Narrated by Stephen Fry
Category: Children’s
Challenges: R.I.P. V Challenge
Synopsis: Harry Potter lives with his aunt, uncle and cousin who do NOT like him when he finds out that all the weird things that happen to him are because he is a wizard. The wizarding world is full of interesting and frightening creatures and people, and no place more so than Hogwarts School at which Harry is now a student.
My Thoughts: It’s been quite some time since I read or listened to the Philosopher’s Stone and I got to fall in love with this book all over again. It really was a case of falling in love all over. Harry and his friends are so incredibly innocent and likeable in this book.
In addition to the general likeability of the main and supporting characters Rowling paints a picture of an incredibly wonderful magical world. I am always caught by the description of Harry’s first meal in the Great Hall. The description of the heaping platters and the general bustle of the great hall always paints such a vivid picture for me. Plus it always makes me incredibly hungry. The fantastic thing about listening to this part of the story was that these pictures somehow became even more vivid. Fry’s voice lent something a little extra to this picture. I really loved it.
The general themes that are present throughout the series are first presented in this book: friendships (and how we are stronger with our friends), good vs. evil and finding strength within. I find, now that I have read the whole series (multiple times), that especially the theme of friendship is very strong in this book. Throughout the growth of the friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione the reader is shown how they complement each other and how each is made stronger through the others. In today’s world I think it is so important to emphasise the strength we can take from each other.
As I have previously said I do really love Stephen Fry’s narrations. He has a very comforting voice at the same time as he manages to make each of the characters their own and make the story come alive.
Purchase Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in audio from BookDepository
Copyright ©2010 Zee from Notes from the North. This post was originally posted by Zee from Notes from the North. It should not be reproduced without express written permission.
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5 comments:
whoa, you're so making me want to read Harry Potter all over again! I had forgotten how fresh and innocent it all was in the first book!
I love it that Rowling always tells us what foods they're eating! The start-of-term feasts always sound absolutely sumptuous. :)
I wonder what it would be like if I put these books away and didn't read them for a few years, then tried again...
One day I really should read this entire series...
I loved the experience of this book on audio. Like you it had been a while since I read Harry Potter and it felt like discovering that world all over again..
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