|
NOVEMBER 18, 2003 at 9:11 AM
Posted by GRAE
Source: HPANA
"I had to put in some things because of what's coming in books 6 and 7...I want you to be able to guess if you've got your wits about you."
Thus spoke JK Rowling at the Royal Albert Hall about her new book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - and Galadriel Waters has taken these words to heart with her latest book New Clues to Harry Potter Book 5
, which is itself a prequel to the as yet unpublished Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter (Analysis of Book 5).
Does New Clues give us all the answers? Nope - in fact, its title says it all, its purpose only to give hints as to where the clues might be found in Order of the Phoenix. For the actual answers, you'll have to wait until the Unofficial Guide (Book 5) comes out.
But is it worth a look? If you consider yourself a "HP Sleuth," and are already familiar with the Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter (Analysis of Book 1-4), the answer is a definite "yes," as New Clues is simply a continuation of that work. But even if you're a casual reader of the Harry Potter series, you'll probably enjoy pondering the questions raised, and may even find yourself wondering if you've figured out some of the clues JK slipped in for us to find.
Be forewarned, though: New Clues contains an incredible amount of information and questions to digest, and may be a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated (I found the "Running Bits" somewhat confusing) to the point where you feel that the material in the Harry Potter books is being overanalyzed. Then again, the book also asks enough basic and important questions to convince you that they're on the right track most of the time. Either way, the appeal of New Clues is that it leaves it up to you to decide which of those questions are the truly important ones worth asking.
The structure of New Clues is straightforward - it analyzes each chapter of Order of the Phoenix in three sections: Frequently Asked Questions, Running Bits (clues derived from JK's wordplay), and Hints. The analysis itself is based on four extremely helpful rules regarding JK's writing.
Here are a few examples of how New Clues can get you thinking:
From the Hints section for Chapter 3 (The Advance Guard):
Tonks never explained how wizards find out if they are a Metamorphmagus. You may want to ask if they start out by making funny faces in the mirror, or do they just wake up one day and discover that their hair has grown three inches overnight?
You may recall that in the first Harry Potter book, Harry's hair magically grows back overnight, even after Aunt Petunia shaves him almost bald the day before. This doesn't prove that Harry is a Metamorphmagus, but it does make you wonder.
From the Hints section for Chapter 4 (Number Twleve, Gimmauld Place):
Is Percy just a bit misguided, or has he lost it so badly that he may even be a Death Eater? There are two other possibilities that tie to one big clue! If you read Percy's letter in Chapter 14 ("Percy and Padfoot"), you might be able to decipher what his little problem is.
Is this alluding to the possibility that Percy may actually be under the Imperious Curse by a Death Eater? Or is it something else entirely?
From the Hints section for Chapter 23 (Christmas on the Closed Ward):
She may be a weird lady, but did you see the way Mrs. Longbottom addressed the kids? What do you think of her?
Indeed, the entire scene is quite reminiscent of a Book 2 scene at Flourish & Blotts, where the kids meet someone else not so nice.
From the Hints section for Chapter 6 (The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black):
The WWP Sleuthoscope looks like it is falling asleep on the job...good thing too, because this is a deadly clue! Our favorite Black family heirloom was a very charming box. Where did that box go? What could you do with it? It should remind you of something. We advise HP Sleuths to review Book 1 as well as your mythology for similar effects. You're asleep on the case of you can't get this noteworthy clue from the end of Book 1.
This must be referring to the "musical box that emitted a faintly sinister, tinkly tune when wound, and they all found themselves becoming curiously weak and sleepy until Ginny had the sense to slam the lid shut." The question is, is this important enough to remember, and is it truly related to the fact that in Book 1 Fluffy was put to sleep in a similar manner?
From the Hints section for Chapter 23 (Christmas on the Closed Ward):
We hate to bring up the "C" word again, but the remedies for Gilderoy's condition sound coincidentally like the name of the remedy Snape dreamed up for Harry's "condition."
The remedy being referring to must be Remedial Potions, but again the question is, is this really important, or is it overanalyzing?
While New Clues is exhaustive in its research and careful attention to details, it does have its share of mistakes, although they are few: Luna Lovegood is omitted from the list of New Characters in Book 5, Neville's parents are listed as being killed in the Members of the Order of the Phoenix, and there appears to be an extra step between Sirius and his great-great-grandfather Phineas Nigellus in the tree drawn for the Black family. The book also admits that the Chamber Pot Room/Room of Requirement connection was missed in the first Ultimate Unofficial Guide due to this statement by JK Rowling back in 2001, where she revealed that there would be a magical Room in Order of the Phoenix:
"...a...room, mentioned in book four, which has certain magical properties Harry hasn't discovered yet!"
