Prisoner of Azkaban starts us on a darker path in the series, but here in the fourth Harry Potter book we REALLY get into it! 

Voldemort is coming back with a vengeanceee, and that fear and anxiety really permeates this book in a way that the movies don't fully capture. The Triwizard Tournament is almost a side-plot in the book, as each task literally takes up only about a chapter of space. I didn't really mind though, as I thought time was well spent elsewhere in developing our new and familiar characters. And actually when you think about the book's plot, the tournament truly is a means to an end so it kind of makes sense. 

I LOVED Sirius' pretty consistent presence in this book, and am kind of surprised by the decision to keep him mostly out of fourth film; I know they had to cut like everything for time, but you really feel the bond between Harry and Sirius take shape here and I was loving every second. We also learn a lot about the inner workings of the Ministry of Magic, as well as the circle of Death Eaters that once surrounded Voldemort and the terror that they wreaked at the former height of his power. And of course, the real story of Barty Crouch Jr. is a lot more sinister than presented in the film and serves as another remarkable twist (still doesn't beat the reveal at the end of book 3 though imo). Suffice it to say, we're really digging into the heart of this series and the tension is tensioning. 

While the teenage hijinks and dramas kept this book from veering too far into darkness, we're starting to feel some serious weight now at what I think is just the right time. There are so many small details and moments throughout these books that make re-reading almost an entirely different experience from watching the movies, and I love rediscovering things that I've all but forgotten since this universe basically lives as a film strip in my brain. 

It's onto the next and I might just enter a preemptive mourning period in preparation for what's to come. But I also can't wait?! Send help.