book review for harry potter and the sorcerer's stone

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone novel by J. K. Rowling

A novel that needs no introduction is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling. It is the novel that has shaped the lives of millions of readers and is still one of the most read novels today! Keep reading to find out why this novel and series is as popular as it is.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Summary

On his eleventh birthday, Harry Potter finds out he is a wizard and will be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before then, Harry did not even know that magic was real or that he was famous. As Harry learns about his past and his parents who died protecting him, he prepares to embark on a new journey.

Harry arrives at Hogwarts and becomes friends with two of his classmates Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. The trio all are members of house Gryffindor and help each other pass the first year at Hogwarts. But as they find out throughout the course of the year, they will face many challenges and enemies.

Suspicious activity at Hogwarts like a three-headed dog guarding a trap door and a troll somehow entering and attacking Hogwarts makes the trio suspicious. Harry, Ron, and Hermione soon discover Professor Dumbledore is hiding something at Hogwarts and someone is trying hard to steal it. As the first years try to manage the workload, they must also stop whoever is after the secret artifact before it is used by the dark forces at the school.

Originally published as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the United Kingdom in 1997, within the first six months of release, the children’s book took off. When Scholastic bought the U.S. rights, Scholastic’s Arthur Levine believes that the title wouldn’t work for American readers. After some discussion, the novel’s title was changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone which was suggested by Rowling.

Rowling went on to say that she wished she hadn’t changed it but since it was her first novel, she didn’t have as much leverage. The title change was not necessary and makes it a bit confusing for some people. The good thing is that that is the only novel where that happened. Maybe Scholastics should give readers a little bit more credit.

I was first introduced to the Harry Potter world by the movies. As a kid, I was always intimidated but the size of the Harry Potter novels and did not believe I would be able to read a book that big. It was later on in my life that I tackled bigger novels and even later when I finally read the Harry Potter novels.

I fell in love with the novels wholeheartedly. The writing is great, the characters are wonderful, and the overarching plot and how everything connects was done perfectly. One thing the movies never did well was showcase Harry’s struggle of not having a family and his loneliness. In the novel, we see how they affect Harry’s state of mind and acting out because of those feelings, something the movies don’t do that well.

This novel and the whole Harry Potter series should be read by every reader in my opinion. Not everyone has to like it but reading it and finding that whether you do or not should be a test given to everyone. It will get a lot if children into reading and that is always a great end result. Expect reviews for all the novels in the series in the coming months!

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In the first paragraph u wrote eep instead of keep… XD

Thanks I’ll fix it now 🙂

I used to be a huge fan of the movies but never read the books. It’s always interesting to hear the differences. Good to know that the book expands on the characters a bit more!

The entire series ends differently in the books than in the movies. the boom ending in Deadly Hallow makes much more sense.

My daughter made sure all her copies were the the UK versions

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these series made a reader out of me, thanks for sharing 🙂

Thanks for reading! 👍

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I also saw the movies first. It wasn’t until after “The Goblet of Fire” film came out that I started reading the books. But I read the 4th one first, and the rest out of order, until “The Deathly Hallows” book was released. Not too long ago, I started rereading the 1st “Harry Potter” novel, and picked up on some new details and moments that I’d missed before, including some dark ones.

Rereading them now and there’s a lot that you realize that you missed. Rowling thought it all out!

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I love Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone also known as. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

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The cover was good, but I read a little, and I thought that if I read more it would be more interesting. Well, beyond interesting, but my new favorite book!

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Harry potter and the sorcerer's stone: harry potter, book 1, common sense media reviewers.

Magical start of the fantastic boy-wizard series.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Author borrows many magical creatures, people, and

Friendship and bravery are more important than boo

Main characters Harry, Ron, and Hermione, models o

There's a little diversity at Hogwarts. Lee Jordan

Kids are in peril often, but it's mostly at the ha

One instance of "damn" and a "Good Lord."

Hagrid mentions having way too much to drink one n

Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series about an orphan boy who begins his studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The novel respects kids' intelligence and motivates them to tackle its greater length and complexity…

Educational Value

Author borrows many magical creatures, people, and concepts from other fantasy traditions and puts her own spin on them: Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel and their Sorcerer's (or Philosopher's) Stone, wands and potions, unicorns, goblins, centaurs, dragons, giants, trolls, and more.

Positive Messages

Friendship and bravery are more important than books and cleverness. There are many kinds of bravery, and it's even braver to stand up to your friends than to your enemies.

Positive Role Models

Main characters Harry, Ron, and Hermione, models of dedicated friends, are rewarded for their bravery. They are usually punished for rule-breaking but also get away with quite a bit, especially when Harry gets his hands on an invisibility cloak. Harry always means well, though, and just like the sorting hat says, he has a "thirst to prove himself." Dumbledore (Hogwarts' eccentric headmaster) is a wonderful mentor to Harry, showing up with sage advice at just the right times.

Diverse Representations

There's a little diversity at Hogwarts. Lee Jordan is described as having dreadlocks, and the Patil twins are sorted into the Gryffindor house. Some diverse family structures are described: Harry lives with his aunt and uncle and Neville with his grandmother. Harry and Ron bond over growing up with second-hand clothes and wishing they had more money; Ron's insecurity over being from a poorer family comes up a lot. Women have prominent roles at Hogwarts: Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout are both heads of houses. There are two girls on the Gryffindor quidditch team. There's only one larger-sized character who isn't a bad guy, and that's Hagrid. Lots of negative language around the size of Dudley and his father and Malfoy's Slytherin friends Crabbe and Goyle.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Kids are in peril often, but it's mostly at the hands of fantasy creatures. A three-headed dog threatens Harry and friends. Harry and Draco see a dead and bloody unicorn and are chased by a hooded figure in the Forbidden Forest. Harry and friends fight a troll and knock it unconscious, are nearly crushed by a constricting plant and pummeled by a life-size chess board. Some minor injuries: a dragon bite that swells up and a broken wrist after a fall off a broom. Some bullying and a fistfight. One minor character dies. Mostly friendly ghosts roam the halls; the ghost Nearly Headless Nick shows how he got the name. Talk of Harry's childhood with his Muggle family, how his cousin bullied and hit him and his aunt and uncle neglected him. Harry's uncle points a gun at Hagrid. Flashback to the (bloodless) deaths of Harry's parents and much discussion about how they died and the one who killed them.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Hagrid mentions having way too much to drink one night and giving away a dangerous secret. At another time Hagrid carries and drinks from a flask, and at Christmas dinner he drinks heavily and kisses Professor McGonagall on the cheek. Vernon Dursley is served brandy after a trying day. Witches drink sherry, and someone smokes a long pipe at a wizard bar. Baby dragons drink a mixture of brandy and chicken blood.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first book in J.K. Rowling' s Harry Potter series about an orphan boy who begins his studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The novel respects kids' intelligence and motivates them to tackle its greater length and complexity, play imaginative games, and try to solve its logic puzzles. Book 1 is the lightest in the series, but it still has some scary stuff for sensitive readers: a three-headed dog, an attacking troll, a violent life-size chess board, a hooded figure over a dead and bleeding unicorn, as well as a discussion of how Harry's parents died years ago and how he was raised by an aunt and uncle who neglected him. Some adult wizards drink, especially Hagrid, who drinks to excess more than once. There's little diversity at Hogwarts beyond a few students of color, but women have prominent roles at the school, and the smartest kid in class is Hermione, a girl. The 2015 lavishly illustrated, larger-format edition features a new cover (different from the original U.S. cover pictured here) and more than 100 full-color illustrations by Jim Kay ( A Monster Calls ) that depict shimmering ghosts amid breathtaking scenes of Hogwarts, character portraits, and pages from magical textbooks. Parents who want to learn more about the series (and spin-off movies and games) can read our Harry Potter Age-by-Age Guide .

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (63)
• Kids say (379)

Based on 63 parent reviews

Great book for kids and adults alike. Beautifully written :)

What's the story.

In HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, Harry Potter is left on his aunt and uncle's doorstep as a baby after his parents are killed. For 10 years he's forced to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs while his bullying cousin, Dudley, is spoiled rotten. The summer before the start of secondary school, a letter arrives with his name on it, no stamp, and a mysterious seal. Uncle Vernon snatches it away before he can open it, but it doesn't matter. More and more letters arrive and the family is eventually chased down to a rocky island by a large hairy man named Hagrid. Thanks to Hagrid, Harry finally gets to open his letter: an invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And, surprise! "You're a wizard, Harry." It turns out that Harry is one of the most famous wizards ever, called the Boy Who Lived after he survived an attack from the evil Lord Voldemort. Not only did Harry survive the attack that killed his parents, but somehow baby Harry also managed to defeat Voldemort in the process. So that's how he got that lightning-bolt scar on his forehead.

