7 day HP giveaway - Year 5

Fluffy Flowers is celebrating the arrival of the final book in the Harry Potter series with a week of giveaways. The random number generator says congratulations go out to Era of E.r.r.an.t, yesterday's winner. We're starting over again today with another prize of assorted Harry Potter goodies. Included is a hand-knitted mini Weasley sweater on a hanger. Leave a Harry Potter comment and I’ll draw the winner’s name tomorrow around 5a.m. Next week we will return to our regularly scheduled blog. We've got a guest blogger today giving us the Order of the Phoenix review. My darling friend and extreme HP fan Kelly will take us through it.

Book 5 – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
By guest blogger Kelly, Harry Potter fan extraordinaire

Favorite Quote

“Give her hell from us, Peeves.”  - Fred and George Weasley, p. 675

Lovely Knitting

“Harry glanced over at her; she was sitting with Crookshanks on her lap and chatting merrily to Ginny as a pair of knitting needles flashed in midair in front of her, now knitting a shapeless pair of elf socks.” p. 295

Fluffy Flowers

“Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish, and again, Harry felt a powerful rush of dislike that he could not explain to himself; all he knew was that he loathed everything about her, from her stupid voice to her fluffy pink cardigan.” p. 212

A Page At Random

“They looked at each other.  Luna was smiling slightly.  Harry did not know what to say, or to think.  Luna believed so many extraordinary things… yet he had been sure he had heard voices behind the veil too….” p. 863

Book 5 is darker, more intense and more adult than the previous books, and Harry’s teenage mood swings mirror the book’s dark mood… but how much of Harry’s feelings can be attributed to hormones and past horrors, and how much are actually caused by his connection with Voldermordt?  And what is that connection all about really?  Is there more to this plot than just the prophecy?  What did Dumbledore mean when he said, “but in essence divided?”

Comments

[Brandy]

Oddly, I've got a guest commenter for your guest blogger. Having not read the book or seen the movie yet (gasp! waiting for the crowds to die down), I asked Mike for his memorable moments from book 5.

Mike likes the trial for Harry's use of magic in front of Dudley while fighting off the Dementors. He was also very intrigued by all the information that is revealed to Harry by Dumbledore concering the prophecies of the half-blood prince and the fact that he and Voldemort are equals.

Hope this still qualifies me. ;-)

[Marci]

In a word: Umbridge.

Harry's detention sessions with her made me cringe - I could feel the pain in my hand as well. *shudder*

I also have a hard time believing Sirius is actually "dead" rather than just 'behind the veil'. I'm hoping that I'm right on that and he'll reappear in Book 7 to fight you-know-who with Harry.

[Jennifer]

[not eligible for drawing]

Grimmauld Place, and Kreacher, truly disturbed me -- and they hinted at so much more that Sirius had to say about his life. I was devastated by Sirius' loss, and now that I ponder it, this really pointed to the Big Loss in the next book and JK's adherence to "the hero must go on alone" line of storytelling.

[mom2fur]

Well, first, thanks for visiting my blog and commenting on my Thomas blocks.
Second, that teeny-tiny sweater is awesome! (PS--I like the movies, but I'm not a big HP fan, so you can leave my name out and make room for someone else, LOL!)

[Tiffany]

Aaah the return of Sirius. He was my favorite character in this book. I HATED what happened to him.

[Rachel]

Yeah book 5. I love it. Go Dumbledore's Army!

[Jenn : )]

My favorite of all the books! Umbridge is a very well thought out character - so repulsive, so sly and malicious. Oooow, I hated the detentions where she made Harry cut his own hand!

Can't wait to see the movie....

[Jennifer]

I've been reading a lot of people say that this book is one of their least favorite HP books, but I really loved this one. Umbridge is just so evil, and I loved seeing Harry taking a leader role. I also love the twins' exit from Hogwarts, and the ending totally floored me.

[Maggie]

Book 5 reminded me of the old Dr Who shows (I think it was Dr Who...) in which there was some horrible thing happening perpetrated by evil people, and you couldn't get away. I got that very feeling from this book. It was creepy. Yet, I really enjoyed Umbridge once I figured out everything was going to be ok!

[Stephanie]

I have read them all to date, but my old mind cannot keep it all straight so I am enjoying your posts and creative topics to job my memory.

thanks!!! How fun is this!!!

[kathleen]

You are totally cracking me up this week. These are so cute!

[Catrin]

Umbridge woman is so evil - Harrrys detention sessions are so horrible.

I love the Dumbledore's Army sessions and how Harry grows in to a leader.

And Sirius dead, oh poor Harry, I really hope Sirius is just "behind the veil"...

