Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire

Hello everyone! It's Shani here today, finally back after the nightmare known as A Level exams. The last few months it's been difficult for my colleagues and I to read because our time was mostly taken up by revision and preparing for our final exams, but it's officially summer now and that means plenty of time for reading!

I decided that before I go to University (if I'm lucky enough to get in) that I wanted to reread the last few Harry Potter books. I've been listening to the first three (Philosopher's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, and Prisoner of Azkaban) whilst I was revising - audio books were the only thing keeping me going during exam season - so I decided to read the last four books over the next week. I finished the Goblet of Fire yesterday and I knew that I wanted to review it immediately.

Author: J.K. Rowling
Published: 8th July 2000
Publisher: Children's Bloomsbury
Length: 636 pages
My Rating: 5/5

It's been about four years since I properly sat down and read The Goblet of Fire, and I must say it resonated with me just as much as the last time I read the novel. Harry Potter, a fourteen year old wizard who attends the magical school of Hogwarts for Witchcraft and Wizardry, is about to face his biggest challenge yet when he is chosen to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. What strikes me most about this book is Rowling's ability to introduce more adult themes in the novel, and how her writing seems to evolve as Harry grows up. The Goblet of Fire has a more serious tone and themes such as death, torture, and manipulation are discussed in great detail. That's one of the main things I've always adored about the series. The reading age seems to change as Harry ages making the last few books more complex and adult.

Rowling's characters of Harry, Ron, and Hermione also shift in this novel. The reader is shown a more vulnerable side to Harry, and the relationship between the three friends is tested multiple times during the narrative. Rowling portrays a realistic friendship between the trio, they bicker a good deal of the time, but they always manage to sort out their differences and rally together when they need to. I liked this aspect of the novel because I felt that the reader could connect to the characters more as Rowling explored their flaws in more depth then she has previously done, thus strengthening the trio's friendship even more as they come to accept each other's quirks and flaws.
The writing, as usual, was exquisite and captivating. Rowling has a certain flow in her writing, her language is never too complex but it isn't simplistic either, and her vast vocabulary of magical spells and enchantments always leaves the reader intrigued and excited.

As a reader, I've always been enticed by the 'tragic hero' such as Hamlet and Macbeth, and Rowling seems to mold Harry into this category in this particular part of the series, though he isn't entirely a tragic hero for he doesn't have a 'fatal flaw' he seems to suffer like one. Throughout the entire book the reader feels a sense of catharsis for Harry, we are aware that Lord Voldemort (spoiler if you haven't read the book) is coming after Harry and the reader cannot help but fear the inevitable moment when Harry is forced to face the Dark Lord. This sense of pathos which the reader cannot help but feel throughout the novel, as Rowling increases the tension through Harry's various tasks in the Triwizard Tournament and the fact that his scar burns on multiple occasions, comes to a breaking point in Chapter Thirty-Two Flesh, Blood and Bone where Harry and Cedric Diggory come face to face with the Dark Lord, and Cedric (once again a spoiler if you haven't read the novel) is murdered. I felt that whilst Rowling had dark themes in the previous novels and throughout The Goblet of Fire, this particular chapter shifts the entirety of the series. Not only is Harry, a fourteen year old boy, forced to witness the death of a friend but young readers are forced to read the death of a beloved character. Cedric Diggory was an innocent student and he was senselessly murdered for no reason at all. This sudden shift in the novel not only has a detrimental effect on the readers but on Harry as well, who is traumatised and exhausted by the end of the novel.

The Goblet of Fire has always been one of my favourite books in the Harry Potter series not only because it paves the way for darker themes and more round characters, but Rowling's dialogue is more humorous and witty in this novel, especially from Harry who's sarcasm seems to know no bounds. This new, refreshing dialogue reflects once again how Harry is growing up and therefore his language is changing. I also loved the characters of George and Fred Weaseley who never fail to make me laugh. The only issue I had with the novel was the irritating character of Rita Skeeter, and that's simply because she is meant to be a frustrating character for the reader anyway. Other than that, the pacing, the narrative, and the characters were all spot on and I know that I will be reading Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire again and again in the coming years.

