Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Stenciled Edges) (Harry Potter, Book 4) (4)
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Description
The fourth book in the Harry Potter series, now in a special edition paperback with colorful stenciled edges! A must-have collectible for fans and a beautiful gift for book lovers of all ages.Harry Potter wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the Quidditch World Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do more than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for hundreds of years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal; he’s different -- even by wizarding standards. And in this case, different can be deadly. Read more
Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
Publication date : July 1, 2025
Edition : Reissue
Language : English
Print length : 752 pages
ISBN-10 : 1546171428
ISBN-13 : 23
Item Weight : 1.45 pounds
Reading age : 8+ years, from customers
Dimensions : 5.2 x 1.8 x 7.6 inches
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Kindle
This is one of my favorite books of the series. I’m enjoying reading these to see the differences between the books and the movies. It’s nice to get a fresh perspective and see what was locked out for time purposes.
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2026 by Rjb
_Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire_ gripped me from the opening scene at the Riddle House (like so many of Rowling's creations, very aptly named) to the end-of-year parting at King's Cross Station. Though the book's length may give rise to caution among those wary of sequels, J.K. Rowling has by no means succumbed to the diarrhea of the pen too often found in writers of multiple bestsellers. Like the previous three Harry books, "The Goblet of Fire" is well paced and tautly structured. It really does require all 734 pages of the American edition to tell the whole intricate story, or rather, as much of the story as the author will reveal at this time. In book four, Rowling (intentionally or not) gives a nod to many questions large and small posed by her fans. We learn who does the cooking and cleaning at Hogwarts, what happened to Neville Longbottom's parents, how to pronounce "Hermione," where other schools of magic may be found, and what Dumbledore can really be like when he's angry. We learn more about Hagrid, the Malfoys, and Snape (one of the most interesting developments is a hint that Snape's relationship with Harry may undergo a change for the better in the future). Along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, we learn of hexes and curses and defenses against the Dark Arts. And always, Rowling manages to weave together the least details and most seemingly unrelated subplots into a whole that is cohesive, uncontrived, and satisfying - though leaving the reader wanting much more. At about page 600 I found myself very sorry that there were only 100-some pages to go, because I knew that this would be all I would have until book five. I haven't felt that way about a book since hearing Sam Gamgee say "Well, I'm back," and wishing I could keep following him, Frodo, and their friends through more adventures in Middle-earth. The much-discussed first forays into romance for the leading characters are lightly and deftly handled, and while important are certainly not a main focus of the book. The effect of the romance subplots is to show how Harry, Ron, and Hermione are growing up and beginning to see themselves and one another in new ways. Along with romantic yearnings, they begin to exhibit other changes: Ron becomes edgier and more outspoken, Hermione learns to shrug off ridicule and be less rule-bound, and Harry continues to develop the bravery and valor of his parents - and of his House's founder, Godric Gryffindor. Harry's biggest challenges so far, not surprisingly, come in this book. Instead of flying in Quidditch matches, he is involved in an important year-long event that has temporarily superseded Quidditch at Hogwarts. The challenges he overcomes in the course of this event form the core of the book. Woven into the story are Lord Voldemort and his servants, and their attempts to bring He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named back to full life and power. Mysterious disappearances and even a death or two in "The Goblet of Fire" have, as in any good mystery story, more than one plausible suspect; and, as with any good mystery story, the solution ultimately eluded my several attempts at deductive reasoning - though the clues are present. Death casts a shadow over book four, particularly in the final chapters, where the usually boisterous end-of-year banquet is quite somber and the conclusion of the special year-long event is robbed of its triumph. But as Rowling told The Times, "if you really are honestly going to examine evil actions then you have a moral obligation not to fudge the issue." Her handling of murder in this book is sensitive and not, I think, likely to engender nightmares in young readers; as Rowling promised, it is "upsetting but not damaging." I can't say the book was completely perfect. Some minor flaws exist: Harry innocently poses a question to which he should well know the answer from a previous book; he convenient overlooks a recently-learned spell that could easily resolve a certain difficulty; he witnesses a magical effect in which the results come somewhat out of order. In addition to noting these minor errors, I was a bit dissatisfied with the way