Hello everyone!
A confession: Despite being a self-proclaimed Harry Potter fan, I’ve only read the series once, and that was 10 years ago.
I know right? What took me so long!? What kind of fan am I that I’ve only read my favourite series ONCE!? [Shields self from tomatoes]
The truth is, I’m… not too big on re-reading. Period. I should probably re-read more than I do, but I am always weigh the benefits of re-reading a book that I know I will enjoy vs reading something NEW and EXCITING.
Anyway, this past week I decided to take the plunge. I was a bit uncertain as I started reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, because… HP is a children’s series, and it will be my first time experiencing this as an adult. No regrets, you guys. I really loved it 🙂
Harry Potter’s life is miserable. His parents are dead and he’s stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he’s a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
In the magic community, Harry is known as the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort.
Harry’s first year at Hogwarts is far from perfect. There is a dangerous secret object hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it’s his responsibility to prevent it from falling into evil hands. But doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined.
I loved the characters and the dynamics between them. Harry is hesitant at first but he sticks to his principles and is loyal to his friends. Though he feels miserable and out of place at Uncle Vernon’s place, he quickly gains confidence at Hogwarts, and he feels more at home than he’s ever been. Ron is dorky and hilarious. I love how his friendship which Harry evolves, starting from the first awkward conversation on the train to becoming best friends. Hermione is such a lovable nerd. Though she is a show-off and a know-it-all, we discover that she is brave and kind at heart.
Oh the world building! How can you not fall in love with the HP world!? I love the idea of Hogwarts, the four houses and the Sorting Hat, Quidditch, magical creatures and spells, and Platform 9-3/4. I can’t help but get lost in this magical world and feel like I am part of it all. Does anyone else have the HP movie theme song looping in your head when you read HP?!
I love how the story is simple to follow but very, very engaging. Although I read the book before and saw the movie (many many times) and I know the premise and the ending, I’ve forgotten everything that happened in the middle. It was still exciting to read the sequence of events and try to guess what happens next.
Did I mention JK Rowling’s writing style which is so easy to read? Something about it makes you want to keep turning the pages! The pacing is perfect and I am never bored! I love the dialogues between Harry and his friends which are so hilarious at times. I love coming across quotes that I’ve always known and loved- “It’s levi-o-sa”, “We’ll be killed, or worse, expelled”, “It’s hard to stand up to your enemies but just as hard to stand up to your friends.”
The Bottom Line: 4/5 stars!
Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. The world of Harry Potter feels just as magical and exhilarating, even as I read this book as an adult. This is a series that I will be coming bak to again and again.
SOPHIE LI 
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