Revenants - The Odyssey Home

Hello, we're back (this is Heather posting)! Now that exams are out the way, we hope to be updating this a lot more. I need to really really apologise to the author of this one – I said I’d read the novel during the start of my exams but underestimated the amount of time I’d have to read so had to pause it up till now; so, better late than never, here’s my review. As usual, it’s an honest review in exchange for a free read.

Information

Author: Scott Kauffman

Published: December 2015

Publisher: Moonshine Cove Publishing

Length: 306 pages

Overall Rating

★★★★

Brief description (from Amazon)

ONLY BETSY CAN GET HIM HOME IN TIME; ONLY HE CAN BRING HER BACK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

A grief-stricken candy-striper serving in a VA hospital following her brother's death in Viet Nam struggles to return home an anonymous veteran of the Great War against the skullduggery of a congressman who not only controls the hospital as part of his small-town fiefdom but knows the name of her veteran. A name if revealed would end his political ambitions and his fifty-year marriage. In its retelling of Odysseus' journey, Revenants casts a flickering candle upon the charon toll exacted not only from the families of those who fail to return home but of those who do. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Revenants-Odyssey-Home-Scott-Kauffman/1937327817)

Review

Struck by grief at the death of her brother Nathan, Betsy responds to her brother’s death by slacking in school and struggling with life in general, going through a rebellious stage of life. However, as she works in the Veterans hospital, she gets more determined to help and work out the secret of the anonymous patient locked upstairs who seems to only be alive through the twitching of his finger. Betsy is an intriguing character to follow and has some great character development throughout (she’s also a book nerd so naturally I liked her).

The content and topics covered in the novel were well-executed. I loved how bold the book was, addressing alcohol and drugs as well as the ugly, less poetic side of grief. It was really interesting to see the different perspectives as to what war meant and whether enlisting is good or bad. Perhaps best of all were the patients in the hospital; having just done an exam on how war is portrayed in literature, I applaud all authors that draw attention to the survivors of war and those at home, suffering the aftermath. Their injuries were all severe, and Betsy was initially shocked and rather scared of them, this stigma was interesting to view; Betsy’s maturing and adaptation even more so. Their injuries are looked at both with compassion, understanding and a little bit of humour, making its portrayal realistic.

The author chose to instill proper dialect and speaking style from the Ohio area. At first, I was slightly concerned that this could become too much; I’m sure we’ve all heard stories whereby the styling of a character’s voice becomes superior to their emotions and backstory. But Kauffman succeeds in shaping endearing characters, using the dialogue tone as a charming addition that does not override the plot. With a lot of characters, it can be challenging for authors to make each memorable enough, yet again Kauffman succeeded. During conversations in the book, I got a little confused as to who was speaking sometimes, so would recommend putting in a few more ‘[…] said’ here and there, but other than that the characterisation was great.

I was warned that the first fifty pages have been flagged as less eventful than the remainder of the novel – I actually didn’t find this was the case. Many authors use the standard rule of having a very dramatic opening to draw the reader in, then toning it down a little, but that does not mean that it is essential to all novels. Personally, I really enjoyed the start of the novel, and the middle, and though I liked the ending too I did think that it could have been more concise. Points of the book moved at an excellent pace, others were a little slow, but I was never bored.

My only qualm with the book was its use of the ‘n’ word in description, whilst I understand that it was not intended in such a way, it can be seen as racially offensive. Because of this, some swearing and darker topics, this is definitely a book for older readers. Anyone interested in war, like I am, will be sure to appreciate how its aftermath affected those at home – something the author definitely succeeded in, making it a lovely read. 

We won't be posting until July!

Hello,

This is just a general announcement to let you all know that we've decided to stop posting until after our exams - so the next month we will be inactive. Apologies for this. Any authors/publishers that have sent in books, we will respond to your emails around July time.

See you soon!

Shani, Lydia and Heather :)

The Writers Journal

Hey guys, its Lydia here! I've just finished another creative writing practice piece in preparation for my exams. I hope you like it, leave me a comment of how you think it could be improved or just some of your opinions. I hope to be finishing and reviewing the book Ashes to Ashes soon, go and check it out once I've uploaded. 

