After a multitude of years of my Harry Potter loving friends chastising me to read the series I finally caved. On September 23, 2018, I finally picked up Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I waited so long to read this book for the same reason many others choose not to read it -- all of the hype behind it almost decreases its value. However, after having read all seven books I can tell you, without hesitation, the series lives up to its expectations and is a truly wonderful story.

One of the main reasons I chose to read the series was to figure out what J.K rowling could have possibly wrote to generate so much buzz, fame, and popularity (oh and 25 billion dollars). Rowling used a tactic that has been used in many books and movies (many of which are also extremely popular). Harry Potter was set in a world that contrasts immensely with the world we know. Take away all of the magic and excitement and all of there is left is a simple tale of good vs evil. The average person is bored of their average day to day lives. That’s why things like movies, tv shows, and books are a thing, to be an escape from reality and live in a new world full adventure and unfamiliar territory. 

Furthermore, Rowling has paid such close attention to the little details in the wizarding world. Every aspect of the world has been carefully thought through. J.K Rowling’s skillful, and dare I say “magical” writing brought the entire book alive and readers able to clearly envision life in the wizarding world. Her talent for writing paired with the plot and setting is what created such a loved novel.

Of course there were also a couple simple over-arching themes such as discrimination and choosing your own destiny. I really appreciate J.K rowling writing about racism and discrimination through the half-blood, muggle, and full-blood plot as it is a lesson children are not taught through books or media very often. I also loved Herminone playing the smart and leader type role. Before I read the series I thought she would play the classic and stereotypical “Pretty girl” that everyone has a crush on but plays no useful role other than to be a love interest of another character. Hermione was not afraid to be called “bossy” or be to smart and intimidate boys, she played a vital role in the book and Harry could never have defeated Voldomort without her help.

Overall, I would rate the series a 5/5 for me personally because I really enjoy far-fetched fiction stories specifically those with plots that are not plausible and have made a completely different new world in the book. For those that do not enjoy such novels I would not recommend the series. As for the movies (The half-blood prince and movies one to three are rated PG, the rest are PG-13) I was not a fan. They were very boring and the rich detail of the magic world was not captured very well most likely due to the time limit.  I would give them a ⅖.

Harry Potter’s fame and popularity brings me to wonder what the future of the series might bring. In 20 years will english classrooms be full of young teens analyzing the Philosopher’s Stone, tearing apart classic lines from the books?