[Book Review] Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter is midway through his training as a wizard and his coming of age. Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the International Quidditch Cup. He wants to find out about the mysterious event that's supposed to take place at Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. But unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal - even by wizarding standards. And in his case, different can be deadly.

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Disclamer: Spoilers ahead. These books have been out for so long. This one in particular has been out for seventeen years. So if you haven't been spoiled so far and want to stay that way I completely understand. I highly recommend this series and would love to know your thoughts once you've read it. Also my reviews for Harry Potter books are a bit all over the place so forgive me.

What a GREAT way to close out 2018! I am trying to take my time with this re-read of the Harry Potter series because I tend to just rush through them by binge reading and this time I want to take my time. I loved this re-read of Goblet of Fire.

I think I've reached the amount of re-reads of this series where although I remember everything that happens in each book, especially the first five or so because I've probably re-read them the most. However, I still pick up stuff I hadn't the times before or I am moved in a different moment of the story that I didn't think of before.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione are three characters I am so protective over. I love them so much and each of them for different reasons. Harry's anger starts to show in this book, and I think I find it super heartbreaking to witness. He's getting to the age where he's starting to crush on Cho and be a normal teenage boy while also having such a weight on his shoulders every second of his day. I feel like its easy to forget Harry is only a teenager because of his bravery and selflessness. But there's one scene at the end of the book where Harry has brought Cedric's body back from the graveyard. He's just relayed everything to Dumbledore and Sirius in Dumbledore's office and now they're escorting him somewhere to rest. The Weasley family rush to him immediately when they see him and immediately Molly wants to dote on Harry's every need, like a mother does. And I couldn't help but tear up in that moment, seeing Harry, only fourteen years old, small, dirty, bloodied, and weak. On the verge of tears and passing out, still in shock over what happened. It honestly made me want to wrap Harry up into a hug, because I feel like the visuals of that moment really perfectly depicted Harry for what he is, a kid who has been given so much responsibility. 

Ron is another character I really loved when it came to his character development. Harry and Ron have their first real fight as best friends and it's super sad but realistic. It's a petty fight where both of them are too prideful, hot headed, and stubborn (we Gryffindors really know how to suck sometimes) to admit that not only did the fight not matter but they missed each other. I felt like Harry's anger was understandable, he's been thrust into this whirlwind and even his best friend doesn't believe that he didn't enter himself in the tournament. And when it comes to an unbiased outsider's perspective I do side more with Harry but I also relate a lot to Ron. Ron allowed his insecurities blind him from thinking clearly about Harry. Harry wouldn't lie to him, Ron knows that deep down but is sick of being the sidekick. His large family, where many of his members either outshine him or take up most of the attention, already overlook him at times, and it happens at school too. It's that Gryffindor pride mixed with wanting to be something spectacular and Ron felt like he was once again pushed to the side and out of the loop. He wasn't right, but sometimes insecurities can bring out the worst in you and I really empathized for him. 

Hermione does bother me a little in this book, I must admit, but her heart is in the right place so I don't completely fault her. She is adamant and determined to free all house elves even if they don't want to be freed. She sees them almost like children in a way, unable to stand up for themselves so she has to do it for them. And sure she's leading with compassion and her heart but she also isn't listening to what they really want. I feel like she's still like that by the end of the book, mostly because so much happens that the S.P.E.W. plot is kind of forgotten about, and she doesn't fully learn that maybe she needs to back off. That being said I am proud of her for being a lot more independent in this book. She starts her own movement, even if I have an issue with how she runs it, and she definitely becomes a bit detached from the boys. When I think of our golden trio, I always see them as together the majority of the time and although Hermione does have a lot of moments with the boys she also seems to become friends with other classmates. She even has a romance with Victor Krum. I think it was cool to see her branch out a bit. The way she sticks up for herself with jealous Ron at the Yule Ball made me really proud of her because first year Hermione probably would have ran to the bathrooms. She's becoming more sure of herself and I think that's great.

Look, I have my issues with Dumbledore, but the way he is with Hagrid absolutely warms my heart. Hagrid has it a bit rough in this book, where he opens up for the first time about being half giant to Madam Maxine, who he thinks is also half giant. And it's super sad to hear him be so vulnerable to then not only be rejected but so harshly. And then when the Rita Skeeter article is published it's even worse because of the harsh judgements and prejudices there are against giants. It puts his position as a teacher and groundskeeper in jepordy and I love how reassuring and kind Dumbledore is with Hagrid. I also love that Ron and Harry stand up for Hagrid. I was a bit disappointed in Hermione's reaction as a whole and it just added on to my kind of annoyance with her in this story.

I don't know if I could fully say I have a Harry Potter book that I like less than the others, but the fact that we don't get to Hogwarts until like 100-200 pages into this book. I loved the Wizard World Cup chapters and Harry being with the Weasley's but phew it's a long intro to the Triwizard Tournament. I guess I forgot how the tasks take up less time as a whole in the book versus the movie.  It didn't stop me from reading it and loving the story though, and I was never bored. How could I be? It's such an epic story. 

The entire last act of this story is absolutely heartbreaking. Cedric dies so quickly, and then Harry is alone in a graveyard with not only Voldemort and Wormtail but a group of Death-Eaters who are all laughing and awaiting his death. He is absolutely terrified and pretty sure this is where he dies. I know that in retrospect we know what happens afterwards. We've read the books before and we've seen the movies. But with that being said I think Harry's immense fear really comes through on the page. I honestly wish I relished the moments where I read these books for the first time a little more because I can not even imagine 11-12 year old Heather with his book on her lap not knowing what was to come.  

I have my problems with Rowling as a person and her decisions as of the last few years, but I love her writing and foreshadowing so much. You pick up so much that you could have missed the second, third, fourth time reading. Every re-read shows something new and I really respect that. For instance, I forgot that we have nifflers in this book! I am not even kind of a fan of the Fantastic Beasts movie but I cannot lie that the nifflers are one of a small amount of things that are actually good about the franchise. They're cute as heck and I honestly forgot that they had been in the original books at all. 

 It's hard for me to fully review this book the way I do any other book. Between the nostalgia and rose colored classes I struggle to distance myself from while reading, I can't help but fall in love everytime I visit Hogwarts again. That's why these reviews are all over the place at times. I can't help but gush and go on tangents.  I can't imagine the reader, the person, I would be if I didn't read these books. I am super grateful to them. I cannot wait to read Order of the Phoenix. 

Thanks for reading!