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Author (Platform): J.K. Rowling (Kindle)
Publisher (Release): Bloomsbury (1997)
Length: 345 pages
Genres: Young Adult; Fantasy; Action; Adventure
❗️Disclaimers❗️:
please leave politics and judgements at the door, see my introduction
this review contains low-level spoilers
recommendation: must read
👍 Pros 👍
Utterly beautiful and full-feeling world
Excellent core mystery that keeps the plot focused
Cracking cast with personality for days
👎 Cons 👎
Choppy in places with an abrupt end
👀 Synopsis 👀
Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!
It wasn’t until recently that the contention around J.K. Rowling, the Trans community, and the Harry Potter series came to my attention. For the most part, after the final film’s release, I strayed away from the obsession I had. It wasn’t until the release of Hogwarts Legacy that I was hit with a mountain of morality bricks from social media. Personally, I try to leave politics at the door unless the media I’m consuming’s core concentration is political themes (which isn’t often). Given the heightened division recently, I’ll write this introduction and, hopefully, leave it at that. Social media can be an incredibly connective tool, but, sadly, despite the variety it can bring, it lacks context and humility, and can be so trapped in its tunnel vision that the mess that is real living is lost. J.K. Rowling is a fantastic writer, and, while I don’t align with her on many issues, those issues, one set of opinions, are not a person make.
Does one opinion cancel all the good an individual has done? No, but neither does the reverse. We’re all messy individuals with good takes and bad ones, but we’re the sum of many parts. Rowling is the sum of many parts and I feel no need as a member of the LGBT+ community to rip credit away from her to enjoy the magic she’s created.
That’s all I really want to say on the subject. For the benefit of all sides, let’s leave politics, hyperbole, and nastiness at the door. No one is perfect…and that doesn’t make them evil.
🧩 Plots 🧩
Attempting to segue as smoothly as possible from that, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is every bit as magical as it was when I was a tiny closet-case reading it at school. The nostalgia as an adult and the better appreciation for plotting and structure made this a heady experience that invigorated my love for the franchise after only a couple of chapters.
Overall, our first adventure in this world is all about discovering who you are, battling the judgement that entails, and being inclusive, as ironic as that may seem to some.
Harry Potter is magical catnip for millenials
Book One’s core plot does a difficult job of building the Wizarding World fantastically well, evoking the fear of the unknown and awe at the mystical even in adults. A nifty mystery adds layers and gives focus, and, reading as someone who knew its outcome, I was worried about how impactful its twists and turns would be. Thankfully, the little nuggets Rowling leaves add a delicious detective flavour to a spellbinding coming-of-age tale.
It can feel choppy in places and, despite an intense finale, it too can feel a little abrupt, but as a complete story, it’s no wonder it hit the world as hard as it did.
‘…every bit as magical as it was when I was a tiny closet-case reading it at school.’
🎭 Characters 🎭
Hmm…I wonder who our protagonist could possibly be…
Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, is a complicated and relatable viewpoint. Coming into this world of wonder with as much curiosity as the reader, his strengths, weaknesses, and quirks are all on display as Rowling creates a tragic and hopeful figure with unbelievable ease.
The world itself feels alive
Backing him up are a whole host of colourful characters with crackling chemistry. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger stand above the rest, of course, forming a trio of individual journeys that benefit from Rowling’s use of the third person and past tense.
You’ll find yourself in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, along with a lot of love for the things others will hate you for.
‘…Rowling creates a tragic and hopeful figure with unbelievable ease.’
💭 Final Thoughts 💭
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a classic for children and adults alike for a reason. It’s magical, loving, and brings fantasy to reality in a way few other stories can or will. Rowling has inspired millions with her imagination and talent for writing, cementing a coming-of-age tale into the annals of literary fiction and ensuring a place of wonder for a long, long time to come.
