Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Date Published: July 8, 2000
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★☆
Awards:
· Hugo Award for Best Novel (2001)
REVIEW
I recently did a reread of all the Harry Potter series for the first time in at least 10 years. I had reread them many times before, but I couldn't remember reading through as an adult. I have to say, this book in particular definitely held up. The first three were more children's in tone and writing, and this was the first to feel dark and aged up. It was also the first one that I'd call long, which made it better, in my opinion.
I will say that I am very surprised that this won the Hugo. It beat out A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin, Calculating God by Robert J. Sawyer, The Sky Road by Ken MacLeod, and Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson. I've only read three of those but out of the ones I did read, I would have though A Storm of Swords would have won. I know usually these books usually go to adult fantasy or sci-fi novels, so I would never have thought a book targeted towards a younger audience would beat these other books. That being said, this is something of a popularity contest and Harry Potter was MASSIVELY popular when it was being published.
I really enjoyed this fourth entry into the series. It introduces a wider wizarding world, including two new schools, and has the first real death that we see as it happens. Out of the previous ones, this was definitely the best so far. The addition of the Triwizard Tournament was done really well and replaced Quidditch's presence. We also get to see more magical aspects and more creative uses of spells. And we finally get to see Dragons! The tournament itself was really cool and the different tasks Harry and the other competitors have to complete felt very new. I think there's something whimsical about the world of HP and it always brings me back to my childhood. Rereading this was very nostalgic for me and I think it holds up over the years. I think Rowling's writing makes a large improvement as the series goes on and the world expands.
Even though the third book (Prisoner of Azkaban) was nominated for the previous years Hugo, this was the last and only book to win the award. I don't think it is the best in the series, though. That would be my personal favorite, the sixth book. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is the only one in the series I gave 5 stars to.
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