Customer Reviews
I swore I'd never read Harry Potter.... 
2007-08-22
J.K. Rowling has hit the jackpot with her Harry Potter series. I put off reading them as long as I could. I tend to turn my nose up at anything that causes a mass furor, simply because I tend to be disappointed. Well, I finally read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone shortly before the movie came out because my mom wanted to take my kids to see it.
I could NOT put this book down!!! I read it in ONE day, I was so enthralled by the story and characters. I have since read it as a bedtime story (one chapter at a time, obviously) to my two children, and they've both grown to love it.
The characters are charming and enjoyable, the descriptions are very vivid, and the fantastic world that Rowling creates is a wonderful place to visit... if only we could stay!
A book for all ages 2007-07-24
If you see my reviews you'll see that I'm an avid reader. My little daughter bought the Harry Potter's books as they were at sale. She always wanted me to read them and I always told her that I saw the movie and those books aren't for me. I have another avid reader friend and he told me he lost a wager and that he has to read the series. I told him "lucky you". He told me to try just one book so I began to read this one...
I don't know how will be the other books but I'm sure willing to read them. The book takes you where your imagination wants to go. And that's the way to write a book either for kids or a little older than teenagers.
I gladly recommend this book for everybody.
started it all 2007-06-06
I am going to assume that you've either: already read this book, have seen the movie, or aren't interested in HP at all, so I won't bore you with a plot summary. I will, however, tell you why it was so enjoyable and worthwhile to read again.
A lot has happened since we first met Harry "seven" Hogwarts years ago. Each year, or book, since then has gotten progressively darker, more intricate, and mature. The most recent book, Half-Blood Prince, left us saddened, anxious, a little hungry for revenge, and definitely curious of the final outcome. Book 1 is so light-hearted and fun in direct contrast to Book 6, that it is almost a completely different experience. By the end of Philosopher's Stone, we know there is evil at work in the world and there's more to Harry's past than we know about, we don't yet know how deep into that tunnel we are about to go.
It was quite amusing to revisit the characters we now know so well (Hagrid, Dumbledore, the Weasleys, Ron and Hermione), but who were new to us in Book 1. Everyone seemed that much more carefree "seven" years ago. Dumbledore especially really shows his wacky, humorous, there's-a-fine-line-between-genius-and-crazy side. Which, considering the events of Book 6, was extra nice to remember.
It may not be my favorite book in the series (I actually prefer the darker stuff, and especially love Sirius Black), but it's fun to look back on the book that started something of a literary revolution.
Reddragon 2007-03-30
The product came quickly. It was exactly as advetised and met expectations. Thank You.
clever 2007-02-06
about the adult edition
This is a review of the adult edition: I do not know how much it differs from the children's one.
After watching the first four movies I finally decided to have a look at the book to see things at their source, so to say, and found it satisfying.
The first point I wish to stress is that the first movie is a more than adequate rendering of the book: some of the plot has been changed but the atmosphere is just the same. Where he movie clearly surpasses the book itself is the visualisation: Ms Rowling has no outstandin talent for -or is just not interested in- the settings while the scenographers of the movie clearly have, plenty of... Hogwarts and the other minor locations, which are so very much alive and impressive in the movies, are rather dim in this first book.
As it is well known (this is the 500th reviews... no attempt at originality therefore) the author had the brilliant idea of mixing the depiction of a typical British institution that has already been source of inspiration for hundreds of works such as public schools with the love for magic and fantasy stories that was budding at the time.
Apart from this (a this that earned its author so many millions of pounds I cannot begin to think about) there is nothing outstanding in her book: the writing is neat, at times witty, the plot straightforward, characterization consistent, but there is no trace of genius in all these pages: we are not faced with a new Shakespeare nor with an irresistible entertainer: we have a clever story (clever, not honest: there are many cunning devices here) that flows unerringly to its end providing a fair amount of satisfaction.
An outright flaw is one I needed a little time to grasp: style inconsistency. It seems to me that Ms Rowling started writing with a children's story in mind but later her true inspiration, which is a much darker one, overtook her pen giving birth to gloomier paragraphs. I love dark fantasy, I really do, but this continuous shift between two different attitudes is not pleasing nor show a complete control of writing skills.
I am buying the following books to have more fun and hoping the author has improved in time.
the beginning of a classical series 2008-06-08
J. K. Rowling introduces to us in this fabulous story, the tale of a young boy who is anything but average. You see Harry is a wizard who has been sent to live with his muggle relatives after the death of his parents. His relatives try to thwart his becoming a wizard by any means possible. This causes Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to send Hagrid the game keeper to bring him to Hogwarts and thus begins the magical tale of how a young oppressed boy finds friendships, danger, and a mortal ememy who wants nothing less than his death. This is the fast paced tale of a high-flying sport, Quidditch, potions and spells, and intrigue where things are not what they seem. Highly recommended as the start of a classical series.