Is It Any Good?

There are two kinds of magic in this phenomenal boy-wizard tale, the literal spell kind and the spell cast by a thrilling world for young (and old) fantasy readers to explore. While Harry Potter and his new friends Ron and Hermione get their first lessons in potion making and how to make a feather fly ("swish and flick!"), readers are getting lessons in delightful ideas like owls delivering the post, secret train platforms, pictures and staircases that move, sports played on broomsticks, and even odd-flavored jelly beans. Readers will want to grab their owl, cat, or toad (how can you choose just one?!) and hop on the train to Hogwarts immediately.

But it's not all fun with flying broomsticks. Harry Potter isn't called the Boy Who Lived for nothing. He's an orphan because an evil wizard killed his parents and wanted to kill him, and that evil still lurks at the school. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione uncover a plot to steal the Sorcerer's Stone of the title, more and more school rules must be broken (and some serious house points must be lost) to figure out who the enemy at school really is. Readers will enjoy the twists, danger, and kid wizard heroics that drive the final action.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about when kids knew they were ready to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone . Did you feel pressured to read it when your friends did? Were any parts too scary for you? How did you handle it?

Kids just getting into the series will find a whole world of Harry Potter available to them, from Chocolate Frogs for sale at the grocery store to theme parks. A die-hard Potter fan can spend a lot of money in their lifetime on merchandise and experiences. Do you think this is worth your money? Are there other ways you can celebrate books you love without raiding your piggie bank?

This series has been commended for getting so many kids to love reading. Which books made you start to love reading? Or are you still looking for them?

Book Details

• Author : J. K. Rowling
• Illustrator : Mary Grandpre
• Genre : Fantasy
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
• Publication date : September 1, 1998
• Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
• Number of pages : 309
• Awards : ALA Best and Notable Books , Common Sense Media Award , Kids' Choice Award
• Last updated : May 5, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Supposedly Fun

Book review: harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone, by j.k. rowling.

Perhaps nostalgia is a powerful steam engine, but I got lost in the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone every bit as easily as I did back in the day. There was definitely an element of comfort and familiarity at play as I got pulled back into the story. Pulling this book off the shelf was like visiting with a beloved friend you haven’t seen in a long time for a hearty meal.

But you can’t put it all on nostalgia. That takes away from the effortless charm and breezy wit Rowling employs in building the world of Harry Potter in this first installment. She makes this introductory volume less plot heavy in order to focus on world building without overwhelming the reader. The plot isn’t so much about a hero and a villain like all the others would be (the villain is practically an afterthought). Here, the plot is about Harry’s first year at Hogwarts. As such, we get to follow along on the journey and get to know all about what it is to be a student at Hogwarts–and a wizard living in this world. With this framework established, Rowling would be able to play about more boldly in subsequent books.

It also allows Rowling to keep the focus light and airy. Sorcerer’s Stone is solidly in the intermediate level. As the series progresses it will get darker, trending further and further into the young adult level–aging along with Harry himself and the seriousness of the dangers he faces. In comparison to where we’re going, Sorcerer’s Stone is practically a children’s book. Even Harry’s concerns in this book are childish. His biggest goal here, at age 11, is winning the house cup for Gryffindor. For context, by the time Harry is fourteen in book four the house cup will barely even rate a mention. Even Quidditch will barely factor into the later books. To be fair, by the end a lot of heavier plot devices have been set in motion that make it impossible to include everything that happens in a school year. But the point stands: at this point in time, Harry has a lighter view of the world and lighter cares. Winning the house cup means the world to him because he can’t imagine anything worse than being a loser anymore.

The fact that Rowling makes plot take a backseat to world building is probably a smart decision in the long term, but there’s no denying that it makes the conclusion problematic. Because there has to be a showdown of some sort, and she needs to get to work setting up Voldemort’s eventual return, otherwise Sorcerer’s Stone would go nowhere and it wouldn’t do a proper job setting up the conflict Harry will face over the course of seven books. So the villain plotline is relegated to a subplot that gets teased out in hints and details here and there, finally coalescing into something actionable only in the last forty pages. At that point it feels rushed, slightly haphazard, and doesn’t come together. Just as it’s forming, we get a deus ex machina to take care of everything. I suppose that makes sense considering that Harry only just learned that he’s a wizard–there’s no way he would be able to believably win a fight against a powerful wizard, especially one powered by Voldemort. Employing a deus ex machina allowed Rowling to hew closer to the reality of Harry being a child. Having someone else essentially fight the battle here makes it more effective when he grows up and fights his own battles beginning in the next book.

Except there’s also no denying that the plot, as much as there is one, doesn’t make much sense if you stop to think about it. There are entire plot points built around the flimsiest of premises. So when we’re expected to follow the reality of Harry’s youth sidelining him from the big fight at the conclusion just as it’s about to get interesting, we’re also somehow expected to believe that Harry, who has never flown on a broomstick, is such a natural at it that he’s not only good at it but he becomes the youngest player on his house’s Quidditch team and gets himself out of serious trouble simply by being so inherently good at it. That’s problematic. More problematic for 33 year-old me to accept than 18 year-old me. I was more willing to check my brain at the door and go with the flow as a youth, I suppose.

To be fair, it doesn’t help that the market is currently saturated with “chosen one” stories that have essentially ripped off Harry Potter. 18 year-old me would naturally have an easier time going with the flow in a story like this because I wouldn’t have learned to be jaded by all the low-quality imitators glutting the market. The very fact that Rowling attempts a balance puts Harry Potter head and shoulders above the pretenders to its throne (most of whom now also wear the dystopia badge after The Hunger Games ). Even here, when she is introducing her protagonist, Rowling was never interested in making Harry perfect. Yes, he’s impossibly brave and noble. Yes, he tends to make the difficult choices in order to do what’s right. But he’s also impetuous. He has a temper at times and can be stubborn. He can be misled. He can even be rude and thoughtless.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Sorcerer’s Stone is still great, charming fun, even if it was a little disappointing to realize how shallow it is. It does an excellent job of setting up the drama to come, but that’s about it. I’d probably grade it a touch lower, but in the end I appreciate that the time Rowling spends establishing what a typical year at Hogwarts is like in this book allows her to use that framework to break those very boundaries in subsequent installments.

Read on for more about this installment. Or check out my Harry Potter page for more. Up next: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets .

New Characters

Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher

Professor Quirrell has precious little to recommend him or make him memorable, despite his passion for turbans and his zest for garlic. Until his villainous reveal, that is. But since the action of Sorcerer’s Stone is relegated to the background until the final forty pages–and Quirrell only spends twenty of those pages in the spotlight. As DAtDA professors go, Quirrell is far and away the most forgettable of the lot. Which shouldn’t really be allowed to happen since the dude has Voldemort living on the back of his head . I mean, that should count for something, right? Grade: 2/5

Special Artifacts or Spells

Harry spends most of the book obsessed with his Nimbus 2000 broomstick, but of course the entire book hinges on the safety of the titular Sorcerer’s Stone (known in the UK as the Philosopher’s Stone). The Sorcerer’s Stone is the creation of alchemist Nicolas Flamel and using it can grant a person immortality. Dumbledore has it moved to Hogwarts to protect it, but Professor Quirrell and his oversized Voldemort pimple quickly infiltrate the school and conveniently take the entire school year to figure out how to get beyond the defenses Dumbledore set up around it. Nevermind that the centerpiece of those defenses, the Mirror of Erised (which shows you your heart’s deepest desires) spends half the school year located somewhere else so Harry can stumble on it, see his parents, learn an important lesson, and understand how the mirror works when he encounters it in the final showdown. Harry also gets his first uses of his invisibility cloak , a tool which will allow him to sneak about the school for years to come.

The State of Harry’s Legacy

Solid as a rock. In this super-wholesome entry everything is sunny all the time, so no one other than Draco Malfoy or Severus Snape (or the Dursleys) would dare question Harry Potter’s noble intentions or do anything but admire him for being ‘the boy who lived.’ Harry won’t get his first taste of suspicion or fear until the next book in the series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , and even that will look tame compared to what lies in store in the future.

Dumbledore Wisdom

In his introduction Albus Dumbledore remains a peripheral character, albeit one of striking nobility, honor, wisdom, and wit. It’s no mistake that Dumbledore serves as the novel’s deus ex machina. The impression he makes on Harry Potter–and us–will have repercussions throughout the series. Rowling goes to great pains to establish Dumbledore as a great and honorable man, then in the later books will force us to question his every method, just as Harry will be forced to do the same. But that’s later. For now he’s just lovable old sweets-loving Dumbledore, spouting wise turns of phrase like a fortune cookie. Here are his best bits of wisdom from Sorcerer’s Stone :

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Book 1

Eleven-year-old Harry Potter is an orphaned English boy forced to live with his horrible aunt and uncle, the Dursleys, and their chubby, spoiled son Dudley. They treat Harry cruelly and dislike him so much that they don't even celebrate his birthday. 

