Novel Review: Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone

 Review Novel

Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone

Book title: Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone

Author: J. K. Rowling

Publisher: Bloomsbury Pub Ltd

Originally published: June 26, 1997

Paperback: 224 pages

Reviewed by Profitta Prinka Lestari XII MIPA 4

Prologue

Hello! This is my first time reading an original Harry Potter novel, before that when I was a

little, I’ve read Harry Potter stories but in comic version. Yes, of course, in the children's

comics that I used to read, there were more pictures than the story text. Besides that, actually

I didn’t into a fantasy genre, especially a magics stuff like Harry Potter. At first, I think it was

like a weird stuff, like there’s a witch with their wand and they can do anything with it just by

saying some of the spell, and then VOILA! Anything you want can be appear. And then they

flying using their broom like why though? Why broom though? Isn't there anything cooler

than just using a broom to fly? Like maybe using a feather? I just don’t understand.

But that when I’m in high school it was all change my perspective to Harry Potter. In the

tenth grade of my high school there was this amazing and memorable event called “World

Tournament” it is an annual event held by student government in my high school and in 2019

the main topic of the event was Harry Potter. In this event, my classes got Slytherin as

houses in Hogwarts. Then we are given missions and games that must be passed to get points

and the houses who gets the most points are the winner. Just EXACTLY the same as in

novel. Two thumbs up for my senior that has held this brilliant event. I never know that this

Hogwarts School its more than just a usual wizard school, it has many interesting stuffs in it.

Yeah, I know it is late and I was like where have I been until now, I just found out that there

were four incredible houses in Hogwarts School (we’ll talk about that later).

Now I really into Harry Potter, this novel it is not just have amazing story but the words used

by J. K. Rowling are also very beautiful and iconic. I must say that this novel has something

magical that would keep the readers addictive to keep read it until the end. When I first read

it on E-Book, yes of course I read from the first page, then a few moments later I was on page

tens. I was immediately immersed in the story. I felt what Harry’s felt, when he was scolded

by his Uncle Vernon, the excitement of the first day Harry attending Hogwarts School, the

curiosity to meet new friends and houses in Hogwarts, pride and enthusiasm when joining

and winning the Quidditch, the courage and optimism to save Philosopher's Stone from You-

Know-Who or Lord Voldemort. I'm like getting into the story and going through it all with

Harry.

You may notice that some of people called Sorcerer’s Stone instead of Philosopher’s Stone.

At first, I was kind of confusing and though these to are two different title like Philosopher’s

stone is book one and then Sorcerer’s stone is a next book. But then I found out that it is still

the same title. Based on Google, in UK people called Harry Potter first book by

Philosopher’s Stone while in US people called it Sorcerer’s Stone.

Here I want to tell all of you about my though and opinion about the first book of harry potter

and warning for those who haven’t read Harry Potter novel yet because it might be contain a

little bit spoiler or maybe a lot. So, let’s just dive in.

Synopsis plus Review

As all we know that it is a story about a boy who was in around ten years old, names Harry

James Potter. He lives with Dursley family, his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and their son

Dudley. Harry’s parents, James Potter and Lily Potter, are the famous wizard they died

because of car accidents, but it just a made-up story from Aunt Petunia. Actually, Harry’s

parents killed by Voldemort while their parents trying to save Harry. Harry didn’t remember

at all these incidents because he was still a baby, all he remembered is that day he saw a

blinding green light and a loud evil laugh. Because only he can survive the attack of

Voldemort, he was famous among the wizard, he was called “a boy who lived”. Oh! And also

because of Voldemort he has a bolt lighting scars on his forehead. Of course, he also famous

among Professors in Hogwarts School, they say that Harry will be a great wizard just like his

parents.

I don’t understand why his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia still adopt him if they were hated

him so much like maybe you can put him in orphan or something instead of made him like a

“maid”, abandoned him, gave just leftover food, used clothes from Dudley, made him sleep

in the closet under the stairs that full of spiders, and always yells and angry at him. And they

even don’t want other people know that they adopted harry, they always hide him. I thought

maybe deep down they had pity feelings for Harry, but after thinking about it again, it doesn't

seem like it. Maybe there were some agreements between Harry’s aunt and uncle with

Dumbledore, which if they violate there will be sanctions. And it is also because of Aunt

Petunia and Uncle Vernon are the only family he has left.

"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family

he has left now."

At first Professor McGonagall didn’t agree with Dumbledore decision because all this time

he had been stalking and observing the behaviors of the Dursley family by disguised as a

cat. She knows that the Dursley family have a very bad attitude. But Dumbledore kept

convincing her and finally she gave it up to Dumbledore.

"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to

explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."

About Dudley, Harry’s cousin, he is really a spoiled baby even though he is the same age as

Harry. Dudley always gets what he wanted from his parents and if he doesn't get what he

wants, he will be whining like a baby. Dudley although he always acting like a baby, but he

actually four time bigger than Harry. Dudley looks a lot like his father. He had a large pink

face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his

thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel -- Harry often

said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig. LOL. Dudley and his cousin always bullied

Harry, he punching him at his nose which makes his round glasses have a Scotch tape.

