My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What started out as an exciting summer at the Quidditch World Cup turns into dangerous and deadly when dark wizards start to terrorize muggles out in the open. Thankfully, Harry and his friends can leave the dark stuff to the adults and begin their fourth term at Hogwarts. However, this school year is going to be unlike anything the students have ever experienced.
Hogwarts has become the host school for a traditional wizarding competition, The Triwizard Tournament. Two other schools, Beauxbatons Academy from France and Durmstrang School from Bulgaria arrive at Hogwarts. Between the three schools, one student from each school represented will be chosen as a champion to compete in three intense challenges that consist of battling dragons, fighting merpeople and navigating through an impossible maze.
Unfortunately, Harry becomes an unexpected fourth champion when his name appears from the famed goblet of fire. Once again, Harry is thrown into the unwanted spotlight, but this time on a more public spectrum. Lauded as both a champion by Gryffindor House, but as a cheater to the rest of Hogwarts, including Ron...at least temporarily.
As the year progresses, Harry faces more challenges that go beyond the Triwizard Tournament. Young love, unwanted media attention, teachers with secret agendas and a desperate longing to feel at home at Hogwarts again. Yet, his greatest challenge comes with the return of his deadliest enemy, at the cost of a brave young student.
The Goblet of Fire is the midway point of Harry's life. His childhood ends and his journey into adulthood begins. The Harry Potter series ceases to be a fun children's story and becomes an actual story of life and death. The creation of the Triwizard Tournament and the introduction of other wizarding schools really made this book unique and also touched on the beginnings of teenage love and loyalties. And even with the emerging dark undertones that will be presented in later books, Goblet of Fire still maintained the same humor and charm of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World.
This is my favorite! The movie was my first introduction to Harry Potter, and then I started on the books (in order), watched first part of 7 in the middle, finished the books and yeah, this has still been my favorite. It just has everything, a big jump between middle-grade to older (but not stupid YA), fun plot, interpersonal/romance stuff, love it.
ReplyDelete**GASP! Someone commented on a book review!**
ReplyDeleteAgree. This book and Chamber of Secrets both tie for my favorite. You could really feel the growing pains with the kids in this book.