Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Review

J K Rowling’s Introduction to the Magical World of Hogwarts

Aug 13, 2009

Also known as Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone, this remarkable books was a splendid first look for Muggles at the modern wizarding world.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was a runaway success when it was first released in 1997, allowing children and adults alike the opportunity to enter the wonderful world of Witchcraft and Wizardry through the eyes of the young orphan Harry Potter.

J K Rowling Introduces the Wonderful Wizarding World to Muggles

The most unique aspect of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is not the plot, although that too is stupendous, but rather the world that J. K. Rowling imagined and presented in her books. The first book is an introduction to the magic world in the modern day, while most fantasy books are set in medieval times, Harry Potter broke the traditional mode and explained how the magic world was hidden to Muggles and still existed in contemporary times.

Most fascinating about this modern magic world is the idea of a school that taught Witchcraft and Wizardry at a school called Hogwarts. Hogwarts could be described as the Narnia of the modern age, a world separate from the norm where people could escape the monotony of life and pretend they were students in a magical world.

The opportunity to attend a school like Hogwarts, where Care of Magical Creatures replaces agriculture and where one could study Defense against the Dark Arts rather than Economics, has a strong appeal for young and old alike. While many have tried to some success to create modern day magic worlds similar to Rowling’s, none have been able to capture the essence of Hogwarts, a place where magic comes alive – both on and off the page.

The Plot of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Rowling set up the plot for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone brilliantly by giving Harry no knowledge of wizarding world. In this way both the reader and Harry discover together the most amazing world, about wands, broomsticks, Quidditch, Gringotts, Hogwarts and a host of other fascinating nuances that make up Harry Potter’s world.

Also well written is the twists that have become a part of the entire series that makes the books so enticing. A world like Hogwarts would have been wasted if Harry’s story was boring, but it is instead filled with action, intrigue and of course, plenty of magic.

There are three main characters throughout the seven Harry Potter novels, Harry himself and his two best friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry first meets Ron when trying to find his way onto Platform 9¾, Ron is the sixth boy of seven children with a younger sister named Ginny. Ron is used to living in the shadows of greatness and loves the attention he gets as Harry’s friend, but more importantly he is down to earth and helps Harry out of many tight spots.

Hermione meets the two while on the train to Hogwarts and is a downright prat to begin with, but after the three bond over a felled mountain troll the incredibly intelligent witch becomes a strong ally and brave and courageous friend.

Conclusion

Those who have already experience the wonderful world of Hogwarts already know the simplistic beauty of J. K. Rowling’s writing. For those who have yet to make the undertaking, it took the reviewer nearly four years before he finally consented to his cousin’s request to “give it a try;” he hasn’t looked back since.

Note: Outside of America the book is referred to as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Publication Information

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