Happy Monday Bookworms!
I know, I know. It sucks to start a brand new work week or school week or whatever. Heck, I’ve got a Monday fever, and the only cure is HARRY POTTER. I’ve been blogging for over 3 years and have talked about Harry and the gang plenty, but I’ve never done any sort of official review of the books. When some of my favorite bloggers at The Estella Society (Heather, Andi, Amanda, I love all your faces) announced a Harry Potter re-read-along, it seemed like kismet. There are few things that are guaranteed to lift my mood the way Harry Potter can. Since everyone already knows all the HP things (and if you don’t you probably don’t give a figgy pudding about spoilers) I thought I’d forgo official reviews with synopses and such and focus on my raw reactions upon re-visiting these books. Without further ado, I present my rambling thoughts on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
- Dumbledore, I love you, I really, truly do, but WHO LEAVES A BABY ON A DOORSTEP?! Does the Wizarding World have any sort of Child Protective Services? Seriously, Ministry of Magic, you need to get your act together.
- Harry didn’t even have a library card when he lived with the Dursleys. SOB.
- “Hamburger restaurants” are mentioned repeatedly. I suppose in England not every single restaurant in the history of ever serves hamburgers? #cluelessAmerican
- “I don’t like cats. They make me sneeze.” ME TOO, HAGRID!
- Although, if Hagrid is allergic to cats, does that mean he can’t be around Professor McGonagall? Or perhaps only when she’s a cat? Are animagi hypoallergenic?
- Dude, why are Olivander’s eyes silver? That’s pretty friggin creepy.
- Molly Weasley is the BEST EVER. (And I’m so glad I named my car after her.)
- I know that I have the American version of HP, as the British version was The Philosopher’s Stone (not Sorcerer’s), but it made me wonder. In the original when they referred to Harry’s hair, did they use the term “bangs” or “fringe”?
- Rats are not on the approved pet list. Scabbers being banned from Hogwarts from the get-go would have been helpful, no? Hindsight being 20/20 and all. Cats, owls, and toads are the only pets mentioned in the supply list…
- I WANT A WEASLEY SWEATER! Seriously, I can think of nothing more wonderful than opening up a lumpy, magically knit, monogrammed sweater for Christmas. Does Molly have an official fan club? Because I would join it.
- Baby dragons thrive on a mixture of brandy and chicken blood, which explains why dragons raid liquor stores and chicken coops in equal measure. (I can’t back up that last part, but it makes me laugh.)
- I wish my final exams had consisted of making pineapples tap dance. I would have owned that challenge. There’d have been sequins, you guys.
- I get goosebumps EVERY SINGLE TIME Neville gets awarded those last ten points and Gryffindor wins the house cup! Oh Neville!
I’m kind of surprised by my reactions too. I mean, not a single ode to Hermione? I do love her, she just didn’t make my notepad for some reason. Oh well. The series is young. We have six more books in which I can fawn over everyone. Siiigh. It’s like visiting old friends.
Talk to me Bookworms! Do YOU think animagi are hypoallergenic? And do you think it’s advised that pregnant dragons drink alcohol, seeing how beneficial it is to the hatched offspring? I mean, if they’re not mammals then they don’t nurse, so what would wild dragon babies be eating? Chickens would be easy enough to come by, but brandy? In remote Romanian mountains? Hmmm….
*If you make a purchase through a link on this site, I will receive a small commission. All proceeds will likely fund my expanding collection of Ravenclaw paraphernalia. #HOUSEPRIDE*
Heather @ Capricious Reader
Oh geez, now I want a cat named Molly Weasley. Actually, I think I’ll name my someday goat that. So when she head butts people I can say NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH.
That will be so soul satisfying.
Words For Worms
Not my cat, I’m allergic. My car. My glorious SUV with the heated seats that just happens to be red, like Molly’s hair. Though, come to think of it, a goat named Molly Weasley would be pretty cool too.
Akilah
It was the ’70s. Leaving a baby on a door step was a perfectly legitimate thing to do. At least that’s what all my TV/movie watching tells me.
Words For Worms
LOL, well according to Lifetime Original movies, I’d have to agree. I always forget that Harry is a few years older than I am because when I read the books the first time, I was already quite a bit older than Harry.
Megan M.
I’ve tried re-reading HP, but the movies being on TV constantly (ABC Family or whatever you call yourself now, I’m looking at you…) made it really hard for me because I felt oversaturated with the story of the first few books. But I’ll be excited to read them with my kids whenever that magical event comes about! Squeeeeee! (Have you read Carry On yet? This feels like a related question since Simon Snow is obviously inspired by HP.)
Words For Worms
Ah yes. I understand. Luckily (or unluckily?) Hubs usually comandeers the remote to prevent me from binge watching the movies so I’m not burned out on them.
Words For Worms
Oh but Carry on! No I haven’t read it yet, I’m trying to reign in my book spending so I’m like number 16 on the library waitlist. Wah waaaaaaaaah. I should have been more on top of begging the publisher for a copy, but I’ve been very lazy about ARCs lately.
Leah @ Books Speak Volumes
I’m re-reading the series right now, too! I’ve been so out of the blogging loop that I didn’t even know the readalong was a thing.
I had the same thought about Dumbledore leaving Harry on the doorstep. Like, why did leaving a baby on a porch overnight seem like a good idea?!
Somer
Ah….I just love re-reading Harry Potter. I like to do it every few years or so, so that it has a “freshness” to it. And so great to read them back to back too!
Words For Worms
My last visit to the series was about 2 years ago, so it’s great timing :).
Andi
Ok, you’ve inspired me! I’m totes doing reactions as I read these. PINEAPPLES! I cannot wait to get to some of the later books when Molly Weasley kicks some ass.
Amy @ Read a Latte
I love this so MUCH… it’s a great reminder that I have to get moving on the readalong! Also I’VE ALWAYS WANTED A MOLLY WEASLEY SWEATER! And now I’m sitting here really wondering if animagi are hypoallergenic and I gotta say I think they probably are.
Monika @ Lovely Bookshelf
I just started watching the movies with C and she LOVES it (I think I can safely go to #4 before needing to wait until she’s older). Love that scene where Neville gets the final 10 pts, woohoo! And YES I want a Weasley sweater, too!
Words For Worms
My friend did the same thing with her son. She let him read 1-3 and made him wait before hitting up Goblet of Fire.
Melissa
I bought the Philosopher’s Stone in London, and it says “fringe.”
Words For Worms
Yaaaaaaaas!
Michelle
Love! I should remember this format on my next re-read of a beloved favorite.
Words For Worms
It’s not much of a format, but it seems to be working, so I’ll take it!
Amanda R.
A friend knit Atticus some Weasley sweaters when he was a baby. I love them! I just need her to take on the challenge of knitting one for an adult!
Katie @ Doing Dewey
Haha, I love your commentary on this book! It made me smile and reminded me of so many things I loved about it 🙂
Words For Worms
It’s like visiting an old friend. I rarely re-read anything, but I make exceptions Harry Potter!
Brona
I’m just catching up here.
I never knew there was a different name for The Philosopher’s Stone in the US – it was one of the things I discovered with this reread 🙂
So, yes, HPATPS refers to Harry’s fringe and Mrs Weasley knits jumpers, nots sweaters! They eat jelly, not jell-o and mum is spelt with a ‘u’. I don’t remember the hamburger reference – I’ll check it out.
http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/harry-potter-and-philosopher-stone-by.html
Brona
PS I made the assumption the Dumbledore did some kind of magic charm on Harry to keep him safe on the doorstep…but we all know what happens when we assume 🙂