But things begin to look up when a mysterious letter arrives for Harry via an owl messenger. It's a letter announcing that he has been accepted to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

Harry is led away from the Dursleys for a bit by a kindly and very large escort from Hogwarts --- Hagrid, the school's gamekeeper. Hagrid makes sure that Harry purchases all his proper school supplies (wand, cloaks, etc.) from the magical shops in Diagon Alley. Hagrid also tells Harry all about his deceased parents, James and Lily Potter, a legendary wizard and witch who also attended Hogwarts. Though it's sad to think about the parents he longs for, Harry is happy to learn that magic runs in his family! 

Even though he has to go back to the awful Dursleys' from Diagon Alley, Harry can't help but be excited about his new school --- and he can't wait until September 1st, the day he leaves for Hogwarts. 

On the big day, the Dursley's happily drop Harry off at King's Cross station where he catches the Hogwarts Express train at platform nine and three quarters. On board Harry meets Ron Weasley and aspiring witch Hermione Granger who will become his closest friends. Harry is amazed when the train stops at a huge castle; he can't believe this magical looking place is really Hogwarts. 

As a first year student, Harry does well in his classes and also becomes the star of his dormitory's Quidditch team (kind of like soccer played on broomsticks high in the air). But not everything is jolly. In between classes in potions, spells and flying, Harry also must face some wicked and dangerous enemies like Draco Malfoy and the wizard who killed his parents, Voldemort. Harry also uncovers a mystery --- the location of the sorcerer's stone, a magical stone that can change metal into gold and provides a special potion that allows people to live forever. 

Will Harry triumph over evil? Will his dormitory, Gryffindor, win the Quidditch championship? Come along on this magical adventure and find out. 

J.K. Rowling has created a bewitching world that seems ever so real. We think you'll agree that her fast-paced story is hard to put down. 

Reviewed by Shannon Maughan on October 1, 1999

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Book 1 by J. K. Rowling

• Publication Date: June 26, 2018
• Genres: Fantasy
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
• ISBN-10: 133829914X
• ISBN-13: 9781338299144

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Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone

1st Published in UK as Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone

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• Sep 1, 1998, 309 pages
• Sep 1999, 312 pages
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HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE

From the harry potter series , vol. 1.

by J.K. Rowling ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1998

It’s slanted toward action-oriented readers, who will find that Briticisms meld with all the other wonders of magic school.

In a rousing first novel, already an award-winner in England, Harry is just a baby when his magical parents are done in by Voldemort, a wizard so dastardly other wizards are scared to mention his name.

So Harry is brought up by his mean Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia Dursley, and picked on by his horrid cousin Dudley. He knows nothing about his magical birthright until ten years later, when he learns he’s to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hogwarts is a lot like English boarding school, except that instead of classes in math and grammar, the curriculum features courses in Transfiguration, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry becomes the star player of Quidditch, a sort of mid-air ball game. With the help of his new friends Ron and Hermione, Harry solves a mystery involving a sorcerer’s stone that ultimately takes him to the evil Voldemort. This hugely enjoyable fantasy is filled with imaginative details, from oddly flavored jelly beans to dragons’ eggs hatched on the hearth.

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1998

ISBN: 978-0-590-35340-3

Page Count: 309

Publisher: Levine/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1998

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY

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by J.K. Rowling & illustrated by Mary GrandPré

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SEEN & HEARD

THE PROBLEM WITH PROPHECIES

From the celia cleary series , vol. 1.

by Scott Reintgen ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2022

A very promising kickoff with arbitrary but intriguingly challenging magic.

A middle schooler discovers both up and down sides to being able to foretell the future.

Members of the Cleary clan in alternating generations have always been granted predictive powers on their 4,444th day of life, and Celia has been eagerly looking forward to her first vision—until, that is, it comes and reveals that cute, quiet classmate Jeffrey is slated to die in a hit-and-run. Weighing her horror against her wise Grammy’s warnings that fate is inexorable, she contrives a way to head off the accident…only to foresee another fatal mishap in his future. And another. By the time she’s saved his life five times in a row, she’s not only exhausted, but crushing on the hapless lad. (As, unsurprisingly, he is on her.) Reintgen generally keeps the tone of his series opener light, so even after Celia discovers that there’s ultimately a tragic price for her intervention, the ensuing funeral service is marked by as much laughter as sorrow. The author surrounds his frantic but good-hearted protagonist with a particularly sturdy supporting cast that includes gratifyingly cooperative friends as well as her Grammy and loving, if nonmagical, mom. There don’t seem to be many Cleary men around; perhaps that and certain other curious elements, like a chart listing particular Cleary specialties with names such as Dreamwalker and Grimdark, will be addressed in future entries. Main characters read as White.

Pub Date: May 31, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-66590-357-8

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Aladdin

Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY

by Scott Reintgen

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Our Verdict

Kirkus Reviews' Best Books Of 2016

New York Times Bestseller

Newbery Medal Winner

THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON

by Kelly Barnhill ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 9, 2016

Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick.

An elderly witch, a magical girl, a brave carpenter, a wise monster, a tiny dragon, paper birds, and a madwoman converge to thwart a magician who feeds on sorrow.

Every year Elders of the Protectorate leave a baby in the forest, warning everyone an evil Witch demands this sacrifice. In reality, every year, a kind witch named Xan rescues the babies and find families for them. One year Xan saves a baby girl with a crescent birthmark who accidentally feeds on moonlight and becomes “ enmagicked .” Magic babies can be tricky, so Xan adopts little Luna herself and lovingly raises her, with help from an ancient swamp monster and a chatty, wee dragon. Luna’s magical powers emerge as her 13th birthday approaches. Meanwhile, Luna’s deranged real mother enters the forest to find her daughter. Simultaneously, a young carpenter from the Protectorate enters the forest to kill the Witch and end the sacrifices. Xan also enters the forest to rescue the next sacrificed child, and Luna, the monster, and the dragon enter the forest to protect Xan. In the dramatic denouement, a volcano erupts, the real villain attempts to destroy all, and love prevails. Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces. Luna has black eyes, curly, black hair, and “amber” skin.

Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-61620-567-6

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Algonquin

Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY

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by Kelly Barnhill

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling | Book Review

The Children’s Book Review  | July 31, 2018

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Written by J.K. Rowling

Age Range: 8 and up

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books; Reissue edition (June 26, 2018)

ISBN-13: 978-1338299144

What to Expect: Fantasy and Magic

It is July 31. That means that it is Harry Potter’s birthday and the the perfect opportunity to celebrate the 20th anniversary of  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone .

Get your tickets ready. The grand, shiny red Hogwarts Express is ready to depart from platform 9 3/4, and you won’t want to miss the enchanting ride into the spellbinding wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Harry is an orphan who has been living with Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and cousin Dudley Dursley since he was a baby. The Dursleys are plain despicable and make Harry sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. On Harry’s eleventh birthday, mysterious letters addressed to Harry Potter begin arriving at the house, and his aunt and uncle try everything they can to keep them from Harry. That’s when a very large looking man, Hagrid, shows up to deliver the letter in person, along with a very important message: “You’re a wizard, Harry!” Unknown to Harry, he isn’t just any wizard, he is a very famous wizard with a destiny waiting to be fulfilled; a destiny that explains the peculiar lightning bolt scar he has on his forehead.  Harry’s whole world will be turned upside down as he embarks on a new and exciting journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

J.K Rowling’s writing is as magical as the story itself. The settings and locations provide rich backdrops for the page-turning drama that unfolds—Hogwarts is located in a remote location in a majestic castle nestled against the Forbidden Forest. Feel-good moments soften, and also propel, the ever-growing tension—amidst the flurry of new magical activities (flying broomsticks and playing the wizarding sport of choice, Quidditch) and lessons (‘Care of Magical Creatures’ and ‘Defense Against the Dark Arts’), it becomes apparent that a dark power is growing stronger … the kind of power that could only come from the most feared wizard … He Who Shall Not Be Named. Could Harry and his lightning bolt scar be somehow connected to this dark wizard? This question and more make it near impossible to stop at just one or two chapters a night!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is not to be missed by any reader, young or old. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this story, Scholastic has released new covers for the series, illustrated by Caldecott Medal-winning artist Brian Selznick. The covers are a kind of magic in their own right: when placed side by side, the seven covers make one spectacular picture that highlights the arc of the seven book series. Selznick’s artwork is fantastical and the cover design concept is genius!

