OH WHY YES MY NAME IS SANA AND I REALLY DID NOT LIKE THIS.

DON'T KILL ME, THANKS. GOODBYE

i've been thinking a lot and this is actually 2.5 stars

_____________________________________________________________
Guys my little sister just came put to me with this book in her hand and asked if I wanted to BR with her.

She looked so happy when I said yes.

5 Golden Stars

98%

this book is the Magical gate to the Wizarding World.
introducing this amazing unique world to us.

(all my HP reviews were written after many times read, not first, first was back in early 2000s)

This book,
All these books,
This world,
Always has a special place in my heart.❤


this review is mostly about my memories/feelings, I just wanted to have them somewhere.
"Swish & Flick!"

Many of us dreamed of receiving our letter, going to Hogwarts, learning magic. we bought our wands. we were ready to experience magic.

but you know...
We actually received our letter
We found platform 9¾
We attended Hogwarts
We were sorted into Houses
We were there together
all along
with Harry Potter

because...

★ We
Are
★ Potterheads

as Stephen King said:
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”

& Martin said:

“A reader lives a thousand of lives.”


so don't be sad potterheads, we were there!




actually HP1 was the first 'novel' of my life. the one that made me a Fantasy lover & a BookDragon! the one that introduced the world of bigger books & magic. I was 9, summer 2001 & it was my (very) belated birthday gift (& I'm grateful for that); long ago, before there was a hype, 1st movie was about to come out. so I just read this one book I had again & again & again... (I guess I bought 2nd soon after, & re-read them together :D)
I remember my feelings at the first read; like I was thrilled because I thought that 'H' on the seal was because of Harry's initial.


Take me back to my childhood, when everything seemed simpler...
I've grown up with this series & loved every minutes of it.
this book & this series never gets old. still as excellent as my first read, even though I know all the details & even many of the sentences.


fun great beginning
Cute story, magical, brilliant, unique with many lovable characters in a magnificent castle & wonderful world.

n  "Hogwarts will always be there to Welcome you Home"n

every chapters; amazing. interesting. intriguing!
Wonderful!
Epic!
Wow!!!
Quidditch!
Friendship!

"There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.”

I love this quote!

I enjoy these stories happening in this world, the real world.
also the ones you can be sorted in the story & feel you are really there.

cute courageous & (yeah I'm gonna say it, because he is in the great matters of life) wise Harry
loyal daring Ron
& smart book lover Hermione
hilarious twins!
Lee Jordan's commentating!
Professor McGonagall!
Wood!
oh Hagrid! XD

the learning magic was lovely & the plot twists kept me open-mouthed!

After this many times re-read (which is not accurate, but I know I read them a lot! so I estimated each year that I read, before new books coming out, every summer at least for the first couple of years, & here I am, 20 re-read for the first book.) I actually knew most of the sentences & of course I know what would happen next, but it is still as interesting & cute as the first time, even if the element of surprise is long gone for me; but I can completely remember which parts I stare at the book with an open mouth. :D
Every time I missed them & start to re-read them, nostalgic & delighted, I am that 9 yo little girl who loved this world, which crafted my childhood & teenage years, majority of my life & memory, teaching me many things.

14th re-read: June 2018 was my first time that I tried HP in English (after so many times reading; 11 times for book 1 & 2 to 5-6 times for book 6 & 7) & I can say it was even more AMAZING. <3
Audiobook is like reading in the dark, isn't it?; you don't need light to stay up all night reading. XD
-
World building: ★★★★★/5
Plot: ★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★★/5
/ Characters development: ★★★★★/5
Written style: ★★★★(★)/5
/ Fun: ★★★★/5
/ Feelz (mostly Joy, like when "yer a wizard Harry" but first chapter made me cry too (I loved James & he was dead from the beginning of story (I loved him since my first read, before knowing him as a marauder. & I know that's kind of weird... also... James & Lily were only 21)

This is such a hugely popular series that my review is probably not necessary, but I feel compelled to at least note how immensely important and impactful this book can be.

Forget about the need for fantastic children’s literature. Ignore the movies. Don’t even consider the amount of money and product built from the empire of Harry Potter. Think purely about the imagination an author created not only with this first book but the entire series.

A child who feels lost and alone. A world of magic where you still struggle. A history of good and evil. A school divided amongst houses. A land of muggles and one of witches. Imagination runs wild and with absolute infinite options.

Intepretation on themes and imagery cannot be any greater. Connections of every sort can be made to so many other genres of literature, periods in history. This book is so much more than a story. It’s created a world where anyone, child or adult, can be who they want to be without any concern or shame.

