As with the earlier books, Prisoner of Azkaban has been beautifully illustrated by Jim Kay. Every illustration is truly remarkable and a great insight into how Jim imagines our beloved characters and locations.
As with the two earlier books, Prisoner of Azkaban is packed with hidden 'Easter eggs' and a few other interesting things to note.
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| The picture of the Weasley family which appears in the Daily Prophet. Note Scabbers on Ron's shoulder. |
For example, I quite like the little skeletal black bird perched on the rocks under Azkaban prison, Trelawney's saucer decorated with a cat and a rat, Hagrid's collection of pin badges, and the range of owls in the Hogsmeade Post Office.
Like in Jim Kay's illustrations of Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets, there is a new teacher's portrait; this time of Professor Severus Snape.
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| Professor Severus Snape. |
The portrait is in typical medieval style. Snape's hair is long, greasy, and lank, and his nose is rather large. He is sporting a Slytherin-green cravat, and a black cloak covers his shoulders, held together with a serpent clasp.
On the desk in front of him is a mole in a jar, clearly symbolic of Snape's work as a double agent. On the jar is a slug indicating his former membership of the Slug Club, but I think also as a throwback to the Marauder's snide taunt for him - Snivellus.
There is also a pair of scissors, possibly in reference to Snape's forename of Severus. He clutches a glass flask with one hand, and finger is placed in a book marked 'HBP' on the spine. To his side is a sprig of lily of the valley.
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| The Hippogriffs. |
Latin also features a couple of times in this new illustrated edition. I'm no Latin scholar, but I've tried to best to research the terms and phrases Jim Kay has packed into Prisoner of Azkaban.
The kind of chocolate which Lupin gives to Harry seems to be named 'Somnus Leporinus,' with three joined hares as its logo. This appears to be in reference to an old belief found in many cultures around the world - that a hare lived in the moon.
In these mythologies the moon was said to be like an ever-watching eye in the night sky, similar to a hare's. So it is no surprise then that the werewolf, Remus Lupin, should favour this brand of chocolate.
In the illustration of the Three Broomsticks pub there is a crest above the mantlepiece of the eponymous three broomsticks. Above that again is a Latin phrase scribed into the wood - 'TRES FACIUNT COLLEGIUM' - meaning 'Three makes company.' There is no doubt that this is in regards to the Golden Trio; Harry, Ron and Hermione.
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| Harry in Quidditch robes, polished Firebolt in hand. |
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| Cho Chang. |
Carved into the top of the wardrobe in which the Boggart lives is 'IN GIRUM IMUS NOCHTE ET CONSUMIMUR IGNIS.' This is loosely translated to mean 'We wander in the night and we are consumed by the fire.' The phrase is often attributed to moths, which are drawn to flames and lights, and often burnt.
If this meaning is agreed on, there are multiple examples of how this relates to the characters and events in the wizarding world. Personally I immediately think of Wormtail, of the Death Eaters and their branded Dark Marks, and also Voldemort himself.
I particularly like how Scabbers, or Wormtail, seemingly gets thinner as the book goes on. In that same vein, the Grim, or Sirius Black in dog-form, is spread over six pages to highlight his sheer enormity and how frightening he appears to Harry at first.
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| Professor Sybill Trelawney. |
Like Hermione, I don't have much faith in the noble art of Divination. A few tarot cards are featured in this book and as someone who loves detail, I just had to research their significance and possible meanings.
There are six tarot cards shown. I believe they are:
The Tower - meaning danger and destruction.
The King of Swords - meaning a balanced, intellectual man with authority. (Dumbledore?)
The Four of Cups - meaning contemplation, self-reflection, and sometimes self-sacrifice. Often a person being forced into a bad situation. *cough* Harry *cough*
Death - bit obvious...
The Five of Wands - meaning trivial disagreements and competition.
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| Dumbledore in his Christmas hat. |
The illustration of Sirius Black shows him as dark, dirty, and terrifying, much like the room in the Shrieking Shack he is standing in.
Above the doorway where he stands is a black jackal head; much like Anubis the Egyptian god of the afterlife. Of course, this is also symbolic of Sirius's animal form.
Carved into the stone just beneath the jackal head is a small Ouroboros or rather, a serpent eating it's own tail. This often symbolises the never-ending cycle of life and death. The Ouroboros is later used as the symbol for the Time-Turner, though this time with a small hourglass with wings atop its head.
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| The Time-Turner / Ouroboros. |
Two stand-out illustrations for me are the ones of Harry's Patronus and the Dementors. The Patronus is stunning and powerful, in strong contrast to the black surroundings of the Forest.
The Dementors are genuinely terrifying. "Slimy-looking and scabbed" hands, their hoods clinging to their faces, and a gaping hole in the middle of their faces which act as mouths. Harrowing.
