Rowling, J.K ; Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone (Harry Potter #1) - Informal Buddy Read; Start date November 10, 2014 - REVISIT - July 5, 2017 - REVISIT - 12 May 2018 - REVISIT Sept 1, 2020

[Shannon]

I finished too. It was strange reading it this time knowing everything I know from already reading the whole series, but it didn’t deter from how much I enjoyed it. I did find myself putting it down a lot today, which is strange for me, and not because I wasn’t having fun being immersed back in the world, but I guess because I do know what’s coming.

[Shannon]

Devann wrote: "@Claire yeah I was actually thinking on this reread [as well as in the past] whether all the house competition is really a good idea / completely fair. I mean to me the points system seems totally ..."

It is kind of an unfair system, but I think it may be attributed partly to the target age of the audience for the first couple of books. You’ve got to give them a clearer delineation between “good” and “evil” rather than all the truer gray nuances.

[Dev]

@Shannon yeah i totally agree that that's why she did it but i still wonder if maybe it's kind of a mistake to just assume children won't understand nuances like that, especially since it basically causes them to have to relearn their entire worldview at a later date when it's possible they could have understood the more 'complicated' option from the start and i do feel like a lot of books talk down to children unnecessarily [although whether this is one of them is up for debate]

[Joanne]

I feel like the houses make things really interesting for the reader, because there's built-in friends and innate competition, which moves the plot along, but in reality, taking everyone on their first day and immediately separating them into four groups is kind of a terrible idea. There are probably so many kids who would have made friends with certain people but since they turn out not to be in the same house, never really got a chance to interact much. And they have all their classes and everything with all the same people. It would get kind of boring, especially if someone didn't find anyone they really connected with in their house and year.

[Joanne]

Also who at 11 would want to live with considering themselves to be "evil"? I know there are other attributes, but the house is generally considered to be pretty rotten. These are just kids, I doubt any of them have done much bad stuff.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Shannon wrote: "ROFL!"

I second this! xD

[Dev]

yeah i definitely get why she did it as a plot device but when you think of like if it was applied in real life it's baffling.

and i totally agree that there need to be more 'double classes' or whatever so that the kids can hang out with people in other houses, and also they should probably be allowed to eat with whoever they want. like obviously you have to separate people into groups for classes somehow but i just feel like there's entirely too much division early on.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Sassafrass wrote: "So, I'm listening to the Jim Dale audio and I'm kind of getting narrator envy. I can only get the Jim Dale audio here, but the UK people can get the Stephen Fry one.

Why are we so restricted? It's..."

I found that really odd too. Stephen Fry is freaking awesome at everything and his audio narration is fantastic. I really don't understand why they needed a different narrator for the US

[Samantha]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "chapter 5

[spoilers removed]"

So, I honestly never thought about how unfair the house system is. I just blindly accepted it lol. I wish there was a better system in place with the points so it wasn't so arbitrary...like in the mobile game Hogwarts Mystery! lol

[Samantha]

Devann wrote: "yeah i definitely get why she did it as a plot device but when you think of like if it was applied in real life it's baffling.

and i totally agree that there need to be more 'double classes' or w..."

I never understood what "double classes" meant. I always thought it meant having one class for twice as long. Like, instead of Potions for 1 hour, it was 2 hours. But now that I think about it, it totally makes sense that double classes just means sharing it with another house *smacks head*

[Dev]

yeah i mean either way makes sense but in this series 'double classes' means double the class size instead of double the length. i can't remember if they ever have any longer classes or if that's mentioned at all

[Dev]

also this is totally random but possibly my favorite part in this entire book is when Hagrid yells YOU MEAN HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING?!? and Harry is just like '...I know math' #amazing #iconic

[Michelle]

Samantha wrote: "Devann wrote: "yeah i definitely get why she did it as a plot device but when you think of like if it was applied in real life it's baffling.

and i totally agree that there need to be more 'doubl..."

Oh duh!!! I was thinking exactly the same thing!

[Eldarwen]

Rosina wrote: "I finished!...I quite enjoyed this. The last half moved quite fast. What was my favorite part? I was surprised by the forest and cant wait to see how that will tie in on future books. I liked how i..."

