This was
the book that really kicked things up a notch for me. While the first two are enjoyable (and I
definitely feel The Chamber of Secrets
improves on The Sorcerer’s Stone,) The Prisoner of Azkaban made me sit up
in my seat and take notice. I was
reading it, not just to read it, but really to find out what was going to
happen, and the new characters pulled me in in a big way.
The
central plot focuses less on our heroes investigating a mystery. Instead, it’s more personal – notorious
criminal Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban, the impregnable wizard prison,
and all signs suggest he wants to finish the job Voldemort started 13 years ago
(a.k.a. killing Harry). Harry is
bewildered by an early entreaty not to go looking
for the vicious killer, but the more he learns about Sirius Black, the more he
realizes how unalterably his life is tied to the fugitive wizard’s. Top-notch new characters, fine intrigue, and
serious emotional stakes are all in store.
This is
probably the most successful book in the series for me. While there are certainly other high points
to come, the later books also have quite a bit of flab that break up the
momentum of the great stuff. The Prisoner of Azkaban, however, hits
basically the whole package without overstaying its welcome. Best of all is the introduction of new
characters Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, each for different reasons. Lupin is a great mentor to Harry and I enjoy
seeing what a “cool teacher” looks like at Hogwarts, and Black’s part of the
story rolls out in interesting ways that allow Harry to learn a lot more about
himself and his history.
Also,
let’s be real: this book introduces the
Marauders’ Map. That alone is enough to
get it extra points.
Once
again, I’m impressed on reread by how neatly things tie together, all those
little notes that add up to big clues later.
Honestly, almost nothing is a throw-away moment. It will be interesting to see if this
hindsight will give me a better opinion on the length of the later books (my
instinct says I’ll probably still think Rowling could’ve used a more
forthcoming editor, but I’m willing to be proven wrong.) The exposition-climax is also probably my
favorite of the series, and the ending of the book goes to some neat,
unexpected places.
It’s also
a strong book for character content, particularly for Harry. Even though the previous two books have
featured him confronting the dark wizard who tried to murder him as a baby
after killing his parents, it feels even more
personal this time. Perhaps it’s
because, mass murderer escaped from Azkaban or not, Black is less shadowy and
seemingly-inhuman than Voldemort. He
feels more like a person, and the more Harry learns about him and the
connections Black has to Harry’s past, the more he’s given to think about, both
in terms of his family history and in terms of who he, Harry, really is and
what he’s capable of.
Warnings
Violence,
scary moments, drinking, and thematic elements.
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