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A review by sunnycollins_
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
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."
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."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Child abuse
Minor: Death, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail