Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Review

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Written by J.K Rowling
# of pages: 223

Average Rating: 4.36/5
My Rating: 4/5

Read in August 2013

Summary according to goodreads

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a Cloak of Invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in ten years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/72193.Harry_Potter_and_the_Philosopher_s_Stone

My Thoughts

I haven't read these books for years, in fact I remember being in the fourth grade laying on a blue couch under my family's mounted TV, reading this book. I was very excited to reread this book (and this series). Even after all these years filled with other books, I was not disappointed. 

What I enjoyed this most about this book was the way it was very fast aced. I sat down and finished this book in a day, even while doing many other things in that time. In this story, something is always happening which leaves no moments for the reader to get bored. Even though I have previously read this book and seen the movie adaptation, I still found myself captivated with the plot. The author was also very descriptive, which is important when creating a world such as this one. A reader wants to be able to imagine the world and feel like it's real. While reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, I wanted to be living in this world!

The only reason that I didn't give this novel five stars is because I know that the other books in the series are much better. My rating of four stars gives the rest of the series room to improve, as well as for me to pick my favourites. If this was my first time reading it, however, I would have given it five out of five stars, as I wouldn't know what to expect. 

Overall, I think that this book is a great introduction to the series. I would recommend these books/movies to anyone because I think a reader of any age group could enjoy it, and they are great books to get into.