[Samantha]

This is my favourite book of the series (so far) even though one of my favourite characters dies (or does he? I sure hope not!) Im almost afraid to see the movie because I was so disappointed by GoF.

I liked that Ron is coming out of Harry's shadow. I enjoyed learning more about the past - Harry's parents, Neville's parents, previous and current members of the OotP. And I was glad that Cho and Harry didn't last because I think he and Ginny are meant for each other :)

[Georgia]

Book 5...defninitely a high point for Fred and George--I LOVED the swamp they left in the corridor (and especially loved that Flitwick didn't clean it up!). Otherwise, I found this book very frustrating. I don't think I have ever hated a character more (in any book) than Umbridge. I am incenced that she's still at the ministry. Also, IMHO Sirius is not coming back (as much as I would like him to).

[Katherine]

Just when it seemed Harry had someone to go to - that he would be able to leave the Dursley's. Poor Harry. Alone again. I too, I'm hoping that somehow Sirius isn't dead.

[nosierosie]

I really loved this book. And they did a good job making the movie (though it wasn't exactly to the book. I LOVE Helen Bonham Carter. She's great.)

I thought this book was especially great because Harry was so filled with angst and aggravation. J.K. Rowling did such a good job writing it that I started to feel angsty and aggravated!
Umbridge was a great character. I started calling a teacher I hated in high school professor umbridge. One day, she caught on to the fact that I was calling her that. Boy did she have fun playing evil Professor Umbridge after that.

[Anna On The Moon]

I was pleasantly surprised watching the film at how much they still managed to keep in, even if it was a little thing that you'd have to bea reader of the books to understand (the goats in the hogshead!)

what I loved about the movie was how we start to see Harry and Ginny's relationship. We see Ginny visibly jealous over Cho in several instances. Even without the easter egg scene, you could tell that the two of them are starting to get together.

[ann]

I actually really enjoyed the film version of Luna!

[Gwen]

Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge was simply brilliant!!! She even had the creepy 'hem hem' down pat. It was perfection. The Kreacher in the movie was good too, but I was disappointed they skipped on St. Mungo's. I would've loved to see the cinematic version of that. I also don't think Sirius is coming back, but I have a feeling that the R.A.B. in book 6 is Sirius' brother Regulus Black. OMG, I can't wait to get my hands on Book 7!

[cecilia]

I don't know much about Harry Potter, seen all the films and read the four first books...But I love the knitted sweater you made!;-)

[Karyn]

I never did jump on the HP bandwagon. It might still happen. I've been reading your blog all week and I have to ask, did you knit those adorable mini sweaters????? I can't stop looking at them!!!!

[iSew]

I thought they did a great job in the movie making Umbridge incredibly hateable. It must have been so fun to costume Imelda Staunton, she so reminded me of the Queen. And her office with the meowing kittens just killed us every time she went in there. Hilarious.

[sarah]

this was probably my least favorite of the movies, which is sad, since it's a great book. A lot of my favorite parts were left out and the editing was just too choppy for my tastes.

i was wondering though, if you would be willing to swap for or sell one of those little sweaters, as my mom is terribly jealous of my win!

[Kathy]

I am listening to Book 5 and just finished the Detention with Umbridge section. I was growling while I drove. Can't wait to see the film Saturday and then read book 7!

[Elizabeth]

Book 5 was hard to read, because it was so crammed full of sub-plots and tiny moments that went by so quickly but were important later. I found it hard to believe that no one would have noticed Harry's hand all scratched up, and that he would have been willing to let Umbridge hurt him like that, over and over.

Ever since Harry led the D.A., I've been hoping that the last book will have him be offered the Defense Against the Dark Arts job at Hogwarts, only he gives it to Snape instead (who did NOT kill Dumbledore and is NOT evil), and then lives happily ever after with Ginny. *sigh*

I love that wee sweater and how it looks on the Barbie! I want to win it for my daughter!

[michelle]

How fun is this give-away, I am number 192 in the hold que at the library, but they bought 100 books so it shouldn't be too long! Your review makes me think I should re-read #5 before #6!

[Brigitta]

how many mini-jumpers did you knit??!! oh yeah, 7 probably hahaha. At last, this saturday I can pick up the final Harry Potter (I almost typed Happy Rotter) book, can't wait to dive into it and be totally undisturbed this weekend, dd is at her dad's so phone off the hook, curtains closed and I'm gone!!! (well, I'll probably sit in the garden hahaha)

[leslie]

"I liked it when Dumbledore and Harry fight the death eaters at the fountain in the ministry of magic". says Charlie!