Of course, there’s only one thing to do: Grab your invisibility cloak, and jump headfirst into this adventurous, mysterious, perilous, and highly entertaining book about muggles (non-magical) and magical folk.

Available Here: 

About the author.

J.K. Rowling is the author of the record-breaking, multi-award-winning Harry Potter novels. Loved by fans around the world, the series has sold over 450 million copies, been translated into 80 languages, and made into eight blockbuster films. She has written three companion volumes in aid of charity: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (in aid of Comic Relief and Lumos), and The Tales of Beedle the Bard (in aid of Lumos), as well as a screenplay inspired by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , which marked the start of a five-film series to be written by the author. She has also collaborated on a stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two , which opened in London’s West End in the summer of 2016. In 2012 J.K. Rowling’s digital company Pottermore was launched, where fans can enjoy news, features, and articles, as well as original content from J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling is also the author of The Casual Vacancy , a novel for adult readers, and the Strike crime series, written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. She has received many awards and honors, including an OBE and Companion of Honour, France’s Légion d’honneur, and the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

About the Illustrator

Brian Selznick ’s books have garnered countless accolades worldwide, and have been translated into more than 35 languages. He is the Caldecott Medal-winning creator of the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Invention of Hugo Cabret , adapted into Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning movie Hugo ; and Wonderstruck , adapted by celebrated filmmaker Todd Haynes, with a screenplay by Selznick; as well as The Marvels and Baby Monkey, Private Eye (co-written with Dr. David Serlin). Selznick divides his time between Brooklyn, New York, and San Diego, California.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , by J.K. Rowling, was reviewed by Bianca Schulze. Discover more books like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone   by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with  Books About Witches ,  Brian Selznick ,  Fantasy ,  Harry Potter ,  J.K. Rowling ,  Magic , and  Wizard Books .

What to Read Next:

• Calling All Witches! The Girls Who Left Their Mark on the Wizarding World | Book Review
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• Avalina Jones and the Eye of the Storm | Book Spotlight
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Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

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Book Review

Harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone – “harry potter” series.

• J.K. Rowling

Readability Age Range

• Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.

Year Published

After being raised in the miserably unfair home of his Uncle Vernon Dursley, Harry practically begins life anew when he discovers that he is a wizard and is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Among Harry’s first-year adventures are making new friends (Hagrid, Ron and Hermione), standing up to the torments of school bully Draco Malfoy, and becoming the star player on his Quidditch team (the favored sport in the magical world). Harry’s life as a Hogwarts “first-year” is more interesting than that of most attendees, because he is already famous for surviving the attack of the evil Lord Voldemort, who tried to kill him as an infant. Everyone in the wizard world knows more about Harry’s family and his story than he does, so a great deal of the book is about Harry growing into his heritage.

By far the most important happening of Harry’s first year is unraveling the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone and coming face to face with Voldemort. The Sorcerer’s Stone has the power to turn things to gold and to give immortality to humans. Voldemort, who lost most of his power in the battle with Harry’s parents, is desperate to find the stone and use it for his own evil purposes. He enlists the help of one Hogwarts professor, and in the end, Harry meets both of them in hand-to-hand combat. Of course, Harry wins, but Voldemort is not defeated forever.

Positive Elements

At the wizards’ bank, Harry reads on the door the following warning against greed: “Enter stranger, but take heed of what awaits the sin of greed. For those who take but do not earn must pay dearly in their turn. So if you seek beneath our floors a treasure that was never yours, thief, you have been warned, beware of finding more than treasure there.”

Unraveling the Sorcerer’s Stone mystery, Harry, Ron and Hermione find themselves involved in a life-sized chess game, in which they become playing pieces. Two positive things here: first, Harry recognizes that Ron is more gifted than he at chess, so he defers to Ron as the wiser partner. More important, Ron proves himself to be such a good friend to Harry that he is willing to sacrifice his playing piece (and get knocked unconscious in the process) so that Harry can go on to find the stone.

Harry’s parents loved him unconditionally, even sacrificially. The message is clear about the effects of this kind of love: Voldemort says, “I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight … but your mother needn’t have died. … She was trying to protect you.” Later, Dumbledore says, “Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign … to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some sort of protection forever.”

Violent Content

No detailed description is given of the death of Harry’s parents. All Harry can remember is a huge flash of green light.

The resident directors in the Hogwarts dormitories are all ghosts. Two of them, in particular, have apparently died rather gruesome deaths, for they are named The Bloody Baron and Near Headless Nick, which gives some clue as to how they became specters.

Nicolas Flamel, the inventor of the Sorcerer’s Stone, agrees that it is in the best interest of humanity for the stone to be destroyed. This means that he and his wife, who both are over 600 years old, will die, because they will have no more sustenance from the stone. Harry expresses his distress over this selfless act, and the good professor Dumbledore responds, “To one as young as you, I’m sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

As previously mentioned, an evil professor tries to knock Harry to his death (or at least to serious injury) during a Quidditch match. This same professor slaughters a Unicorn in order to drink the life-giving blood of an innocent animal.

Preceding the final match with Voldemort, Ron is knocked unconscious as he, Harry and Hermione struggle to solve the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone. The final battle itself is an intense struggle, for Harry soon discovers that Voldemort cannot touch his body without being badly burned. As Harry’s encounter with Voldemort rises to a climax, Voldemort screams at one of his followers, “KILL HIM! KILL HIM!”

Harry’s Family

Harry is treated horribly by Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley Dursley. The Dursleys make Harry sleep in a closet, and they make no excuses about denying Harry simple pleasures while spoiling Dudley (“Every year on Dudley’s birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage, and Mrs. Figg made Harry look at photographs of all the cats she’d ever owned”).

The Dursleys are not characterized in such a way that the reader understands them to be a respectable or even a normal example of a family. In fact, the Dursleys are set up more as an example of the damage that is done when a child doesn’t have a real family. Children who have been neglected are likely to identify with Harry and be encouraged by his success at changing his station in life.

The Hogwarts community becomes a kind of surrogate family for Harry. He has a better Christmas at Hogwarts than he ever had with the Dursleys. And through his new friend, Ron Weasley, Harry is semi-adopted into the Weasley family, who care for him and even send him gifts, though they are poor themselves.

Throughout the story, there is the understanding that Harry’s real family truly loved him and would have treated him well. Finally, Harry finds them through a magical mirror called Erised (desire spelled backward.) In the mirror, he is able to see his mother and father looking at him longingly and waving. The mirror is intended to show its viewer the deepest desire of his or her heart.

School Discipline

J.K. Rowling paints a detailed picture of each of the prominent professors—McGonagall is fair and an excellent disciplinarian; Snape is grouchy and vengeful; Quirrell is stuttering and spineless; Dumbledore is wise and altogether respected. Harry and friends figure out early where their loyalties lie and what they can get way with in the classroom. They respect McGonagall and Dumbledore most, because these two are upright, wise and understanding.

Hogwarts rules include no fighting, no sneaking around after hours and no use of magic outside the classroom. Harry and company find a lot of their adventure in breaking the sneaking around rule and usually wind up saving someone or making an important discovery when they’re doing things they shouldn’t. They are always justly punished when they are caught in their misdeeds.

Hermione is the dissenting voice, always warning Harry and Ron that they’d better toe the line. Unfortunately, it is when she finally concedes to breaking the rules (for a good cause, of course) that Hermione proves herself a true friend to Harry and Ron (“Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?… Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had to get them out of trouble. … From that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend”).

In the end, Harry repents of his rule breaking: “It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not to meddle in the things that weren’t his business from now on. He’d had it with sneaking and spying. He felt so ashamed of himself.”

Alcohol Use

Hagrid, the school’s caretaker, likes to drink (both for social reasons and to calm his nerves). “Everyone [in the bar] seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, ‘The usual, Hagrid?’ ‘Can’t Tom, I’m on Hogwarts business,’ said Hagrid.” Hagrid does renounce his drinking habit when he realizes that while he was under the influence, he disclosed secret information that could have cost Harry his life. (“It’s—all—my—ruddy—fault! … I told him! Yeh could’ve died! … I’ll never drink again!”)

Spiritual Elements

Witchcraft and wizardry are central devices in this story. And they are presented in a very stereotypical manner. For example, Harry’s school supply list includes “three sets of plain work robes (black) … one pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) … one wand, one cauldron (pewter, standard size 2),” and books like “The Standard Book of Spells … Magical Theory and One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.”

