RECAP - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 29-37
Harry soon finds out that Barty Crouch had many secrets, including that he had sent his own son to Azkaban when he was discovered to be a Death Eater. Even still, Mr. Crouch was no where to be found and Harry's third and final task was soon approaching. Inside the maze that is the final task, Harry meets several creatures he'd faced before - skrewts, a boggart, giant spiders. What Harry does not expect is to find out that Viktor Krum was using the Cruciatus Curse on Cedric Diggory - and he'd thought Krum wasn't half bad.
After Harry helps Cedric, the boys are both at the Triwizard cup and neither one wants to take it because the other "deserved" it. They agreed to take it together, a tie, then something strange happens - the boys are transported by Portkey and find themselves in a graveyard, very far from Hogwarts. Someone is approaching and as Harry's scar begins to burn, that someone, Wormtail, kills Cedric and ties Harry up. Harry then realizes the graveyard he is at holds Voldemort's father, Tom Riddle. Wormtail dumps a useless Voldemort into a cauldron, and uses Riddle's bones, Harry's blood and his Wormtail's own chopped off hand to bring back the Dark Lord.
Voldemort is back in all his glory. He summons his death eaters and Harry hears many familiar names - Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy. Voldemort releases Harry's binds and gives him a chance to defend himself, and when Harry has no other spell to use but "Expelliarmus," Voldemort tries to kill him and their wands do something very strange - they connect. Ghosts of the last people Voldemort murdered begin to spill out of the connection, Harry's parents among them, and they help him get Cedric's body and return to the Portkey. Harry escapes and when panic begins to set in on the part of the crowd and all of the officials when they realizes Harry is draped over a dead Cedric, Professor Moody whisks a sobbing Harry away from the chaos.
As Moody begins to question Harry, it becomes clear that something is very wrong. Moody reveals that he is the traitor, the one who put Harry's name in the Goblet, turned the Cup into a Portkey, the one who helped ensure that Harry would be the one to win. And just when Moody is about to kill Harry, Dumbledore bursts in and knocks Moody out. They use Veritaserum on Professor Moody who is slowly beginning to change into a man Harry doesn't know but has surely seen before - Barty Crouch, Jr. Crouch had been taking Polyjuice Potion and keeping the real Moody locked in a trunk since the beginning of the term.
Barty spills the entire story of how he escaped Azkaban with his parents' help and began to control his father with the Imperius curse, then later helped the Dark Lord capture Harry and return to full power. Harry is taken away to the hospital wing where he later finds out that Fudge does not believe that Voldemort has returned, refuses to believe anything Harry or Dumbledore say, and has let the Dementors perform the Kiss on Barty Crouch without properly interrogating him on the whereabouts of Voldemort.
Harry returns to school for the remaining few days before the year ends and he is quiet and reserved, especially since Dumbledore told the entire student body to leave him be. At the end of year feast, Dumbledore toasts to Cedric and Harry, then he tells the students that although the Ministry does not believe it nor do they want him to tell them, Voldemort is back and he is the one who killed Cedric. At least now they know and can be prepared.
Harry gave Fred and George his winnings on the condition that he not tell Mrs. Weasley and that they buy Ron a new set of dress robes. He is then sent back to his aunt and uncle's house - for the time being, so they say. Its going to be another long, horrible summer...
DISCUSSION
Well.... what can you even say after that? I still cry when Cedric dies every time. Even more so when Harry brings his body back, and he's all cryin' and stuff. Oh, I'm such a sucker. Anyways, I found the whole Crouch, Jr. situation so creative. I think this is the best mystery Rowling has created yet. In the first two books in this series, you could almost guess who the culprit was, how it was happening. She'd dropped enough clues that it wasnt completely far-fetched. Book three - I mean who really expected Sirius Black to be the good guy in it all, but still - we knew Peter Pettigrew was lurking around somewhere and something was seriously wrong. Book 4, there's no way you could've guessed how this all really happened. No one would guess Moody wasn't Moody or that Crouch, Sr. had done something unforgivable.
I tend to wonder sometimes, Barty Crouch was an awfully good Mad-Eye, don't you think? He was nice. I suppose he had to try to be exactly like Mad-Eye so as not to get caught by someone who knew him well like Dumbledore. I find it amusing that the real Mad-Eye seems to be even more paranoid in the next book, if that's possible.
I love that Harry gives his winnings away - its a wonderful thing but... I just wish he'd given it to Mrs. Weasley. Do the twins need it? Not really... And I know, I know, the joke shop would never come about if Harry hadn't done it but somehow I feel like the comfortable living situation that the Weasley's could've had overall was much more important. I dont know, maybe I'm just a big ol' softie. Still nice of him to not keep it though. It shows his maturity even will the hell he's been through.
