Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter book 3)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling 435 pages
Harry begins his third year at Hogwarts as the notorious dark wizard Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban — a feat no one has managed before. Rumored to have been Voldemort’s right hand man, Black was convicted of murdering 12 Muggles with a single curse. Harry learns that the Ministry of Magic has cause to believe that Black might attempt to harm Harry. But Harry will soon learn that not everything is what it seems.
Book Review
The third volume in the Harry Potter series takes a decidedly darker and more emotional turn as Harry is forced to confront his own demons and the man who may have been responsible for the deaths of his parents. Everything in this book is richer than in the first two — the characters, the plot, the details — and it’s clear that the events are game-changing, for both the reader and the characters. The plot complexities surrounding the Marauder’s Map, a creature called Buckbeak, and Harry’s sightings of a large black dog that may or may not be an ill omen make the book feel much longer (in a good way!) than it is — and yet you don’t want this story to end. As a reader, I particularly enjoyed seeing Harry’s emotional development in this book, as well as the deepening of his friendships with both Ron and Hermione. As a writer, I loved seeing Rowling’s word craft expand to a level I find on par with the great Roald Dahl.