And for those reasons alone, it’s in my favorite books of all time.

***Because I got hate in the comments for OMG swearing in a children's book review (which I get, I guess...), DON'T READ THIS IF YOU ARE UNDER 18. Happy now, everyone?***

Well, I did it. I FINALLY read my first Harry Potter book...and in the same year as its 20th anniversary no less.

But better late than never, no?

Annnnd I already ordered the illustrated hardback.
And asked for the full hardcover set for Christmas.
From my dad.
Because nothing says, “I’m a thirty-fucking-five-year-old adult” like asking Daddy for Harry Potter for Christmas.

#TeamDumbledore

XXXXXXXXXXX

I have a confession to make.

*
*
*

I have never read Harry Potter.



Yes, yes, I know...this is akin to reader sacrilege.

But I just had no interest in these books when they came out. I was too busy reading about men in kilts fucking the milkmaid.

Therefore, my only experience with "Hermione" is the SNL skit where Lindsey Lohan shows Harry and that other scarfed dude her ginormous tatas.

  

Well, what with everyone going ape shit over the newest installment, I figure I should probably find out what all this Hogwart's business is about.

And since my friend's 9 year old demanded that I read his copy, I now have the paperback in my possession.

Hoping to get starting this week...

I'm going to keep this brief since there isn't much to say that hasn't already been said. *clears throat*
I think the reason I waited so long to read this series is because I just couldn't imagine myself enjoying reading about an eleven-year-old boy and his adventures at a school of wizardry. I thought it would be too juvenile for my taste. I was wrong, of course.
I can honestly say that I loved every minute of this. It's a spectacular little romp with funny, courageous, and endearing characters that you can't help but love.
It has talking chess pieces, singing hats, a giant three-headed dog named Fluffy, a hilarious giant with a dragon fetish, a master wizard that's just a little bit crazy, mail carrier owls, goblins running a bank, unicorns, centaurs(!), trolls . . . and probably much more that I'm forgetting.
And then there's the lead characters: Hermione, the young scholar who starts out prim and up-tight but soon becomes a true friend; Ron, the boy who has little money but who has an abundance of family and loyalty to his friends to make up for it; and then there's Harry, the boy who starts out sleeping in a closet and ends up being a hero. Harry is kind to those that deserve it, fearless when it counts the most, and wonderfully intelligent. What's not to love?

In regards to the ending: I feel silly saying this about a middle grade novel, but I didn't suspect Quirrell a bit! If there were hints that he was the true culprit and not Snape, I obviously missed them.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them."

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to start Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

*******************************************************

My reviews of other titles in this series:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Come along with me on my re-read of the epically magical series “Harry Potter”.

These Are The Stories Before We Had SmartPhones

Many years ago, I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when it was first published in the US, before the movie, before all of the fame and merchandising opportunities. Initially, when I read it, I devoured it in two days. Now that I am old, well as old as Megan Fox, I wanted to hate on the author but couldn't.

JK Rowling makes writing look easy. Her prose is easy to read out loud, very smooth. Although the world that she has created is magical, it isn't confusing or that difficult to imagine unlike LOTR or Dune. The book is also incredibly fast paced. Many of the fantasy books that I have read have at least 100 pages to warm up. So how does the author make us want to root or cheer for Harry? How do we become invested in him? He is an orphan and an abused orphan at that. On the one hand, this formula definitely works, but isn't it a little over done? JK Rowling also sets up some beautiful scenes like when Harry is receiving his invitation to Hogwarts. How many people actually try that hard? When Ron and Harry discover that Hermione is in danger, they both go to assist her. However, most people these days would go, "Oh well." Sorry my INFJ is showing.

There were a few things that I didn't like:
*Why does JK Rowling hate cats? Mr Dursley sees something odd, a cat reading a map. My cats play chess, play the piano, watch TV, and once even typed "hi" on my computer. I don't find reading a map to be a bit strange at all. Maybe my house is just brimming with magic and as a muggle I just don't know about it? Mrs. Figg also made Harry look at photographs of all of the cats that she has ever owned. As if that is some sort of punishment!
*How Hermione is treated. When Ron and Harry are in trouble, Ron screams at her, "Have you gone mad? Are you a witch or not?" Um Ron, if you treat me like, you can save yourself. At the end of the book, Hermione is never fully rewarded for her portion in saving Ron and Harry, just figuring out the riddle. Even after she was a better person than I.
*Quidditch and chess - not really my thing although this opened up a brilliant line of merchandising for the author.
*Some things didn't make sense to me. Why was there a sip of the potions left? Why exactly was Dudley so popular at school?

