Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter #4) by J. K. Rowling
Published 2000 by Bloomsbury.

Links: Goodreads.

Source: purchased.

Genre: YA fantasy.

My rating:

The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can’t wait for the start of the school year. It is his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and there are spells to be learnt and (unluckily) Potions and Divination lessons to be attended. But Harry can’t know that the atmosphere is darkening around him, and his worst enemy is preparing a fate that it seems will be inescapable.

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This is the review of the fourth part of the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I also reviewed The Philosopher’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of Azkaban. As with previous parts, I’m assuming most of you have read the series so there will be spoilers for the plot!

I think I said in every review I’ve written about the Harry Potter books so far that THAT book might be my favourite, but I really, really like The Goblet of Fire. It takes on a more sinister twist and what with Voldemort coming back “from the dead”, it sets the tone for the rest of the series (hint: it’s dark).

I like the friendship dynamic of Harry, Ron and Hermione in The Goblet of Fire. There’s Ron’s jealousy, Hermione’s devotion, the first romantic interests (though surprisingly no unpure thoughts). It’s nice to see how they’re evolving, moving from children to teenagers. I think series like Harry Potter are wonderful for when you’re growing up and going through the same changes.

The Triwizard Tournament and the Quidditch World Cup were very nice ways to introduce the wizarding world. The scope broadens and I just wish Rowling had hinted at it in previous books, because I just can’t believe Harry never thought about wizards from other countries (as he claims here). I’d probably enter the Triwizard Tournament but let me tell you: if I was picked, I’d probably quit the second task before swallowing down gillyweed, because that was disgusting.

I’m also glad that Rowling touched on social issues – with the house elves and Hermione’s S.P.E.W., of course, but I do wish it were treated less like a joke and more like a serious problem. And they left it out of the movie completely. I understand why they’d do that but still, it’s a topic that would benefit from a bit more attention.

I’ve re-read this book at least 7 times (I stopped counting but I’m fairly sure it’s more than that) but this was the first time that I nearly cried at the end. Not when Cedric died, though that was horrible (and very… clean, don’t you think?), but when Mr. and Mrs. Diggory come to visit Harry when he’s still in the hospital wing. That scene just wrecked me. That’s why I love re-reading, there’s something new each time I read the book (not just Harry, any book I like) and I guess this time the scene with the parents touched me more because it was the first time I read this book post-Kiddo.

I’m currently working my way through The Order of the Phoenix, which I normally skip in my re-reading, but I wanted to have the full set of reviews for the blog, so I’m giving it another try. I’m already hating Dumbledore and his mysterious shit and we haven’t even arrived at Hogwarts yet…

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Would you enter the Triwizard Tournament? Would you win?

 What would witches and wizards from your country be like?

I’d love to hear from you! :)

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  • Yay! I was looking forward to your reviews for the rest of the books in the series! GoF is so unique compared to the other books: the World Cup, the Triwizard Tournament, no Quidditch, new characters, Voldemort coming back, etc, etc, etc. I definitely would NOT enter the Triwizard Tournament so I’d be cheering you on from the sidelines LOL Great review^^ xx

    • YES, so many things happen in this part! It’s so action-packed, especially compared to Order of the Phoenix, which I’m getting through now, and which is probably the slowest of all 7 books.
      Thank you for your vote of confidence :D

  • The last time I re-read HP4, I also got weepy and it was the first time for me to get so emotional.

    • Isn’t it wonderful that old stories can still get us all worked up? I love re-reading favourite books, I always discover something new (or just feel really comfortable doing that).

  • Maraia

    I’m really glad you’re not skipping OotP. I can’t believe you’d even suggest it! I hope you see the humor in it this time. It’s always going to be my overall favorite, but I do think GoF is my favorite to listen to on audiobook.

    My friend came up with this whole elaborate idea for an American wizard school, and it was HILARIOUS, but I think I’ll have to tell you in a DM or email (remind me!) because I don’t want anyone else stealing his ideas. ;) I admit that I was as oblivious as Harry. It never even occurred to me that there might be other wizarding schools, and as soon as it was mentioned, it seemed so obvious!

    I think one of my favorite parts of this book is when Harry gives his winnings to Fred and George. <3

    And no, I probably wouldn't enter the tournament, haha. I would root for you, though!

    • I’m enjoying OotP but it’s MUCH slower than GoF! It takes AGES for Harry to even get to Hogwarts and he doesn’t go anywhere and he’s so MOODY most of the time. And Umbridge is horrible and Dumbledore is being a prat and not talking to Harry and POOR SIRIUS!!! Ugh. But I’m getting through it.

