is arguably the biggest cultural phenomenon of the last 25 years. Since the first book was published in 1998, J.K. Rowling has published six more books on top of three companion pieces to the franchise: Quidditch Through the Ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard.A couple of years later, a theatrical script, was published by Rowling, and Thorne and John Tiffany, and it's still on stage in a West End production in London. What's more, the books were adapted into eight iconic films and a spin-off trilogy.
The end of seems to be far in the distance as Max announced a new TV series that will reboot the seven original books.
While the fandom loves every installment of the series, everyone has their favorite book. opened the door to the wizarding world, engaging and captivating readers for a journey of a lifetime, but other books brought up complex and convoluted themes that made this world appealing for both children and adults.
Goodreads Ranking:
4.43
Publication date:
1998
Number of pages:
341
Even though Harry gets to know the villain who killed his parents and terrorized the Wizarding World in the first book of the series, Harry learns a little about
throughout . After Lucius Malfoy leaves Tom Riddle's diary among Ginny Weasley's school supplies, the young redhead becomes possessed by Voldemort, who releases the Basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets and manages to petrify Mrs. Norris, Colin Creevey, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Hermione Granger. At the last instant of the book, Harry must save Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets and stop Tom Riddle from coming back to life.
While isn't by any means a bad book, it's not as exciting as the rest of the books in the series. In contrast with most books, is pretty short. It expands important lore and world-building in the wizarding world, getting the readers more into this universe, but it doesn't have as many interesting character arcs as the rest of the series.
Still, is a thrilling book with many fascinating plotlines, especially during the first reading, when people don't know about Dobby, Lord Voldemort's real identity, and the Basilisk. Furthermore, Chris Columbus' film adaptation perfectly captures the comical aspect of the book as well as the darker tones as the audience starts to find out about the grim social politics in the wizarding society.
Goodreads Rating:
4.47
Publication date:
1997
Number of pages:
309
is the beginning of a magical journey. Harry believed he was an ordinary person who had lost his parents but discovered that he was actually a wizard. Not only that, but he gets to live in a magical castle, take wizardry classes, and make long-lasting friendships. The book is the perfect start to this universe, full of detailed descriptions of the magical world, including delicious meals and magical candy, Hogwarts' eccentric decoration, and the many outstanding objects witches and wizards can buy in Diagon Alley.
However, while there is a certain nostalgia for this book, it's still simple and brief when compared to the most complex and interesting books in the series.
ranks low on the list not because of its quality but because the series has become increasingly good. What's more, the movie adaptation took every description to the next level, portraying beautiful scenes of the castle and creating a score that would be iconic for the rest of the franchise.
Goodreads Rating:
4.50
Publication date:
2003
Number of pages:
912
The longest book in the series, takes the saga to the next level. It's the moment where the actual war between good and evil begins. After Voldemort recovers his body in
it's up to Harry to convince the wizarding world that the Dark Lord is back, but everyone prefers to live a lie. Harry has to balance his student life with many horrible experiences while learning to navigate romantic emotions and taking it upon himself to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts and teach his peers. Up until this point, Harry had been living a moderately happy life at Hogwarts, though with the stress of Voldemort looming. But now, his safe place becomes a cage, and the people who once admired him turn against him.
is a deeply emotional book. Harry confronts his most terrifying fears, such as becoming the very thing he wants to destroy.
He also faces the first real loss in the saga (besides his parents) when . Despite this, people have a hard time relating to Harry throughout this book as his confidence reaches a new high. However, there's no doubt thoroughly explores the angsty feelings of a teenager in an impossible position. Unfortunately, as it's a very eventful book, the movie didn't properly do it justice. This might be another reason why people don't love this book as much as others.
Goodreads Rating:
4.56
Publication date:
2000
Number of pages:
734
is when things start to get truly dark, but not quite as much yet. A book with more than 400 pages longer than the first three, it's clear that is already aiming for a more mature audience, and readers can feel the shift. Harry is growing older, romances start shaping, feelings become more complex, and Voldemort rises to power at the cost of Cedric Diggory's life. A book full of emotional scenes, thrilling action sequences, and several new characters, it makes sense that people love it so much.