Now, I think a trip to Orlando is in order to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

2025 Reading Schedule
JantA Town Like Alice
FebtBirdsong
MartCaptain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
AprtWar and Peace
MaytThe Woman in White
JuntAtonement
JultThe Shadow of the Wind
AugtJude the Obscure
SeptUlysses
OcttVanity Fair
NovtA Fine Balance
DectGerminal

Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta My Bookstore at Pango

There are no words to do this book justice.

n  Second Read Review: n

This is my second time reading this book. I still remember how I enjoyed it very much years ago when I read it for the first time. Like it was so magical and adventurous and I fell in love with the series right away after I finished reading the first book. So I decided to reread it this year because I miss all of the characters, the humor and the adventure. Moreover, this series also changed me. I wouldn't be the woman I am today without this series ( and also along with other books ).

I still liked the book, but I just felt like it wasn't as fun as I read it for the first time. When I began rereading this book, I still remembered the story and the events clearly, so that's probably why I didn't enjoy it like I used to. BUT I still liked it. It was fun and great!

My favorite scene in this book is when Harry, Hermione and Ron wanted to reach the Philosopher's Stone and then Ron and Harry were some kind of tangled or strangled? By a plant and the thing to save them was something that emanated warmth and suddenly Hermione said that there were no woods and Ron was angry and shouted whether she's a witch or not because she could easily conjure a spell to help them and I guess she forgot that she could do that and I honestly laughed out loud because it's so funny hahaha. Maybe Hermione was still getting used of being a witch

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is one of the most celebrated books of all time for one simple reason...because it deserves to be!



I'll write a full review when I have time, but for now here's my...

"Book, you have the right to a speedy trial" review

n  THE DEFENSEn
- Rowling's prose is absolutely magical
- Story is not only exciting but often sweet as well
- Lead characters are all captivating
- Comic relief (mostly from Ron) is blended perfectly with the more dramatic events
- Never a dull moment


n  THE PROSECUTIONn
- Rowling is occasionally too over-the-top for her own good (especially during Harry's time with the Dursleys)
- After reading this, anything else you do may seem like a waste of time that you could have used to read Harry Potter again!


n  THE VERDICTn
Some books are worth reading once, this one is worthy reading many times! A brilliant adventure that anyone can enjoy!

Momento histórico: acabo de terminar de leer por primera vez el libro de Harry Potter, como ustedes saben yo no los leí de niña pero nunca es tarde para
comenzar ❤️

“He’ll be famous, a legend, there will be books written about Harry, every child in our world will know his name!”

This line was written 1997, in the very 1st chapter of the very 1st book of a series that been rejected by many publishers. But I've talked about that before.
So let's see here, with this beautiful Illustrated Edition,

chapter by chapter, Reviewing & Analyzing -from my simple reader perspective- of the first Harry Potter book, why this line isn't exaggerating. Why this line came true..

Chapter One : THE BOY WHO LIVED

A two sides chapter..
First, It starts “Perfectly Normal,Thank You Very Much”. What's supposed to be a normal day for a very normal man, Mr. Dursley..

Mind his encounter with a peculiar Cat that won't be “shoo”-ed.
(n  -Fun Trivian; that's the only encounter between the 2 stern characters, Mr. Dursley & Professor McGonagall.-)

Mind the Owls’ hyperactivity during the day, Mind those weird men in weirdest costumes.
(-okay, in case you didn't read it before, it's October 31, 1981, he may didn't mind much because of, you know, it's Halloween day.)

Stranger things started as we move to The Other Side, with the arrival of an old Wizard to this Normal street at night.
And the Cat is a professor, a huge man in flying motorcycle, and a little boy became an orphan by an evil man's last curse.

How and why, we don't know.. But this Boy who lived that Strange thing, must now lives with his last family, at this very Normal man's.
Good luck Harry, Doorbells Dumbledore!!

A very interesting Epic beginning. A fine example of how to grab attention without confusing readers with too much strangeness and complicated peculiar, invented names as most YA novels does.
-for example the “Put-Outer” that put out the light off street lamps, has a more complicated name but it used way later in the books-

Also it's very well paced, perfectly split between Normal life and Magical one, which is the essence of the series..
..in this Breaking Dawn of URBAN FANTASY as we know it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

n

Chapter 2 : THE VANISHING GLASS
Chapter 3 : LETTERS FROM NO ONE
Chapter 4 : THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS

n
These chapters (First Episode) are like normal, miserable drama.
The boring -with minor strange events- life of the "seems normal / yet Special" orphan boy who lives in the cupboard under the stairs at his mean relatives'. Teased by his greedy, selfish, spoiled by parents, cousin “Duddly”.


(n  -Fun Trivian; these chapters full with HUGE Easter Eggs of later books, Mrs Figg of book five/ Snakes talk of book Two “no Snakes winking though”, & did you notice the motorcycle's owner name in the 1st chapter?-)

But this drama still very funny written in a way, Aunt Petunia stern acts and expressions for Harry, Harry’s wet responses, Uncle Vernon’s spoilings for Dudley.. It's really full of wet, funny unforgettable lines.

And these letters that came to Harry when he turns 11, well, changed everything.

(-Fun Trivia; Urban Myth that Uncle Vernon believed in; Witches & Wizards can't cross the water.. well, how wrong that can be!-)

And this episode ends with the big Revelation;

And the pretty Normal life is going to change forever for Harry, Thank you..very much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

n

Chapter 5 : DIAGON ALLEY
Chapter 6 : THE JOURNEY FROM PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS

Now you know pretty enough of the Harry Potter back story, the dark vanquished wizard. and why everyone in this community were celebrating 10 years ago ‘the 1st chapter’, and why Harry Potter is famous.

So Here, bit by bit you step into this Magical, Unique world.
Cleverly, interestingly, this world is revealed to you, slowly as if told to 11 years old boy who has no clue of it.
This WIZARDING WORLD , is no Normal at all, thank you very much. It's huge realm and community, yet cleverly hidden in our own Normal world.

It'll give you Wonder and Fascination from how to reach it, till being part of it.

And as Harry learns about it, he will also meet these diversity of characters, specifically this amazing family, The Weasley’s.

Yeah,this last line makes you feel that the author joining you the fun herself. It's hard to miss the fun sarcastic tone.

And, Now you see, Harry first lesson before getting to this Strange School is this ;
Wizards and Witches are pretty Normal.. the same as you and me, everyone has the good and bad.. just what you choose to be is what define who you are.


(-Fun Trivia; there's many Easter Eggs in the small details “like Dumbledore’s Chocolate Frog information, which is vital this book, last book and even the next series” also for later books “like the silly Rat spell that won't work on The Rat”-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

n

Chapter 7 : THE SORTING HAT
Chapter 8 : THE POTIONS MASTER
Chapter 9 : THE MIDNIGHT DUEL

n
Now, amidst the Strangeness of the Wizarding World.. the humans there are so true and real. Hence all the situations are true and realistic..

These first 3 chapters at Hogwarts gave me a strong Nostalgia to my first days of almost every school, the college even workplaces.

Harry is 11 and his past Normal life didn’t prepare him to Hogwarts, this magnificent Fantastic Magical School. So the author's lingering on how Harry feels, even how every first year students acts in totally perfect way, and funny too.

No matter how was your experience, you will re-live it but in this Magical atmosphere..
Even you might feel you have acquaintances, colleagues or friends like one of those Harry Potter's characters in one point or another,

There's always this simple true friendly type “Ron”,


eager ambitious knows-it-all “Hermione”,


smug bully Peacock “Draco”,


always lost and confused “Neville”,

funny troublemakers “George and Fred”,

authority lover “Percy”,

this older "pet lover" who knew one of your relatives and being so kind to you as an uncle “Hagrid”,


this older guy you feel he hates you for no reason at all “Snape”,


this stern, all powerful yet super kind older woman “McGonagall”,


and you don't meet the Headmaster ‘or the Boss’ pretty often when it's your first year..but he may be like a Godfather to you later “Dumbledore”.


These chapters of the first weeks, first encounters with different so real, so human characters, first lessons, all are pretty remarkable and nostalgic.
Unforgettable lines; The Potion Master greeting Harry.

And very funny; Harry confusion about Midnight Duel with Malfoy.

And Hermione classic that the Movie Trailer made it even cinematic classic that many has been copying since.

(-Fun Trivia; Argus Filch.. his first name in Greek myth is to a guard with hundreds of eyes all over his body to see everywhere. Well, Argus alone-with a cat- watches the whole vast buildings and hallways of Hogwarts..and you really can't escape him.
There's also this theory about Snape’s first 3 questions to Harry is all related to the love of his life!!.-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

n

Chapter 10 : HALLOWEEN
Chapter 11 : QUIDDITCH
Chapter 12 : THE MIRROR OF ERISED

n
Now, first half of the book is over -that fast?!!-, the second half has been brewing slowly since early first half..
Remember there's some small package in Ch.5, you read something about a failed stealing attempt in Ch.8, then suspecting it might be the school's heavily guarded item in ch.9.
With pure chances our Harry Potter witnessed it all so far.
Now, also by chances, Harry start to suspect someone trying to steal it, from the school.