the ending of the year-long event was handled - I would have liked a bit more pomp and ceremony and a bit more official attention to the tragedy of the death that occurs. However, I can see why Rowling ends the year at Hogwarts on a quieter note than usual. One very good result of this is that Harry is given time and space to recover from his ordeals, which is a refreshing change from the usual adventure series in which the hero bounces from crisis to crisis with no time to absorb, reflect, or grieve. Time and re-reading will certainly offer me new perspectives on "The Goblet of Fire." But meanwhile, I'm glad to say that this is an excellent addition to the Harry Potter stories and one I will certainly read again and again - while waiting eagerly for book five! I highly recommend this book and the preceding three to any child or adult who enjoys great fantasy, mystery, and adventure.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2000 by L. Schwabenbauer
This book is all kinds of long. And I loved re-reading every moment of it. It took me a few days to finish it, as it is really long, and I didn't have that much time. Hmph. But tonight I finished it. And I'm so thrilled that I re-read this precious book. Sigh. So much love for it. Series is getting better and better. I remember watching the Goblet of Fire movie a whole lot. Because I adored Harry's hair in it. And I loved Cedric so extremely much. I always cried at the end of the maze, sigh. Been years since I last saw it. Hmph. But yeah. I love this movie a whole lot. And I realized how much I love the book too. This one is even more heartbreaking than the first three, which is just all kinds of mean. Since it is going to get even more heartbreaking. My heart won't be able to take it. Yet I cannot wait at the same time. So excited to re-read the last three books in this gorgeous series. So much love for these books. I love the writing more and more for each book. I fall even more in love with the characters too. And the story is just stunning. I adore magic. I love Hogwarts. I love the classes they take. All the food they get to eat. The different spells they are casting. How they dress. All the creepy creatures. This time, awesome dragons. Which I love oh so much. There is just a lot I loved about this book. I must mention some of it in my review :) This book is so long, though. And felt like it took me forever to read. Yet when I finished it, I wished it had been even longer. Which is the best feeling. So much happens in this one. I can't begin to mention all of it. But oh, how I loved reading every moment. Harry is now fourteen years old. I loved the moment in the beginning of the book when the Weasleys are coming to pick him up at the Dursleys. It was so much fun. And pretty awful too; I adored reading it. The Dursleys are still pretty awful, just so you know. Harry Potter is just the most amazing boy. And I adore getting to read more about him. Though with the writing style of this book, I also feel like I don't get to fully know him, which makes me a bit sad. Yet I still know him pretty well, so I'm not too sad about it. Because Harry is awesome. And he just gets more and more awesome. I did not mention Sirius in my last review. But yeah. He is a favorite character of mine. We see a bit more about him in this book. And I loved that a whole lot. He is just incredible :) I still love Harry's best friends so much. Hermione is amazing. So kind and clever and just perfect. I wish more people in these books would love her, hmph. And Ron. Sigh. I do adore him. Though he is a bit silly sometimes, and I'm not happy with him not believing Harry. It hurt my heart. And I wish he had truly apologized for it. Yet I also understood why he felt the way he did. But even so. It hurt my heart. But anyway. I adore the friendship between these three amazing kids. It just gets stronger all the time. Exciting things are happening at Hogwarts this year. There is a tournament. And it is the most fun and horrifying to read about. Loved every moment of it. The trials are awesome. And awful. And so much fun too. The ball was stunning. Sort of. I love the new characters a lot too. Moody is another favorite of mine, though he wasn't even real in this one. And that bothered me a bit, hmph. I loved the fake one. How rude. But yeah, bunch of amazing new characters in this book. And old ones too. I enjoyed them all. I can't say more about this book. Okay, I could probably talk about it a whole lot more, but I'm not going to. Just know that I adored re-reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It is a spectacular book. And I'm so happy I decided to re-read this series. You must all read this book. Harry Potter is amazing. And it gets better for every book. So much happens in this one. More about Voldemort. Shudders. I cannot wait to re-read the next three. And watch the movies again. It will be the best thing, I suppose. I'm excited.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2015 by Carina's Books
Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Author: J.K. Rowling Publication Date: July 8, 2000 Publisher: Bloomsbury (UK) / Scholastic (US) Review: "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is the fourth entry in J.K. Rowling's acclaimed Harry Potter series, and it continues to showcase her talent for world-building, character development, and storytelling. In this installment, the author takes the series in a slightly darker and more mature direction, while maintaining the sense of wonder and adventure that has captivated readers of all ages. Pros: World-building: Rowling's magical world expands even further in this book, introducing readers to new aspects of the wizarding world and its rich history. The book delves into the traditions and customs of different magical schools, offering a broader perspective on the world in which the story is set. Character development: The characters continue to grow and evolve in "The Goblet of Fire." The protagonists are faced with new challenges and responsibilities, both magical and personal, which test their relationships and force them to mature. Rowling skillfully explores the nuances of friendship, loyalty, and trust as the characters navigate these challenges. Pacing: The novel is well-paced, with moments of suspense and excitement balanced by quieter, character-driven scenes. The story is engaging and immersive, keeping readers eager to find out what happens next without feeling rushed or overwhelming. Social commentary: Rowling touches on important themes such as prejudice, discrimination, and power dynamics, adding depth and complexity to the story. These themes are relevant and thought-provoking, encouraging readers to consider their implications beyond the realm of the story. Cons: Length: Some readers may find the book's length intimidating or feel that certain sections could have been trimmed. However, the richness of the story and the depth of the world-building largely justifies the book's length. Tone shift: The darker and more mature themes in "The Goblet of Fire" may not resonate with all readers, especially younger fans of the series. While the shift in tone is a natural progression for the story and characters, some may prefer the lighter, more whimsical atmosphere of the earlier books. Complexity: The plot of "The Goblet of Fire" is more intricate than the previous installments, which may be confusing or off-putting for some readers. However, many fans appreciate the complexity, as it adds depth and intrigue to the story. Overall, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is an engaging and compelling entry in the series, with a rich and immersive narrative that showcases J.K. Rowling's storytelling prowess. While the darker tone and increased complexity may not appeal to all readers, the novel successfully balances these elements with the charm and wonder that have made the series so beloved
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Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2023 by FatalError01
We already know from the first book that Harry is going to encounter a scary, dangerous situation while at Hogwarts - and it is all about him. (Cue Voldemort and his minions.) Each subsequent book in the series brings additional characters into the life of Harry Potter. And with them come more knowledge, more mystery and more story lines. The fourth book of the series doesn't start out with Harry. Instead, we get a glimpse of the life of the Riddles - all who mysteriously die in the night of no determined cause. But each had a "look of terror on his or her face" and the long-time gardener overhears a plotting conversation and Harry awakes with his scar hurting. Oh boy. "Difference of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open." Harry is looking forward to the end of his summer and the Quidditch World Cup, between Ireland and Bulgaria. Mr. Weasley has scored the best seats in the house for the Weasley clan and Ron's two friends. However, Harry takes note of some odd things Ron's older brother Percy (now working at the Ministry of Magic) says about some peculiarities at the Ministry, as well as some other abnormal things about two heads of Ministry departments, Crouch and Bagman, and the odd disappearance of Ministry woman in the last known location of You-Know-Who. Although the Quidditch match is quite rousing, something goes horribly wrong... Death Eaters (Voldemort's strongest supporters, cloaked and hooded) are storming the place seeking Muggle blood - and Harry, Ron and Hermione are in the wrong place at the wrong time when Voldemort's Dark Mark is cast into the sky. Ministry officials are overwhelmingly suspicious of Harry, Ron and Hermione, until they find Crouch's house-elf Winky standing in the spot where the Dark Mark was cast...with Harry's wand! Crouch immediately dismisses the terrified Winky, but raises the question in everyone's mind: Why did Crouch send Winky to save him a seat in the Top Box, where the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, the Malfoys and other Ministry officials were seated, if he wasn't going to show up for the Quidditch match? Harry knows he has to tell Sirius, still in hiding. Harry and Ron learn before setting off for Hogwarts that there won't be any Quidditch matches or a Cup to be won - something quite different will be happening this school year. At the feast, Dumbledore explains all: a Triwizard Tournament! A friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang in which in the past the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued. YIKES! The tournament has been restricted to wizards age seventeen and older so that unprepared wizards are not at risk. It will be judged by the three headmasters of the competing schools, as well as a few other objective judges including Crouch. One representative from each school (Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang) will be selected by the Goblet of Fire to be the "champion" of their school and compete in three tasks. Yet...Harry's name is chosen as