Harry Potter Series - Book Review

The story opens with the conspicuous celebration of a normally secretive wizarding world. For many years, it had been terrorised by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort. The previous night, Voldemort discovered the Potter family's hidden refuge, killing Lily and James Potter. However, when he attempted to murder their infant son, Harry, the killing curse he cast rebounded upon him. Voldemort's body was destroyed, but his spirit survived: he was neither dead nor alive. Harry, meanwhile, was left with a distinctive lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, the only physical sign of Voldemort's curse. Harry is the only known survivor of the killing curse, and Voldemort's mysterious defeat causes the wizarding community to dub Harry, "The Boy Who Lived."

Harry is brought to his only living relatives, the cruel and non-magical Dursleys, consisting of Uncle Vernon, a bad-tempered uncle with hardly any neck; Aunt Petunia, a long-necked woman who appears to absolutely loathe Harry; and Dudley, their spoiled, overweight son. They attempt in vain to rid him of his magical powers, hide his magical heritage, and severely punish him after any strange occurrences.

However, as his eleventh birthday approaches, Harry has his first contact with the magical world when he receives letters from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which are delivered by owls. However, his uncle intercepts the letters. On his birthday, Hagrid, Hogwarts' gamekeeper, appears and informs Harry that he is a wizard and has been invited to attend the school. Each book chronicles one year in Harry's life, which is mostly spent at Hogwarts. There he learns to use magic and brew potions. Harry also learns to overcome many magical, social, and emotional obstacles as he struggles through his adolescence, Voldemort's second rise to power, and the Ministry of Magic's corruption and incompetence. After facing many obstacles, making countless friends, and losing loved ones, Harry Potter confronts the Dark Lord for the last time.

This is an amazing set of books and are completely worthy of all the attention they have received over the years. J.K. Rowling has an unbelievable imagination and attention to detail. She created a whole new world complete with it's own language, customs, animals, games, etc. It was so convincing that it seemed real and was easy to get lost in the books and lose track of time. I waited until the final book was released before I read any of them and I read all of them to/from work on the train over the span of a couple months. I actually looked forward to the train ride knowing that I would find out a bit more about the world of Harry Potter.

These books are responsible for getting kids excited about reading, but they certainly are worthy of adult eyes as well. They cover many different topics and issues with underlying messages that are mature in nature. I'm sure kids and adults will get something different out of the books and that's the beauty of the way they are written - everyone will read them with a unique perspective and interpret them differently. These books are a must read for anyone looking for some entertainment and adventure. Don't just watch the movies - read the books so your mind can create the complex world that Harry Potter inhabits. You might be surprised at how addictive the written word can be.


Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Would I read them again: Yes

Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone (June 1997, 309 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets (July 1998, 341 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban (July 1999, 435 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire (July 2000, 734 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix (June 2003, 870 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince (July 2005, 652 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows (July 2007, 784 pgs)