WHY THE GOBLET OF FIRE IS SO GOOD

This potter reader got immersed in the fourth instalment of the series, a Christmas 2001 gift. So why is The Goblet of Fire a treat and the best of the series since The Philosopher's Stone?

substantial

Even if you've only seen the book from the outside you'll know it's a substantial tome, at least twice as thick as the next biggest, The Prisoner of Azkaban. So there's a lot of story.

different

But more than than the number of pages, it starts out differently. It's not all aboard the Hogwarts Express from the beginning, and the change of location is refreshing. The story also brings in many more characters, and shows how Hogwarts is not the only magical school to be reckoned with.

changes

In The Goblet of Fire the main characters become more complex and begin to behave more like teenagers. What's more, things don't always go their own way - with consequences.

the last word

This is the Empire Strikes Back of the Potter series.