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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling
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Is this a topic posted from under the invisibility cloak? :D
I just finished this one as a side read, and had to immediately re-watch the movie. I like the differences between the two, there were just enough to add something special to each format.I plan on re-reading the entire series this year.
Zaz wrote: "Is this a topic posted from under the invisibility cloak? :D"hahahaha Zaz you always find the jest to make me laugh!
Zaz wrote: "Is this a topic posted from under the invisibility cloak? :D"That just tickled me to no end! :)
I find the goodreads description funny, that they thought it was (view spoiler) I love love love this series!
Glad to entertain you :DNicole, it's probably because HP is (was?) aimed at children so the more horrible the situation is, the more they'll be interested. What's more surprising is the "are mean to him", it's a very light way to say the things.
Really liked this one with all the discoveries and the nice world building. I read it in my twenties, so it probably doesn't have the same magical effect on me than for the ones who grew up with Harry, but it was a very nice read and I jumped on the next 2 just after finishing it!
I made it one of my goals to re-read the entire series this year. Sorcerer's Stone was released when I was 12 years old. Deathly Hallows came out when I was 22 years old. This series has had a magical impact an a large and impressionable part of my life.I remember when they were first released. My mom had bought Sorcerer's Stone for my brother in an attempt to peak his interest in reading. He was 8 years old at the time. I have always been a voracious reader but my brother, meh, not so much. In fact, I'd be willing to suggest that there are not a brother and sister on the planet that have such obstinately different interests. But that's a different story for a different time. The point is, he didn't read it. It sat around on a shelf gathering dust. I could have read it but at 12 years old I believed myself to be something of a book snob so I declared any book with a large following to be stupid. Aside from knowing it was very popular, I knew really nothing about the Harry Potter series. But everyone liked it so it was stupid.
So the book sat and sat on that same shelf for a few years (three to be exact). We lived in a suburb of Chicago, my family, and every year at Christmas the Marshall Field's store downtown would do these beautiful window displays for Christmas that we would always go and see. In 2000, they did Harry Potter.
I was so captivated by the story that unfolded window by window that I plucked it off my brother's shelf the moment we got home and dove right in. It was wonderful and I have loved it (and every book in this series) since.
This is my first re-read of the series. I thought with the 20th anniversary of Sorcerer's Stone on the horizon (2017), this would be a good time to get a re-read in. I decided to do the audiobooks this time. I bought the Stephen Fry/UK audiobooks a few years back. I'm a big fan of British comedy series, you see, so I've got a real adoration for Stephen Fry. Stephen Fry + Harry Potter = All Kinds of Win! Someone in this group was heralding the Jim Dale read audiobooks quite a bit though and I got curious. I did Sorcerer's Stone in Fry and borrowed the Dale version of Chamber of Secrets from the library. I'm listening to that one now. I've got to admit that I prefer the Fry version. He seems to have a much cleaner grasp on the characters, in my opinion.
That window display is BEAUTIFUL. Wow.Enjoy Jim Dale! I grew up listening to his versions, and I feel like he really came into his own once the cast of characters grew and he could use all sorts of different voices. I think his Professor McGonagall voice is my favorite.
Last year, I started listening the Stephen Fry version and tried book 5 by John Dale. I just couldn't get used to his voices, especially Hermione (I love her, but he was making her get on my nerves). He did a fantastic Snape, though.I watched the Hobbit bonus dvd during the holidays and saw Stephen Fry off camera (he plays the Master of Laketown). It was really funny to hear him talk about the making of the movie with the voice I associated with Harry Potter!
I would love to get my hands of the Stephen Fry version of the series. I really love his work. I wish they didn't make it such a pain to acquire here in the U.S.I do love the Jim Dale version of the series though. I don't love his Hermione (I think it got better as the series progressed, but still), but I think his McGonagall is excellent and I also love his Hagrid.
