I would love to write a proper review for this book (and for every book in the series), but I don't even know what to say that hasn't already been said. It's just a downright good story.
I first read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when I was in seventh or eighth grade, but I didn't remember a thing about the story, and I didn't get past the second book then anyway, so I don't really count it as having read the book then. When I was a sophomore/junior in college, I decided it was time to actually read the whole series, so that's when I officially read it for the first time. And now, a few years later, I wanted to read the whole series again.
I was really in the mood for a reread of the Harry Potter series because they're the perfect books to read as it starts to get cold outside. This time around I am listening to the audiobooks narrated by Jim Dale, and I am amazed at his narration. He is very engaging to listen to, and his voices for Hagrid and Dumbledore sound exactly like they do in the movies. I really enjoyed this first one read by him, and I look forward to listening to the other six books on audio as well.
I forgot how much actually happened in this book. I've seen the movie so many times that when something happened in the book that wasn't in the movie, I was shocked that I had forgotten that. But there really is so much going on in this first book that I'm amazed it's not longer.
I love how in-depth the story is. I remember my first time reading this series a few years ago, and I was truly in awe of how well the story was concocted. Little details here and there set up the plot for the whole series, so when the book ended, I was hooked and wanting to know everything. Rowling's writing is not the best in this first book, and I can see that now that I've read all seven Harry Potter books and many more books in general, but I didn't mind at all. I just noticed that there was a lot of exposition and explanation instead of dialogue in places, especially in the beginning, but of course she had to give background and set up the whole world.
One thing I love about the Harry Potter books is that they have that classical, old magic and are set in a castle, but the story is also modern and set in today's age on earth. In my opinion, the setting of Hogwarts still being around in present-day England but just invisible to the muggles makes the story seem really relatable. Like Hogwarts could actually be there. I love when magical and fantastical elements in stories are believable, and I think that's one of the main reasons I first connected to Harry Potter as a fantasy series. It was the first fantasy series I read, now that I think about it, and it was my gateway drug into fantastical literature because that's my favorite genre now.
I know I will always treasure this series, even though I was late to the game and didn't read it when I was younger like everyone else my age did. I don't regret waiting until I was twenty-years-old to read it, but I do deeply wish that I hadn't known how the whole series ended before I started. Either way, it's still an excellent and timeless story.
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