Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone | J.K. Rowling | Book Review

The first book in the bestseller “Harry Potter” book series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” book started my love for fantasy genre. Before that I had only read books with little to no fantasy. This book review post was first published on Njkinny’s Blog in 2013 and has been updated. 

It was a rainy day in July 2002 when I was first introduced to Harry potter. My father had brought the book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, from the local library. That was the day and its today in 2013 I am as hooked to Harry Potter, maybe more so than before, as I was in 2002 when I first read about him. The Harry Potter phenomenon started in 1997 when the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in Britain. The same book was published as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the United States. It was the debut novel by J.K. Rowling and brought great acclaim to her as an author.

So, read the book summary, book review, my favourite book quotes, and more about Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K Rowling in this post below.

About Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling Book Summary:

The story revolves around Harry who is an orphan and is being brought up by his Aunt and Uncle. He is mistreated by his relations, who make him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. Strange unexplained things have always happened to Harry like strange people bowing and winking at him as if they know him. Or howsoever times he got his hair cut they instantly became long and unruly like before.

Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.”

"Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept."-#HarryPotter and The Philosopher's Stone | J.K. Rowling | #BookReview #BookQuotes on #NjkinnysBlog Click To Tweet

The dilemma with Harry is that others know more about him than he does himself. He has no recollection of his parent’s death. And is also forbidden to ask questions about anything. Then he has a queer lightning-shaped scar on his forehead that he feels is the only notable thing about him. But soon life takes a turn and he comes to know that he is no ordinary boy but a wizard!

Yeah you heard me right. Harry Potter is a wizard!

Harry soon finds himself whisked to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Here he makes friends, fights trolls, plays quidditch, has classes on potion making, defence against the dark arts and other magical subjects. He also comes to know more about his parents and the man who killed them, Voldemort. Then things get dangerous when Voldemort is again seen trying to come to power. Soon it’s up to Harry and his friends to stop him.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling Book Review:

Plot:

The plot is very novel and stands out with its fresh story line, very innovative settings and heart felt characters which made it difficult for me to believe that it’s J.K. Rowling’s debut novel.

Writing Style and World Building:

Though the theme of the book is magic and fantasy yet I never felt like I was reading anything far fetched.  Such is the skill with which Rowling threads
together the events that they feel authentic and I felt connected.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a creation of genius. It is depicted as a mysterious place which thrilled me with lively descriptions of ceilings that looked like stars filled sky, of ghosts floating in air, castle like settings with long passageways, direction changing stairways, moving pictures, candles floating in the air, long tables with self-appearing food, big grounds for playing quidditch etc.

Characterisation:

Rowling gives a memorable introduction to Harry with the title “The Boy Who Lived”. Then the setting of the scenes and the description of the characters is so lively that it created a picture in my mind. So, all through the book I felt like everything was happening to me first hand.

She is able to make the reader feel each and every emotion experienced by the characters in the book. So, I could feel the surprise and happiness which Harry felt when he came to know that he was a wizard. Also the longing, sadness and half joy when Harry could see his parents standing behind him in the Mirror of Erised.

The introduction of the Durselys is also very funny.

Mr and Mrs Dursely, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you’d expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn’t hold with such nonsense.”

"Mr and Mrs Dursely, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you’d expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn’t… Click To Tweet

I felt I had met such people while I read the description. Rowling also sketches her characters in a comical light with introducing statements like “a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache”, ”thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck” ,”pig in a wig” for Mr Dursely, Mrs Dursely and Dudley Dursely. Then the same method is also adopted for the other characters which not only made them hilarious (I ended laughing like a goon) but I felt made them feel more real and effective.

Conclusion:

After all, to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

"After all, to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure."- #HarryPotter and The Philosopher's Stone | J.K. Rowling | #BookReview #BookQuotes on #NjkinnysBlog Click To Tweet

All in all, Njkinny recommends Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling and I give it 5 out of 5 stars. This is a book with vivid characters that we all connect to and love like the wild-looking but very caring Hagrid; gentle and a genius yet with a bit of humorous eccentricity Dumbledore; stern but kind, a mother like McGonagall; bossy Hermione; a best friend Ron; an enigma Snape; forgetful Neville; mischief-makers George & Fred Weasely. The book is teeming with characters from teachers to students to house ghosts and it’s very easy to love or at least love to hate them.

The book hooked me like it had done the first time I had read it years back. So, I have lost count of the number of times I have read this book but I still feel a thrill every time I pick it up to read such is the magic of Harry Potter. Kudos to J.K. Rowling for writing such an inventive and imaginative novel and I am just dying to review the next book in the series.

So, a perfect book for new readers as well as readers looking for a book that will become their favourite, pick this one now!

📚 Ever wondered what makes #HarryPotter and the Philosopher's Stone a #mustread? Our #bookreview breaks it down with a summary and quotes that’ll make you want to dive in immediately. Click now! #BookDiscussion #ReadingGoals… Click To Tweet

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• Also experience this amazing story in motion through the Kindle in Motion Variant

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