As a casual Harry Potter fan, here's how I'd rank all 7 books

Harry Potterwas once one of the most universally beloved novel series of all-time, but its reputation is far more complicated today. J.K. Rowling’s bigotry has made it more challenging to separate the “art from the artist,” given that she has been using funds from the “Wizarding World” properties to support her hate speech. There’s also the fact that Rowling has frequently revised and revisited what she originally wrote, suggesting that she is removed from her original intentions; whether it's the confirmation that Dumbledore is gay or the assertion that Harry and Hermionie should have ended up together, Rowling seems to no longer have a grasp on the universe.

The seven Harry Potter books are products of their time, and it's fascinating to see how they have been re-assessed, given that there are many fans who first got introduced to the stories thanks to the cinematic adaptations.

‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (2003)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenixis the longest book in the series and also the dullest; it takes over 100 pages for Harry to finally arrive at Hogwarts, and much of the story revolves around his growing disillusionment with the adults who do not accept that Voldemort has actually returned. There’s an interesting point to be made about denialism and bureaucracy, but it's reiterated to the point of redundancy, making for a very boring reading experience because of how much inaction there is.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is one of the rare books that was actually improved upon by its cinematic adaption, given that the first David Yates-directed film made smart choices of what to edit out, and appropriately kept the story more focused on the paternalistic relationship between Harry and Sirius Black.

‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ (1998)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsis among the most overstuffed books in the series because it attempts to tie in many darker themes, despite the fact that the characters are all relatively young. The titular “Chamber of Secrets” is a compelling idea in concept, but it does present a number of logical issues regarding Tom Riddle’s return. The subplot involving Hagrid being blamed for the initial opening of the Chamber of Secrets is also quite hackneyed and resolved far too quickly.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets nonetheless succeeds in developing more compelling characters out of the Weasley family, and features more exciting depictions of Quidditch. The film adaptation is ironically the longest of any installment in the series, and was perhaps the last entry in the saga in which Warner Bros. tried to faithfully include every single thing that had been in the novel.

‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (1997)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stoneis unquestionably a phenomenon that kickstarted one of the biggest media franchises of all-time, but no one needs to pretend that it's actually a literary classic. The brilliance of the series has always been its worldbuilding, as the first book does a great job at setting up how Hogwarts operates and making Harry’s journey seem wondrous. While everything leading up to his arrival in the Wizarding World is quite creative, as it contrasts his new life with the mundanity of the Muggles, much of the last act ends up feeling like a generic hero’s journey quest.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was an early entry in which the characters were at their most simplistic, as it wouldn’t be until later on in the series in which Rowling would expand upon some of the caricatures. Nonetheless, it’s definitely a book for younger readers, and thus can’t be expected to handle those darker elements.

‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ (2000)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fireis the most divisive entry in the series because of its sheer enormity; despite the fact that it is technically shorter than Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it is packed with a tremendous amount of detail relating to the different schools that compete in the Tri-Wizard tournament, the conspiracy involving Mad-Eye Moody, and the resurrection of Voldemort. While the previous novel had been the first to start projecting mature themes onto the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire does feature the characters wrestling with adult problems as wizardry politics come into play involving the Ministry of Magic.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a bit of a mess, but it does offer a number of fascinating insights into how the larger Wizarding World works beyond the confines of Hogwarts. Each of the individual installments in the tournament itself are pretty interesting because they test Harry in different ways. Despite the fact that it's one of the stronger books, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is one of the worst films; it might have actually been a good idea to split it up into two different installments.

‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ (2007)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallowsis the most epic chapter in the franchise, as it had to handle a tremendous amount of exposition in setting up the Horcruxes and their connection to Voldemort in order to be a satisfying conclusion. It becomes abundantly obvious early on that Rowling should have introduced the Horcruxes earlier on in the series because of how much goes into explaining their importance; as a result, the first half of the book almost feels like a treasure hunt as Harry, Ron, and Hermionie prepare to take down the Dark Lord.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows benefits from some key revelations revolving around Dumbledore and his connection to Grindelwald, Snape’s secret love for Harry’s mother, and the prophecy that required Harry to sacrifice himself in order to destroy the final Horcrux. Although it is disappointing that the book speeds through much of the last battle (as the deaths of major characters are brushed aside without much attention), it’s otherwise as satisfying of an ending as the fans could have asked for.

‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ (2005)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Princeis another divisive book in the series because it didn’t become the epic spectacle that was promised by the end of the previous installment, which concluded with a thrilling battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort in the Ministry of Magic. Instead, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince revolves around Harry’s personal relationship with Dumbledore as they collectively try to search through the past for clues about the Dark Lord. It also showed a true maturation on Harry’s part as he begins to accept his role as a savior to the other students, who begin to rally behind him.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince gives more insight into characters that hadn’t previously been very well-developed, as seeing how Draco Malfoy is pressured into joining the Death Eaters is one of the more revelatory moments. Sadly, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince made for one of the most disappointing film adaptations; despite being overlong, it cuts many of the critical flashbacks for including more romantic drama between Ron and Hermionie.

‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ (1999)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanis both the best film and book in the seriesbecause it offered a more complex view of the Wizarding World than the more simplistic “good versus evil” of its predecessors. Although the death of Harry’s parents had been a grounding element that made him a compelling hero in the first place, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was the first book to wrestle with his grief and feelings of remorse at not having a family that supported him. The revelations about Lupin, Sirius, Peter Pettigrew, and Harry’s father point to a fascinating backstory that is more than what it seems; the book looks into how propaganda and corruption are to blame for the imprisonment of an innocent man who is framed for a crime that he did not commit.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban reveals the most paradoxical component of the series, which is that Voldemort is a boring character who tends to make all the books worse. There’s not much that is compelling about someone who is purely evil, as its ambiguity and flaws that ensure a character feels well-rounded. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban not only features nothing involving Voldemort, but suggests that there is a component of darkness within all of the other characters, including Harry. The notion of learning to control one’s rage to find serenity is essential to why the casting of the Patronus is such a powerful metaphor, which elevates the magic in the series beyond just a series of silly spells. It’s also without a doubt the inspiration for the best film in the franchise, as Alfonso Cuarón was able to take a children’s franchise and transform it into a true work of art that justified following the story into the characters’ older years.