References to dark magic and other evils that pertain to the “dark side” are included, but they are never presented as desirable. Every character who is allied with these forces is an enemy or at least a tormentor to the hero of the story. For instance, one evil professor uses powerful dark magic to try to knock Harry off his broomstick during a Quidditch match. (On a cultural level, Rowling can be commended for steering young fans away from the so-called dark side, but from a spiritual perspective, it’s clear that there are not dark and light sides when it comes to witchcraft; it’s all as black as sin.)

The most intense example of dark magic occurs during Harry’s confrontation with Voldemort, when the evil one tempts Harry to come over to the dark side in order to save his own life: “‘See what I have become?’ the face said. ‘Mere shadow and vapor. … I have form only when I can share another’s body … but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds. … Don’t be a fool. … Better save your own life and join me … or you’ll meet the same end as your parents. … They died begging me for mercy.'”

“Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow” is a spoken charm typical of what Harry and his friends learn at Hogwarts. Some children may be fascinated and want to try these seemingly harmless spells for themselves. Not a wise idea, considering how very real the occult is. The meaningless charms found in this book may not summon occult forces, but there are real charms that do.

That said, Rowling presents life in the supernatural realm as much fuller than life in the physical realm. Colors are brighter, people are more interesting and life is more exciting and surprising. But the side of the supernatural world that Rowling presents is not really the side that offers this abundant life. In fact, biblically speaking, to participate in the world of witchcraft brings death rather than a fuller life (1 Sam. 28:6-18, Is. 8:19 and 47:12-14). That’s more than enough reason for families to think long and hard before embarking on Harry Potter’s magic carpet ride.

Plot Summary

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• May 31, 2021

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: A Book Review

Updated: Jun 11, 2021

Giving A Book A Second Chance

You are probably wondering "Kali, didn't you just do a book review?"

Why, yes, yes I did. But for some reason this past weekend a book was calling my name. To be more precise, Harry Potter was calling to me.

All I could think about this past weekend was wanting to read or watch Harry Potter , but I only own the fourth book(nobody likes starting in a middle of a series) and have the first two movies in VHS. So, I decided to give in and buy the first book in eBook format(reasons like this are why I love my Kindle).

Now this isn't my first time reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. When I was first introduced to Harry Potter I was 9 years old. This puts me in third grade... the time when I feel children really start to get into stories.

My mom had purchased the novel for me in hopes I would keep busy with it one weekend. I was excited even though I had never heard of the story.

I remember cozying up in my bed ready to be brought into a world of magic. After 30 pages of reading I found myself bored and confused. I had no clue what the word Muggle meant or what was going on with the flying owls. So with that, I closed the book and didn't look at it again until the age of 19.

By this time, my copy of the book was long gone, but one of the girls living down the hall from my dorm seemed to have a plethora of Harry Potter memorabilia, including all seven books. I just finished my college mid terms and had about a week of down time. The last movie of the franchise was coming to an end and so I decided to give the books another try since I liked the movie so much.

After the week, I had finished all seven books while having giant bags under my eyes from the lack of sleep. So to say the least I liked the series.

I realized it had been 10 years since the last time I read them. So to keep the tradition going I decided to start again this past weekend.

Overview of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Kept in a cupboard, under the stairwell by his family, for most of his life, Harry Potter soon finds out he is a famous wizard after an owl delivers him a letter. Being accepted into one of the most prestigious schools of magic, Hogwarts, Harry finds himself meeting new friends, learning the ways of magic, all while trying to stay safe from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, otherwise known as Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who was unable to kill Harry as a baby.

The Cons of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

· Writing Style 'Tells' Rather than 'Shows'

J.K. Rowling gets straight to the point when it comes to this story. With that though, the author missed the number one rule in storytelling. Show not tell. The descriptions of the characters are very basic and paragraph-like when it comes to their outer appearance leaving nothing to the imagination.

· Harry's Acceptance with Magic

Even though Harry has grown up in the muggle world nothing seems to faze him when it comes to magic. His character seems okay with everything and very trusting of those around him. I feel his character would be more relatable if he was uncertain and apprehensive in the beginning than he let on.

· More of a Backstory

Even though the series as a whole goes into Harry's back story I think this novel would have hit home more if Lord Voldemort was spoken about with more intensity.

This would have made the readers connect more with the main character and see why Lord Voldemort was so dangerous in the first place.

The Pros of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

· Unique Story

Out of any story I've ever read, this is the most unique when it comes to the storyline, concept, and ideas. It keeps the reader interested throughout the book to see what cool magically elements will happen next.

· Character Qualities

Each character has unique and bold qualities about them. This helps keep not only the story interesting because of the array of personalities, but makes them more believable as characters. You can connect with almost any character in one form or another.

· Easy to Read

This story is easy to follow along with and simple to read. Besides the magical spells which even the students have a hard time saying them, this book is for any age.

· Each Chapter Moves the Story Forward

The best thing about this book is each chapter is important to the story. The author made sure to stay on point and only added ideas/concepts which are relevant. Nobody likes to read whole chapters which give nothing to the story.

Overall Review Summary

Rereading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone made me realize why I had the urge to read/watch it again. Apparently, I just needed a little magic in my life.

Out of 5 stars I give it a 5. A first for Kali Kuzma Author and Storyteller !

It's honestly a unique and exciting story someone from of any age can enjoy. I'm currently on the second book and hope to have it done in the next few days. I don't know if I will read all of them at the pace I did the first book but I know each one will bring the awesome element of magic.

Since it has been so long from the last time I read them I am interested to see how I relate to the characters again now that I'm older. Will I relate more with the teachers or the students? We shall see.

If you are interested other magical reads check out my children's picture book Princess Gabriella and the Never-Ending Kiss . You can purchase it on Amazon, in eBook, format for only $9.99! Or get a physical copy at Blurb.com for $32.99!

If you love YA novels and are interested in finding out about more I suggest taking a look at my review for Midnight Sun , A Witch in Time , or The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue!

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My Kids Finally Convinced Me to Watch ‘Harry Potter’ and…Oof, I Have *Thoughts*

Don’t @ me, internet.

I will start by saying I’m sort of a known grump. I don’t like barbeques (it stresses me out when people don’t sit down to eat at the same time). I have no great love for Rocky Horror Picture Show. (Too chaotic! Who wants to watch a movie at midnight anyway?) And I really, really don’t get fantasy. Lord of the Rings ? I would rather watch paint dry for 11 hours and 26 minutes. Game of Thrones ? Well, that one goes against another one of my grumpy dislikes: unnecessary nudity. Star Wars? Look, I’ll watch if there’s Mark Hamill, I will not if there’s Adam Driver.

So it should come as no surprise that, until this year, not only had I never read a Harry Potter book, I had also never watched a Harry Potter movie. In my defense, I was 16 when the book came out in the U.S., and deeply into Ani DiFranco and combat boots, not Draco Malfoy and invisibility cloaks.

But then, 25 years later, a curious thing happened. I had children. And they wanted to read Harry Potter . In fact, they wanted me to read it aloud to them. (Fun fact: grumpy people are quite adept at doing British accents.) And so, I rolled up my sleeves and read them Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , chapter by chapter, over the course of a few weeks. And I liked it! While not as a funny as Lemony Snicket or as emotionally-intelligent as Beverly Cleary, I appreciated the world-building, the levity and the plot twists and turns that truly surprised my 7- and 9-year-old. I get it, I thought. I understand why this is a thing.

The next logical step was to watch the 2001 movie, starring a pint-size Daniel Radcliff . After all, the world is obsessed with the films. Surely I’d be equally charmed. Reader: I was not.

Where to begin with the drudgery that is this two-and-a-half hour movie? Well, for starters, it’s two and a half hours . When we’d reached the thirty-minute mark and still hadn’t met a sorting hat, I knew I was in trouble. Then there’s the humorlessness. In the book, there are some genuinely funny moments that are all but erased from the film. For instance, when the Weasley twins try to send Harry a toilet seat or, as my son quickly pointed out, Dumbledore’s best line: That he sees himself holding a pair of socks in the Mirror of Erised.

And that’s to say nothing of the dated special effects which bring to mind a creepy Polar Express CGI backfire. Or the vaguely icky and offensive moments: the lack of diversity, the persistent fat-shaming , the banker goblins that perpetuate antisemitic tropes . In fairness, these are relics from the books, proof that J.K. Rowling was problematic long before her now well-known bigotry.

But mostly I was just…bored. The characters, though played admirably by Radcliff, Emma Watson and a whole host of esteemed British actors, feel like theme-park versions of themselves, and the overarching vibe is one of franchise and commercialization. I have never been to Harry Potter World, but I can picture Maggie Smith’s Professor McGonagall furiously ushering me through a line and over to a gift shop. Even the quidditch match—a truly exciting scene in the book—seemed forced, like it was trying to tell you how fun it was without actually being fun.