Finally, after ten years full of dull days being neglected, there was a day when Harry’s day

little bit pleasant. It is a Dudley Birthday and something funny happening in this day. Usually

on Dudley's birthday, Dudley and his parents always going out to have dinner together or just

strolling down the city, but they didn’t go with Harry. Harry would be left behind Mrs. Figg,

their neighbor. But this year Mrs. Figg can took after him because she said she was sick (but

she is not actually sick). So, they took Harry with them to the zoo.

At the zoo after having lunch there, they go to the reptile’s cages. At that place Dudley was

interesting with giant Boa snake. He stood in front of the snake's cage which was covered by

glass then he knocks the glass asking him to move. But however, the snakes still sleep in

peacefully. Annoyed, Dudley kept knocking the glass and yelling at snakes to moves. Harry

gives an annoyance look at Dudley. Harry told Dudley not to bother the snake because it is

sleeping, but Dudley doesn’t care. Then suddenly the glass who covered the cage is

disappeared and when Dudley wants to knock it again, he fell into the cage. And then the

snake is free. The snake even talks and thanks Harry for release him. When Dudley wants to

get out of the cage the glass is reappear so Dudley is trapped in the cage. Then he cries in the

cage like a baby.

One day during his eleventh birthday, Harry was suddenly visited by a half-giant, the person

revealed the secret that had been hidden by Harry's aunt by saying that Harry was a Wizard.

This suddenly shocked his uncle and aunt, how could the secret they had been guarding all

this time just be revealed.

In short, Harry was taken by Hagrit, the half-giant, to a very strange place, where he was

introduced to a magic school called Hogwarts and all the hidden magical communities for so

long. This is where Harry's adventure begins, at the beginning of his time at Hogwarts Harry

has been widely known, not only because of his background having defeated the Dark Lord at

the age of one, but also because of his high magical talent. In addition, Harry is also

proficient in riding a broomstick so he was chosen to be a Seeker (a kind of captain) in a

magical sport called Quidditch.

On the other side of his life at Hogwarts, Harry lives in Gryffindor dormitory with his two

best friends, Ronald Weasley who is famous for being ridiculous and funny and Hermione

Granger who is extraordinarily intelligent even though he has muggle blood (muggle: not

from wizard descent). In addition to friends, it turns out that Harry also has enemies at

Hogwarts. They are Draco Malfoy, a pale-faced Slytherin house boy and Severus Snape, a

Hogwarts potions teacher who had served as a death eater. They both often wanted to bully

Harry, but unfortunately always failed.

At the end of the story, Harry manages to find out that someone wants to steal the

"Philosopher’s Stone", the magic stone, hidden at Hogwarts. The water produced by the stone

can make the drinker live long. That was what Voldemort was after, the enemy who had

killed Harry's parents. However, Harry, Ron and Hermione could thwart his plans. Harry had

almost lost his soul when suddenly his scar was so painful as he faced Voldemort who had

possessed Quirrel. Harry could hardly have been saved if Dumbledore, his headmaster had

not come at the right time to help him.

Conclusion

After finishing this novel, I had a wonderful feeling as J. K. Rowling took me to the

wizarding world and had an amazing experience. There are some parts of this story that are

my favorites and I often reread them. Of course, I love all the parts of the books but these

three parts were so memorable to me. First is when Harry and Hagrid are shopping some

wizarding stuff for school. They went to a secret place somewhere in London, called Diagon

Alley.

In Diagon Alley first of all Harry and Hagrid go to the bank to take some money that Harry’s

parents keep. Just imagining the place is already cool. Harry bought, broomstick, wand, and

Hagrid hand him an owl as birthday present. My second favorite part is when Harry first

time meeting Ron and Hermione in the train. He definitely looks very happy to have lunch in

the train and chatting with Ron because we know that Harry never had friends before. And

then the third favorite part is when the new student of Hogwarts, includes Harry and his

friends were gathered in a very huge entrance hall. In that place, Harry and his friends will be

sorted into houses they will live in. It is not like some kind of test that will sort them, but the

sorting hat does it. Then the sorting hat began to sing:

“Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So, try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

Strengths

The presentation of conflict and climax is very interesting, making the readers always

satisfied with the ending of the story.

The characterizations of antagonists and antagonists are described clearly and in detail.

Having a regular and interconnected plot, so that cause and effect can be easily analogized by

the reader,

The events that are told are easy to imagine, simple and fantastic as if the reader actually

witnessed and even participated in the adventure in this story,

Interspersed with humor and silly actions from the supporting cast so that it is very

entertaining and does not bore the reader.

Weakness

It's just that this novel has a lot of supporting characters with English names that are difficult

to remember. Honestly, I forget most of these supporting characters, even when I was writing

this review, I’ve to look at the book again to avoid misspelled the characters name.