Upload image | See all
Add to my bookshelf as
Read it
Reading it
Want to Read
Won't Read
 
A Reader posted a review at 2008-01-12 11:13:44. (Language: English)
didn't like itit was okliked itloved itit was amazing
 The boy who Lived.....and HOW!!!

I was expecting my return trip to be something of a dampener. I had finished the series…. and after all, how many more surprises could the first book reveal? The magic must have faded over time and the characters must surely have achieved the status of house-guests who had overstayed their welcome.

But predictably enough, I was proved wrong. It offered me new avenues of thought. It was interesting to see how the complex and brave heroes of the later years started off as grimy, nervous, ickle-firsties!

It was a time for firsts…..neglected, ill-treated Harry’s discovery that he is a wizard – an actual-honest-to-goodness-magic wand-wielding-wizard….that he had a family who loved him and lost their lives to save him……..that there exists a fantastic magical world where’s he much, much more than just an unwanted kid who stayed under the stairs. It is also the first time he meets his to-be best friends, not know that it would be the start of unforeseen but memorable adventures for them.

My personal delight lay in the re-introduction to some of the finest characters I could hope to find sandwiched in one series: Dumbledore, McGonagall, Ron, Hermione, Neville Longbottom, Peeves, Filch, Malfoy,Nearly-Headless Nick, Hagrid, Snape, Voldemort, Fred and George, the Dursleys and of course…..a truly well-crafted hero…The Boy Who Lived.

I also liked the fact that Rowling didn’t patronize her young readers. She spoke about death and other sensitive topics that usually don’t find their way into a children’s book. Minimal sugar-coating…..she created realism in a world of improbability. It’s not all fun and games…..at the end of the day, Harry has to face his demons. He gets his first opportunity to prove that he’s more than just the kid with a glorious and mysterious past.

The book sets an adequate pace, unsolved questions and a strong foundation for the rest in the series. It engages, it thrills, it satisfies. Needless to say……the rest is history.
Was this review helpful?
Yes (1)
No (1)
Share your views!
 
Copyright© 2010 All Rights Reserved weread.com