Book #29
Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter is an ordinary boy who lives in a cupboard under the stairs at his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon's house, which he thinks is normal for someone like him who's parents have been killed in a 'car crash'. He is bullied by them and his fat, spoilt cousin Dudley, and lives a very unremarkable life with only the odd hiccup (like his hair growing back overnight!) to cause him much to think about. That is until an owl turns up with a letter addressed to Harry and all hell breaks loose! He is literally rescued by a world where nothing is as it seems and magic lessons are the order of the day. Read and find out how Harry discovers his true heritage at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, the reason behind his parents mysterious death, who is out to kill him, and how he uncovers the most amazing secret of all time, the fabled Philosopher's Stone!
And so my Harry Potter journey begins. I'll be reading the entire Harry Potter series back to back. A small disclaimer: I am aware that there is some criticism out there for Rowling and her novels, but I am an insane fangirl, so my reviews will most probably entail nothing but excited praise, and perhaps a few digital squeals if I can figure out how to get one of those into the blogosphere.
I loved meeting Harry again for the first time and being reminded of how he got to where he is. Although I like to privately consider myself a bit of a Potter expert, it is amazing how many things I had forgotten that came to light when rereading this one. I imagine this will continue as I progress through the rest of the series.
It's wonderful how quickly Rowling manages to coax the reader into loving the characters you're supposed to love, and hating the ones you're supposed to hate. It sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the series, bringing you over to the proper side, and making you anticipate what is still to come.
As strange, new worlds go, Rowling's descriptions of the wizarding world living alongside humans is strikingly believable, and her ability to draw readers in is impressive.
Reading this book again has definitely been an eyeopener. It has so many things going on, and so many complex plotlines - ones that you can't possibly fathom unless it's a reread and you have an inkling of why such things are going on, and what they're going to lead the characters into. It's the beginning of Harry's great journey, his coming of age ultimate saga.
Bring on Book Two!