This seemed to imply that Harry had been in the room already, which ruled out the Chamber Pot Room. Then again, it may be possible that Harry had in fact been in the room previously:
If you reflect on some scenes from Book 1, when Harry might have desperately been seeking a room, it does make sense. Our Rememberit Quill has scrawled - We can't be sure what floors Harry was on then, so don't go giving anyone a hard time about that.
Whether or not you feel that searching for these types of clues is akin to looking for a needle in a haystack, New Clues certainly makes the search entertaining and enjoyable, allowing you to look at your own pace. It's a fun way to revisit the Harry Potter series, and along with the numerous books listed in the Suggested Reading section, will give fans something to do while waiting for Book 6.
Reader Comments (85)
click to read...
Your Thoughts
click to write...
Copyright © 2002-2010 HPANA. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. 
HPANA is an unofficial fan site, in no way affiliated with J.K. Rowling,
Scholastic Books, Bloomsbury Publishing or Warner Bros. Entertainment. All
trademarks and copyrighted material are the property of their respective owners.
About HPANA | Movie 6 | Send a news tip | Contact us | Privacy policy
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1826
snapelupinfan says:
I've read the "Ultimate Unofficial Guide" and I think I'll read the new book as well. I really like some of their theories and it is interesting to re-read the books with all the things in mind they mentioned. I'm quite interested what suggestions and clues can be found in the new book.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 9:39 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2034
Professor Snape says:
Wow, that article was pretty interesting! It seems that these books have lots of different theories and hints that I didn't pick up on while reading the books. I will have to pick these books up to see what i'm missing out on.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 9:46 AM EST
Keeper of Harry's Fate
Points: 9014
TheOneWhoMustBeNamed says:
Very impressive. It would be fun to get the books now. Read them. Then see how close they really were after we know how JKR ends the series.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 10:04 AM EST
Student
Points: 231
Libby Potter says:
I also (mistakenly) thought of Neville's parents as dead because I can only remember the grandma w/the bird in her hat and the uncle that threw him off the balconey.
I haven't read either of these two books but I'll look them up!
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 10:11 AM EST
Points: 549
Lady Aya says:
Wow? I think i just got a little lost jsut reading that. That means .. I gota altest read that, it'll make me smarter! ::smiles:: Very interesting though, kewl even.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 10:11 AM EST
Points: 790
M. Sebastian says:
You will enjoying this book and the first one covering the first 4 books immensely. And you will realize there are a lot of things that you just didn't notice before. I personally highly recommend them. Never too much Harry Potter.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 10:41 AM EST
Chief Magic Investigator
Points: 4910
EagleOwl says:
Great review- can't wait to get the book! Just ordered it from my local independent bookstore and hope it comes in soon. I read the first one (on books 1-4) and really enjoyed it- although, like Rissa, I really despise the whole James-Lupin thing. I am hoping that book 5 changed Waters' mind on that. I recommend the first book- it will make you want to read the entire series again, just to see what you can pick up that you didn't before.
I'm curious as to exactly what she's talking about in Ch. 23 with regard to Nevilles grandmother- honestly, I never picked up anything sinister about her. Yeah, she's a bit odd, and she comes off as strict and rigid, but am I right in reading into what was said above in the article that they (the authors) are comparing her to Lucius Malfoy? I'm just not seeing that, and I'm on my fifth reading of the book right now.
Should be an interesting read- I'm looking forward to getting the book!
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 10:52 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
(Moderator)
Points: 1217
shadowlife says:
Those books sound really good I will have to see if I can find them.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 12:52 PM EST
Werewolf
(Moderator)
Points: 5479
MoonyDawn says:
Wow!! Very interesting. I have to get these books! I think it will make re-reading all five books even more enjoyable.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 12:52 PM EST
Student
Points: 231
Libby Potter says:
Neville's grandmother is NOT like Lucius Malfoy at all. She took Neville in when his parents were hurt and has raised him.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 1:13 PM EST
Student
Points: 231
Libby Potter says:
And Neville's grandmother believes in Harry's version of events and remember that she refused to get the Daily Prophet anymore BECAUSE they were slandering both Dumbledore and Harry. That proves she is in the Order's side even though she may personally not be a member.
What theory with James and Lupin?