However, still doesn't make it as high as the top three favorites: and This is because even though is an outstanding book, it doesn't have the character-driven arcs of the other three books. Where truly shines, though, is in its world-building. This book shows the readers several other areas of the magical world, such as magical schools, the Quidditch World Cup, and magical politics. All of this translated swimmingly to the film, which could flex a lot of over-the-top scenes and visual effects, making it one of .
Goodreads Rating:
4.58
Publication date:
2005
Number of pages:
652
While is named after Severus Snape's moniker, the book is all about Lord Voldemort and Albus Dumbledore. This book gives readers a closer look at the most powerful wizard as a person much more complex than the friendly and eccentric Merlin-like headmaster shown in the previous books. At the same time, Harry and Dumbledore explore Voldemort's intricate, cruel, and fascinating journey of life. The book also brings to the forefront Draco Malfoy's conflicted intentions, Hermione's darker and jealous feelings, Ron's pettier side, and Harry's understandably paranoid attitude as he tries to keep his friends safe.
The series turns harrowing and character-driven while giving the readers a lot of answers they had been waiting for since the beginning of the franchise.
However, while is one of the most beloved books, the film is probably people's least favorite one. While the book follows the characters at their very low, just a year before the battle that will decide the fate of the wizarding world, the series takes a more romantic and comical approach. This could be seen as disappointing, as they expected the perfect tension and coming-of-age tale that had been developed in the book.
Goodreads Rating:
4.58
Publication date:
1999
Number of pages:
652
There's no doubt that the Marauders are some of the most beloved characters in the franchise. explores the tragic story of this group of friends as Harry learns the exact circumstances that led to his parents' deaths. For the first time in the series, Harry also gets two fatherly figures: Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. So far, Remus is people's favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and for a good reason. For six years, he's the only professor who actually taught Harry and his friend defensive magic. What's more, he's the one who taught Harry the Expecto Patronum that saved his life a couple of times.
However, the star of the show is Sirius. Harry saved the life of his godfather, and while he wasn't able to clear his name, for the first time in his life, he had a real family.
expands the magical world (introducing creatures such as Dementors and Hippogriffs) while giving more relevant information about the past. Details like the Marauder's Map, Hogsmeade, and all its iconic places like the Three Broomsticks, animagus, and time turners are very important throughout the whole franchise, which makes a crucial book. On top of that, the structure of the book is very clever, as Harry, in the end, discovers that he saved his own life thanks to Hermione's time-turner.
What makes even better is that this book has the best film adaptation, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. This film practically adapted scene by scene every part of the book without leaving any important details aside while truly capturing the magical world.
Goodreads Rating:
4.62
Publication date:
2007
Number of pages:
759
A lot of fans read these books as they were released at the end of the '90s and the '2000s, but none of the books brought as much anticipation among the fandom as The sixth installment of the series left a lot of paths open.
After Dumbledore's death, people knew that Harry would have to look for the Horcruxes, and he even broke up with Ginny to go on his journey. Fans believed wasn't going to be like the other books, and they were extremely right. Breaking with the archetypical formula J.K. Rowling followed for the first six books, shows a more adult side to these characters as they actively work together in a dangerous world that hunts them.
After following the series for almost a decade, it makes sense that people love more than any other book in the series. Every detail set up so far is resolved in this book. What's more, it gives some of the most interesting backgrounds in the franchise.
This book showcases , Harry's home in Godric's Hollow, Fleur and Bill's wedding, the Malfoy Manor, and even the darker side of Gringotts. mixes every piece of lore of and develops the characters like never before. It's a bittersweet ending, with the deaths of characters like Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, and Tonks. But it's also the perfect resolution to a history that had been years in the making. No wonder Warner Bros. needed two movies to fairly portray this complex, captivating, and eventful ending to an amazing journey.
The Harry Potter franchise follows the adventure of a young boy introduced a whole new world of magic, mayhem and darkness. Traversing the obstacles in his path, young Harry's rise to heroics pits him against Lord Voldemort, one of the most dangerous wizards in the world and all his minions.