The forest really is amazing, and has so many interesting things happening inside and around it! :-)

[Eldarwen]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "I found that really odd too. Stephen Fry is freaking awesome at everything and his audio narration is fantastic. I really don't understand why they needed a different narrator for the US"

Same reason why the books have slight modifications, too, I assume?

In the UK version, they put on jumpers. In the US version, they put on sweaters.

[Silje]

Sassafrass wrote: "So, I'm listening to the Jim Dale audio and I'm kind of getting narrator envy. I can only get the Jim Dale audio here, but the UK people can get the Stephen Fry one.

Why are we so restricted? It's..."

The only version available for me (I'm in Norway) on the services/sites where you can red as much as you want for a monthly fee (scribd, storytel etc) is the Stephen Fry one. Unsure which version I would get if I bought it at amazon/Audible though...

[Sassafrass]

I think in Norway audible would give you the UK version. The US version is only in US (and maybe Canada?). However, I'd like to have access to the UK version as well.

It was weird to hear them say Merry Christmas to each other when I had a whole discussion when I saw the movie about saying "Happy Christmas".


Anyway, I've finished. It seemed as though the ending went super fast. Once they went on their quest, it was over in no time. I'm looking forward to starting book 2. It's where I stopped last time I was reading these (or trying to), so I want to get farther in the series for sure.

And while it gives a lot more detail in the book (of course), I am still amazed at how true to the book the first movie was. It's interesting because I am seeing the movie play in my head as I'm reading/listening. LOL

[Rosina]

Sassafrass..i live In Canada and checked our library and we have both Jim Dale and Stephen Fry audio book versions...

[Kaley]

Devann wrote: "also this is totally random but possibly my favorite part in this entire book is when Hagrid yells YOU MEAN HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING?!? and Harry is just like '...I know math' #amazing #iconic"

I just read this part last night (busy weekend, slow getting into the challenge) and I was cracking up. Harry was so offended.

[Laura]

Shannon wrote: "Ch 6-11

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[
Oh, I forgot the broomsticks... also a favorite scene! Hmm, maybe I did like the book more than I thought:-) (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

chapter 13

(view spoiler)[Neville is one of my favorite characters from Harry Potter. I love that in this first book it's kind of thanks to Neville that Harry and his friends figured out the truth about Nicholas Flamel. I wish they had kept that in the movies.

Originally there was a scene in the movie which was closer that what we have in the book. But it's still not quite the same. It only shows how clumsy Neville is, and not his kindness when he gives Harry the frog card.

Here is the scene if you're interested: Deleted Scene it's quite a funny scene. to bad they had to delete it! (hide spoiler)]

[Kirsten]

Just got to chapter 9...

All the differences between the movie and the book are really popping out to me! hah

[Dev]

apparently i need to rewatch the movies because many people have said they are noticing all the differences but to me every scene was almost exactly like the movie version. i haven't seen the movies in ages because i honestly never liked them that much though so maybe my memory is not as good as i thought it was

also something i just noticed, you know how whenever you go to insert a book into your comment it has like book:name then a number? well this book has only the number 3 after it so i wonder if this was literally the 3rd book that was added on goodreads back when it got started? although i just checked what CoS is and it's number 15881 so maybe it's actually completely random lol

[ClaireB]

Devann wrote: "apparently i need to rewatch the movies because many people have said they are noticing all the differences but to me every scene was almost exactly like the movie version. i haven't seen the movie..."

Well, there are always differences between book and movie. The first Harry Potter, to be honest, is pretty well done. At least in my opinion. There aren't THAT many differences. Just a few minor things if we look at it objectively. But of course, being devoted readers, these details matter to us. haha

[SandyL]

It's always fun to notice new things when you re-read a book....like I noticed when Hagrid told Harry he always wanted a dragon! And I noticed the book Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find them by Newt Scamander (my team.) And I was a bit put off when Hagrid tells Harry about the houses "There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot 'o duffers, but ---"

[Kirsten]

Devann wrote: "apparently i need to rewatch the movies because many people have said they are noticing all the differences but to me every scene was almost exactly like the movie version. i haven't seen the movie..."
Yup some of the HP series were the first to be added to Goodreads. The numbers are indeed in order of being added to the site! :)

I am a book-then-movie reader so this is possibly the first time I am going back to re-read a book after seeing a movie multiple times. I totally get that due to time & funding restraints there are going to be changes from he books to the movies. So I expect complete scenes from the book to not appear in the movie. But its the little things I notice that tweak my memory, parts where something happens in a different place, someone else is included in a scene that were removed from a scene though the scene was still in the movie, a line of dialogue that was taken from one character in the book and said by someone else in the movie, etc.