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 1:20 PM EST
The Girl Who Lived
Points: 4219
Tacha says:
I wish they sold these books in Belgian stores! I'm not so keen on buying stuff online because I fear that someone will take all of my money from my acount. May sound stupid but I have a friend who lost almost everything.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 1:22 PM EST
Witch
Points: 862
Lilison says:
I have read the Unoffical Guide to Harry Potter 1-4 and thought there were some really great bits but I also thought that the author focused on some unimportant details that didn't make sense. For example, Waters theorizes that Lupin is James and that there was a switching spell involved. Does anyone else think this is a really strange notion? She has some intresting parts that do bring about some good pondering but beware of her crazier thoeries, she is still out to sell books!
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 1:22 PM EST
Witch
Points: 684
Malakite says:
Talking or reading about theories seems wildly interesting to ME, so maybe I will check these books out. A friend of mine at work talks over his ideas with me sometimes, and it's a lot of fun! So, what's this "James and Lupin" thing you people keep talking about?
Now, if anyone here has noticed this, please tell me (just post with my name in it): Is it me, or did Rowling mention the herb that you can give somebody that makes them irritable, 2 or 3 times (haven't read book 5 in months, so can't remember the name of it or where it was written), but never went anywhere with it after the couple of mentions? The time or two I read about it, I thought she was going to say that THAT was the reason Harry was so prickly and irritable in book 5, but she never mentioned it in the end-of-book-wrap-up. Nobody discovered somebody feeding it to Harry in his food or drinks. So, does anyone remember this? And if so, what do you think about it?
Hm, I need to reread OoP again. Maybe the whole series. I was looking for something to read last night, anyway.....
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 1:23 PM EST
Witch
Points: 676
Madame Rosmerta says:
Very interesting! I will have to get the book and re-read book 5.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 2:16 PM EST
Magical Creature
Points: 3064
Phoenix Feather says:
Looks very similar to the analysis and discussions we do in the Phoenix files.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 2:40 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 494
rache says:
Great! Im going to get this book. I hope all you PHOENIX FILES posters get it too ;D
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 2:57 PM EST
Half-Blood Prince
(Moderator)
Points: 945
Professor Scoots says:
I have the first of these books, which covers the first four HP novels, and found the exercise of examining the books not what I expected.
While I really enjoy the HP books, and have read them many times - I find that it almost counter-productive to try an over-analyze them (there are numerous inconsistencies that show up under that kind of microscope and have take away, for me, some of the enjoyment). I don't think that JKR ever thought that her work would be examined this closely and is more interested in telling a great story than making sure that all aspects of Harry's world are consistent. Therefore, in my opinion, looking at the books and trying to summize what will happen next based on "things that are missing or not as they should be" often just pointed out details that were missed or not important to the overall story, not some hidden key to an far-fetched plot line as the authors suggest.
In closing - I, like I think many of you, find it interesting to guess what is coming next as a way to experience more of the wonderful world JKR has created. However, my experience in trying to examine the HP books more closely actually served to make the stories less enjoyable (because I was now aware of more things that didn't "add up" or "behave as they should") rather than more enjoyable.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 3:00 PM EST
Crookshanks Caretaker
Points: 3837
hermionefan1 says:
Thats awesome, i lked 1-4. I will have to buy and read 5. I'm sure i'll love it!
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 3:22 PM EST
Student
Points: 295
Astarte says:
Sounds really cool...gotta check it out...I wish they offered a class on HP here at college...!
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 4:13 PM EST
Witch
Points: 955
kab240 says:
That is very interesting, I love trying to figure out the clues from the Harry Potter books. I remember trying to figure out what was going to happen in Book 5!!
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 4:33 PM EST
Student
Points: 257
Hellodoggy says:
That was pretty interesting. I have read the unofficial guide, and I'll be sure to read this one.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 5:36 PM EST
Squib
Points: 151
AquaLiss says:
It all seems a little confusing to me, but i plan on reading those with the Harry Potter books that i'm re-reading now. At least it's something to hold me over until the next book/movie.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 5:45 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2162
Callie07 says:
Wow it makes me think more about the clues. even though before when I figured a clue out i'd just start talking all of a sudden saying stuff like now i get it etc. And it would freak my mom out with all my outbursts while reading
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 6:31 PM EST
Squib
Points: 184
Melquiades says:
This looks interesting, I would pick up the books, just to see what clues and hints I'm missing out.... that will be really fun to do.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 6:36 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1105
Sierradragon says:
I have read the first book and am planning to get the next one. They do sometimes go overboard but they are excellent at making me think.
Posted Nov 18, 2003 at 6:41 PM EST
Back to top of page