What in the world was I waiting for? 2008-01-30
Most decidedly curmudgeonly! Yes, that's it. One of the few remaining people on the planet who hadn't read any of the Harry Potter novels and, like Vernon Dursley, my initial reaction to all this wizard and magic rubbish was a very mugglish "stuff and nonsense". I admit it. As I read the first few pages, my initial thoughts were that this was all quite silly. Where had this Harry Potter phenomenon come from and what did everybody see in it?
But then, very quickly actually, JK Rowling, undoubtedly a graduate of Hogwarts herself, began to weave a most hypnotic magical spell and I was hooked. Transported to that child-like garden of delights at Hogwarts - a land of fantasy, witches, warlocks, trolls, spells, potions, charms and, for the readers, total enjoyment and smiles - I fell in love with Harry, Hermione, all of their Gryffindor classmates, and with Dumbledore's paternal wisdom and I cheered wildly as Harry, the team seeker, dove and swooped in quest of the Snitch during their quidditch matches.
There is a benefit, of course, to having waited so long to read my first Harry Potter novel, you know. I've got six to go and now I can pick them up, one after another, just as quickly as I want to with no waiting for years at a time for the next book to be published. Eat your hearts out everyone! I claim membership in the legion of Rowling's happy fans.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
The book that started it all... 2008-01-27
I write this review from not only the viewpoint of a mother but also as an avid reader and new JK Rowling fan. I had bought the American (Scholastic) version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for my then 11 year old child several years ago. I, like many other parents, thought it nothing more than a children's book and did not really have much interest in reading it at that time.
It took 7 books and 5 movies, before I began to realize that maybe there was something to the Harry Potter books then just a children's tale. The 5th movie left me with a lot of unanswered and confusing questions to which my 17 year old replied,"If you want to know who, what, where, and when Mom, you NEED to read the books! I'm not going to tell you ANYTHING else!"
So, I picked up her first book and proceeded to read the rest of the books in a matter of two months. By that time, I found myself addicted. These books literally are quite difficult to put down once you start. So here I am with my OWN Harry Potter book for my own collection.
I find the UK version quite similar to the American version with perhaps a change in a handful of words here and there. I'm not sure why they felt the need to have an American version when the UK version reads perfectly fine.
As it was JK Rowlings first venture, I think there a couple of areas which could have been better developed, but otherwise, I find the Philosopher's Stone a great read for readers of all ages with more emphasis to the teenage to adult population. With it's recurrent dark themes, it's definitely NOT a children's book.
I recommend this book and this entire series to anyone who likes to read about a whole new world that exists in our imagination.
Engaged from the Start 2007-11-07
I got the UK adult edition to add to my collection that complements the U.S. version. Unlike the U.S. versions however, all UK editions (for adults and children) do not contain chapter art.
Great if you're pressed for time. 2007-08-31
Well if you're looking at this product you're probably like me, busy and not the biggest fan of sitting down to read. I've always been a big fan of stories but I could just never find the time to read because of work and when I did I am admittedly an abysmally slow reader. After years of hearing how amazing these books, the Harry Potter series, were and loving every movie immensely it finally dawned on me to see if there was an audio book and there obviously is.
When I first started listening to the series I must admit I was a little turned off because Stephen Fray came across as a little dry and I was beginning to think the audio books weren't going to be much more tolerable than simply reading the books. As new characters are introduced though I was pleased to find that he managed to give most of them a unique personality and even more so that he maintains these personas not just through this single book but all the way to where I am now, The Half Blood Prince. Aside from just their vocal definition Fry also manages to display a diverse range of emotion for each individual character as if there is a separate actor for each character, it's really quite an amazing performance in my opinion. At certain times various audio filters are added for dramatic effect like echo and things of the sort and I guess that's really the only place this audio book comes up short for me is that there really isn't a whole lot to it other than Stephen Fry reading the books. This being my first audio book I can't really compare it to anything but I guess I was expecting at least some music between chapters or maybe some ambient sound effects but I still find the overall experience enjoyable without them.
There are probably hundreds of reviews for the books themselves so I'll keep my opinions on the series short and sweet. I believe the thing that I like most about the Harry Potter series is the overall charm of everything and the connection Rawling maintains to both the real world and real life. She really seems to nail human archetypes and the teenage inner dialogue and I can't help but think there are many pieces of her own children in this book. It showcases such an amazing insight as to the way people think and feel that I really can't help but be awe inspired. Like I said though, I'm not a big reader/listener so I imagine there are better books out there but that really doesn't take away from this series' ability to crack a smile on my face at work. I guess my only gripe is that it sometimes appears as if she has some favorite words or a limited vocabulary or perhaps people in England just find these words more common but there is an obtuse overuse of the words incredulous, glower, and one other that I will add in a couple of hours when I remember it. This obviously isn't a big deal but it can make me cringe a little.
Anyways, I work in science and listen to these all day when I don't have to read for work and I'm actually doing lab work and they have improved my enjoyment at work immensely so they come highly recommended by me. Each book is probably about 18-24 hours long off the top of my head so the whole series should take you a while to get through. I hope you enjoy!
