Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Book Review

A Book Review of

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE

JEFFREN PANCHO-MIGUEL
BSED – ENGL 3
English 20, TTh 2:35

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (also Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone) is a magical, fantasy, and fictional novel written by New York Times Bestselling British Author Joanne K. Rowling, popularly known as JK Rowling. It is the first installation of the Harry Potter series. The story is all about a young boy named Harry Potter, who is known to be the only person who survived the killing curse Avada Kedavra that was casted by the evil wizard Lord Voldemort. Together with his two new friends Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, Harry Potter explores the magical world as a first year student of the historic school for young witches and wizards, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As the story goes on, the three protagonists will find out that they have part to play in the downfall of the evil Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was originally published as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on June 26, 1997 by Bloomsbury in London, with the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 0-590-35340-3. A US edition was also published by Scholastic Corporation, and was released on September 1998, exclusively in the United States. The book is renamed “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in the US. According to the Potter Mad Website (2012), “it was renamed due to apparent inconsistencies with the American and British understanding of the word "philosopher's" which potentially could damage US sales.” Internationally, the book costs $ 10.99. In the Philippines, however, the book is available in all leading bookstores, and costs Php 375.00 only. With such an affordable price, the readers will be able to enter the magical world of Harry Potter, experience what is like to be a student of Hogwarts, be acquainted with different charms, spells, and curses including different magical creatures, and encounter weird-flavored pastries you’ve never heard existed.
According to JK Rowling, she started working on the Harry Potter sequence in 1990. She also said that the idea of writing such a fantastic novel simply fell into her head. Most of the time, she wrote the novel in a cafés. In an interview by Heather Riccio in Hilary Magazine, Rowling said that she finished writing the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on an old manual typewriter. As the readers read the novel, they will notice that the story is written in third person omniscient point of view. In this case, there is a narrator in the story, who knows all of the thoughts of the main characters. The book is an example of Children’s Literature, in which the target readers are children of ages 9 to 12. Despite the fact that the book is intended for children, many adolescents, even adults enjoy reading the book, for it not just simply entertains the readers with its profound use of imagination and creativity. It also gives the readers in-depth morals and lessons which may encourage them to be courageous, to be helpful for those in need, to be faithful in oneself, to be extraordinary in ordinary things, and to be a good student and friend at the same time. The story started in medias res, in the middle of the sequence of events. It means that something happened in the “before of the beginning” of the story. Although the events are arranged chronologically in the Table of Contents, the readers will be going back to certain events that had happened before the story started. These events that had happened before the beginning are stated on the book. The reader must remember these events for better understanding of certain occurrences in the story later on. Rowling has written the novel creatively, using different kinds of words that would make the readers analyze what they read. She used different kinds of figurative languages in such a way that the readers will be able to appreciate the beauty of the play of words in the story. The readers will also be introduced in different British terminologies (such as “lift” or “elevator” in American English) and how they are used in a sentence.
In my perspective, the purpose of the book, which is to entertain people, has been achieved successfully. This is evident with the number of copies that has been printed and sold not just in the United Kingdom and United States but also worldwide, translated in different languages. With these, Rowling became the first billionaire writer. Additionally, the novel won awards such as the UK National Book Award (1997), Gold Medal Smarties Price (1997), and being named as the Best Book of the Year (1999) by Publishers Weekly and New York Public Library. The book also made it to the New York Times Bestseller list. Furthermore, as I read the book, there was too much interest within me that I read and flip the pages as fast as I could because I wanted to know what will happen next. Therefore, with valid reasons and a personal experience stated, the book’s purpose is, indeed, achieved successfully.
There are lots of themes found in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Since it was written by a British author, and it is a clear example of English literature, Victorian themes such as Love and Death, and Good vs. Evil are evident in the story. First, for Love and Death, Harry Potter’s parents risked their lives for his protection against Lord Voldemort. This is because of their unconditional love for their only son. Second, as you read the story, the clash between good and evil is clearly described as the story goes on. However, in Chapter 17: A Man with Two Faces, it tells the readers that no matter how many clashes happen between good and evil, the good shall always defeat evil, and the good is always situated above – superior than that of the evil one. Another prevalent theme in the story is Desire for Power. Lord Voldemort possesses desire for power, that he will do everything, just to achieve his desire to bring dark forces in control not just in the Wizarding world, but also in the Muggle (non-magical) world by using extreme dark magic.
Meanwhile, Rowling has written an unambiguous description of events. In every particular event, there is a corresponding history. For example, Hogwarts has a very complex history of how it started as a school, founded by four great wizards and witches with different personalities and qualities: Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helena Hufflepuff. In addition, every scenario, from Harry’s journey to Platform Nine and Three-quarters to his first touch of the Sorcerer’s Stone, is clearly described using the appropriate words and adjectives for easy grasp and comprehension of the readers.
Furthermore, the story is also narrated clearly. The chapters are arranged chronologically with some flashbacks. However, since it is a novel, there are subplots in certain chapters. Not to worry because these subplots are just supplement to the main plot. It adds a taste of excitement, and sometimes it gives a more detailed explanation of why certain things happen in the story. All in all, the story is narrated in a way that readers will have a clear visualization of the scenario through the course of their reading.
Moreover, as to the story’s exposition, some of the events in the story are explicitly explained with details for the readers’ easy understanding. Some, however, are implicitly explained. Meaning, the readers must find out what the metaphors and other figurative languages mean until they understand what it wants to convey.
Arguments are also found in the story. It is stated in the book that when Harry survived the killing curse, Voldemort vanished. No one knows the reason behind this. Is Voldemort dead? Or just lurking around? Everybody in the Wizarding world believes that Voldemort is dead. As I read the book, I am also convinced that Voldemort is really dead - that the killing curse Voldemort casted to Harry rebounded because of the protection given to him by the latter’s parents. More so, during the first chapters of the story, Rowling tries to persuade the readers to believe in Voldemort’s inexistence. At the end of the story, it is proven in the Chapter 17: The Man with Two Faces that Voldemort still exists at the back of Professor Quirell’s head, trying to gather and bring back the dark forces to create havoc in the lives of people in the Wizarding and Muggle world.
When Harry touches Professor Quirrel, the latter becomes dead. Voldemort, who stays at the back of Professor Quirrel’s head, vanishes once again. This is the question left unanswered. Does he stay to another person’s head? Or does he have his own body now? Only one thing is certain: Lord Voldemort exists. Answers to these questions can be found in the next Harry Potter book.
It seems then, considering the statements above, that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a good read after all. It is not just a hugely enjoyable fantasy novel, but also a story filled with life’s morals and lessons that may encourage and inspire people to be good citizens of his/her country, to respect each others’ differences, and to face life’s challenges and obstacles with courage and faith to oneself. Beyond this, after reading this super magical novel, readers will be convinced that they too could ride the scarlet-colored Hogwarts Express, learn different spells at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, acquainted with different magical folks, and taste vomit-flavored pastries.