James Review -Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone

 

Magic, wizards. Iconic staples of fantasy, stepping stones to a larger world of stories. In the late 90s, J.K. Rowling brought forth something incredible, something truly magical, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And it all started with Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone... aka Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone. In England, it's Philosopher's Stone. But it's also Sorcerer's Stone in the United States. The book released in 1997 and, four years later, the world saw a film adaptation directed by Home Alone director Chris Columbus and starring the remarkable Daniel Radcliff as Harry Potter himself alongside the likes of Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, the late Richard Harris and Ian Hart as Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and Professor Quirrell respectively.

The story is a simple one.

A dark wizard known as Lord Voldemort terrorizing the world of wizards and muggles murders the parents of an infant named Harry Potter, but the child survives the attack while Voldemort loses his power. To keep Harry safe, Hogwarts professors Dumbledore McGonagall deliver him to his relatives Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, the latter of whom is the sister of Harry's mother, at Privet Drive. For the next ten years, Harry lives with the Dursleys, who treat him horribly due to their disdain of wizardry, before he is visited by the half-giant Hagrid and learns the truth of his family, their death, and the wizarding world. Harry is invited to attend the wizard school Hogwarts and makes new friends in Ron and Hermione and Neville Longbottom, attending classes and playing Quidditch. 

However, the atmosphere shifts after Harry and his friends stumble across a three-headed dog and an incident takes place during a Quidditch match with Harry nearly getting killed and the prime suspect being Professor Snape. Harry soon learns about the Philosopher's Stone and believes Snape is out to steal it. While in the Forbidden Forest serving detention, Harry encounters a dark figure drinking unicorn blood and realizes that Snape wants to steal the Stone for Lord Voldemort, the man who killed his parents. Determined to stop Voldemort from getting it, Harry, Ron and Hermione journey past Fluffy, the three-headed dog, and go through the trap door to the chambers where the Sorcerer's Stone is being protected and they pass many challenges such as flying keys and wizarding chess. 

When Harry goes to confront Snape, he encounters Professor Quirrell near the magical Mirror of Erised, learning that Snape wasn't the one who tried to kill him during the Quidditch match or let a troll into the castle or was trying to steal the stone for Voldemort, but Quirrell himself. Quirrell reveals that he shares his body with the disembodied and powerless Dark Lord, whose face is on the back of the rogue professor's head. Voldemort attempts to get the Philosopher's Stone, which Harry ended up getting, but Harry fights back against the enemy. In the end, Quirrell dies, Voldemort flees empty-handed and Dumbledore ensures the Stone is destroyed while Gryffindor wins the Hogwarts House Cup before Harry returns to the Dursleys for the summer.

I read the book with my mom before watching the movie and before I played the LEGO game LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 on the Wii. This was back in 2010. Reading the book and seeing the film was where my Harry Potter fandom truly began, after I glimpsed one of the early films at a relative's house and saw a bit of Order Of The Phoenix while on a plane years prior. I've seen all the films and listened to every audiobook version of every book, now an HBO series adapting the books is coming soon and we will see it. Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone is worth the read and the watch, especially if you want to get into Harry Potter. 10/10.

-James M