Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third book in the Harry Potter Series. The group is reading the series in preparation for reading the Fantasy Category Winner Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two later in the year.



Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of thirteen, since he has already survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It's assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be taking Professor Trelawney's ghoulish predictions seriously?

Another audible lined up for me! Who's still with us in this re-read of the series?

I'm in!! I'm looking forward to it and will be listening to the audio as well. I have another audiobook lined up to start the month, then this one will be next.

Lynn wrote: "Another audible lined up for me! Who's still with us in this re-read of the series?"

My TBR pile will just have to wait a bit longer; Harry Potter takes precedence.

This one was by far my favourite of the series <3<3<3
One day, when I get a dog (German Shorthaired Pointer) his name will be Sirius.

I honestly don't think I have a favourite, there's part of me that feels guilty if I try to pick one out over the others lol

well i became harry potter fan when i watched the movies, but at that time i was not in to reading English books. but when i started reading English books in my 1st year of college, i was like woowww.. !!! I can read this book again & again for millions of times ..!! i m in to re read this book.

I haven't started rereading the series yet, but I'll play catch-up this month :)

I hope returning this will fix some issues (view spoiler)[I had with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two but I don't think so. (hide spoiler)]

I hate my Audible credit doesn't come the first day of the month, oh well, maybe tomorrow.

I've start my re-read (listening) today.

Already noticed something different because of the whole "I've read it and understand it more now". Ron's brother Bill said that the present he got him, a Sneakoscope, was just a piece of rubbish sold for tourists and did not work as it was whistling at their supper table. (view spoiler)[But of course it was working correctly, because of Scabbers! (hide spoiler)]

Oh good catch, Lynn. I love when I notice stuff like that on re-reads. I'll be listening for it now. I plan to start tomorrow or the next day.

And of course, (view spoiler)[Crookshanks must have always been going after him because he sensed something wasn't right! (hide spoiler)]

This is probably my fifth (or more) time through the series. While it goes a bit quicker with each read, there are always new tidbits and insights to discover. Of course, at my age, I'm easily surprised. (When did they put that sign there? It was there when we moved here 20+ years ago. Really? Are you SURE??????)

Lynn wrote: "And of course, [spoilers removed]"

I hadn't considered that. I just assumed it was a typical (view spoiler)[ cat / rat issue. (hide spoiler)] lol But, you could be right now that I'm thinking about it. I can't wait to read it again.

Kristie wrote: "Lynn wrote: "And of course, [spoilers removed]"

I hadn't considered that. I just assumed it was a typical [spoilers removed] lol But, you could be right now that I'm thinking about it. I can't wai..."

Kristie, please refresh my memory: how do I hide a spoiler in a comment? It looks as though surrounding it with square brackets is the answer, but I'm not certain and couldn't find it by searching. Thank you.

< spoiler > enter the spoiler text here < /spoiler >
(without the spaces between the < >)

Lynn wrote: " enter the spoiler text here
(without the spaces between the )"

Do I use the slash also? Or just the arrows?

Yes you use the slash ..... you just need to remove all the spaces

Looks like Lynn got it for you. Let us know if you still have trouble with it.

Kristie wrote: "Looks like Lynn got it for you. Let us know if you still have trouble with it."

Thanks to both of you. Here's my comment: Does anyone recall whether or not in any of the subsequent books?

Not sure what you mean Picky Virgo?

Looks like your missing something. Maybe a spoiler?

Kristie wrote: "Looks like your missing something. Maybe a spoiler?"
Yep. Wasn't sure how it was supposed to look from my end of things. ...whether or nottrying again

Kristie wrote: "Looks like your missing something. Maybe a spoiler?"

Not sure what I'm doing wrong.........

type this: < spoiler >the words you want hidden go here< /spoiler >

Where I wrote "the words you want hidden go here" you can type anything you want. Where I wrote < spoiler > and < /spoiler > take out all of the spaces (there are 4), but keep the rest the same. That should work.

When you type it it looks funny, as my example does above, but it changes when you hit post. That's why we have to put the spaces in; you wouldn't be able to see it if we took the spaces out.

