A delightful story

Rating: Null/10 (23 January 2003)

The story is classic: A person feels out of place in their own world, but manages to find a new one in which they are something special. There have been countless takes on the idea throughout the ages, and this one, while arguably not classical literature, is a very delightful story in its own right. The book is fun to read, for adults as well as kids, and the movie certainly follows suit. Young Harry, orphaned when he was only a toddler, is being cared for by his cruel Aunt and Uncle, and is forced to quietly tolerate the constant bullying of his cousin, Dudley. On his 11th birthday, however, he gets a present no one could possibly expect: He finds out that there is actually another world- a magical world- right under everyone's noses! And beyond that, it is there that he truly belongs! With that simple discovery, Harry goes from being an ordinary young man in an ordinary world to an extraordinary young wizard in a world with no limits.
Sorcerer's (Philosopher's) Stone is the first in a series that seems to grow and mature in parallel with its title character. In my opinion, this is not the best of the series, but it is absolutely enjoyable in its own right.
Magic and mysticism of all kinds permeate throughout the stories, but it is clear that the real magic at work here is at the tip of Rowling's pen. I, for one, hope that she continues to write even after she has finished the Harry Potter series. Bravo!