Though I know I’m in the minority (the film has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), there were critics at the time who agreed with me. Most notably, fellow-grump Elvis Mitchell at the New York Times who called it “overly familiar” and went on to say that, “the most highly awaited movie of the year has a dreary, literal-minded competence.”

All of which isn’t to say I hated it. I found it serviceable—the kind of kids’ movie you can watch for a bit, then get up from in order to load the dishwasher and browse TikTok. But is that what I was expecting from Harry Potter? Even a grumpy muggle like me had higher hopes.

I Rewatched ‘The Princess Bride’ as a Boy-Mom, and I Had a Stunning Realization

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

By j.k. rowling.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is one of the most popular children's books ever written. It is a story about the triumph of love and bravery over evil.

Article written by Mohandas Alva

M.A. Degree in English Literature from Manipal University, India.

‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ is a very engaging read for children and adults alike. Since it is the first book in this series, we are introduced to an entirely new world in this book. The world of magic slowly builds itself as we read through the book. The genius of this book is using the protagonist Harry’s discovery of this world to parallel the readers’.

Furthermore, despite several hardships and literally being an orphan who never knew love, Harry still recognizes love and affection when he sees it. While this book is memorable for a plethora of reasons, some elements of Rowling’s writing triumph as winners.

Discovering the Story World and Magic as a Metaphor

J. K. Rowling does a great job writing this story with an omniscient third-person narrative but still keeping the narrator wherever Harry is for a major part of this book. This makes the reader’s fascination and interest in the world of magic as new and real as Harry’s. We are introduced to several facts and significant peculiarities of the world of magic, all of which seem very consistently developed, adding authenticity to it. 

While there are a lot of similarities between the real world and the world of magic, the differences are usually peculiar and downright funny at times. Platform nine and three-quarters, running through a brick wall, ghosts roaming freely and talking to living people, and many other peculiarities add to the charm of creating an interesting story world. One could go on to theorize that calling non-magic people muggles and portraying the Dursleys as ordinary people who hate things like magic has a metaphorical purpose. 

It furthers the cause and appeals to the readers to be more imaginative and creative. Magic is a metaphor for imagination in this case. The Dursleys are scared of anything out of the ordinary. They spend their entire day doing mundane tasks they assign meaning to and criticize almost anything and anyone that doesn’t fit their design.

On the contrary, Harry, despite being ill-treated and not loved by the Dursleys, has a flair for imagination and creativity. It didn’t take very long for him to get used to the wizarding ways, and he very clearly had the potential to do great things after all. This book is, in its essence, an inspiration for readers to make dreams come true and bravely follow their dreams despite obstacles. It is an apt narrative for children who, at their age, tend to discover new things and ideas to develop. 

Good vs Evil and Heroism

The trope of a savior standing up to the tyrant is not new. However, ‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ being a children’s book, delves into this slowly. When Harry is unaware of magic and thinks that his parents died in an accident, he is a normal child with very little to think about good, evil, and the need for heroism.

However, once he is informed of the actual circumstances of his parents’ death and after discovering magic, he gains new insights, and his worldview significantly changes. His sense of responsibility and the need to stop Voldemort at any cost from getting to the Philosopher’s Stone set the path for his heroism. This transition happens slowly, yet it feels very natural. He doesn’t know what he will do if he faces Voldemort. Despite this naive understanding of the consequences, he still chooses to face Voldemort. 

This portrayal of heroism is quite commendable as it appeals to the very cause of wanting to stop the wrongdoing. The fact that an eleven-year-old boy and his two friends thwart a feared dark wizard from stealing the Philosopher’s Stone in a school that has so many adults who are way more experienced and well-equipped to do it portrays heroism in its purest form. Heroism is more the choice to take action against evil than the ability to stop evil. This book does a good job illustrating this subtlety.

Sacrifice in Harry Potter

Sacrifice is an essential part of this novel. The story of ‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ uses sacrifice to define both friendship and love. Harry’s parents die because they sacrifice themselves to protect Harry. Ron sacrifices himself while playing Wizard chess. Several people who fought in the war against Voldemort sacrificed themselves for the well-being of the collective community. 

The trope of sacrifice plays a major role in setting up differences in morality between the good and the evil. As Dumbledore points out to Harry, Voldemort does not understand love. The fact that Harry understands love and values it, sets a specific difference in the choices that Harry and Lord Voldemort make.

Harry is willing to sacrifice himself when he takes over the task of protecting the Philosopher’s Stone. On the contrary, Voldemort uses others for his selfish motives. This stark difference between willing to sacrifice oneself and using others as a shield to protect oneself makes all the difference and definitively separates good and evil in this book.

Why was Harry Potter banned?

Harry Potter was banned in a catholic school in Nashville, Tennessee, because of fear of evil spirits. Some other places have also banned Harry Potter books for similar religious fears. Some religious leaders were concerned that the spells and enchantments mentioned in the book were real and that they could summon evil spirits and dark magic.

Is  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone  worth reading for an adult?

‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ is definitely worth reading for an adult. While it was written as a children’s book, it has outlived this label, and there are people of all ages who not only read these books but also engage in community discussions and have fun playing games inspired by these books. Many people have found reading this book a very rewarding experience, as is evident from the sales and fame this book has garnered across all demographics.

Should I read  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone  or watch the movie? 

While the movie is undoubtedly well-made and a thrill to watch, the books are far more detailed and a very thrilling read. Most people who have both read the books and watched the movies always choose the former as a better experience. Furthermore, there are several interesting and amusing characters and scenes in the book that the movie couldn’t incorporate. So, one would be missing out on a lot if one doesn’t read ‘ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. ‘

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Review - A Thrilling Read

Book Title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Book Description: 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' by J.K. Rowling is an enchanting, generation-defining tale of a young wizard's magical journey.

Book Author: J.K. Rowling

Book Edition: First UK Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Bloomsbury

Date published: June 26, 1997

Illustrator: Thomas Taylor

ISBN: 1-4088-5565-2

Number Of Pages: 309

• Writing Style
• Lasting effect on the reader

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Book Review

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling is a thrilling read that hooks the reader from page one. Published in the year 1997, it is one of the highest grossing novels ever written. Some elements of the novel like its elaborate yet accessible world-building makes it a very entertaining read for children and adults alike. It follows the story of an orphan boy named Harry Potter who realizes he is a wizard and the rest of the book records his journey as a young wizard in Hogwarts, a school of magic. This book, and the series as a whole have been a definitive part of an entire generation’s childhood and have garnered very high praise as an entertaining read.

• The plot is entertaining and is a very immersive read.
• Has a lot of early lessons for children on morality.
• The characters are well developed and the story world is well structured and interesting.
• The writing style may be a bit rudimentary for adult avid readers.
• Several instances of Deux Ex Machina make the protagonist’s position very safe and lacking any real danger.
• Some mild instances of body shaming exist within the novel.

Harry Potter Quiz

Summon your wit and wisdom—our Harry Potter Trivia Quiz awaits you! Do you have the knowledge to claim the title of Master Witch or Wizard? Take the challenge now!

1) What was the last Horcrux to be destroyed?

2) What is the name of Harry Potter's pet owl?

3) Which spell is used to open the Marauder's Map?

4) Who is the Half-Blood Prince?

5) What form does Hermione Granger's Patronus take?

6) What is the name of the book Hermione gives to Harry before his first ever Quidditch match?

7) Who teaches Herbology at Hogwarts?

8) Which creature can transform into a person's worst fear?

9) What creature is Aragog?

10) What specific type of dragon does Harry face during the Triwizard Tournament?

11) What animal represents Hufflepuff house?

12) Which potion did Hermione brew in her second year that allowed her, Ron, and Harry to assume the identities of Slytherins?

13) Which object is NOT one of the Deathly Hallows?

14) What potion is known as "Liquid Luck"?

15) In the "Order of the Phoenix," who is NOT a member of the original Order of the Phoenix shown in the old photograph that Moody shows Harry?

16) What does the incantation "Obliviate" do?

17) What are the dying words of Severus Snape in both the book and the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"?

18) In which Harry Potter book does Harry first speak Parseltongue?

19) Who was the Peverell brother that owned the invisibility cloak?

20) What is the name of the goblin-made object that is supposed to bring its owner prosperity, but also brings them into conflict with goblins?

21) What is Dumbledore's full name?

22) Who originally owned the Elder Wand before Dumbledore won it?

23) What is the core ingredient of the wand owned by Harry Potter?

