A review by analoglesbian
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

This book is a (mostly) lighthearted and child-friendly story of a young boy temporarily escaping an abusive home by attending magic school. There are a lot of plot and narrative elements that mimic other boarding school stories and child-oriented mystery novels. The abusive family members are described as fat/ugly/greedy/nosy as shorthand for "bad people". The abusive home environment of the protagonist is never meaningfully acknowledged and he is forced to return at the end of the year after a particularly traumatic end of term where he is forced to kill in self-defence.

As the author has become a well-known supporter of hate groups in the past several years, I could never in good conscience recommend this series.
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