Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

by J.K. Rowling

Arthur A. Levine Books, 341 pp., $19.95

The Harry Potter backlash is inevitable. With an impending movie deal and author J.K. Rowling’s recent monopoly of the top three spots on The New York Times bestseller list (as well as the No. 1 paperback slot), Harry Potter simply presents too large a target for pundits, parents, and preachers to ignore. The books’ Dark Arts themes are already giving rise to anti-Potter stirrings in America’s heartland. But the backlash is not here and it’s not now, because Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is more than worthy of its two predecessors. Its confident pace and unpredictable plotting even outstrip the previous books for character development as Rowling proves that she has hit her stride. The Prisoner of Azkaban is like a great fireworks display — it mixes quiet reverie with thundering action then wraps it all up with a breathtaking finale that satisfies and surprises. Even though you knew it was coming.

This article appears in November 26 • 1999.

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