Just before I shut my eyes, I write on the clean blank lines of a new entry. I describe and recount whatever comes to mind, all the thoughts and trepidations that pass, but never can be brave enough to utter. They are all bound and safe within the brown leather cover, hidden from all wandering eyes.

It’s like a friend that never leaves my room, or causes me pain. It keeps all secrets and memories, and with just a turn of the page I’m brought back to the thoughts I had ten years ago. 

A journal is a writer’s second conscious, the part of you that transfers what you see and know into words, building the bridge from your life to the limitless ends of fiction. Here, the language I use will never be shamed or critiqued; it can be in any form, whether that be prose or poetry. It is the foundation to any author’s career, the first test to see how well I can describe my day to no one, and the final prize to see if I can display my language to millions. 

When I’m finished, as my pen leaves the paper, and my thoughts have been channeled. Its like I’m looking at my own reflection, the verbs and nouns creating eyes, a nose and lips. The face speaks to me, forming the fears and worries that loop within mind, and with each word that expels its mouth I grow calmer and my body sinks into the warmth, ready for sleep. In my unconsciousness I no longer feel tense and twisted with negative thoughts of doubt. I’m free and soring through my dreams like an eagle.

When each day comes to an end, as the light disappears, I look forward to writing in my journal, as in every new entry I understand my mind better, I’m inches closer to discovering who I can become.

When Lucifer Met Calamity

Hello! It’s Heather again, hope anyone celebrating Easter had a lovely weekend! Here’s a book review for a contemporary comedy/romance.

Information

Author: D. Alyce Domain

Published: April 2016

Publisher: Self-published

Length: 328 pages

Rating (all out of five)

Characters: ★★★

Plot: ★★★★

Writing Quality: ★★★ ½

Overall: ★★★

When Calamity uses her ninja skills to hit back at her boss after they sexually assault her, she finds herself hauled into trouble and a (very rightful) thirst for justice. This leads into herself, twin sister Charisma and her friend Reese following a plan to get evidence of the boss’ dodgy behaviour and get a legal case against him. Soon, Calamity manages to enlist the help of her crush, a lawyer named Lucifer, and together they find a more professional way to register the inappropriateness of Perkins. Sadly, sexual assault is a common issue in the workplace, so it was interesting to see how much effort goes into proving it.

The main characters all had rather unusually fitting names – Charisma, Calamity, Lucifer. Calamity is a fiery, sassy, independent protagonist that strives for justice but often her schemes result in the meaning of her name; I still find it a little odd that her parents would name her that, literally foreshadowing disaster. I liked how the author gave her flaws, like lying, which added to the realism of the book. Her twin, Charisma is presented as a likeable person that gets pulled into Calamity’s scandals frequently, including this one despite being pregnant. I found Reese and Sly stand-out characters though and really enjoyed their input, both having powerfully eccentric personalities. The squabbling between Sly and Calamity was definitely my favourite scene; it’s evident that the author had some fun writing this part.

Whilst many elements of the book were really great, there were some bits that I was less keen on. The use ‘eh’ was slightly overused at points! I also found it difficult to actually like Lucifer; I know that his dazzling looks, deep voice and chilling personality are supposed to make him an attractive individual, I’ll admit that at first I warmed a little to him after he stopped being so distant… then he removed Calamity’s clothes while she was sleeping without consent… and he quickly became creepy. Though he did redeem himself somewhat by helping Calamity so much, being an honest guy and simply owning a cat, and I’m sure other readers will find him more appealing. I did also note a few missing apostrophes but this didn’t really bother me.

This is a funny and very different romance to the norm that addresses the issue of sexual assault well. There’s some kissing and implied other bits but nothing too graphic, making the book a comfortable read for adults.

Here's a link to the Amazon page to buy the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Lucifer-Calamity-Jones-Book-ebook/dp/B01ATV3UUG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492457452&sr=8-1&keywords=when+lucifer+met+calamity

How and why I write

Hi guys! It's Lydia here! I know I haven't posted in a while, I've been busy studying and doing work for my exams. But today I thought I would share with you a practice creative writing question. 