And Rita Skeeter! I couldn't believe Hermione. Not only is she now blackmailing Skeeter at the end of the book - she's also kidnapped her, basically, and has her trapped in a jar as the creepy little beetle she is. Retribution at its finest! Hermione is becoming more and more of a rebel as the books continue, but maybe a little harsh, Herm? Kidnapping? I mean that is also a crime even if she is an unregistered animagus.
This book was so much fun to read and I can't wait to start discussing the next one which I've already started reading last week. Look for a traditional review of book 4 early next week and discussions of book 5 shortly after. Thanks for stopping by!!
A.
Showing posts with label Goblet of Fire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goblet of Fire. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Harry Potter Read-Along/Discussion [15]
RECAP - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 22 - 28
As if having to fly past a Hungarian Horntail wasn't bad enough added to all of the other drama in Harry's life, now there is to be a Yule Ball where Harry and friends must wear dress robes, find a date and dance. After Ron asks Hermione as a last resort and she says no, Harry and Ron end up going with the Patil sisters and have an awful time because they're being party poopers (especially Ron who is particularly vexed about Hermione showing up as Viktor Krum's date)!
Cedric gives Harry a clue on how to figure out the egg-clue for the task and Harry figures out that he's going to have to retrieve something from the Black Lake from the mermaids that live in it. Harry didn't think he'd have to save his friends, though! Thank goodness for Dobby who gives Harry some gillyweed to help him breathe under water, and Harry finds Ron, Hermione, Cho and Fleur's sister chained underwater. He fights off the merpeople in order to save more than just Ron, who is the only person Harry is supposed to save. Harry comes in after the time limit because he was trying to save the others, but he gets second place for his "moral fiber"!
After a few months of almost peace (except for Rita Skeeter making everyone's lives miserable), Harry finds out that the last task is a maze. While chit-chatting with Viktor Krum about Hermione and the tasks, Barty crouch comes staggering out of the Forbidden Forest mumbling about a mistake he made, Voldemort getting stronger and begging for Dumbledore. Harry goes to retrieve the Headmaster and when they return, Viktor Krum has been knocked out and Mr. Crouch is no where to be found. So much for that so called "peace"... there's definitely something fishy going on...
DISCUSSION
First of all, I'm super disappointed that Harry and Ron were such downers at the Yule Ball. Ron totally had a reason, though he didn't know at that point that he had it bad for Hermione, but I can excuse him. Harry was just annoying though. Fourteen years old or not, I love a good party and was sad that they couldn't have a good time for once. Shoot, when I was fourteen, me and the little boyfriend I had at the time, we had an awesome time! Well, I suppose we also didn't have to worry about someone trying to kill us by entering us into a deadly tournament. Either way, I kind of wish their experience at a once in a life time party where the Weird Sisters were the entertainment was a little different. Happier, perhaps? It does go to show the teen angst setting in which really takes full effect in book 5.
Anyone feel like there's a lack of things to discuss here? Well okay... maybe not a lack of things, but surely not as many things are happening as you would expect in reading so many chapters. I read somewhere that when you're publishing your first (or second...or third... whatever) novel, you should write based on the lenght of a typical book in that genre. Middle grade and young adult books are typically shorter because of the age group intended... etc. I feel like Rowling really took "artistic license" to a whole new level. I wouldnt call it wasting time, necessarily, but she really goes the extra mile to add in the tiny little details we love so much while moving the plot along at a slightly slower pace. And the pace doesn't necessarily suffer from it either, because I absolutely loved this book 100x more than I did the last time I read it and I hardly even noticed except for the fact that I've been taking notes while I read these books and realized after that with each chapter, hardly anything actually happened.
Well, all the action happens in the last chapters coming up, now don't they? I'm excited to talk about the end of the book, you know, where sh*t really hits the fan. Lets just say, after all this time and after how many times I've read it, it still makes me cry like a baby every time. I'll talk to you all soon! Thanks for stopping by :)
A.
As if having to fly past a Hungarian Horntail wasn't bad enough added to all of the other drama in Harry's life, now there is to be a Yule Ball where Harry and friends must wear dress robes, find a date and dance. After Ron asks Hermione as a last resort and she says no, Harry and Ron end up going with the Patil sisters and have an awful time because they're being party poopers (especially Ron who is particularly vexed about Hermione showing up as Viktor Krum's date)!
Cedric gives Harry a clue on how to figure out the egg-clue for the task and Harry figures out that he's going to have to retrieve something from the Black Lake from the mermaids that live in it. Harry didn't think he'd have to save his friends, though! Thank goodness for Dobby who gives Harry some gillyweed to help him breathe under water, and Harry finds Ron, Hermione, Cho and Fleur's sister chained underwater. He fights off the merpeople in order to save more than just Ron, who is the only person Harry is supposed to save. Harry comes in after the time limit because he was trying to save the others, but he gets second place for his "moral fiber"!
After a few months of almost peace (except for Rita Skeeter making everyone's lives miserable), Harry finds out that the last task is a maze. While chit-chatting with Viktor Krum about Hermione and the tasks, Barty crouch comes staggering out of the Forbidden Forest mumbling about a mistake he made, Voldemort getting stronger and begging for Dumbledore. Harry goes to retrieve the Headmaster and when they return, Viktor Krum has been knocked out and Mr. Crouch is no where to be found. So much for that so called "peace"... there's definitely something fishy going on...
DISCUSSION
First of all, I'm super disappointed that Harry and Ron were such downers at the Yule Ball. Ron totally had a reason, though he didn't know at that point that he had it bad for Hermione, but I can excuse him. Harry was just annoying though. Fourteen years old or not, I love a good party and was sad that they couldn't have a good time for once. Shoot, when I was fourteen, me and the little boyfriend I had at the time, we had an awesome time! Well, I suppose we also didn't have to worry about someone trying to kill us by entering us into a deadly tournament. Either way, I kind of wish their experience at a once in a life time party where the Weird Sisters were the entertainment was a little different. Happier, perhaps? It does go to show the teen angst setting in which really takes full effect in book 5.
Anyone feel like there's a lack of things to discuss here? Well okay... maybe not a lack of things, but surely not as many things are happening as you would expect in reading so many chapters. I read somewhere that when you're publishing your first (or second...or third... whatever) novel, you should write based on the lenght of a typical book in that genre. Middle grade and young adult books are typically shorter because of the age group intended... etc. I feel like Rowling really took "artistic license" to a whole new level. I wouldnt call it wasting time, necessarily, but she really goes the extra mile to add in the tiny little details we love so much while moving the plot along at a slightly slower pace. And the pace doesn't necessarily suffer from it either, because I absolutely loved this book 100x more than I did the last time I read it and I hardly even noticed except for the fact that I've been taking notes while I read these books and realized after that with each chapter, hardly anything actually happened.
Well, all the action happens in the last chapters coming up, now don't they? I'm excited to talk about the end of the book, you know, where sh*t really hits the fan. Lets just say, after all this time and after how many times I've read it, it still makes me cry like a baby every time. I'll talk to you all soon! Thanks for stopping by :)
A.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Harry Potter Read-Along/Discussion [14]
RECAP - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 13 - 21
Harry once thought he'd get to sit back and enjoy watching the Triwizard Tournament, but he was wrong. Someone put his name in the Goblet of Fire, the impartial judge that chooses the three school champions. But this time it chose a fourth champion - Harry Potter. Everyone hates Harry, once again, because they think he put his name in and just wanted some extra attention. But when he goes in for the first task of the Tournament, to fly past a Hungarian Horntail dragon to retrieve a golden egg, most of the school realizes he never would have put himself in that kind of danger. He does, however, do the best in this task by summoning his broomstick and using his flying skills to get around the dragon. Way to go Harry!
As if he didnt have enough to deal with with that dragon, now he's got to use the golden egg he caught to figure out his next task, and Hermione won't leave him alone about house-elf rights, Rita Skeeter won't stop writing awful articles about Harry, the school and the Ministry, and he keeps hearing strange things about Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman... when does Harry just get to be normal?
DISCUSSION
Halfway through the book and things are really just starting to heat up. Harry is in the Tri-Wizard Tournament even though he's not 17, and it was by no trick of Harry's! Mad-Eye Moody is sure someone is trying to kill Harry, but everyone else is just mad that Harry "tricked" his way in as the fourth Champion.
What really kills me is when Ron just flat out doesnt believe him, I mean, Hermione believes him. Is Ron that bitter that he can't see past his jealousy to believe his best friend. I know what you're going to say - they're only 14, of course their jealousy and emotions will get the better of them, but come on. It was beyond frustrating and you know it.
