"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" Book Review

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Author: J.K. Rowling

Pages: 636

Genre: fantasy and mystery because it has a lot to do with wizardry

Awards:

~Scottish Arts Council Book Award 2001 

• ~Children’s Book Award in 9–11 category 2001 Winner of the Hugo Award 

• ~Whitaker’s Platinum Book Award 2001 

Ratings: 5/5 stars

Hogwarts makes it difficult for outsiders to harm students and staff inside. Harry Potter, a fourteen year old, faces the rigorous task of surviving the Triwizard Tournament (which he was entered in without consent) where wizards have died in before. He also has to look out for Voldemort, a powerful wizard who has been plotting to kill Harry since he was a baby.

Hermione and Ron (Harry’s best friends) help Harry conquer his fears. Hermione aids Harry before the first round of the Triwizard Tournament by spending a great deal of time giving him pointers with his plan. Ron, like Hermione, also helps him solve mysteries, keep him company, and support him. The story starts off when Harry is at his ignorant Aunt and Uncle Dursley’s house for the summer (as usual). He dreams of Voldemort planning to murder him as he jolts awake with his scar hurting. During the first task, Harry has to get through the guarding dragon to get to the golden egg. As time passes on, the second task arrives, and Harry saves Ron at the bottom of the lake. In addition, he saves Fleur’s sister because he doesn’t notice Fleur coming. This earns him extra points for expressing morals, tying him first with Cedric. As Harry overcome these barriers, he develops the courage he uses in the third task. In the third task, Cedric and Harry are transported to a graveyard, and they find Voldemort and Wormtail there. Cedric is killed by Wormtail as Harry and Voldemort duel. Spells are executed at the same time, causing the ghosts of the wizards Voldemort killed to come out and hold him off. As the ghosts hold him off, Harry quickly grabs the cup (portkey) and transfers back to Hogwarts for help.

At the end, Harry is announced as Triwizard Champion with a prize of a thousand Galleons. He is also invited to spend the summer holidays with the Weasleys. Friendships are the backbone of happiness and life. It is something that separates Harry from Voldemort (who are both orphans and speak Parseltongue). For the first half of Harry’s summer holiday, he was just counting and getting through each day with the Dursleys until he went to watch the Quidditch World Cup with Ron and Hermione. Those few days with his best friends made up for the happiness he missed. During the school season, Harry and Ron get into an argument for weeks after Ron doubts Harry and gets jealous over the attention that comes with being a chosen champion. During those weeks, Harry feels very lonely and sad, but he soon becomes joyous after the two friends clear things up. Harry’s friends complement his incomplete family.

I like that this book isn’t just fiction, but also mysterious. The plot is filled with suspense and action as Harry completes adventurous tasks, while spending his time finding out bits and bits of information that leads to the mystery behind the missing of Crouch and the culprit who entered him in the tournament. There were many nuances of each character that leads to suspicion. The book includes many morals as well. For example, the awareness of enslavement is raised as Hermione works on building equality between the house elves and wizards. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery packed with action. If you like a book that keeps you reading nonstop, you’ll love this book!

Contributed by Angela Liu