Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban By J K Rowling: Werewolves, Time-Turners And Mind-Boggling Creatures – Welcome To Book 3 | A Review

Book Review of Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban By J K Rowling

Bam! Pheweeeeeeeee!! That is how begins the third book Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban, the next in the Harry Potter series which I am here to share my thoughts about with you guys today.

So, as we begin the book with an aunt blowing up-hold on did someone say “blowing up”? I mean literally blowing up and that is exactly what Harry does to his Aunt Marge who by the way is certainly a very evil, twisted gargoyle(Hey, kidding but ya she is gross indeed !!)

While being on the run(he did you know what outside school you know!!), Harry travels via the Knight Bus, half amazed at the kind of magical transportation it is (one helluva ride if you ask me) and half bemused at the shadows which seem to be following him wherever he goes. Not to mention those strange cloaked creatures-Dementors, who seem to affect him more than the others. But, all of that later. 

Enter Professor Lupin, superb teacher and a mentor, to whom Harry can always surely turn to in the darkest hour of need. Dark did somebody say? Oh, no I hope it is not those Dementors again!!

As Harry continues his somewhat “Grim” third year at Hogwarts, aided (unhelpfully of course) by teachers such as Professor Trelawney who seems to have made it a personal passion to pronounce him “dying shortly” at every instance, Harry has very little in the manner of shining,” happy memories” to be making in this challenging year.

Oh well, did I forget something? Oh yes, Gods did I mention the most important thing?

Psst-A dangerous criminal who has broken from Azkaban (wizard prison) is on the loose and his target is someone ahem well you get my drift yeah?

So, how will Harry safeguard himself, whilst still trying to come to terms with the horrors both from his past, as well as those ”dark, sinister” present monsters which he must but face before “time” runs out?

Read the book to find out.

My Thoughts

So, what was it that made this book different from the others in its category? Or to simply put what is the true X factor that made this ‘transitionary’ title one of the most breakthrough books ever read from the Harry Potter series?

Usually, whenever fantasy as an element is coupled with magic, the result will always be an amazing read.  However, in this case, scenario, there were many more reasons, multiple elements present that made Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban a huge hit.

Firstly, Rowling managed to ‘transition’ the characters really well through this one. To gradually mature and mitigate your main characters of the plot in a manner that one tends to all but glide alongside them onto their journey is a feat not all serial writers can achieve, I feel.

Coming to the plot itself, the aura of suspense, the dark vibes created through the presence of “Dementors”, the complete melancholy they create, is awe-inspiring as well as intimidating at the same time. The idea itself of your soul having been sucked out through a mere kiss was exotically terrifying, yet refreshingly haunting. A superb idea, if you ask me.

The presence of not only scintillating magical characters but also fantastic ideas such as the Knight Bus, which will transport you “Anywhere” was a highlight, for me especially. When it comes to magical transportation, flying carpets and creatures have been age-old concepts we have been reading and referring to. The Bus here was not only cool but also a new, coming of age idea. A fresh, cool new concept that was surely one to grab the eyeballs of the young and old alike.

As far as the initial episode of the “blowing up of Aunt Marge” goes, I for one am sure, many will resonate with, on an emotional level. To punish evil and that too in such a manner is something we all surely love, don’t we? Even though we might not get an opportunity like this in real life, to read about this was soul-satisfying, I think, Karma at its best-Cheers to you Rowling for this one particularly!

The manner in which the concept of “time turners” was put across was for me at least, a superb one up. Isn’t it cool to actually travel back or forward in time? Rowling managed to fuse such a huge idea in a seamlessly simplistic manner, incorporating only the essence of the theory, not making it overwhelming but rather a part of the main story. Does time travel anyone?

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The introduction of Remus Lupin, a professor as well as a true mentor to Harry was a huge respite as we as readers always feel that maybe apart from Hagrid, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Harry should have more people to “lookout” for him. Lupin happened to be exactly that character who is a proper combination of a friend, guide, mentor as well as someone who is his true benefactor.

At the end of it, being the third in the series, this one takes the story forward in a manner that was unexpected, exciting, fulfilling and at the same time emotionally uplifting. Coz hey, conquering those “Dementors” is by itself a soul upliftment exercise. That is because we, even in real life need to conquer all those things which are similar to these Dementors aka our worst fears, our true nemesis. The biggest struggle we face, the biggest obstacles we have to conquer are the ones we fear and the ones we have to overcome to proceed to a better place in life. This is a shining example of how we do so. This title, for me at least, was not only entertainment but had morale, motto based learning coz Rowling here has encapsulated pure life lessons from daily paths whilst trying to serially proceed the story to the next level.

So, these were my thoughts, my review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third book in the Harry Potter series for you.

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