This is still my favourite series, and some of my favourite books of everything I've read. Like Emm, I also resisted reading it at first because of all of the hype. I figured that anything that popular probably wasn't anywhere near as good as people said. The only reason I picked it up was because our former school librarian came to do a "book talk" at school, and he read the first couple of pages of this book and the first few pages of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Both had me convinced immediately.I love how much detail went into crafting the world, and how everything tied in together across all of the books. Things that were mentioned in passing early on became important in future books. I especially love JK Rowling's writing style and how she developed her characters. I also love how, as a reader who was around the same age as Harry when I started the series, I got to "grow up" alongside him.
I will be reading this for Week 6-highest rated on my TBR. There were quite a few above this one, but they were all sequels that I haven't reached and I don't read out of order.This will be the only re-read for this challenge as I am reading the illustrated version. I think it'll definitely enhance the story and make it somewhat different than the first (few) times I've read it.
Beth - I stand corrected. You can buy them at the Pottermore shop for a whopping $244. Eek!
Emm wrote: "Beth - I'm not sure where you could get them, to be honest. I bought them several years ago in Canada, oddly enough.I stand corrected. You can buy them at the Pottermore shop for a whopping $244...."
That price is pretty steep... And last I checked Pottermore, they weren't available for purchase to people in the U.S. I've read that you can do a work-around by sending it yourself as gift or something.
I guess I'll check the bookshops next time I'm in Vancouver :) I hadn't thought of that.
Hi, my name's Manda, and I've never read a Harry Potter book (or seen a movie) before.so, I'm supposed to be starting this book next. I have avoided these books and movies for years because I was turned off by all the hype. Yup, I'm that person. I've finally decided to bite the bullet and figure out why people love these books so much.
I'll be honest though, I'm a bit nervous about starting them. Because there is so much hype centered around them, the expectation and bar have already been set pretty high, and that's without even opening the front cover. I've been pep-talking myself to keep expectations low. I'm prepared for juvenile writing; that's the character and the target audience.
I don't want to hate the books, but I don't want to feel like I'm forced into liking them to avoid being burned at a stake *cue overly dramatized moment music*. I just want to be able to open the book, and discover it, untainted - though at this point (20?) years later, that's nearly impossible.
I will finish one more currently book before I start this one, but I might decided to start and finish one before opening this one. Maybe I should just band-aid it though. Why am I thinking this much about a book?
@Manda: My manager at work (who is younger than me) finally read the first few books. I had initially talked to her when she was part way through the first and she wasn't sure about them. Now, she is hooked! She never read the books before and has never seen the movies. I think there is a chance to overcome the hype. I too am scared of falling victim hype-monster. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion so don't worry if you don't like them. There are others who don't as well!
Manda, I really understand the pressure you're feeling, but don't worry. If there is a group where you can say you don't like Harry Potter without being lapidated, cut off in pieces and burned at the stake, it's here (now I just count on my fellow HP fan to follow me on this haha). Just try and forget the hype, just imagine you're reading a unknown book picked out at the library and especially don't feel obligated to like it. It may take you time to get into it, but that's ok, as it is with many marvelous books that you're not sure about at the beginning but end up loving (or not).I do have to say though that if you're not convinced with the first one, it would be great to persevere at least until the third, where it's getting darker and more appealing to adult audience. I know it's difficult to commit to three books if you're not sure, but I think it is really worth it. And the first three are quite short and quick reads. The series evolves so much, that you can't really say you don't like HP if you're only read the first one. But no pressure haha
No one is going to burn you at the stake for not liking Harry Potter, dear. Don't you even fret! They're not those kinds of witches. ;)As Sophie said, if you're planning to read the whole series, that the first two books are fluffier than subsequent books. They get darker and darker with each additional book.
It is good that you haven't seen the movies because a lot of people see them, assume they've got the whole story, and check out. The movies do the books NO justice and the gloss over some of the best bits of backstory.
The best part of the HP series, for me, is how they weave together. J.K. Rowling drops little things into each book that, at the time, seem like mundane details. But they spring up later. I always got so excited when the books connected.