I guess the movie is just fresher in my mind since I've seen it a few times since it was released while I haven't read this first book again since 2000 when I first picked it up.

[Melissa]

I didn't notice many differences between the two either. I think both the books and the movies are amazingly well done. Of course there are some differences like the importance of the spirits but overall they are very similar.

Maybe I should go back and watch the movies again too. :D

[ClaireB]

Chapter 15

(view spoiler)[It never made sense to me that their punishment is to go into the forbidden forest... especially at night. And also separating into groups! As if these little first years could defend themselves from the dangerous creatures running around in that forest. It's just unresponsible !

On another note, I love the centaurs in the Harry Potter world. haha, they are so funny, always looking at the stars and being all criptic. (hide spoiler)]

[Emelie]

Is it too late to join for Tower Team? If not, I'll jump in for Team Cedric Diggory!

[Kaley]

SandyL wrote: "It's always fun to notice new things when you re-read a book....like I noticed when Hagrid told Harry he always wanted a dragon! And I noticed the book Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find them by Ne..."

*sigh* It's no wonder everyone thinks the lowest of Hufflepuff. Even though Jo Rowling has said she loves Hufflepuff! She sure didn't make her characters talk as if she does.

[ClaireB]

Emelie wrote: "Is it too late to join for Tower Team? If not, I'll jump in for Team Cedric Diggory!"

I think you can still sign up to be on the waiting list for replacements. But I'm not sure you can just choose which group you'll be put in if you do.

[Samantha]

Michelle wrote: "Samantha wrote: "Devann wrote: "yeah i definitely get why she did it as a plot device but when you think of like if it was applied in real life it's baffling.

and i totally agree that there need ..."

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one! lol

[Samantha]

Sassafrass wrote: "I think in Norway audible would give you the UK version. The US version is only in US (and maybe Canada?). However, I'd like to have access to the UK version as well.

It was weird to hear them say..."

I was playing the movie in my head as well lol It has been a while since I've watched the movies, but I've seen them so many times, they're engrained in my memory. I'm interested to get into the later ones because I barely remember the books and I remember seeing the movies for the first time and being so angry at the movies for changing so much lol At least with the first two movies, they stayed somewhat close to the books.

[Emelie]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Emelie wrote: "Is it too late to join for Tower Team? If not, I'll jump in for Team Cedric Diggory!"

I think you can still sign up to be on the waiting list for replacements. But I'm not sure you ..."

Sorry if I expressed myself poorly - I'm already in Team Cedric. I was wondering if it's too late to join the buddy read to get points since the start date for this book has already been. I've never done a buddy read like this. :)

[Diane ~Firefly~]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Chapter 15

show spoiler."


(view spoiler)[Yeah, the Dark Forest as punishment seems extreme. At the very least, they shouldn't split up. And then Hagrid leaves Harry and Hermione alone to "rescue" Draco and Neville. (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

yeah i feel like the first two movies are pretty close and then after that i'm generally just watching them like ?????????? and i actually just start judging them based on how much i like everyone's hair lmao. like i know harry's 4th movie hair is not book accurate but i love it and everyone else has really great hair in that movie as well. completely irrelevant really but i have to just tune out and do stupid things like that or i'll get mad about all the things they changed. and i get that some things they HAVE to change but other choices are just bizarre in later movies. although i guess we should maybe save that discussion for the appropriate book thread

[Kirsten]

Emelie wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Emelie wrote: "Is it too late to join for Tower Team? If not, I'll jump in for Team Cedric Diggory!"

I think you can still sign up to be on the waiting list f..."

Yes yes come and join! Many of us are still reading this first book. For these HP buddy reads it seems the start date is a bit more lax as all 7 books' BR's started on day one but people are likely (but not always) to hop from one to the next as they finish the previous throughout TT.