Something I noticed in this book is that Rowling goes hardcore mystery on us here. She drops some serious hints that - I'll admit - I didn't notice when I read them the first three times. I remember reading a post somewhere about how Rowling's HP books compare to her new adult novels, and the writer mentioned how they are actually not all that different. Now, I haven't read her adult novels, though I own both, but the writer mentioned how all of her HP novels were basically a mystery, spending the entire book trying to figure out "whodunnit," etc. I don't know much about The Casual Vacancy, but I've heard that Rowling uses so many of the same elements in Vacancy and in her newest novel, Cuckoo's Calling as she did in her kid's books. At the time I read that post, I nodded my head in silent agreement, but after reading book four, I want to shout out a resounding YES. Its so true and so evident as we get into the darker books that Rowling uses those mystery elements consistently.
As you read this, I am soon moving on to book five and I cant wait to talk about the rest of this book with you guys. Thanks for stopping by :)
A.
Harry once thought he'd get to sit back and enjoy watching the Triwizard Tournament, but he was wrong. Someone put his name in the Goblet of Fire, the impartial judge that chooses the three school champions. But this time it chose a fourth champion - Harry Potter. Everyone hates Harry, once again, because they think he put his name in and just wanted some extra attention. But when he goes in for the first task of the Tournament, to fly past a Hungarian Horntail dragon to retrieve a golden egg, most of the school realizes he never would have put himself in that kind of danger. He does, however, do the best in this task by summoning his broomstick and using his flying skills to get around the dragon. Way to go Harry!
As if he didnt have enough to deal with with that dragon, now he's got to use the golden egg he caught to figure out his next task, and Hermione won't leave him alone about house-elf rights, Rita Skeeter won't stop writing awful articles about Harry, the school and the Ministry, and he keeps hearing strange things about Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman... when does Harry just get to be normal?
DISCUSSION
Halfway through the book and things are really just starting to heat up. Harry is in the Tri-Wizard Tournament even though he's not 17, and it was by no trick of Harry's! Mad-Eye Moody is sure someone is trying to kill Harry, but everyone else is just mad that Harry "tricked" his way in as the fourth Champion.
What really kills me is when Ron just flat out doesnt believe him, I mean, Hermione believes him. Is Ron that bitter that he can't see past his jealousy to believe his best friend. I know what you're going to say - they're only 14, of course their jealousy and emotions will get the better of them, but come on. It was beyond frustrating and you know it.
Something I noticed in this book is that Rowling goes hardcore mystery on us here. She drops some serious hints that - I'll admit - I didn't notice when I read them the first three times. I remember reading a post somewhere about how Rowling's HP books compare to her new adult novels, and the writer mentioned how they are actually not all that different. Now, I haven't read her adult novels, though I own both, but the writer mentioned how all of her HP novels were basically a mystery, spending the entire book trying to figure out "whodunnit," etc. I don't know much about The Casual Vacancy, but I've heard that Rowling uses so many of the same elements in Vacancy and in her newest novel, Cuckoo's Calling as she did in her kid's books. At the time I read that post, I nodded my head in silent agreement, but after reading book four, I want to shout out a resounding YES. Its so true and so evident as we get into the darker books that Rowling uses those mystery elements consistently.
As you read this, I am soon moving on to book five and I cant wait to talk about the rest of this book with you guys. Thanks for stopping by :)
A.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Harry Potter Read-Along/Discussion [13]
RECAP - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 1 - 12
In chapters 1 through 10 of GoF, Harry has a dream (vision) of an incapacitated Voldemort being taken care of by Peter Pettigrew and killing an old man.... plotting to kill Harry. Also, after a particularly boring summer with the Dursley's, Harry spends the remainder of his summer with the Weasleys and gets to go to the Quidditch World Cup. The kids are having the time of their lives until some people in masks called Death Eaters start torturing muggles after the game and someone mysteriously conjures the Dark Mark - Voldemort's mark usually cast when killing someone. Everyone is terrified...
When they finally arrive at Hogwarts, Harry and his friends discover that the "May-eye" Moody Ron's dad had to go rescue the night before is their new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor... and he's got a freaky eye and a wooden leg. But even better than that, Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament for the first time in over a century, and Beauxbaton's and Durmstrang'g wizarding schools will be coming to stay for during the Tournament. Harry and his friends are excited about it, even though there will be no quidditch, and Harry finally gets to sit back and be a normal wizard since no one under 17 is allowed to enter... right?
DISCUSSION
I've noticed that Rowling takes her time with this one. I guess with the success of the last three, she was granted some leeway. In reading 10 chapters, its amazing to me how little happened as compared to reading say 5 chapters in one of the previous books. I don't mind it, trust me! There's much more detail and information as each scene does happen and gives us a bigger insight into the wizarding world we all love so much. I'm pretty much flying through this book and (being at chapter 22) I'm only through the first task and the Yule Ball. Two more tasks and a whole load of tragedy and I'm more than half way through, its kind of amazing.