It all start with a sequence of events that may some of it give you Nostalgia, like having annoying knows-it-all colleague.

Well, then, one thing after another,

And we have a Trio ;

I want to be back in school already.Told you, it's perfect blending Between Normal, and Magic.


And with this Troll accident, this Trio start suspecting the safety of whatever in the package at the third floor.
In a Agatha Christie Mystery style, Investigations starts in Magic School,

While playing Magical Sport that once you read its rules -twice-, you'll wish to play it,

even if against the worst team ever, Slytherin.


And While staying at school during Christmas, this intimate atmosphere, The Blessing of having wonderful friends who like a new family to you..

even having family however they might be, but they're still your blood.. (as we’ll discuss that in later parts.)


And above all, if we miss someone, the importance of Not “Dwelling” in the past,

as Dumbledore said…


(-Fun Trivia;; The Mirror of Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.-)

And back to the plot.. Harry is not only investigate the safety of the parcel, or why Snape -Harry’s main and only suspect- wants to steal it ; the Trio also investigate the second owner of the parcel; He-who-next-Chapter-is-named-after.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

n

Chapter 13 : NICOLAS FLAMEL
Chapter 14 : NORBERT THE NORWEGIAN RIDGEBACK
Chapter 15 : THE FORBIDDEN FOREST

n
With this Magical Urban Fantasy Novel, comes a minor element of Real Historical figure and real life myth. Nicolas Flamel, and His Philosopher’s Stone.

(-Fun Trivia; And this is “The One when every child in our world knows about the Philosopher's Stone” -expect in America. They insisted that it's just Sorcerer’s Stone.)

That's may be one great aspect of mixing this Fantastical Fictional World with our Real Not-Normal Life, Flamel is a real life Alchemist, that mix of Chemistry and Magic.
That's what makes Harry Potter a fine example of Urban Fantasy.

And in these 3 Chapters the investigations get more tense, with some events that put it in halt like, bad Quidditch referee.

Or Hagrid’s Dangerous, forbidden Hobbies.

-well, that's rich-


Which get them- as Flich would say -“in trouble”, A detention in the forbidden forest, meeting the Centaurs and their mystic creepy speakings of how “Mars was Bright that night”.


And finally there -which happens again by mere chance-, they will learn the real reason of the whole fuss around the parcel, The Philosopher’s Stone and who is behind the attempts to steal it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

n

Chapter 16 : THROUGH THE TRAPDOOR
Chapter 17 : THE MAN WITH TWO FACES

n
So now the perfect well structured Mystery and investigations, and the cleverly paced School year comes to an end.
Right after the fast “nostalgic too” summing up of the Exams days, which was so realistic,

So Classic,

And then, the plan is On after the exam. For the big Action of this Magical enchanting plot of the first book ; and with all the tension there, the spontaneous, natural, fun lines between the friends never ceased.

Even in the hardest parts can makes you smile.


This amazing ultimate real meaning of friends completing one another.

That’s what can really help in facing Evil.. and not fearing death.. And choose well,

As Professor Dumbledore’s wise talk;

And Love, and being Loved is the strongest power of all to face anything.


So it was story of Love, Friendship, Family and Bravery.


A perfect conclusion for a Perfect First Book in Unforgettable Breaking Point in modern Fantasy, Young Adult Novels. And in novels History generally.

A story that touched me personally, and may touched so many.. felt so connected to those amazing realistic characters..

And as the investigations part ends finally, it was moment for Truth.

-that may remind you with Agatha’s Poirot Quote ; “The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to seekers after it.”

So, we still won't have the full answers we seek and have in our mind such as;
If this is a great story, Why would a Man even so evil as Voldemort would be that keen to kill baby Harry that much in the first place?
Will he return? Will it be convenience one?

Well, in later books you'll see that everything is connected, mostly -NOT TOTALLY-planned from the beginning.


Well… if you still think this is an overrated Book Series..and doubt the accuracy of this first line, then you're seriously have some Uncle Vernon Dursley blood in you.

But cheers, you are Perfectly Normal,Thank You Very Much.

Mohammed Arabey

First Read : Sep. 2002

Illustrated Ed. Read : from 11 Nov 2015
To 27 Nov 2015

Full review of book one written in Nov. 2016