Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
I finished reading Lord of Light the other day and fancied something a little different.
I spied Harry sitting on my shelf. I've had a few attempts at this book before, but could never get into it. It always struck me as a being a little dull and unoriginal. The Worst Witch and Books of Magic sprang to mind immediately when reading this. Tim Hunter (Books of Magic) bears a striking resemblance to young Harry.
I guess I'm suspicious and biased because Potter went very mainstream. Is the book really that good, or is it just because everyone has hyped it up so much?
I tried to read this book as I might have read The BFG or other Dahl. So I drifted back to my childhood and tried to read it through those eyes. With my childhood-tinted glasses on, this is indeed a fun adventure.
Don't expect high fantasy. This is like Tom Brown's Schooldays with a touch of magic thrown in. I think it works better as a mystery book, but even then quite a leading one.
You might enjoy this book if you're quite young (12 or under) but otherwise give it a miss. If you want a more interesting read about boarding school adventures, then try Dahl's Boy instead. If you want entertaining fantasy, then read some Pratchett.
Reading this book has merely cemented my intial view. Maybe the other books in the series would prove more fruitful, but on the basis of this book alone I don't think I'll ever find out.
Add a comment
Our opinions don't count -- we are old and jaded. J.L. Rowling doesn't really hit her stride until the current book, "The Order of the Phoenix." Unfortunantely, you have to read them all to appreciate it. The Small Child was obsessed with Harry Potter for nearly a year, and carried a chopstick with him everywhere (his wand), largely due to Harry's perceived age in the video game. He went on to discover Ninja Turtles, and is rather keen on Dahl's "Danny: The Champion of the World" at the moment. He is four/almost five, and can be excused. I enjoyed the Potter books, but more for the genre it opened in publishing. Many interesting and original works (as well as dull and unoriginal) are being published for that target audience because of their success, and that can only be a good thing, especially if the kids are reading them.
I have to confess that I love the Harry books, but then I always have my child's hat on. My 21 year old son loves them, too. I got him Eragon for Christmas - by Paolini. He seemed to enjoy it. We also read the Pullman series, The Subtle Knife, The Golden Compass. A little more highbrow than Harry. I was thrilled to read your list. I will give it to Beau. Rowling does get better as she goes. I would like to see if her writing does borrow from Hunter. Thanks for the suggestions.
It is a good thing that children are inspired to read. Slip in some CS Lewis or Dahl. His Dark Materials Trilogy is on the list of books to read. I watched arguments for His Dark Materials on the Big Read and was convinced.
I liked the Pullman books -- they would be a bit much for The Small Child, however. Garth Nix' new series, Keys to the Kingdom, is worth a look, too, and more accessible to The Kids.