice book and i think dat the movie was quite ok.even though sum ppl complain about the movie i feel dat at least it was better than the fourth movie which was a total disaster for me.i didn't expect it to turn out dat way.so...i juz dropped by to say I ENJOY THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX.

signing off,
dimbly

Posted by: Luna'sLostSister1 Mar 4 2008, 02:31 PM

This was the same with me as well. I started reading the books around 1999/2000, so that was around the time of Goblet. I hated that long three year wait and I remember how excited I was when they announced the release date.

As the book, i think it's good. I used to like it a lot when it first came out, but not so much now. Don't get me wrong, it's a great book, but still, one of the weakest of the seven. I think CoS is the worst followed by this. I still enjoyed the book. The beginning was a little long but everything picked up in the end. It was a necessary book. We needed it in order to understand HBP and DH. The last two books are paced very well.

I love that Luna was introduced (hard to tell she's my favorite character right? ) and I loved how the trio rebelled against the ministry with the DA. The end was great. However, every time I read it, I have to skip the chapter in Hagrid's tale. I just think it is overly long and Gawrp is also quiet useless. If these two things we eliminated the book might have been better.

So, to make a long story short I liked the book, but I think it's far from being the best of the series. In my opinion that would be DH.

Posted by: magicoflove Mar 6 2008, 02:00 PM

OoTP was hard for me because that year was so hard for Harry. The whole tone of the book was so dark it was depressing also. I appreciated the story more after I read HBP. Harry definately took a huge step toward being a man in this book.

Posted by: JaneMarple9 Mar 6 2008, 03:16 PM

I found this book to be the series where the characters really grew up. I could understand Harry's "Capslock stage", he had every right to be annoyed. No one was telling him anything. On first reading I was astounded with the Mrs Figg revealation and Petunia knowing more about the Wizarding World than we knew. Sirius considered Harry more like a friend, (Molly had a point, saying how Sirius sometimes confused Harry with his best friend, James) and he became very depressed at Grimmauld Place. I really disliked Umbridge and the death in this book really upset me