Harry Potter, a general review
by Tom Cordeaux
I succumbed to the lure of Harry Potter when a friend offered to let me read the series, this was before Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was published. I was somewhat apprehensive as the majority of the publicity was aimed at the younger readers but so many people had said they were a ‘great read’. Anyway I started on the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and was hooked from almost the first page.
The characters though children were never treated as extraordinary, magic was normal. They were also still children not adult characters in a children’s environment. The plot was clever and eminently gripping. Harry had many characteristics that most men would recognise from their own childhood and the story never fell into ridding the story of nasty characters, Harry’s’ ‘foster’ family are still there and you end up feeling sorry that they cannot see beyond their own noses.
The first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone introduced Harry to a new world where children were still children even though their world involved flying on broom sticks, learing and making potions and casting spells. Around all this was Harrys’ extordinary history as the one who survived and somehow defeated “the one who must not be named” Voldemort. Even in this new place there are children and teachers who either do dislike Harry or appear to do so.Harry makes friends and helps prevent a disaster all in his first year and with all this he finds a love of Quidditch – go for it Harry!
Book two Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, back to school and another adventure. Second year students have more to learn and it appears more to be afraid of.
Book three Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, another year at Hogwarts and Harry meets his uncle the only other living relative. How do you save someone who everyone thinks is a murderer. Harry and friends succeed and reveal more secrets at the school.
There is so much of the world that has not been revealed that each new book is able to explore the myths of our world and lay it next door to the mundane universe. The latest book Goblet of Fire was devoured with excessive greed.
Though I loved it, the story continually grows and fits with the way the others have written,but I was slightly disappointed. I expected something more, I do not know exactly what but it was missing something, maybe the heavy emphasis on the “bad guy” Voldemort, who though was the main thread through all the books I was hoping it would explore other areas in more detail. This may just be an opinion from an adult reader, but all the same I still await the next instalment-is there a university for wizards! I need to apply.
Extract From: http://www.wizardsharry.com/potterbr.html
Sundas Liaqat 