      Tell me all about the American wizard school! :)

      Ooh, my second supporter and fan! :) Thanks for the vote! :)

      • Maraia

        It is much slower, you’re right. I love angry Harry, though. Wouldn’t you be angry if you were a 15-year-old in that situation, with awful Umbridge and Dumbledore at his most frustrating and everyone believing you were a lunatic? But then you have Fred and George at their best, and you have Ginny coming into her own, and McGonagall facing down Umbridge, and there’s so much to love.

        I will search through my chat history to find that conversation. :D

  • Confession: I still only halfway through The Prisoner of Azkaban… from when I was 12! :(

    But of course, I would enter, and of course I would the tournament!

    • Well, no matter how popular a book is, it can’t be EVERYONE’s favourite! :)

      NO YOU WOULD NOT, I’d win for sure! :D (Oh, who am I kidding. I’d probably get burned by that dragon in the first task, I’m horrible at running and climbing and avoiding things flying at me. I really like swimming, though, so the 2nd task would be easier for me!)

  • Completely understand your feelings re: house elf liberation being treated as kind of a joke. It made me so mad when people mocked Hermione and her creation of S.P.E.W. Like, hello? She is out there campaigning for social justice, and what are you doing? Copying her homework!!! /end rant

    I would totally enter the Tournament. Probably wouldn’t win, but I think I’d be a contender…if only through sheer force of will. I can be a little competitive when it comes to sporting/intellectual competitions. ;)

    • I’m SO BEHIND answering my comments… Sorry. :(

      Yeah what is up with SPEW not being treated seriously? I know we’re supposed to forget about the fact that all of the Hogwarts students are middle class (except for Malfoy, of course) and mostly white but the one issue that IS mentioned is also made fun of. Ick.

      HA, I’m really competitive, too. You’re only about the second person who said she’d enter – and when others wrote they wouldn’t I was like PFFT what do I care if it’s dangerous and life-threatening! It’s a competition therefore I would go! (In reality, I’m not a very sporty person… at all. I mean, I’d do ok with the 2nd task if I didn’t have to swallow the slimy gillyweed but that dragon would totally be a nightmare…)

  • Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite, but I remember this one being my favorite when I read the books for the first time. It’s one of the more action-packed ones, what with all the tournament challenges. I would definitely not enter though. I’m a coward lol.

    • Haha, most of the people here wrote they’d be content with observing the Tournament from the sidelines. I don’t know, I’d probably fail at the first task but I’d give it my best try :)

      Prisoner of Azkaban is really great. I think it’s my second favourite (after Half Blood Prince). Sirius is such a wonderful character, as is Lupin!

      • Well, Lupin is one of my favorite literary characters ever, so my choice of favorite HP book may be a bit biased :-P

  • Ah no way! You usually skip the Order of the Phoenix? Okay, I admit, I used to skip it too, but then one year it suddenly turned in to my absolute favorite. Then, the Goblet of Fire turned into the book I skip, which is weird because it’s such an important turning point in the story.

    Also, I definitely would NOT try to join the Tri-Wizard Tournament. I’m such a chicken.

    • I’m done with Order now and will be writing a review soon – I’m glad I didn’t skip it this time because I forgot all sorts of details over the years (and I really wanted a full set of reviews for the blog!).

      Mm, yeah, Goblet of Fire is such a transitional book. So many important things happen, it’s action-packed so perhaps the character development suffers a bit? I felt like Rowling made up for it in Order, though, that one is much slower.

  • Goblet of Fire is my second favorite and was my favorite until Deathly Hallows came out. I like that it takes a darker, more adult turn which, since I read them as an adult, was more interesting to me. It’s hard to remember now, because I’ve seen the movie so many more times than read the book. But I don’t think I’d enter the tri-wizard tournament. Unless you got to do things in the tournament you could never do otherwise – like of swimming with the mer-people was outlawed or deadly unless it was part of the tournament. Then I’d do it for the experience more than the challenge or victory.

  • I am a big chicken so absolutely would have no desire to enter the tri-wizard tournament. I’ve never thought about what witches and wizards from the U.S. would be like – probably super obnoxious and cocky:).
    I completely agree with you about Hermione and S.P.E.W. – I found this story very problematic because no one but Hermione is even vaguely sympathetic to the idea. Not even Hagrid for goodness’ sake. Ron is particularly a git about it. Not sure how I am meant to like these characters when they are literally like *shrugs* “I dunno. Slavery’s cool I guess.” Actually my feelings about Ron as a character in general have undergone a complete turn around on my re-read, lol!