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gunne's Reviews > Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
by
by
One of its kind.
I mean, magic we're familiar with. Magic school? That's rare enough. Magic boarding school with crazy adventures and opportunities to learn spells? Spells that actually sound like they mean something, spells that have their roots in Latin, like English? Now THAT is special. The fact that about half the world's population is even talking about how they want to quit school and move to Hogwarts is all the proof you need. But you know what's the tragic part? I missed all of that.
I missed it because I read this when the seventh book was about to be released. I know, I'm slow. I have a thing about resisting trends, so I'm not thoroughly regretting my own laggness, but seriously, this is probably the first thing I actually can see what the fuss was all about. Hell, I'm IN IT now. And just for spite, Twilight has nothing on this. Nothing. It has one-eighth the detail, planning, execution, and genius. Harry Potter to a bookworm is practically like ichor to Gods.
But now, the actual review: the best part of Book #1 is that the book doesn't begin with magic. You don't feel like you need to read the first chapter or so to get a feel of how things go. Harry Potter discovers magic the same moment we do, and thanks to the genius writing of J.K. Rowling, you get to experience the awe Harry feels despite not being able to actually reach into the page to touch a broomstick or a Remembrall. Like I said, she makes YOU want to enter Harry's world, Voldermort and all.
A magical world parallel to our world only permeable through Platform Nine-and-three-quarters (and yes, portkeys and fireplaces and magically concealed bars)? Like what Uncle Vernon says, "Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?" It's the melding of the ordinary Muggle world and the magical one that makes the world of Harry Potter so near yet so far, it wouldn't hurt to flourish a pencil and try, "Win-GAR-dium Levi-O-sa", just for the heck of it.
I mean, magic we're familiar with. Magic school? That's rare enough. Magic boarding school with crazy adventures and opportunities to learn spells? Spells that actually sound like they mean something, spells that have their roots in Latin, like English? Now THAT is special. The fact that about half the world's population is even talking about how they want to quit school and move to Hogwarts is all the proof you need. But you know what's the tragic part? I missed all of that.
I missed it because I read this when the seventh book was about to be released. I know, I'm slow. I have a thing about resisting trends, so I'm not thoroughly regretting my own laggness, but seriously, this is probably the first thing I actually can see what the fuss was all about. Hell, I'm IN IT now. And just for spite, Twilight has nothing on this. Nothing. It has one-eighth the detail, planning, execution, and genius. Harry Potter to a bookworm is practically like ichor to Gods.
But now, the actual review: the best part of Book #1 is that the book doesn't begin with magic. You don't feel like you need to read the first chapter or so to get a feel of how things go. Harry Potter discovers magic the same moment we do, and thanks to the genius writing of J.K. Rowling, you get to experience the awe Harry feels despite not being able to actually reach into the page to touch a broomstick or a Remembrall. Like I said, she makes YOU want to enter Harry's world, Voldermort and all.
A magical world parallel to our world only permeable through Platform Nine-and-three-quarters (and yes, portkeys and fireplaces and magically concealed bars)? Like what Uncle Vernon says, "Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?" It's the melding of the ordinary Muggle world and the magical one that makes the world of Harry Potter so near yet so far, it wouldn't hurt to flourish a pencil and try, "Win-GAR-dium Levi-O-sa", just for the heck of it.
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Quotes gunne Liked
“You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid-we know we're called Gred and Forge.”
― Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
― Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“So light a fire!" Harry choked. "Yes...of course...but there's no wood!" ...
"HAVE YOU GONE MAD!" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT!”
― Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
"HAVE YOU GONE MAD!" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT!”
― Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves-"
"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."
"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once-"
"Or twice-"
"A minute-"
"All summer-"
"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.”
― Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."
"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once-"
"Or twice-"
"A minute-"
"All summer-"
"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.”
― Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
