Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Overview: For Twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldermort. Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter’s defeat of You-Know-Who was Black’s downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep. “He’s at Hogwarts…he’s at Hogwarts.” Harry Potter isn’t safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor midst.
Pages: 435 Pages
Writer: J.K. Rowling
Recommendations: A Game of Thrones By George R. R. Martin
Review By: Jason Schulte
Rating: 
In Harry’s third year at Hogwarts, things are as tumultuous as ever. His relationship with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon is, to put it mildly, strained. They seem to want to control him while simultaneously wishing he would just disappear. As the summer break comes to an end, Harry can’t wait to return to school and reunite with his friends. However, upon his arrival, he discovers that things have changed—Hermione is far too busy to spend much time with him and Fred, leaving the duo to concoct their own mischief.
Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy is back to his old tricks, always lurking around, eager to stir up trouble. But the real drama unfolds when the notorious villain Sirius Black escapes from Azkaban, the wizarding prison that has never seen a successful breakout. Rumors swirl that Harry might be Black’s target, which adds a delightful layer of anxiety to an already chaotic school year.
As if that weren’t enough, Hogwarts has welcomed yet another new professor, and as history has shown, new faculty members often come with their own set of problems. Clearly, the screening process for teachers could use a little fine-tuning. With all this chaos, the school year quickly becomes a grind.
Now, I know many fans consider this installment their least favorite, but I must respectfully disagree. While the buildup around Sirius Black is intriguing, the eventual reveal feels a bit underwhelming. The challenges Harry faces this time around lack the excitement of the previous two books, leaving me feeling somewhat let down. Additionally, the tone of this book shifts in a way that, while not inherently problematic, does cause the pacing to drag in certain spots.
Overall, this book doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessors. That said, it’s not a bad read; it simply lacks the thrill that made the earlier installments so captivating. I understand that the series is gearing up for a darker turn, which is part of the narrative arc. Even with my minor complaints I am still looking forward to the next book and how this story continues to build on what is presented in this story.