the fourth competitor! And he must compete - it's the rules! No one believes him that he didn't submit his name, and it sets a huge rift between Harry and Ron. A lot of anger lies between them, and Hermione is trying to bring them back together. Meanwhile, the whole school is angry at him, taunting him with ridiculous lies from a reporter's article, flashing POTTER STINKS buttons. Everyone's turned on Harry, and he's definitely got the feeling of being and outcast. Sirius and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Moody, are on alert: someone put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire - because they want him dead! Hogwarts gets a new, but rather old, Professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Indeed, "Mad-Eye" Moody is quite qualified: he used to work at the Ministry as an Auror (a Dark wizard catcher). Snape avoids Mad-Eye (as well as Drumstrang's headmaster). He goes against Ministry restrictions for teaching: he wants students to be prepared for danger, and teaches students how to recognize the three Unforgivable Curses (one of which killed Harry's parents), and how to combat them. And he also highly embarrasses Malfoy in quite a humorous way. He is obviously Harry's secret champion, a fresh delight in the quite ugly and nastiness that is Snape. They get a weird vibe from Durmstrang's headmaster, Karkaroff. They're on even higher alert when Karkaroff bursts into the dungeon during a Potions lesson. Harry fiddles and spills things to stay and overhear their conversation, with Karkaroff showing Snape something in great fear, who shushes him. And Harry finds Crouch himself ransacking Snape's office from his magical map, which he hands over to Moody. If Crouch is so sick, as the Ministry and Percy Weasley are insisting, why is he sneaking into Hogwarts? Things are not adding up.... Hermione helps arrange for Harry to meet Sirius in late November in the Gryffindor common room. And boy does Sirius have a lot to say! He shares some scary information about Karkaroff, connecting him to Voldemort, and perhaps the reason Dumbledore wanted an Auror at Hogwarts...to keep Harry safe. Sirius is very strict in asking Harry to notify him of any strange happenings, which actually happens quite frequently. Harry and Ron do make up; being boys, they leave things unsaid but Harry is more mindful of Ron and his feelings. The gang work together to help Harry complete the last two tasks. Harry gets in the good graces of Beauxbatons champion Fleur, and Karkaroff, is continually unfair in his judging marks for Harry's tasks. All the while, Hermione is hellbent on advocating for house-elves, who are basically slaves. But they're delighted about their work, which Hermione doesn't understand. Dobby and Mr. Crouch's formerly employed Winky come to work at Hogwarts, and Winky reveals that Crouch has some rather dark secrets. Winky upholds that she won't reveal them, and insists that Mr. Bagman is a bad man....but toward the end of the book we find out that Bagman and Crouch are kind of enemies and exactly what kind of secrets Winky has been keeping. During Voldemort's powerful time, Crouch was an avid prosecutor of his supporters - he was definitely on a manhunt. Harry gets the full experience of Crouch coldly sending his only child, his only son, to Azkaban without a trial, without an explanation as to how he got swept into the Dark Arts. Some insisted he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, which even Harry has been accused of...and which a young Bagman was also accused of. But his popularity as an England Quidditch player roused sympathy and support, which eliminated his connection with Voldemort. Crouch was none too happy that his peers let Bagman walk free. Indeed, throughout the entire book, play goes back and forth between Bagman and Crouch making readers think one is connected with Voldemort, who we learn some interesting information about. Harry also finds out who some of the other Death Eaters are, and is very surprised to find one of them is a professor at Hogwarts! During the final task, Harry saves Cedric's butt a couple of times...and they find that Durmstrang's champion is not what he seems. Harry is badly hurt, and he and Cedric make a monumental decision as to the outcome of the winning champion. And what they get is not at all what they expected, as Harry comes face to face with Voldemort again. And this time Voldemort's out for blood - Harry's - and death. The ending is QUITE twisted - readers will definitely be thrown for a loop as all comes together and is explained. It is quite a lot, but brings Sirius to Harry's side...and dually he reveals himself to Mrs. Weasley and Snape. Snape and Sirius unceremoniously agree to disagree over their tangled past at Dumbledore's urging, and to help Harry and the wizarding world. Dumbledore sends Snape off on a covert task, that will be revealed in a later book. Sirius is sent to rally "the old gang." Mr. Weasley is called upon to reach out to contacts in the Ministry who won't turn a blind eye to the fact that Voldemort is back - and many within the Ministry who were cleared so many years ago are indeed still supporting the murderous Dark Lord. One thing of great note that's different from the other books so far is that readers get more exposure to Harry's inner thoughts - he wants to enter the Triwizard Tournament, he wants to cast an Unforgivable Curse on Snape, etc. This is probably due in large part to the volatile amount of anger Harry has, especially toward Ron, and feeling as if everyone at Hogwarts hates him. Also of important note is the growing crush of Hermione and Ron. Ron is extremely jealous of Hermoine, how she spends her time and who she spends it with. It will be interesting to see if this continues throughout the series or if Hermione decides she's had enough of Ron's oafish ways. Of the series so far, I think I enjoyed this book the most. It was quite a bit longer, but I loved the entire idea wrapped up in this book - Rowling did some thorough planning and dropped hints at just the right times. If you've never read the Harry Potter series, I highly encourage you to do so. It is truly an enjoyable (and easy) read. Check out what Harry, Ron and Hermione will run into in the next book, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2013 by Charlie Anderson