I often find myself sitting at my desk and writing for hours and not realising that the world is continuing on around me. I’m so entranced within in my story or poem that I don't think to check my phone, or tear my eyes away from the computer. As I’ve grown up, my parents have always taught me to never diminish my imagination, and this is why I’ve spent most of my teenage years writing and creating. Writing improves and tests our imagination, you can create a world and person that doesn’t exist and turn them into reality. When I write I feel limitless. There are no barriers or restrictions to language; you can describe anything and everything.

After a stressful and frustrating day, I find writing very therapeutic. It helps me escape from the chaos of life, school and exams. It takes me to a world where I’m in control, as for someone who has high anxiety; I will often feel vulnerable and lost within situations that I cannot overcome. Writing uplifts and improves my mental health and self esteem, it makes me feel confident that I can face any challenges life throws.

Writing was mainly a hobby, which I experimented with in my free time. But now, since doing the subject as an A level, as well as English Literature, I want to become an author as a profession and see if I can get my work published. My love in writing and literature has given me some wonderful friends during my time at sixth form, who share similar opinions and interests in writing. As I talk to my friends and within my writing I don’t care that I seem rather eccentric and over the top. I sincerely thank my dedication and imagination to writing, as it made me the person I am today.

The Miseries of Mr. Sparrows

Hello dearies, this is Heather! Like a very dreary twist on Alice in Wonderland, we’ve all fallen down a rabbit hole, sadly filled with textbooks and spring revision materials, so if we’re a little less frequent with the updates then that’ll be why. Thank you to the author for sending us this book in exchange for an honest review!

Information

Author: Matthew A.J. Timmins

Published: November 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Length: 179 pages

Rating (all out of five)

Characters: ★★★★★

Plot: ★★★★ ½

Writing Quality: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★★

“Directly over the clerks’ room, on the ground floor—nearer to Heaven by elevation only—was the office of the Winstons, two thirds of Winston Winston & Crumpet: perhaps the most powerful, certainly the wickedest firm in all the Empire.”

The Miseries of Mr. Sparrow tells the story of Robin Sparrow; a clerk working for the law firm Winston Winston and Crumpet, as he embarks on a quest to deliver a parcel to Mr. Tarnish. Set within the Victorian era any fans of Dickens will be sure to enjoy this quirky tale as they follow the troublesome and somewhat fatal adventures of Robin.

The plot to description ratio was excellent. I found the plot fairly easy to follow, my only slight (and I mean very minor indeed) criticism being that there could be more information about how Robin found all the places and people he visited. I particularly enjoyed the ending, and was pleased to find that it was not at all rushed; a consistency of quality writing being apparent throughout. The entire story was coherently written, Robin having the sole aim of delivering the package, there were no unnecessary romances blossoming or bizarre additions. The characterisation was another element to be praised. The reader pities dear Robin who is rather thrown into the task of locating Mr. Tarnish without any kindness from his evil employees, and seems to be blamed for a multitude of extraordinary things. The police team were perhaps my favourite – with outstandingly wild theories over how Mr. Tarnish had committed some deeds, they proved to be very comedic.

The writing style is confident, witty and intelligent with all the warmth that the best authors carry. From the genre description of somewhat Dickensian I knew that this would be a good read and I was certainly not wrong there – it’s rare that I’ll write an honest review for an author’s first novel and struggle to find any improvements at all but in this circumstance even the font was beautiful! The book contains lots of literature goodies, with minor references to Greek mythology, Dante’s Inferno, Sherlock Holmes and character comparisons to Iago (Othello) and Merlin. As an English Literature student, naturally this meant I was beaming at each.

Normally I’d write a longer review but I’m not sure what else I can say except that it is an excellent read. There’s nothing in it that stands out as inappropriate so I’d recommend this to all ages. I look forward to reading more of Timmin’s work in the future! 

If you'd like to buy this, here's the link to the Amazon page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Miseries-Mr-Sparrows-Matthew-Timmins-ebook/dp/B017Y7N8D2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491847912&sr=8-1&keywords=the+miseries+of+mr+sparrow