Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J.K Rowling
★★★★★
An 11-year-old orphan lives with his horrible aunt and uncle in England. He finds out that not only does a whole secret wizarding world exist around him, but he is a wizard too! From there we follow Harry off to school at Hogwarts as he takes classes, makes friends and eventually must face off with a villain.
The first book in the Harry Potter series starts off a bit slow, but once Hagrid bursts through the door on Harry's birthday the plot is full steam ahead. Every time I read this book (along with the rest of the series) I am completely swept away by Harry's world. Of course the book isn't perfect and many have criticized the writing style and plot points, but when a story is so engrossing that it makes me forget about everything else, I tend to be very forgiving about the small things.
One of the best things about the book is how real the characters feel. Harry's wonderful friends, Hermione, Ron and Hagrid are all flawed. Ron has no self-confidence and wants to surpass his brother's successes, but doubts he can. Hagrid has a blind spot when it comes to creatures of all kind, even though they might be dangerous. Hermione is a know-it-all and a goody-two-shoes. Yet we love all of them and they work together to bring out the best in each other. As Hermione pushes Ron and Harry to work harder, they help her to loosen up a bit.
The first book is not the best, but it is something special. It's the gateway to a world that has captivated millions in the last decade and will continue to do so in the future.
A few things I'd forgotten about the first book:
1) Dumbledore is in very few sections of the book. His only real interaction with Harry is during the final Mirror of Erised scene and in the hospital at the end. Yet even in this book he is a remarkable character with a perfect blend of odd humor and wisdom.
2) The awe you feel as you see the wizarding world (Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, etc.) through Harry's eyes for the first time. It's easy to forget how foreign it all was to him in the beginning.
3) How big a part of the book Neville Longbottom is. He's a blundering boy, always forgetting things and making mistakes, but he is so brave and loyal. I'd forgotten he played such a big part in this first book.
Read for the Harry Potter Challenge hosted here.
