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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)

J.K. Rowling

Start date: September 5, 2021

Finish date: September 29, 2021

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Feb 07, 2012 Alejandro rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, magic

It was interesting how I ended reading finally the books of Harry Potter. I'd heard some comment here and there even before of the first film from some acquaintances and I had the general knowledge that it was becoming a phenomenon, but still I didn't feel compelled to read the books. I've been reader all my life but I don't know, I was kinda undecided about it. Then, the films came out, and I started to watch them, and still I wasn't eager to read the books, since I thought, hey, I am watching It was interesting how I ended reading finally the books of Harry Potter. I'd heard some comment here and there even before of the first film from some acquaintances and I had the general knowledge that it was becoming a phenomenon, but still I didn't feel compelled to read the books. I've been reader all my life but I don't know, I was kinda undecided about it. Then, the films came out, and I started to watch them, and still I wasn't eager to read the books, since I thought, hey, I am watching the films, so what may I am losing about the story (oh boy! how wrong I was!). I had some good surprises because I wasn't reading the books like in the third movie. When I watched the fourth film, Goblet of Fire, I was commenting it with a friend that he was reading the books on Spanish and he told me enough stuff that was in the fourth book BUT it was missed on the fourth film that I decided then to read the books. Oddly enough while my friend was been reading the books on Spanish, he had an edition on English of the first book, this one, and since by then I already was reading on English, he lent me the book. Usually I am quite reluctant to borrow books or that people lent me books. I had some bad experiences borrowing books and while I am dependable and careful about stuff that it's not mine, still I don't want to have books, etc... that are not mine under my care. Still, my friend insisted and he told me that he was glad that somebody read the book since he bought it in an impulse thinking that he would read it but he aborted the mission and he prefer to read on Spanish. Since I wasn't SO convinced to read the books, I ended accepting the offer of that he lent me the book. I started to reading it... OH MY GOODNESS!!! Right in the first pages, when Hagrid mentioned WHO lent him out the flying motorcycle!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!! Keep on mind that I already watched 4 films by then, so reading the identity of the real owner of the motorcycle, mentioned in so casual way and right in the beginning of the saga! OH MY GOODNESS!!! Then, I knew that J.K. Rowling was a wicked genius!!! And this first book kept me surprising me even when I was already reading the fifth book, since certain character that appears in the first book, then I said "Oh, boy, what a boring chapter, why did J.K. bothered to create such unimportant character?" and I was starting to read the fifth book and... "Mmh... where I heard about this character before...where?...mmmh...OH MY GOODNESS!!! NO!!! IT CAN'T BE!!!". By then, I had returned the borrowed book but I had bought my own copy for the collection and I consulted it and POW! Yes, it was the same character!!! Right in the first book!!! So, re-confirmed like for the umpteenth time... J.K. Rowling is a wicked genius!!! I enjoyed a lot reading the first book. J.K. Rowling has a very interesting style of writing. Also, the first book is very good combining the magical world with the normal things that people has to do when kids are beginning school. Going to buy the school supplies. Having to deal different kind of teachers. Some good, some strict, some both. The forming of friendships with schoolmates. Indeed a wonderful and magical book. Highly recommended. ...more

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Jan 18, 2018 Kris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: five-star-books

Where to even begin? I’ve reread this book half a dozen times, and this was my first experience with the audiobook. This isn’t even my favorite of the series, and it is still five stars. What kid hasn’t felt ordinary and misunderstood and lonely, and what could be better than finding out that you really are special? Going from being rejected to having friends you can count on no matter what? Magic, and adventure, and danger, and it all works because even being witches and wizards doesn’t stop Ha ...more

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Jan 14, 2015 Alisha Marie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, e-books-i-ve-read, fantasy, read-in-2015