Good read
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2026 by Amazon Customer
"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is the fourth book in J.K. Rowling's beloved "Potter" series. It's also the fourth Potter book that I've read. It's the best of the lot that I've read so far, and that's saying a lot in my book since I really loved "Prisoner of Azkaban." "Goblet" starts off with something quite adult--a murder. Then, Harry is brought onto the scene with the familiarly miserable Dursleys. He's whisked away from them by the Weasleys in a humorous series of events. Eventually, Potter, Hermione, and most of the Weasley gang end up at the Quidditch World Cup. At this point, we are introduced to a number of characters such as Winky, Ludo Bagman and Viktor Krum. It is also at this point that Rowling takes the reader into a new arena of writing. Her play-by-play description of the Quidditch match is simply breathtaking. You can easily picture yourself at the event and watch it unfold before your eyes. After the game, a terrible event occurs which sets up they underlying "evil" feel of the rest of the book. Harry and his friends return to Hogwarts and learn that the Triwizard tournament will be taking place there. Two other schools, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, send their top students to the school in order for a chance to compete in the tournament. Competitors are chosen by the Goblet of Fire, one from each school. The aforementioned Krum is chosen to represent Durmstrang. The alluring and somewhat pompous Fleur Delacour will serve as the Beauxbatons competitor. Finally, Cedric Diggory, a character only briefly mentioned in earlier books, is chosen as the Hogwarts champion. A fourth competitor, amazingly, is also chosen by the Goblet. Harry Potter is chosen to compete even though he is underage and nowhere near the expertise levels of the other champions. The champions are given three tasks to complete over the school year. Along the way, we see how Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the other students at Hogwarts are beginning to grow in maturity. There's a huge Yule Ball that poses a seemingly greater threat to Harry than any of the Triwizard tasks. He has a falling out with Ron, must deal with being popular/unpopular, and good ol' Malfoy and his thugs, Crabbe and Goyle, are still around to kick Harry when he's down. Oh, and Harry's starting to fall for Ravenclaw beauty, Cho Chang. We are also introduced to a new Dark Arts teacher, Mad-Eye Moody, a nosy reporter named Rita Skeeter, and Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, the heads of the visiting schools. Ron and Hermione begin to develop more independently of Harry. Hermione begins a fledgeling campaign to liberate house elves. Ron has to come to terms with the fact that he'll probably remain in Harry's shadow for a long time and his interest in girls starts to bother him more than his silly twin brothers, Fred and George. Mentioning those two, they, along with most of the other Weasleys, are given a larger amount of page space. Hagrid gets a little more page time as well, and we learn some great truths about certain other characters who've been present throughout all of the books. The book concludes with what I consider to be the most terrifying ending for younger readers. Harry has definitely grown up, and his fan base will also after reading this book. Readers are forced to deal with vicious murders, surprising revelations about certain characters, and an ending that leaves the reader hanging on for Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. This is a highly enjoyable read that I recommend to children who've already read the other books and are around the same age as the main characters (Harry is fourteen in this book). Younger kids may find parts of this tale to be too scary to read, and the violent and almost non-chalant death of one particular character may be too much for younger kids to handle. Parents should definitely read this one before letting their younger kids have a go.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2006 by Ken Fontenot