We find Harry and friends at the Quidditch World Cup which I absolutely adored. Those Omnioculars! I need them for every day life cause I seem to miss a whole lot of every day life. But I particularly loved the little things we come across, including Port Keys, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the little figurines of the player that shout and cheer,etc. Its just so awesome to see what Rowling has done with the wizarding world and its like you can never run out of amazing things to discover!
Harry's dream - lets discuss the fact that even after three years of Harry being targeted and in danger, he still refuses to tell a freaking adult when he has a problem. Like really!? Harry, haven't you learned your lesson? I mean yes, he does finally tell Sirius what the problem is so I suppose that is an improvement. But come on Harry. You just saw some dark wizards conjure the Dark Mark, you've dealt with Voldemort yourself, twice. What makes you think you shouldn't go right to McGonagall and Dumbledore. Idiot. That has always been a sore spot for me. Maybe because I always look for guidance and Harry is more independent and would rather have the attention off of him rather than drawing it to himself... I get it. But there are lives at stake here, kid.
And yayyy! The Triwizard Tournament! I remember the first time I read this and I felt a little bit like Harry... 'what do you mean, other wizarding schools!?' I was kind of in shock...am still a little bit in shock. Rowling created not only her wizarding world but many others that she barely even scratches the surface of. I can't wait until the Tournament gets under way!
Loving this one even though I distinctly remember years ago that this one was not one of my favorites. Amazing what a few years will do to your opinion, huh? What about you, is this one on the top or bottom of your list? I'm flying right through it, so expect another update soon! :)
A.
In chapters 1 through 10 of GoF, Harry has a dream (vision) of an incapacitated Voldemort being taken care of by Peter Pettigrew and killing an old man.... plotting to kill Harry. Also, after a particularly boring summer with the Dursley's, Harry spends the remainder of his summer with the Weasleys and gets to go to the Quidditch World Cup. The kids are having the time of their lives until some people in masks called Death Eaters start torturing muggles after the game and someone mysteriously conjures the Dark Mark - Voldemort's mark usually cast when killing someone. Everyone is terrified...
When they finally arrive at Hogwarts, Harry and his friends discover that the "May-eye" Moody Ron's dad had to go rescue the night before is their new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor... and he's got a freaky eye and a wooden leg. But even better than that, Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament for the first time in over a century, and Beauxbaton's and Durmstrang'g wizarding schools will be coming to stay for during the Tournament. Harry and his friends are excited about it, even though there will be no quidditch, and Harry finally gets to sit back and be a normal wizard since no one under 17 is allowed to enter... right?
DISCUSSION
I've noticed that Rowling takes her time with this one. I guess with the success of the last three, she was granted some leeway. In reading 10 chapters, its amazing to me how little happened as compared to reading say 5 chapters in one of the previous books. I don't mind it, trust me! There's much more detail and information as each scene does happen and gives us a bigger insight into the wizarding world we all love so much. I'm pretty much flying through this book and (being at chapter 22) I'm only through the first task and the Yule Ball. Two more tasks and a whole load of tragedy and I'm more than half way through, its kind of amazing.
We find Harry and friends at the Quidditch World Cup which I absolutely adored. Those Omnioculars! I need them for every day life cause I seem to miss a whole lot of every day life. But I particularly loved the little things we come across, including Port Keys, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the little figurines of the player that shout and cheer,etc. Its just so awesome to see what Rowling has done with the wizarding world and its like you can never run out of amazing things to discover!
Harry's dream - lets discuss the fact that even after three years of Harry being targeted and in danger, he still refuses to tell a freaking adult when he has a problem. Like really!? Harry, haven't you learned your lesson? I mean yes, he does finally tell Sirius what the problem is so I suppose that is an improvement. But come on Harry. You just saw some dark wizards conjure the Dark Mark, you've dealt with Voldemort yourself, twice. What makes you think you shouldn't go right to McGonagall and Dumbledore. Idiot. That has always been a sore spot for me. Maybe because I always look for guidance and Harry is more independent and would rather have the attention off of him rather than drawing it to himself... I get it. But there are lives at stake here, kid.
And yayyy! The Triwizard Tournament! I remember the first time I read this and I felt a little bit like Harry... 'what do you mean, other wizarding schools!?' I was kind of in shock...am still a little bit in shock. Rowling created not only her wizarding world but many others that she barely even scratches the surface of. I can't wait until the Tournament gets under way!
Loving this one even though I distinctly remember years ago that this one was not one of my favorites. Amazing what a few years will do to your opinion, huh? What about you, is this one on the top or bottom of your list? I'm flying right through it, so expect another update soon! :)
A.
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