[.ca] Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (ISBN 1855494981)

Even adults can enjoy this ... well almost:
Much has been made of the Harry Potter series. Here in the UK the hype has been almost at fever-pitch with the publication of the latest in the series. With all the fuss, and my nephew an enthusiastic reader of these books I thought I'd find out for myself whether the accolade was appropriate. Adults, friends of mine amongst them, have read the book for themsleves (as opposed to reading it aloud to their offspring) and while I decided I wouldn't be seen reading it on a train, I would do so in the evenings. It's very readable. Rowling manages the difficult balance between readability pitched at a young age and a fairly complex plot. My own love of literature was nurtured on Enid Blyton's Famous Five books, the style and grammatical content of which are execrable. I found this to my cost when trying to read them aloud to my children many years ago and began to realize why many libraries in the UK had banned her from their lists. Rowling's construction, on the other hand, is excellent and reads well aloud. I understand that her later novels in the series are even better, interweaving more complexity for 'older' appeal into the work. This may well encourage me to borrow the next novel from my long-suffering nephew. Rowling also doesn't fall into the trap of dishing up cheesy humour for the youngsters but opts rather more for a nascent dry humour which is more stylish and may well prepare youngsters for a more advanced appreciation of humorous literature. The characters are reasonably three-dimensional for a children's novel, and the story-line holds up well for the most part. Her inventiveness in the paraphernalia of the magic world, and in particular the game of Quidditch is particularly to be commended. There is even a moral message in this novel, one of not judging too hastily who is one's friend and who is one's enemy, an excellent topic for human cubs developing interpersonal skills without guidance. The content is, however, very British (I almost said English but she's Welsh) and I can see where some references might need explanation to American readers, but this will not detract from the novel's enjoyability. In summary, then, an excellent read for 9 to 13 year-olds, an amusing read for adults and pleasantly engaging to read aloud to young family members. A hit.

WOW!:
WOW! ~ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is simply one of the best books I have ever read! The first where Harry is living with the Dursley's drawls on a bit, but when he is at Hogwarts, there are twists and turns everywhere you look. I strongly recomend this book to anyone who likes , fantasy, little bit of horror, and monsters! BUY THIS BOOK!

Good, but not as good as other books I've read:
My mother read me this at bedtime. I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't the best book I've ever had read to me at bedtime. Other, better books include The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien, and The Last Battle, by C. S. Lewis. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was exciting and I kept trying to guess what would happen, which was fun. But it wasn't at all scary or shivery, though it was sad that Harry's mother and father were dead, and that someone I liked was on Voldemort's side. I liked the magic bits, but Narnian magic seemed much more real. Also I didn't believe some of Harry Potter, like the defeat of the troll; it seemed too easy peasy lemon squeezy. But I liked it enough to read the next one.

A Great Book:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a great book. The main character Harry is likeable and well described. The author pulls you into the story.Reaingthis book is like being in the story with Harry.When I first got the book as a gift I didn't read it because I thought it was children's book.I was wrong.Once I started reading it I counldn't stop.Great start to a great series.

Well Worth Reading!:
This book was a quick and very pleasurable read. It is definately not just a children's book! Every page keeps you totally immersed, I found it hard to put down and got through it in a matter of days. It takes you into a world of complete fantasy and surprises. Every chapter is its own story. What a terrific book, I would recommend it to readers of all ages......you won't be able to put it down!