I really hope you enjoy them but, of course, I adore and respect your opinion even if you don't. I'm a bit envious that you get to crack them open and enjoy them for the very first time.
I agree with Sophie (fellow mega-fan backing you up here!). You definitely won't get attacked or burned at the stake for not loving them - but if you enjoy the first one well enough, I'd also agree to try until at least the third.In this case, the hype is definitely for a good reason. :)
Emm wrote: "I'm a bit envious that you get to crack them open and enjoy them for the very first time. "Oh, this this this this this. THIS!
I was in a bookstore at Christmas time and overheard a boy (he looked around 12) asking one of the staff which one was the first in the Harry Potter series. I wanted to go up to him and give him a huge hug and tell him how excited I was for him, and that he was about to start something so incredibly special! I still get excited for him, just thinking about it. I do realise that I am a little strange.
Actually, the spider's father bought me the illustrated version of the first book for Christmas after hearing me tell him that story, just so I could read it with her and introduce it to her. That was pretty cool.
I thought I was one of the last humans on earth to not have read them. Apparently not though!I just finished my first one, and did, in fact, adore it. The way the story weaves together and the darling little characters will at least leave you appreciative, if in fact, you don't love the series.
I, myself, can honestly say, I can't wait to finish the series and am now going to have to place them all in my challenge somehow as additional entries. Lol
I agree with the above comments. I started the series back when it first came out in the U.S.; I think only the first 2 or 3 books were out then and I was around 8 or 9. It took a while to get into the first book, but the books get better as your get further into the series.If you absolutely hate it, just try to push until the third, that's where it really picks up! If you still don't like it, well at least you tried!
So a thing happened tonight, I finally stepped up - literally, got my little step stool - and got down the first book and decided to start reading the first book. There's no time like now, right? Que Sera Sera.Thank you all for your kind words. I realize how harsh my initial post my have come across, and that was not then intent; chalk it up to some anxiety and high expectations. we've all had books that our friends have raved about. Sometimes we agree with our friends and sometimes we don't. Nothing changes after that. We've just made it through another book :)
Nothing but support! <3 I hope you love it.
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I finished this one last night. Overall I thought it was fun and lighthearted, and I can really understand why so many people have enjoyed it for so long. Though I did feel some disappointment with this book as well. By the point I hit the 80%-90% mark I was getting tired of Harry. I wanted to reach through that book and smack that dark-haired orphan around. His constant whining about Snape and Malfoy not liking him was annoying. His ability to jump to conclusions without any facts and only the slightest hint of anything was unbelievable. The ending downright annoyed me, everything from the lack of full explanation of what actually happened, to the points that were given out, I thought was ridiculous.Had it not been for the way it ended, I would have given it a higher rating, but I just cannot get past how dumded down certain things were, or overlooked other things are. I was disappointed that (view spoiler) I do realize this is a book for children and I think that's why these things didn't bother me until the very end. It just felt so concentrated at this point.
All this being said, I do still plan to keep with my original plan of reading the first three books. Since the writing is supposed to age with the characters and the target audience I am hopeful that where I found frustrations with this book, things will slowly get better. Plus, this was Rowlings very first book, if I remember correctly, so she as a writing will also do her own growing.
#StillaBetterBookThanTwilight
2/5
I'm re-reading this one for Week 11!
I love Harry Potter! The first time I read this book, I was actually kind of bored with the first few pages. It's a good thing I stuck with it. :)
Ana A wrote: "I love Harry Potter! The first time I read this book, I was actually kind of bored with the first few pages. It's a good thing I stuck with it. :)"Yeah! The first pages were boring, but when I read the last page I thought "yes, this book is awesome!". So is the whole series!!
Reading this for week 11: A book from the Rory Gilmore challenge. My son has been bugging me to read the series since he was in elementary school. He's 21 now and STILL asking so I decided to give it a shot!
