J. K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Hi

When I first started reading the Harry Potter series as a child I was too young to be able to read them in English so I read them in my native language; Dutch.
For quite a few years now I wanted to read and own them in English but I always thought it too expensive and a bit posh and redundant to own them twice.
Luckily, I have a wonderful husband who got me the series and I will receive the whole series spread throughout the year. Isn’t he a darling?
My absolutely gorgeous, GORGEOUS copy has 332 pages.

I wanted to read this in one sitting on my birthday (last Sunday) but I had the flu so it took me quite a bit longer then just one day to finish it.

“When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts, a wizarding school brimming with ghosts and enchantments, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers which could be valuable, dangerous - or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!”

                * SPOILERS *

I absolutely loved this book.
This must have been about my 6th time reading the story and I still adore it.
The characters are amazing, Hogwarts is awesome and the story is fast, witty, complex, fun, emotional, intense, heartbreaking, clever, suspenseful, humorous and full of honest wisdom.
The whole world comes alive right before your eyes.

Some things struck me more this time, like how incredible poor Harry is treated by the Dursleys and how lonely he actually is, how unused to friendship or receiving a gift. He has never seen a picture of his parents. How sad is that?

Rowling always believes in her audience, in these children’s capacities to follow a story that’s more than 100 pages and has more than 8 characters. She made children read again and I will always love her for that.

The only thing about the story that bothered me a bit is the decision to go into the woods with four first year students. That might be the grownup in me.

Other than that; this book is pure perfection.
It was a pleasure as always and I can’t wait to get on with rereading the series.

Happy, happy reading!
Helena