An entire generation grew up with the Harry Potter books, and many of us have had the opportunity to appreciate them as both children and adults. Now that they have also passed the test of time, we can rank them from worst to best:

 

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The final book does not give us the emotion it should. Some of the reasons are obvious – almost all of the perfect characters are already dead, the rest die in it, and the absence of Hogwarts is palpable throughout.

Aside from Snape’s resolution, the strongest part is Kreacher’s story, and it’s still very early on. The scenes of main trio’s travels just don’t work, and even the dragon escape from Gringotts is boring compared to what could have been.

Eventually we get a happy ending and the usual growing old – but that’s exactly what was expected.

 

6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Along with the first book, “The Chamber of Secrets” is also an indispensable part of the introduction to the magical world. It’s just too dark for my taste for a book so early in the series. We’re still in the children’s book genre here, and it’s more important that the magic is inspiring and amazing.

Here, for some strange reason, we see the total ignorance of all the teachers who could not figure out that the monster was a Basilisk. A 12 year old schoolgirl had to figure it out before Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and everyone else.

Of course, there are some good moments here, including Dobby’s appearance, young Tom Riddle’s participation, and all of Lockhart’s ridiculous scenes.

 

5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

This is the book that is in the middle between childhood and adulthood. Here we have the fun moments and excitement of early adolescence, but the events of the finale push the main characters over that line, because from there on they will inevitably have to deal with serious and difficult situations.

On the other hand, the plot is too structured because of the conditions of the Triwizard Tournament and too far-fetched, from serious gaps in detail about the other schools to this being another book where Dumbledore shares a table with a dangerous dark wizard and that eludes him. Barty Crouch Jr. himself also seems like a underdeveloped character, because if he actually manages to execute this plan, it would make him one of the most capable wizards in the series, on par with Snape and Bellatrix.

Last but not least, Harry is over-favoured by the author, as it is completely unrealistic for him to consistently defeat older and more experienced wizards.

 

4. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

This is the first book that introduces us to the world of magic, and it makes sense that we would all have a particular sentiment towards it. Everyone who grew up with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has dreamed of getting a letter from Hogwarts and finding out they were a wizard.

Many of the characters that will remain universal favorites are introduced here – Dumbledore, Hagrid, Fred and George, etc. Snape is a mystical figure whose true motives we cannot understand. And of course the most entertaining part is exploring the world of magic and the huge beautiful castle that is being increasingly revealed to our minds.

Otherwise, there are obviously major problems with the plot, most notably the fact that Voldemort stays in the same room as Dumbledore for an entire year and he doesn’t feel it, but we must forgive such oversights here, as what’s more important is the fascinating magical adventure that begins.

 

3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

This is the next predominantly dark volume, but the time for that has already come. The battle has reached a very ripe stage, but we still have the protection of Hogwarts. In addition, we learn details of Voldemort’s life and they come from Dumbledore himself.

The main plot mostly revolves around Draco Malfoy, which gives us variety from the atmosphere of the usual trio. A pretty good scene is the one with the Sectumsempra spell – there the characters are Harry, Draco and Snape, but it is Harry who uses black magic.

The ending is heartbreaking and lays the groundwork for the final battle. This is also where all readers should find the courage to leave Hogwarts and dive into the unknowns of the later plot.

 

2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

This is the first of the really serious books and it is wonderful. Here we see rebels who are brave and secretive, and determined at all costs to lead a resistance against the regime of darkness. The rebellion has two cores, the old generation and the new, which brings a sense of continuity and resilience. The Order of the Phoenix itself is one of the most interesting and universally beloved things in the series.

Like The Prisoner of Azkaban, this book benefits from a strong presence of most of Rowling’s best characters. Dumbledore is in a negative position, Luna Lovegood is introduced, Dobby gets involved at important moments, Hagrid decides to be ridiculous at the most inconvenient times, the main plot once again revolves around Sirius, and Fred and George have an unforgettable role in the everyday life at Hogwarts.

In “Order of the Phoenix” we have battle, rebellion, and the testing of loyalties. These ingredients almost guarantee a successful and compelling story.

 

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Strangely enough, even though this book is the one most distanced from the main Voldemort storyline, it seems to be among the favorites of most readers. The reason for this is of course mostly Sirius, a brave and mysterious character who everyone assumes is a dangerous criminal, but it turns out that the story is very different.

But we have quite a few other wonderful plots here – the appearance of the dementors, Hagrid’s teaching and the case against Buckbeak, Lupin’s lessons, Fred and George’s involvement, the Marauder’s map, the sneakings into Hogsmeade, the Patronuses, and so on.

The third book is optimistic and magical, but it also shows that good endings come at the cost of a lot of personal suffering which people like Sirius and Lupin have had to endure. In the end, things don’t line up quite perfectly, but truth and freedom prevail.