Reviews with content warning for Violence - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

There is a reason why these books have continued to be so popular, they've really held up over time. I've been wanting to re-read this series for a while, but couldn't bring myself to do it because of how awful JKR has become over the past few years. I find it hard to separate art from it's creator, especially when their views differ so greatly from my own.

However, I recently came across a message from Daniel Radcliffe that convinced me to begin my re-read (below, via the Trevor Project website). TL;DR, he said that a person's thoughts/emotions towards the books are personal and that shouldn't be lessened by anyone. As someone who grew up loving these stories, this message really resonated with me.

If you're in a similar situation (wanting to re-engage with the story but not wanting to support JKR), I highly suggest finding the books from a second-hand store and giving them a shot.

Daniel's message: "To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you. I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you. If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred. And in my opinion nobody can touch that. It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that too much."

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divine529's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

This is a book and series I'll always love. This reread was no different, but this time I read the illustrated edition.

I won't deny that I've been hesitant to read the illustrated edition of this because growing up with this, I have certain ideas of what characters look like and ways I imagine the world, but let me just say that this enhanced that love. Every version I've experienced of this just adds to my vision and understanding of it all.

Since this is the illustrated edition, I'm primarily going to focus on talking about the artwork this reread. Jim Kay did an absolutely phenomenal job illustrating everything. I adored his work, even if it didn't always match my own version in my head or what we've all seen in the movies. I saw a documentary and I've read several articles about the work he did and pressure he felt with this project and it's astounding. He made sure to get all the details right and you can see the research on the page. I know he was concerned about ruining the series with his illustrations, but really, as I've already mentioned, it enhanced it and gave me a different experience.

I definitely enjoyed this and I'll be curious to check out the other books in the future.

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orchidlilly's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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ellaticonstellation's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Spoiler

This was the first time I read a Harry Potter book, even though it had been out for over 20 years. I loved it. It was funny and exciting! There were no dull moments at all. I wouldn't say I liked the Dursleys for obvious reasons, especially the bullying bit of everyone in the family. Harry, Ron, and Hermione's friendship were top-notch. I also love that Hermione's view changed throughout the story, and she befriended the boys. Their unity was commendable, and their friendship; was heartwarming. I liked that Albus Dumbledore was also chill and funny; with his look, he would be mistaken as uptight, but not at all. Hagrid, you sweet giant, bless your heart. Let's go, Gryffindor! And hey, Draco, even if you're meant to be the villain, you had your moments. Neville, damn boy. You improved a lot. Quirrel, I had a feeling about you, and you turned out to be with the dark forces. Damn. Overall, a good read. The audiobook narration added intensity; I commend the narrator as well. (I read this on my Kindle) I also liked that everything had a purpose, like a flute and chess, etc. Good one, JK✨

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