Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, 1) Paperback – 1 Sept. 2014

Picked as a wild card while ordering multiple books, what a gem.It seems like many moons ago since I watched the first harry potter movie, in fact one of the only ones that I ever did as a child and then didn't return to the series again since reading this book. As I read through it's pages I recalled endless amounts of memories from the film and how it went, it all fits in to place and makes for a very good read.The book length isn't to long nor to short, if you're planning to read them one by one as I was order number two in the series alongside just so that you don't finish the first and find yourself waiting for a delivery to continue the series.This book, the first in the series, is a very exciting and well put together introduction of all of the characters at Hogwarts and their jernouy on their first term. I find it brilliant that J.K. Rowling wrote Harry from a regular muggle to a wizard as it allows the reader to understand the wizardry world as Harry's learning it, to write it in any other way would have been hard to understand, a fine example of the brilliance of J.K. Rowling's writing in this series.The only problem with this book, as written in the book, is that you can't put it down. I decided to drag out the read over days as I like to have the feeling of something to go back to or wake up to and enjoy rather than everything else I do, I want to enjoy my time spent reading and this book certainly allows for that. Each chapter sets of where the last one left and there's no needing to remind yourself of the story before reading again, it all comes flooding back without trouble.I remember the original books and their designs, I think someone I know may still have them stored away somewhere but I defiantly like the look of the newer designed front covers, from the lightning strike in the o of the book title to the general coloring of the book and the feel of the cover I couldn't stop looking at it when I first got it delivered, something about the book draws me in.I have the second book on my bookshelf reading and waiting for the time next I decide to continue with the series, wanting to know more about this world and their adventures I'm sure that all be soon enough.On the whole I hadn't had an interest in the Harry Potter series since a kid as explained but reading this book has made me realize what a gem of a read I've been missing. I appreciate this isn't the newest book in existence and to many they've probably read the last book and watched the last film and it's all over but even then I can imagine that this series is worth a re-read for someone who has the time. So, on the whole, if you're thinking about buying it as I did as something to dive into and see if you do or don't like, DO IT, there's no regret to be had, and at the prices that Amazon are able to offer the paperback version for I can't believe the quality for so little money.Enjoy.

By force and pure persuasion I decided to follow through and read the first book in the Harry Potter series after existing for so long and having never read or watched the movies, apparently I was missing out lol.I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised because this is NOT something I would usually read, but I’m happy to have read it. I’m shocked that I loved every minute of it, seeing as there was no skimming through and I read with bated breath, dying to see what would happen next.I was kept on my toes and enjoyed the plot twist at the end. I loved to see the development of Hermione, Ron and Harry throughout and even Neville who gained a backbone. Overall, I feel like a childhood void from not ready for pleasure when I was younger, was slowly filled after reading this book and I love this. Felt like I was healing my inner child and I couldn’t be more grateful for being forced and challenged to start what could simply be the most iconic series.

Great book bought for book world day

Good

Double book review:Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Rick Riordan)Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Rowling)These are two very different books, aimed at roughly the same age bracket and both the start of a multiple volume series.To appreciate Harry Potter's book, one must have acquired a taste for quality writing, attention to detail and subtlety. To appreciate Percy Jackson's one only has to be able to read (a penchant for Greek mythology will also come in handily).Harry Potter is very well written, using a language that is simultaneously sophisticated and accessible to younger readers, a no mean feat. It is also the epitome of Britishness. There is a posh quality to it, an underlying assumption that readers must make an effort and have cultivated some sort of "good" literary taste. This is a book that goes well with shoegazing, faded wallpapers (the ones on actual walls, not the digital ones) and unbelievably bad sartorial choices. On the weak side (yes, I know it sounds odd, but I was being appreciative...) the book is slightly boring, doesn't have that much of a plot and sounds more like a diary than an adventure story.Percy Jackson is pure American entertainment industry fodder. It is competently written, but just so. It is imaginative and evolves at a regularly fast pace. It is a page turner (which Potter struggles to be) and is easily enjoyable. In a sense, and within the constraints of both books being roughly the same genre and for the same public, they are the opposite of each other. This is a book that goes well with Aerosmith, baseball caps and deluded world views.In the end both books get four stars but for very different reasons. Rick Riordan's book reaches the epitome of everything it sets itself to be, but its goal is one that, even if honed to perfection, is never worth more than four stars. Rowling's book aims higher but doesn't quite get there, so fails to earn the last star, which it could have earned had it managed to be more of a page turner without losing any of its present qualities.

Bought for 8 year old son who loves it