24) What is the name of the goblin who helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione break into Gringotts?

25) Which character is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange in the Battle of Hogwarts?

26) What is the effect of the Cheering Charm?

27) What is the name of the train that takes students to Hogwarts?

28) What does the Mirror of Erised show?

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About Mohandas Alva

Mohandas is very passionate about deciphering the nature of language and its role as a sole medium of storytelling in literature. His interests sometimes digress from literature to philosophy and the sciences but eventually, the art and craft of narrating a significant story never fail to thrill him.

About the Book

The Harry Potter section of Book Analysis analyzes and explorers the Harry Potter series. The characters, names, terminology, and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros ©. The content on Book Analysis was created by Harry Potter fans, with the aim of providing a thorough in-depth analysis and commentary to complement and provide an additional perspective to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1) Hardcover – October 1, 1998

• Book 1 of 7 Harry Potter
• Print length 320 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 4 - 7
• Lexile measure 880L
• Dimensions 6 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
• Publisher Scholastic Press
• Publication date October 1, 1998
• ISBN-10 0590353403
• ISBN-13 978-0590353403
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com review.

A mysterious letter, delivered by the friendly giant Hagrid, wrenches Harry from his dreary, Muggle-ridden existence: "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Soon enough, however, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig... and that's where the real adventure--humorous, haunting, and suspenseful--begins. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone , first published in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , continues to win major awards in England. So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. This magical, gripping, brilliant book--a future classic to be sure--will leave kids clamoring for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban . (Ages 8 to 13) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

From school library journal, from booklist, from kirkus reviews, about the author.

J.K. Rowling is the author of the seven Harry Potter books, which have sold over 500 million copies, been translated into over 80 languages, and made into eight blockbuster films. She also wrote three short series companion volumes for charity, including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , which later became the inspiration for a new series of films. Harry’s story as a grown-up was later continued in a stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , which J.K. Rowling wrote with playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany.

In 2020, she returned to publishing for younger children with the fairy tale The Ickabog , which she initially published for free online for children in lockdown, later donating all her book royalties to help vulnerable groups affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

J.K. Rowling has received many awards and honors for her writing, including for her detective series written under the name Robert Galbraith. She supports a wide number of humanitarian causes through her charitable trust Volant, and is the founder of the children’s care reform charity Lumos.

For as long as she can remember, J.K. Rowling wanted to be a writer, and is at her happiest in a room, making things up. She lives in Scotland with her family.

From The Washington Post

Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scholastic Press (October 1, 1998)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0590353403
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0590353403
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 7+ years, from customers
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 880L
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 7
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.55 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
• #73 in Children's Friendship Books
• #74 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books
• #96 in Children's School Issues

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About the authors

J.k. rowling.

J.K. Rowling is the author of the enduringly popular, era-defining Harry Potter book series, as well as several stand-alone novels for adults and children, and a bestselling crime fiction series written under the pen name Robert Galbraith.

The Harry Potter books have now sold over 600 million copies worldwide, been translated into 85 languages and made into eight blockbuster films. They continue to be discovered and loved by new generations of readers.

Alongside the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling also wrote three short companion volumes for charity: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in aid of Comic Relief, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard, in aid of her international children’s charity, Lumos. The companion books and original series are all available as audiobooks.

In 2016, J.K. Rowling collaborated with playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany to continue Harry’s story in a stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opened in London, and is now thrilling audiences on four continents. The script book was published to mark the plays opening in 2016 and instantly topped the bestseller lists.

In the same year, she made her debut as a screenwriter with the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Inspired by the original companion volume, it was the first in a series of new adventures featuring wizarding world magizoologist Newt Scamander. The second, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, was released in 2018 and the third, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was released in 2022.

The screenplays were published to coincide with each film’s release: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - The Original Screenplay (2016), Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay (2018) and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore - The Complete Screenplay (2022).

Fans of Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter can find out more at www.wizardingworld.com.

J.K. Rowling’s fairy tale for younger children, The Ickabog, was serialised for free online for children during the Covid-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020 and is now published as a book illustrated by children, with her royalties going to her charitable trust, Volant, to benefit charities helping alleviate social deprivation and assist vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.

Her latest children’s novel The Christmas Pig, published in 2021, is a standalone adventure story about a boy’s love for his most treasured thing and how far he will go to find it.

J.K. Rowling also writes novels for adults. The Casual Vacancy was published in 2012 and adapted for television in 2015. Under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, she is the author of the highly acclaimed ‘Strike’ crime series, featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his partner Robin Ellacott. The first of these, The Cuckoo’s Calling, was published to critical acclaim in 2013, at first without its author’s true identity being known. The Silkworm followed in 2014, Career of Evil in 2015, Lethal White in 2018, Troubled Blood in 2020 and The Ink Black Heart in 2022. The series has also been adapted for television by the BBC and HBO.

J.K. Rowling’s 2008 Harvard Commencement speech was published in 2015 as an illustrated book, Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination, sold in aid of Lumos and university-wide financial aid at Harvard.

As well as receiving an OBE and Companion of Honour for services to children’s literature, J.K. Rowling has received many other awards and honours, including France’s Legion d’Honneur, Spain’s Prince of Asturias Award and Denmark’s Hans Christian Andersen Award.

J.K. Rowling supports a number of causes through her charitable trust, Volant. She is also the founder and president of Lumos, an international children’s charity fighting for every child’s right to a family by transforming care systems around the world.

www.jkrowling.com

Image: Photography Debra Hurford Brown © J.K. Rowling

Mary GrandPré

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Customers say

Customers find the details engaging and inventive, offering something for everyone. They also describe the characters as great, whimsical, and recognizable. Readers love the storyline, saying it draws them in and fills them with joy. They praise the writing style as well-written, simple enough for children to understand yet complex enough for adults. Customers say the book is amazing for all ages, and it makes a great gift. They appreciate the good blend of humor, action, and suspense.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the storyline captivating, interesting, and unexpected. They also say the book is fun, fantasy, and pure escapism. Customers also say it's an excellent way to introduce readers to the magical world and fills them with joy.

"...Then there's Hagrid.... sweet , lovable, gentle Hagrid, who has a soft spot for creatures great and small, and loves Harry like a father, or perhaps a..." Read more

"...It has a good blend of humor, action, and suspense , and touches on themes of family, friends, right vs. wrong, and the like...." Read more

"...The plot is full of surprises and excitement , as Harry discovers his true identity, makes new friends, learns new skills, and faces his greatest..." Read more

"...It is an excellent way to introduce readers to this magical world...." Read more

Customers find the book absolutely amazing for all ages and mention the writing style caters to both children and adults.

"...Even though it is technically a "kids book" it is enjoyable enough for an adult , and even though it was written in the mid to late 1990s, it holds..." Read more

"...The book is suitable for readers of all ages , although younger readers may need some guidance or explanation for some words or concepts...." Read more

"...I believe this is an important factor to keep children interested ...." Read more

"... Great for reading to children who love this type of story but not yet reasy to self read...." Read more

Customers find the writing style well written, with humor, good vocabulary, and a wonderful contribution to the literary world. They also say the book is simple enough for children to understand and complex enough for adults.

"...Rowling's writing is simple and engaging, creating a story that is easy to follow and hard to put down...." Read more

"...He was wanted.* It is easy to read. The text flows naturally , even with strange words and unusual names.*..." Read more

"...Favorite character was definitely Hermione bec she’s a smart, bold and fearless girl. I mean hellllo!..." Read more

"...This book has humor, good vocabulary , and it's a great experience...." Read more

Customers find the details engaging and inventive that carry the plot easily. They also say the author is very thorough in her research and has an excellent memory. Readers say the book is engrossing the whole way through and offers something for everyone. They mention the father figure is wise, patient, and willing to give.

"...He is definitely a father figure to Harry -- always wise , patient, and willing to give Harry the benefit of the doubt...." Read more

"...It has a good blend of humor, action, and suspense, and touches on themes of family , friends, right vs. wrong, and the like...." Read more

"...It is a perfect book to read alone or with others, as it offers something for everyone ...." Read more

"...The last thing I like about this and the other books is that it is about development ...." Read more

Customers find the characters in the book great, creative, intelligent, and interesting. They also describe the book as breezy, amusing, and whimsical.

"...Rowling also has the uncanny ability to make her characters , as well as the magical world around them, seem so real!..." Read more

"...nowhere near the best book of the series, it does a good job establishing the main characters , telling the stand-alone portion of the story,..." Read more

"...The characters are likable and realistic , each with their own personality and quirks...." Read more

"...This is a book that is populated with great characters that children can identify with...." Read more

Customers find the book has a good blend of humor, action, and suspense. They also say it has s good sense of fun throughout.

