lnr | 1: Harry Potter et l'Ordre du Phénix: J K Rowling: ISBN 2-07-055685-9

Well, I've finished my first book of the year, and very much enjoyed it. After the long struggle through La Communauté de L'Anneau before Christmas I was mildly surprised to get through this so quickly, despite the fact it's obviously in much simpler language. All the way through I was keen to know what happened next, and found it difficult to put down. It made me laugh in lots of places, it made me sad in one or two places too, though oddly enough not at the actual point where someone dies: too much else is going on at that moment really. It's interesting to see how much the characters have developped. And how they're not all just two-dimensional creatures, even the good guys have their bad sides, and Harry is beginning to be grown-up enough to recognise this.

It was fascinating to read it having not read the original English version first. I'm glad I did, though I think I'd like to read it in English at some point too, since I'm sure there are subtleties that I have missed. My head is filled with French now though, in a singularly disturbing manner. I'll certainly be looking to read more books in French this year, though I shall begin to aim to read more that were originally written in it.

I'm looking forward to the next volume, whenever it's written. As usual I want to know what happens next in the great struggle between Harry and Voldemort and all those backing each side, but equally there are little things I want to know - what of next year's Quidditch team?, how will they all have done in their GCSE equivalent exams?, what of Percy?