You all know me, don't you. I am always so short of space at Mouthshut that this time I am forced to move straight to the review..lol..
So, here's yet another review of yet another fantastic book by the incomparable J.K. Rowling:
.::The Goblet of two Plots::.
Like the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire sports two captivating sub-plots which genuinely synchronise towards the very climax.
Plot 1:: Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort
Potter is attending the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasleys when a Dark Mark (a neon sign in the sky resembling a skull with a serpent tongue) is conjured above them. Usually created by the Death Eaters (supporters of Lord Voldemort) who have also created havoc on the site, the atmosphere is ripe with the fact that the Dark Lord is back. This, in addition to Potter's deadly vision at the very beginning of the Dark Lord along with Wormtail, and Professor Trelawney's prediction at the end of Prisoner of Azkaban only confirms Potter's worst fears, but sadly no one except Hermoine, Ron and Dumbledore believes him. Will Potter meet Voldemort? Is Voldemort really back? Read the book for the answers.
Plot 2:: Harry Potter and the Triwizard Tournament
Inter-house Quidditch is out and this year, we have the Triwizard Tournament which is a competition testing the wizarding proficiency of three champions each selected from a different wizarding institute (Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons) by the Goblet of Fire (a big flaming cauldron that accepts names and automatically throws out parchments containing the names of three worthy champions in a ceremony). However, the selection episode turns mysterious when the Goblet brings out a fourth champion, and that's Harry Potter (this, despite an age-restriction placed on the insertion of names!). Who had put Harry Potter's name? Will he be able to pass through the three tasks of the tournament? Will he win it, or will the other Hogwarts champion--Cedric Diggory snatch away the title? Read the book please.
.::The maze of my analysis::.
Storytelling:
The Goblet of Fire is contrastive and different from the word ''go''. Thankfully, this time around Rowling spares us the cliched prologue of Dursleys torturing Potter and begins the book on a dark note--a hallucination of Potter! The narrative then somewhat slides and slows down for the Quidditch World Cup completely lacks the usual sparkle and is a tad stretched. Thankfully, momentum is gathered pretty quickly as Hogwarts come to fore and reaches never-seen-before heights of adrenalin-rushing excitement!! Though the whole book is dotted with memorable sequences, I have singled out a selected few which were most impressive:
Sequences which make Goblet of Fire special:
The Triwizard Tournament: This tournament clearly alleviates the book's scope to Everestian scales. The apprehension, tension and the suspense created when students of different wizarding schools land at Hogwarts, the mystery about the Goblet of Fire, and the three awesomely projected tasks comes across as so wonderfully realised that not once the virtuality of the sequences strike the reader. Of special mention is the maze towards the climax (Rowling creates such a wonderfully tensed environ with every turn Harry makes!!) which is both exciting and chilling!!
Portkeys: Pieces of scrap metal transporting wizards in groups just by touching was so novel and exciting and the way its been incorporated in the maze makes it even more memorable!
Pensieve: A basin of thoughts full of a silvery substance owned by Dumbledore where he justs pecks silver strands of his temple and mixes it in the basin (deduced as adding of thoughts) was again intelligently thought of (quite similar to Tom Riddle's diary!) and it indeed plays a pivotal part in the plot as Harry plunges into it discovering previous executions of wizards.
Yule Ball: The quite obvious hormonal outbursts in teenagers is sensitively portrayed as Harry and Ron search for dance partners for this ballroom party. Girls blushing at the sight of boys, boys going speechless when they confront girls, every action and dialogue is spontaneously presented which makes for a beautiful read. Of noticeable mention is the sequence when Harry and Ron see Hermoine all decked up, dancing with Diggory and Hagrid's crush on Madame Maxime.
SPEW:De-abbreviatedly known as the Society for the promotion of Elfish Welfares, this is the brainchild of Hermoine, who's evidently obsessed with the liberation of house-elves this year. Her dedication towards the SPEW and the taunts that it attracts from Ron are genuinely hilarious and enjoable.
Of course, besides the above elevators, the book's prime attraction is its stupendous climax which even leaves the one of Azkaban a few notches behind. The re-construction of the Dark Lord and the consequent duel with the scarhead is hooking. Of course, its not before long that you realise the scope of the duel and the Dark Lord is far beyond the book which flatly demands a sequel, but is nevertheless one helluva episode!
.::Characterisation:::.
Awesome is the word. Probably this is Rowling's first book where you actually get up, close and personal with the characters. Of special mention is Potter's character which becomes all the more identifiable and touching as he dwells into bouts of despair, sadness and loneliness thanks to constant bickering by Ron and fellow mates. Even his heroism comes across as wonderfully justified, which was clearly a bit astray in the previous books.
Of the regular characters, Ron Weasley's developing an inferiority complex and Neville Longbottom's shocking past comes across as a real tear-jerker. Hagrid is back with blast-ended skrewts and Snape is at his silkiest best. Impact also comes from unexplored angles in the forms of these characters:
Lord Voldemort: Clearly absent from the Prisoner of Azkaban, the real villian of the series makes a grand comeback. Much more darker and dangerous than all the hype surrounding him, this character makes the book un-putdownable.
Rita Skeeter: In this out-spoken, brash journalist for the Daily Prophet, Rowling takes a dig at the sensational journalism, and comes out triumphantly! Of special mention is her row with Hermoine and her revelation as an animagus
Mad-Eye Moody:A new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, although his gawky physical appearance and pro-Harry actions are likeable, the revelation towards the climax is shocking!
The Weasleys: Probably the first-ever book to have a look at the family closest to Potter, every character here is lively and real. Fred and George Weasley as the mischievious, funky guys busy in using magic to construct fooling objects are awesome.
.::The Honeydukes in the final words::.
The Goblet of Fire is a piece of writing to vouch for --undoubtedly the deadliest Harry Potter book you can ever get your eyes upon. A punchy storyline with a revealing climax (which has now become a hallmark of Rowling's narrative), heart-tugging characters and a theme that packs in imagination, creativity and emotion in fabulous quotients, this book more than lives up to its name.
With the hope that this legacy reaches new heights with the next Potter gestation, I sign off for now....
Please feel free to express yourselves in the comments section..till I come back with the Order of Phoenix
P.S.: Don't dare touching this book if you haven't read the Prisoner of Azkaban!