Had to delete it; the entire thing showed up.

< spoiler >Yamaha< /spoiler >

Testing:

(view spoiler)[yayaya (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ yayaya (hide spoiler)]

Does anyone recall whether or not (view spoiler)[ Crookshanks displayed Sneakerscope-like talents (hide spoiler)] in any of the subsequent books?

Whew! Thank you both for your patience.

You got it! I don't recall. I just remember that (view spoiler)[she didn't like him and would chase him, but honestly I can't remember if I'm just recalling the movies or if it was really in the books. I haven't read the books since they came out, so it's been a while. (hide spoiler)]

Kristie wrote: "You got it! I don't recall. I just remember that [spoilers removed]"

I guess we'll find out, beginning next month.

So I've finished and once again thought it was wonderful. This third book really did step up a gear.

Question for future books, at the end of this story when (view spoiler)[Dumbledore was explaining to Harry that lots of good things did happen even the fact that Pettigrew escaping would have positive effects in the future ie Pettigrew will feel a bond to Harry and will feel in debt to him.

Did Pettigrew feel that and help Harry in the future? I don't remember anything like that ..... ??? (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ I kind of remember Pettigrew being torn, and maybe hesitating at a crucial moment? I think it happened later than Book 4, though. (hide spoiler)]

Picky Virgo wrote: "[spoilers removed]" I agree, it is in a future book. One of the things I love about this series is how well the threads and clues weave through all the books!

Almost through this one. I have found it interesting to see how different the movies are in certain areas from the books. It has been so long since I read them that I started to think that the books and the movies were the same.

Up to chapter 20 (view spoiler)[ I think in this book Snape seems to be more obviously looking out for the children's safety, even if he is mean to them. I felt in the movies that it was always questionable.

Also, I don't recall in the movie that Harry's dad could turn into an animal...maybe I'm just forgetting. I think they left that out though.

There were a few other parts too where I thought, "Oh, that's right. That's not in the movie." Such as Crookshanks helping with pushing the knot on the tree. (hide spoiler)]

I think I'm going to have to rewatch the movie now. I keep saying that, but this book makes it clear.

Kristie wrote: "Almost through this one. I have found it interesting to see how different the movies are in certain areas from the books. It has been so long since I read them that I started to think that the book..."

Totally this. I've seen the movies so many more times than I've read the books (because of ease, not preference) and I'd convinced myself they were the same.

Glad I'm not the only one that did that. I was reading certain parts and realizing that I had completely forgotten about them.

Kristie wrote: "Glad I'm not the only one that did that. I was reading certain parts and realizing that I had completely forgotten about them."

And I have yet to watch even one of the movies all the way through. I decided halfway through The Sorceror's Stone that I would stick with the books.

The first movie was ok, but the kids were still learning to act. I enjoyed it though because of the nostalgia factor. The movies improve throughout the series.

Kristie wrote: "Almost through this one. I have found it interesting to see how different the movies are in certain areas from the books. "

What you mention about Snape was one of the things that didn't come through in the movies. The movies were good, but there was a lot of plot left out - I remember being so disappointed before the release of the first one to hear that they'd cut Peeves (played by Rik Mayall - genius casting!)

Debstr wrote: "I remember being so disappointed before the release of the first one to hear that they'd cut Peeves (played by Rik Mayall - genius casting!) ."

Totally genius casting. Shame we never got to see it.

I had some difficulty with the plot on this one. (view spoiler)[The rules for using the time turner seem pretty arbitrary. The kids are already changing events, so why not intervene in a way to make sure Peter was apprehended? It's a strange plot hole that Rowling addresses in the text, but her explanation doesn't quite hold water. And given that the adults are supposed to be more advanced wizards than the kids, I'm wondering why they didn't think to use the petrifying spell on Peter, when we just saw Hermione use it at the end of Chamber of Secrets. Wouldn't you find someone way to incapacitate someone who has a high chance of escaping? (hide spoiler)]

Also, I'm watching the films after each book and I'd forgotten how poorly Lupin and Black were cast. The actors' ages aren't right for being contemporaries of Harry's parents and it's just rather odd.