I mean, REALLY. Although I confess to enjoying the series, I really thought it was a case of lightning striking, because I didn't think she was all that great a writer. I also felt she took this amazing subject of magic and un-magicked it, made it too mundane. However, I abscribed to the theory of whatever-gets-them-reading, and was content.

This book took me by surprise. I felt that as a writer, she has hit a stride- she writes with greater authority now, and although I still have minor quibbles, her characters are much more fully realized. She does all her readers a service by making the teenaged Harry darker- he's far more compelling in this one.

To be honest, for the first time I am really looking forward to the next installment.