Young Harry Potter is living a normal life with his aunt, uncle and cousin, but the day when a bearded giant kicks down his door and tells him he’s a wizard, this young boy’s life changes forever.
He learns all about magical creatures, spells, and much more at Hogwarts, a school for young wizards and witches. Here he also meets his best friends, his arch-enemy, and a dark wizard determined to kill him. Follow this young wizard’s adventures and explore the world of magic!
The Harry Potter series of books was written by J.K Rowling, and the first book, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”, was published by Bloomsbury on June 26, 1997. It is principally categorized as epic fantasy, but it can also fit under mystery, drama, and adult fiction. There are a total of 4,224 pages for the first seven books.
This story takes place in England in the 1990s, most notably at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, described as “A stronghold of ancient magic.” The main characters include Harry Potter, the boy who survived the Killing Curse when he was a child, his two best friends Ron Weasley, the funny and loyal wizard, and Hermione Granger, the witch who has been called “the brightest of her age”.
Other important characters include his mentor and Headmaster Professor Dumbledore, his arch-enemy Draco Malfoy, and the demonic Lord Voldemort, a Dark Wizard determined to take control of the world. The plot of this series follows Harry’s adventures in the wizarding world, his school life, and his encounters with the Dark Arts. The story is told in third person, describing what Harry experiences and sees. Depending on what part of the many books, you will surely be taken on a roller coaster ride of emotions.
The purpose of J.K. Rowling when writing the Harry Potter series, according to an interview, was to teach children to face their fears, to not believe that you’re insignificant, and to succeed when you put your mind to something. “The idea that we could have a child who escapes from the confines of the adult world and goes somewhere where he has power, both literally and metaphorically, really appealed to me.”
I personally do not have a favourite part of the series, but if I had to choose, I would choose book number six, The Half-Blood Prince, because it built up the story, explained in more depth the origin of Lord Voldemort, and it was also very exciting. My favorite quotes from this series are both from Professor Dumbledore, and in the Half-Blood Prince. “Each of us believes that what he has to say is much more important than anything the other might contribute.” (Page #336), as well as “It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.” (Page #529).
What makes this series so memorable is the world that J.K Rowling created in the first book, that expanded thousands of imaginations around the world. She made the characters so unique, personal and realistic, that people can relate to them. The plot is definitely another strength and I felt like I was living as Harry Potter when I was reading the book as his emotions were so realistic. Possibly the one thing that I would prefer is that there was more LGBTQ2S+ involvement, but I understand that in those days, it was a less serious topic.
Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born near Bristol, England, and lived with her mother, Anne, her father, Peter, and her sister, Dianne, in Gloucestershire. She has always been intrigued by literature, and when she was eleven, she wrote her first novel about seven cursed diamonds. The idea of Harry Potter came to her when she was waiting for a late train at King’s Cross Station, the very same train station that Harry uses to go to Hogwarts. J.K Rowling also writes under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, with the series following Cormoran Strike, a detective, has written the screenplays for the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series of movies, her playwright for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two and a children’s novel, The Ickabog. She currently lives in Edinburgh with her husband Dr. Neil Murray, their children David (born in 2003) and Mackenzie (born in 2005), and is in close contact with her daughter, fathered by Jorge Arantes, Jessica (born 1993). Under her name, J.K. Rowling has a total of 16 awards and has started three charities.
Anyone who likes novels about fantasy, magic, and adventure is strongly recommended to read the Harry Potter series. Millions of fans around the world have been astounded by the magical world J.K Rowling has created. Beloved by fans of all ages, this series will surely go down in literature history.
“Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and above all, those who live without love.”
Albus Dumbledore