"... He's funny , as well, and willing to attempt any adventure, despite his fears...." Read more

"...Otherwise, the novel is pretty tame. It has a good blend of humor , action, and suspense, and touches on themes of family, friends, right vs. wrong,..." Read more

"...recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, adventure, and humor ...." Read more

"...about the Harry Potter series is how it changed from a fun, lighthearted , children’s story in the first book, about 309 pages, to a darker, longer,..." Read more

Customers say the book makes a great gift.

" Makes great baby shower gift " Read more

"It was a great birthday gift " Read more

"...Now, her collection is complete. A perfect gift !" Read more

" Makes a Great Gift ! The shipping was fast! Great price!" Read more

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book. They also mention that the drawings are nice.

"...Something luxurious of holding the hardcover book with lovely illustration on the outside , reading printed text, and flipping to the next page of..." Read more

"...I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that there were amazing illustrations on every page ...." Read more

"...This edition is so much more enticing and involving with the great illustrations ...." Read more

"It's Harry Potter. Beautiful artwork great book ." Read more

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Harry Potter — J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone: Book Review

J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone: Book Review

• Categories: Harry Potter Harry Potter and The Sorcerer'S Stone

About this sample

Words: 1793 |

Published: Sep 12, 2018

Words: 1793 | Pages: 3 | 9 min read

Works Cited

• Campbell, J. (2008). The hero with a thousand faces. New World Library.
• Golden, M. (2001). Archetypes of wisdom: An introduction to philosophy. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
• Kastenbaum, R. (2004). Encyclopedia of death and dying. Macmillan Reference USA.
• Kidd, D. C., Castano, E., & Cohen, N. (2013). Reading literary fiction improves theory of mind. Science, 342(6156), 377-380.
• Lev Grossman. (2007). The Boy Who Lived Forever. Time.
• Naithani, S. (2012). J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Novels: A Reader's Guide. Bloomsbury Publishing.
• Parry, S. (2013). The Monomyth and Harry Potter: A Hero's Journey. Journal of Literature and Art Studies, 3(10), 789-797.
• Rowling, J. K. (1997). Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Bloomsbury Publishing.
• Tolkien, J. R. (1965). The Lord of the Rings. Houghton Mifflin.
• Vogler, C. (1998). The writer's journey: Mythic structure for writers. Michael Wiese Productions.

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The Harry Potter series, penned by celebrated author J.K. Rowling, has consistently garnered immense success across the globe. The books, which follow the magical journey of the titular character and his friends, have become a [...]

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“Much of it I’ll never use in the books”: J.K. Rowling Learned a Ridiculous Amount about a Specific Magical Discipline She Never Even Used Properly in Harry Potter after Sorcerer’s Stone

J.K. Rowling’s extensive study of alchemy influenced the magical world of Harry Potter, even if it was rarely used in the books.

• J.K. Rowling studied alchemy extensively to shape the magical logic in the Harry Potter series.
• Despite Rowling's deep knowledge, alchemy’s influence is rarely visible in the Harry Potter books.
• Rowling’s alchemical exploration was majorly visible in The Sorcerer’s Stone, rather than in her later books.

No matter how much we appreciate J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts novels, they will fall short of the efforts that went into creating the intricate wizarding world. From crafting characters to learning about magic, Rowling’s brilliant mind even had to brew a cauldron of knowledge about alchemy to establish parameters in her stories. 

Although fans believe that J.K. Rowling scarcely sprinkled the essence of alchemy through her novels despite unbound scope for potions and spells, the British author had to learn quite a lot about the capabilities and limitations of the magical discipline. 

J.K. Rowling’s Deep Dive into Alchemy Shaped the Magical Logic of Harry Potter

Flipping through the pages of Harry Potter , we often stop to admire the details that went behind shaping the geographical locations and the characters in the novels. However, the fact that we often overlook is the brilliant logic and accuracy behind the magic showcased in between the lines. From intricate details about Victorian Flower language allegedly used by Professor Snape to convey messages, to Hermione brewing Polyjuice Potion, the novels subtly hinted at the magic of alchemy. 

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Well, why not? J.K. Rowling, the literary genius behind the Harry Potter saga, evidently went deeper into the studies of alchemy to set the limitations and internal logic of her magical world. According to different sets of interviews, Rowling thus opened up about how her knowledge of alchemy shaped the wizarding world. Speaking about the influence of magic and color, Rowling noted via Wizarding World , 

Colours also played their part in the naming of Hagrid and Dumbledore, whose first names are Rubeus (red) and Albus (white) respectively. The choice was a nod to alchemy, which is so important in the first Harry Potter book, where ‘the red’ and ‘the white’ are essential mystical components of the process. The symbolism of the colours in this context has mystic meaning, representing different stages of the alchemic process (which many people associate with a spiritual transformation). 

While such intricate detailing from her knowledge about alchemy influenced the Harry Potter novels and their characters , J.K. Rowling was asked by The Herald about why the understanding of alchemy was so important to her. Even though the direct use of the magical discipline is scarce throughout the novels and beyond common people’s understanding, Rowling noted that it was important to weave a flawless storyline. 

I’ve never wanted to be a witch, but an alchemist, now that’s a different matter. To invent this wizard world, I’ve learned a ridiculous amount about alchemy. Perhaps much of it I’ll never use in the books, but I have to know in detail what magic can and cannot do in order to set the parameters and establish the stories’ internal logic.

J.K. Rowling’s candid revelation seemingly hinted that in her quest to craft the enchanting world of Hogwarts, she took a detour through the world of alchemical lore.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was the Tip of J.K. Rowling’s Alchemical Iceberg

To be fair, despite the magical scope for alchemy in the Harry Potter saga, J.K. Rowling seemingly sprinkled its essence scarcely throughout the series. Therefore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone turned out to be the only book that showcased the pinnacle of alchemical ambition. Despite Rowling’s in-depth exploration of the magical discipline, her knowledge seemed to evaporate as quickly as the ingredients in a complicated potion recipe.

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The depth of J.K. Rowling’s alchemical knowledge, while rich and detailed, didn’t entirely seep through the later books. In fact, it remained as rare as a well-brewed Felix Felicis. So was the author’s knowledge indeed merely for the show, or was it beyond the reader’s comprehension? Well, it seems that Rowling did use alchemy throughout her novels, just that it was neatly hidden behind the thin veil of subtlety. 

Take for example when J.K. Rowling revealed how alchemy helped her name her characters like Rubeus Hagrid and Albus Dumbledore. Similarly, alchemy also helped her create the persona of her characters. According to the very snippet taken from Wizarding World, the author had explained how the characters’ names as well as their characteristics were woven from her knowledge of alchemy. 

Where my two characters were concerned, I named them for the alchemical colours to convey their opposing but complementary natures: red meaning passion (or emotion); white for asceticism; Hagrid being the earthy, warm, physical man, lord of the forest; Dumbledore the spiritual theoretician, brilliant, idealized and somewhat detached. Each is a necessary counterpoint to the other as Harry seeks father figures in his new world.

The author had indeed set the parameters and internal logic of her magical world through alchemy. J.K. Rowling’s meticulous approach therefore ensured that every spell and its colors alongside potions and characters had its place in the magical schema, grounded in a set of rules, even if readers never fully comprehended the extent of her alchemical studies that reflected in the plots.

Harry Potter films are available on Max. 

Written by Krittika Mukherjee

Krittika is a News Writer at FandomWire with 2 years of prior experience in lifestyle and web content writing. With her previous works available on HubPages and Medium, she has woven over 1700 stories with us, about fan-favorite actors, movies, and shows. Post-graduate in Journalism and Honors-graduate in English Literature, when this art enthusiast isn't crafting your next favorite article, she finds her escapism in coffee, fiction, and the Wizarding World.

Copyright © 2024 FandomWire, LLC. All rights reserved.

#153. Scene Analysis: Chapter 5 "Diagon Alley" From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Fiction Writing Made Easy

“How many scenes are in the Diagon Alley chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone?” Believe it or not, this is one of the most frequently asked questions I get from writers when they hear I’ve written a book breaking apart this mega best seller scene by scene. And it’s a valid question! This chapter was the hardest chapter for us to analyze when putting together The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.But this week, Abigail K. Perry and I have...

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Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

This book by J.K. Rowling engulfs you in a world of magic where you want to keep on reading without putting it down. Harry Potter takes place in England, and is all about a boy named Harry Potter's time at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. This book can attract readers of all kinds of reading levels because of its simplicity and depth. The Harry Potter series is an extremely fun series and the characters are full of emotion. I guarantee that you will love this book.

Reviewer Grade: 8