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Although not a current, hot bestseller the Harry Potter series has withstood the test of time despite the transient nature of trendy young adult literature. It is at the vanguard, not only because of its engaging plot and memorable characters but because of the thoughtfulness and quality of J K Rowling's writing. I feel that no modern bookshelf is complete without this series. My favorite of the Potter canon is the fifth book, The Order of the phoenix. While I have always been a lover of long novels (this one clocks in at over 900 pages!), this is the transitory book in the saga. You can see the growth- and angst- of teenage Harry as he navigates both mundane and extraordinary situations. The dualities of life and love, death and hate are explored more fully than previous entries. One of the most delicious (and ridiculous) villains in recent memory is introduced: Dolores Umbridge, an interesting character in that she is a villain placed by the supposed protagonists to teach and develop children's abilities; a thought-provoking examination of the varying degrees of good and evil and a wonderful illustration of the gulf in between. All in all, this is just one book in a series attractive to readers young and old and should be read at least once.
HPB Staff Review