Books From My Younger Days: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

This book in the Harry Potter series gets serious but, for me, is one of the most entertaining as well.  While I think this might be my favorite, it’s also one of the darker books and, arguably, is the start of where the books become more dangerous and show us why Voldemort isn’t to be taken lightly.

While the Triwizard Tournament is so much fun, and is enough of a story to hold up the book, the ending is heartbreaking, terrifying, and brings so many things together in the Harry Potter universe (like where Peter Pettigrew ran off to) and it kicks off the urgency to contain and destroy Voldemort.

Everything from the professional Quidditch game, to the Dark Mark appearing, to the mystery surrounding Harry’s entrance into the tournament, his challenges in facing tasks far beyond his wizarding level, and so much more are all beautifully woven into this fourth Harry Potter book.

I still remember getting this for Christmas and when I started it, with the death that comes at the beginning of the book, I couldn’t stop and it was a fast, captive read.  While I know a lot of people have read Harry Potter, if you’ve not reread the series in a few years, I’d encourage you to pick up the books again.  

For me, Goblet of Fire is the book that really made me excited for the remainder of the series again.  It’s also like the first three books are just primers for the real action and after Goblet of Fire there is concern that no character was necessarily safe.   While, again, this is a darker novel than the first three, it’s still such a great read and show why Rowling is a great storyteller and is a main reason I was a devotee afterward.  I had never waited in line at midnight for a book but after Goblet of Fire I couldn’t wait to get the next book in the series.  As an adult, I can say, this fourth book in the series still holds the same magic it did so long ago.