Yay for your son bugging you to read it! I hope you enjoy it. The series really picks up at book 3, so if you don't enjoy it, hold on for just a little while longer!
Good for you, Amy! I think too many people don't realize just how good a book series this is AND how many good lessons it teaches.
I read this for the readers choice topic week 13. It's one of my favorite series that I've read many times. It's interesting to see how many things they changed or left out in the movie.
I've just read the first chapter of the illustrated novel (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) to my little Spider. I'm beyond thrilled to be finally sharing this with her. <3
Hiii so cool, I'm really excited for you two. Did she like it?
She told me the movie was better. A little part of me died.
Noooooo Jody !!!!! haha. I honestly have no other comment but nooooooo
I'm finally reading Harry Potter! I watched the movie series with my kids at least 5 years ago? We enjoyed watching the movies as a family. My daughter (13) just read the whole series and she is all about HP now. We were out shopping yesterday and she had to have a HP blanket and a couple of shirts.In January I put this series on my challenge. I really want to read all of the books.
I'm reading it this year for #30 - A book from the Goodreads top 100 YA books.
I am also reading this for 30 this year - and am reading it (or have read it, now) out loud to my daughter (we are on book 3 now - watching the movies after reading each volume). Really enjoying re-reading the series.
I'm so happy for you that you are discovering this series and I seriously hope you'll love it as much as we all do! ;)
I finished it this morning. I was impressed with how much you wanted to cheer for Harry. You can feel how much he wants a family in the book that it makes your heart hurt. Very fun book and great characters. It was fun to read the interaction between Harry, Ron and Hermione. It feels like Harry is finally in the right place. The magic and world building was fantastic.
2018 Week 131. A book set in a country you'd like to visit but have never been to
Re-reading this series for the Harry Potter challenge with my book club. It's been YEARS since I've first read the series but there is somewhat of a comforting feeling as I'm re-reading. The book is set in England which I would LOVE to visit. Check out all things HP and see the Sherlock Holmes museum.
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I've never been able to get into the movies, maybe due to that fact that friends have always tried to get me to binge them in one sitting with them. But I've been going through a stressful period and my mood hasn't been great so I wanted a light read. I figured it was the perfect time to finally check out the series.
I thought it introduced some interesting elements and am interested in seeing how the books evolve. I thought it was a little surface-level and it could use some more plot development and depth but I'm sure that happens as the books progress.
I'm not sure when I'll read the second one but probably not too long since I don't want to lose steam.
Read for the 2017 challenge, week 52: set in a fictional location.
I just read this for week 10: an author's debut. I am also a harry potter newb so I'm glad I can say Im finally getting into the series. I'm excited for the more mature books in the series
Welcome to the club Sabrina! They’re really such wonderful books, and they get so much better as they go along - and then reading the earlier books once you’ve read the later books is a different experience again, because you pick up things that become significant later on. J.K. Rowling really did an amazing job.
Reading your comments really makes me want to re-read them again! Maybe next year ;)
I just finished Chamber of Secrets after deciding it was time to reread the whole series again. I thought I might finally be 'too old' for children's books but got sucked straight back in. They really are wonderful stories and I think I enjoy them more as an adult than I ever did when I was younger.
I read this for week 40, a book from Amazon's 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime list. It's a reread for me, and I liked it this time around too. The first time I read it with my kids, ages ago. Thank God, I'm still not "too old" for stuff like this.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (other topics)Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (other topics)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (other topics)
This is Goodreads synopsis of the book : Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy. He lives with his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley, who are mean to him and make him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. (Dudley, however, has two bedrooms, one to sleep in and one for all his toys and games.) Then Harry starts receiving mysterious letters and his life is changed forever. He is whisked away by a beetle-eyed giant of a man and enrolled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The reason: Harry Potter is a wizard! The first book in the "Harry Potter" series makes the perfect introduction to the world of Hogwarts.
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P.S Sorry for not posting anything earlier