I absolutely love and adore Harry Potter! Sorry. It had to be said. No, but seriously I do. I first bought Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at my school's Scholastic book fair when I was in 5th grade. I remember that they were having a buy one, get one free sale and I went there with the sole intention of finding another Party of Five book told from Claudia's perspective (I had bought one of those at a previous book fair and loved it. Oddly enough, I had never watched the show at that point I absolutely love and adore Harry Potter! Sorry. It had to be said. No, but seriously I do. I first bought Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at my school's Scholastic book fair when I was in 5th grade. I remember that they were having a buy one, get one free sale and I went there with the sole intention of finding another Party of Five book told from Claudia's perspective (I had bought one of those at a previous book fair and loved it. Oddly enough, I had never watched the show at that point, just read a few of the books...) and I thought since it was free, might as well pick up The Sorcerer's Stone. My older sister by a year had been raving about this book because her teacher was reading it to the class and she loved it. So, I picked it up.

I devoured that Party of Five book in a day, loved it, and re-read it again the day after. The day after that, I picked up The Sorcerer's Stone, read one chapter, deemed the book "boring", set it down, and that was that. At least until the movie was released during my freshmen year of high school. I watched the movie in theatres and absolutely loved it. I then picked up my 5th grade copy of The Sorcerer's Stone, dusted it off, read it, and loved it so much more than the movie. That started my anything but brief obsession with everything Harry Potter.

I just fell in love with the whole world that J.K. Rowling created in the books. And I'll admit that even though I was a freshmen in high school when I first read it (all types of grown-up or so I thought), I still dreamed of waking up and finding my own Hogwarts letter delivered to me by owl post. I think that's the magic of the Harry Potter books. The children fall in love with a brand new world that's so different from their own and the adults are taken back to a more innocent time, where you still believe that good always triumphs over evil and when we all still believed in fairy tales.

Since that first initial read, I have re-read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (and the other novels in the series) more than a dozen times. Every time I re-read it, I get something new out of it. Some subtlety that shows up in the later works that I didn't really grasp until I had read it again. It also never fails to make me feel better if I'm having a crappy day because let's face it. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were going through something so much worse.

I just loved every single one of these characters. Harry was everything a hero should be: brave, loyal, clever, etc. And Hermione and Ron are the types of friends that everyone hopes for. The ones who are with you through thick and thin and don't judge you the whole way through. My favorite characters in this series would have to be Hermione, because I'm just a big a nerd as she is, and Fred and George, because their humor always made the books for me (of course, Luna is also one of my favorite characters, since she doesn't show up until Book 5, she doesn't get more than a brief mention here). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone introduces all of us to an amazing world with tremendous characters (both good and evil and everything in between).

However, as much as I love The Sorcerer's Stone, I do have to say that re-reading it both last year and this year, I'm not surprised that I put it down in the 5th grade. Since it is the first book, we have to wade through the exposition of how Harry gets to go to Hogwarts. The result is that the beginning chapters aren't as exciting as the ones that follow. I do have to say that as much as I love this book because it introduced me to the spectacular world of Hogwarts, it is my least favorite of the seven. It's just that the books get so much better as the series goes on. And now I feel bad for even thinking the words "least favorite"...

Anyway, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone will always hold a place near and dear in my heart because not only is it a fabulous novel, it was the book that got me back into reading. While I read a lot in elementary school, my interest in reading waned during middle school. Since I've read The Sorcerer's Stone, my interest in reading hasn't waned one bit. And I think that's the magic of the whole Harry Potter series, it a lot of people back into reading and it definitely got kids excited about reading again. I think it's influence is something that will still be significant in years to come. ...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Melissa Rochelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library, scifi-fantasy, read-2012, audiobook, magic

Harry Potter never gets old, I've read the book half a dozen times and even watched the movie (I'm not a fan of the movies AT ALL). Listening to Jim Dale's narration is a treat! He really brings the story to life. I'm looking forward to moving on to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets...even though it is my least favorite book and the one I tend to skip over when I reread. BUT for Jim Dale, I'll give it another chance. ...more

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Dec 27, 2018 Melissa Rochelle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2018

I was unsure about reading the illustrated editions, but I loved it. I wish there'd been a few more illustrations, but I'm looking forward to Chamber of Secrets (which is crazy because it's my least favorite of the series). ...more

1 like · Like · see review