[Michelle]

Emelie wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Emelie wrote: "Is it too late to join for Tower Team? If not, I'll jump in for Team Cedric Diggory!"

I think you can still sign up to be on the waiting list f..."

Oh, jump in, Emelie! You can read and discuss still.

[Suzanne]

I'm also jumping in for team Pomona Sprout - I have been on vacation and so wasn't really able to read til today. But....a lot of my trip was at Harry Potter world - so it was fitting - AND made me excited to re-read this series :)

[Emelie]

Ah, great! And yay, welcome Suzanne! How fitting your trip was to Harry Potter world!

I just started reading it now and it just pulls me back to when I first got this first book when I was a preteen, back when it was first released. It's just something so charmingly magical about it. Going to look forward to rereading the books again!

Chapter 1.
(view spoiler)[It was quite a few years ago I reread the books and I don't remember much of the details at all. I was surprised about how open the wizarding world were, secretive as they are otherwise, on this day that You-Know-Who was defeated. Dumbledore also seems not like I remembered him, but that might just be because these first books are geared more towards children than the later ones, which are more darker and a bit more in depth character wise. (hide spoiler)]

[maria helena]

Jumping in from team Moaning Myrtle.

It's been a few years since I last read HP so perfect timing for a reread :)

[Emelie]

Chapter 2.

(view spoiler)[Oh boy. I hadn't forgotten how spoiled Dudley was or how poorly treated Harry was, but it still troubles me in a completely different way than when I was a kid reading this. It just shakes me how grown adults can be so cold, so obviously show how little appreciated, loved, or cared for Harry is - especially when he can compare his living conditions with his spoilt cousin.

It's written humorously, which again, due to aiming at kids, but it also feels a bit wrong. How many children in similar circumstances must have, like, felt their experiences being put down like this, as being nothing special, humorous, even? I don't know. But I, at least, like Harry's snark and sarcasm.

I remember enjoying the little interaction with Harry and the snake, and the details of strange people greeting Harry, recognizing him, shaking his hand, was a fun little detail I didn't remember. (hide spoiler)]

[MelanieJoy]

Jumping in from team Gilderoy Lockhart!

[Suzanne]

In a way, the first chapters kind of remind me of Matilda - with the mean or at least clueless adults and the special child.

I totally didn't remember that Harry was a bit sarcastic. Good for him!!

[ClaireB]

Suzanne wrote: "In a way, the first chapters kind of remind me of Matilda - with the mean or at least clueless adults and the special child.

I totally didn't remember that Harry was a bit sarcastic. ..."

yes, that's something that doesn't come out so much in the movies. but he has a lot of sas. I love how witty he is sometimes :D

[SandyL]

It's so much fun reading about Harry's introduction to so many new things - the Platform 9 3/4, the Weasley's, moving photos, first sight of Hogwarts.....now I'm on to the Sorting Hat!

[Kirsten]

SandyL wrote: "It's so much fun reading about Harry's introduction to so many new things - the Platform 9 3/4, the Weasley's, moving photos, first sight of Hogwarts.....now I'm on to the Sorting Hat!"

Chapter 7
(view spoiler)[ I was surprised though that with all Hermione's reading she did that previous summer that she also didn't know how students got sorted into the houses. I thought surely that would be covered somewhere. (hide spoiler)]

[Melissa]

Just got to the part where Hagrid (view spoiler)[ tracks down the Dursleys at the hut by the sea. I forgot how funny that entire handing Harry his Hogwarts letter was! (hide spoiler)]

[Emelie]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "In a way, the first chapters kind of remind me of Matilda - with the mean or at least clueless adults and the special child.

I totally didn't remember that Harry was a..."

It really doesn't - which is sad. Movie!Harry clouded my memories of book!Harry and made me dislike his character for so many years. Same with movie!Ginny vs book!Ginny - and probably many more characters that isn't on top of my head right now.

[ClaireB]

Emelie wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "In a way, the first chapters kind of remind me of Matilda - with the mean or at least clueless adults and the special child.

I to..."

I feel the same for Ginny. I really can't stand her in the movies, and I don't even know why. But in the books, I like her so much more. And Michael Gambon (the second Dumbledore), made me hate his character, too.