Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K.

Rowling
The Story
This book is when the teenage wizard Harry James Potter starts to explore the
darker side of the magical world. The story is about Sirius Black, the best friend of
Harrys father James and only person granted the knowledge of the Potters
whereabouts when Voldermort was at his height. According to rumours that have
gone unbounded for thirteen years, Sirius betrayed James and Lily Potter to the
Dark Lord and caused their death, he then went on to murder a fellow wizard and
several other muggle citizens in some kind of mad rage.
The night after his thirteenth birthday Harry storms out of his uncles house in Privet
drive, dragging his trunk, broomstick and caged owl with him. Whilst storming down
the street he finds himself seeing a dark shape in the shadows, a huge black dog
that seems to stalk him through the rest of the book. A trip to a bookshop in Diagon
Alley reveals to Harry that the menacing creature is in fact a Grim, a magical omen,
the sight of which marks the viewer as soon to die.
Sirius is a resident at the wizards jail; Azkaban. An island ruled over by inhuman and
terrifying magical creatures called dementors. However, Sirius manages to escape
the prison, a feat never achieved by any other wizard. Sirius is trying to hunt down
Harry, so he can finish the work his master started.
Meanwhile at Hogwarts all sorts of things are going on, like a quidditch a magical
sport played on brooms in the air match is invaded by dementors that causes
Harry to crash and destroy his flying broomstick, whilst Hermiones cat eats Rons
rat which leaves Ron even grumpier than ever and their friendship seemingly over.
Harrys new Divination teacher foresees his death, whilst Hagrid, now teaching Care
of Magical Creatures, introduces them to a majestic creature that is a strange cross
between an eagle and a horse, whilst Hermione seems to have taken on more
subjects than can physically fit into a day.
Harry is given the gift of an enchanted map that shows him the secret passage
ways out of Hogwarts and begins taking lessons in how to defend himself against
dementors and the painful and terrifying memory they bring when in Harrys
presence. Harry is given a second gift, this time a mysterious package that arrives
on Christmas day, which turns out to be a Firebolt, an enviable racing broom.
Then as if out of nowhere Sirius Black breaks into Hogwarts, not once, but twice,
evading the dementors and threatening both a portrait and Harrys very own dormmate Ron, with a knife.
All of this, along with a few passing comments that on reflection are so obvious and
tongue-in-cheek theyre hilarious, culminate in Harry, Ron and Hermione, Sirius
Black, a dead wizard and a werewolf in a creaky old shack thats been haunted for
years. This is when the truth finally comes out and Harrys world is changed forever.
My Opinion

The dementors open up a new facet of darkness and horror to the magical world,
which just cant be matched by the earlier incidents with the giant spiders and the
basilisk. The description of the rotting hand that reaches toward their victim and the
fate that greets you from beneath a dementors hood is really quite haunting.
The books biggest flaw is its ending, which although gripping, is very rushed. Harry
is briefly reunited with his godfather and can feel a genuine family connection for
the very first time, yet this emotional connection isnt backed up in anyway. Every
other relationship and emotional tie in the series are built up pretty much from the
word go, even the gentle and warm-hearted Remus Lupin the most recent Defence
Against the Dark Arts teacher has more of an opportunity to connect with Harry,
and yet after no time at all Harry and Sirius are behaving as if they have known
each other their whole lives;
The Prisoner of Azkaban is dark and upsetting in a lot of ways; it looks into horrible
aspects of revenge and spite through Sirius Black, who despite staying relatively
sane over his years in Azakban has been twisted by hate and blood lust. The
unbridled fear that the dementors bring out in Harry is also almost disturbing, yet
his experience with them causes a heart-breaking dilemma that really resonates
from the book. It also addresses several interesting concepts about responsibility
and growing up; where Harry and his peers are faced with the kind of moments that
seem so small but nonetheless define who you are for the rest of your life.