As with the three earlier books in the Potter series, if memory serves correctly this is my third time through Goblet. I've read it twice, and now listened to it on cd. Overall, I still love the story and the way it basically changed everything. While Prisoner of Azkaban, my favorite Potter book (and movie, to date), was a bit darker than its predecessors, the danger still felt a little bit removed and the book still maintained a somewhat lighter tone. With Goblet, Rowling turns Harry's world upside down and almost from the start the book feels darker; the joy and wonder of the Quidditch World Cup, people tend to forget, is preceded by Harry "dreaming" about Lord Voldemort killing a Muggle and beginning his return to power. The bad stuff doesn't start with the Death Eaters and the Dark Mark at the Cup, but it certainly escalates from that point. Experiencing the book for the third time, I was once again struck by how well Rowling builds on earlier throw-away comments and sets the stage for the later books. She allows her teen characters to grow, while most of her adult characters remain infuriatingly predictable. We can see Hagrid's blast-ended skrewt experiment ending badly before it even begins, and we know Hagrid will have at least one "I should not have told you that" moment; Dumbledore will be so focused on keeping Harry safe that he will neglect to share the very information Harry needs to make the smart decisions that will keep him safe; McGonagall will be stern and motherly at the same time; Snape will have those one or two moments where he vaguely threatens Harry and obstructs Harry's path but will ultimately not be a major part of the storyline .... except that, while all of that happens, Rowling actually gives us reasons this time. We get a bit more of Hagrid's history, we get to see just why Dumbledore is so distracted, and we start to see the Snape of the movies. In the first three books, Snape is a speedbump in the road and not much more. In this book, Snape quite literally is indirectly responsible for a character's death (had he not delayed Harry from seeing Dumbledore, Barty Crouch Sr might not have died) and in the final pages we see that he is going to be more than just a menacing teacher from this point on. Rowling expands even the secondary characters' roles (with the Madame Maxime subplot for Hagrid, and the heightened involvement of the adult Weasleys), and her page count expands to accommodate that change in story-style. She also introduces at least one intriguing new character: Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. Moody quickly became a favorite character of mine, and remains so. Even after what I think is one of the best plot twists in the Potter series (if not all of series fiction). Listening to the book, I found myself even more attentive to Moody's scenes than I am when I'm rereading the book. And yes, the clues are all there early on, once you know where to look. Some people have said that upon rereading Goblet, the teen relationship angst comes across as more forced than on the first read. I didn't find that to be so. Because while spurned feelings and requited attractions motivate the characters at various points, those emotions are still not the main plot (unlike at least one other YA urban fantasy series of great popularity, or so I've been told). Harry's interest in Cho and jealousy of Cedric, Ron's jealousy of Hermione and Krum, the poor Patil sisters stuck with dates who won't even pretend they're interested, even the ease with which Fred (or is it George) asks Angelina (or it is Katie) to the Ball ... all of this fits into the book as fine character work and subplot without taking our attention away from the main plots: the Tri-Wizard Tournament and the Return of Voldemort. Unfortunately, there is one spbplot that annoyed me on the initial reading, annoyed me again when I reread the book, and still annoys me listening to the book. As wonderful a reader as Jim Dale is (and he is stretched to prove himself in this book, not only due to the length but due to the number of speaking characters to be interpreted), even he cannot generate any interest or excitement in the SPEW sub-plot. Way too much time is spent for a subplot that is ultimately dropped mid-book and not revisited in any of the remaining books. Yes, it's an important development for Hermione's character that she takes up the mantle of gaining equality for a down-trodden race. And yes, I'm sure in adulthood she worked tirelessly at the Ministry to finally get house elves the respect they deserve. But an already long novel could have been 50 pages shorter if Hermione's Crusade had been cut out or at least mentioned less frequently. Perhaps my largest disappointment of the Potter series is that this major subplot ultimately went nowhere. (I can foresee certain arguments having to do with events in Half-Blood Prince which were cut from the movie version, and in Deathly Hallows. I would ask that if you feel the urge to debate me / tell me I'm wrong, you try to be as vague as possible. I know of at least one person reading this blog regularly who has not read the books and so far has managed to not have any of the major events of DH spoiled for him before the movie comes out (which he will see opening weekend, as he has every other Potter movie, I'm sure). I could natter on for pages yet, I'm sure. I haven't talked about the representation of sensationalist media in the form of Rita Skeeter. I haven't talked about Karkaroff and Krum, or the concept of other nation's schools of magic (I've always wondered why Rowling didn't use an American school, since the books were already selling so well over here. Might have been a nice nod to her American fans. Then again, the portrayal may have been unflattering.) But this is a review, not an essay. Overall, Goblet is my second-favorite book in the Potter series. Great character development, great new characters introduced, lots of groundwork laid for the second half of the series and especially for the next book.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2010 by Anthony R. Cardno