January 12, 2013

"Every child in our world will know his name!"

 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Part I



So before we all started this Harry Potter readalong, there was a lot of Harry Potter talk, and all I could think about was how overwhelmed I was not knowing much at all about the wonderful world of Harry Potter. BUT NOW. Now, it's all starting to make sense! Yay, soon (like the next few months soon), I will no longer be living under this rock where all I know is Harry Potter's name. While I have this vague feeling while reading this first book of having read it before, I really don't remember much of it at all. Other than poor Harry living under the stairs for the first 10 years of his life.

This week we read Chapters one through nine. And while I couldn't possibly provide any spoilers for things to come, spoilers are inevitable for what has already been read. So consider yourself warned. Although I'm pretty sure this isn't going to be an issue for like anyone. 

"...He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!" (p. 15)

- When JKR wrote that quote, do you think she had any idea just how famous Harry Potter would really become? It's amazing really - to think about writing a series of books that would become so famous that literally everyone has heard of them. 

- Oh god The Dursley's are the most infuriating people EVER. I wanted to reach through the pages and grab them all by the scruff of their necks and shake 'em.  My blood pressure literally rose when Harry kept receiving all those letters and Mr Dursley kept intercepting ALL OF THEM. I really hope Harry casts a spell on them later on. Why did Dumbledore leave Harry with the awful Dursley's for SO LONG? Why was it so necessary that he be "raised" (and I use that term loosely because he wasn't really raised - he was pretty much neglected) by blood-relatives? Would Harry going off to Wizard school not seem as exciting to the reader had he been raised in a loving household? Or was JKR just following the whole orphan-hero theme that is so common in so many children's stories (Pippi, Series of Unfortunate Events, James and the Giant Peach, Hugo Cabret, etc). I mean, I like Harry right away, but is that because I feel compassion and empathy for what he's been through? Is that the whole point?

- When Harry figured out he could talk to the snake at the zoo, I pictured the snake from The Jungle Book. I'm sure that snake didn't get far - much like Alfred The Turtle.

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- We meet Hagrid! And I love him. I love that he gets to give Harry hope that there's actually a whole other life waiting for him outside of the sheltered one he's living with the Dursley's. And he brings Harry a birthday cake and buys him his owl for a birthday gift, knowing very well that Harry's never gotten anything for his birthday before. Tell me that isn't sweet!

- Oh Ron and Hermione. I mean, I know they all become great friends (well, I'm assuming this based on the film previews I've seen), but Hermione - you are SO annoying. And SO bossy! I'm assuming she becomes more tolerable as the books go on...and by "as the books go on", I mean, it better happen in this book.

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Oh, The CUTENESS!

- All the first year students take turns sitting under the sorting hat to see which house they get placed in. (Now I get all this house talk!). Does Harry's dream (that he doesn't remember when he wakes up) about how he must transfer to Slytherin because that's his destiny, foreshadowing events to come?? Hmmm. Don't answer that.

- I do not remember Snape, but I do not like him.

- Harry's a natural at broom-flying.

When I got to the end of chapter 9, there was an old bookmark in the page from when this book was last read over 10 years ago. In the same spot that this part of the readalong ended! It's like I knew I'd be back one day.

27 comments:

  1. Ahhhh I remember reading this for the first time - it took me 1 day! I also waited to read these. I knew I wouldn't be able to wait for the next book, so I waited 10 YEARS for all 7 books to come out! Then I read them ALL in 5 days! Worth the wait, that's for sure. I had also vowed that I wasn't going to watch the movies either, but I caved and had watched the first 3.... oh well. I know you will enjoy these :)

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    1. WOW, all in 5 days! That's amazing, Tammy! I'm kinda glad I get to pace myself - I mean, this this the only time I will ever get to experience Harry and Hogwarts for the first time. :)

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    2. Lauren and I read them at the same time for the first 4 or 5 books. It was a fun way to read together, like our own private book club.

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  2. Yay for Harry Potter! I've reread the first one through audiobook, and hope to continue through the series! I can't believe how addicting these books were ... And the movies were so faithful to the books!

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    1. I'm actually REALLY excited to start watching the movies too! And at least that's something hubby will do with me ;)

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  3. Awwww, I love that the bookmark was that all READY for you! THINGS have been happening that prove this readalong was totally meant to be. And by THINGS, I mean that and also the fact that I haven't read the books for FOUR AND A HALF YEARS for no good reason. Except that I was clearly waiting for this.

    Also THOSE DAMN DURSLEYS! Argh. At least they're gone now! For now...

    I haven't seen the films (or, ok, I've seen the first one and the sixth one and parts of the others) but ZOMG teeeeeeny Daniel Radcliffe et al! So sweet!

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    1. All three of them are so teeny and cute and I just want to squish their faces in my hands!

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    2. Really, Laura?? You haven't seen the films?! I assumed everyone's read the books AND seen all the films. Maybe you need to read a book, watch a movie, read a book, watch a movie, etc, too! :) Everytime I visit my sister-in-law and nephews she tries to get me to watch them but I'm always like "I CAN'T", not before I read the books.

      I'm going to leave that bookmark in the pages where I found it. I love SIGNS! ;)

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  4. YAY for finally reading this AND reading it as part of this readalong. I am so excited to see your reactions to reading this for the first time :)

    Hagrid is the best and SO SWEET buying him the owl and bringing him a birthday cake, and giving his cousin a pig tail. I like to think that was sort of a birthday gift as well.

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    1. Haha yes, the pig tail was definitely a birthday gift as well!

      I'm so excited to finally be reading these as well. And reading them with all of you is just going to make the experience that much better :)

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  5. Lol, that's funny. You just got an early start! I hope you make it through this time!!

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  6. That last gif! I can not handle the cuteness.

    I love that quote. I think JKR knew, or at least had a feeling that, these books were going to be big.

    I'm so glad you're reading this! I hope you're liking it.

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    1. It really blows my mind to think about being able to come up with such an amazing story and ideas. I mean, I struggle to write blog posts sometimes! Haha.

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  7. Yay, you're reading it! Yea, I agree with you, Hermione was freaking annoying at first. Hope you enjoy the rest of the books, Brie! :)

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  8. I haven't read these books either! I should have joined this read-a-long because I do want to read them one day. I'm excited to keep up with you progress, though maybe I shouldn't because then I will know everything. I am the one person in the world that the spoilers will actually affect! LOL

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    1. WHAT!? Seriously? That shocks me, Jenni! I thought for sure you had read them! You should totally read along with us - even if you don't want to have posts about it, you can still read with us :) DO IT.

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  9. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far, Brie! I definitely want to reread Harry Potter again, but I'm waiting a while so that I won't have things still fresh in my mind. I want to notice things that I'd forgotten. :)

    That's crazy that your bookmark from before was right where this part of the read-a-long ended...it was definitely meant to be! :D

    I'm looking forward to more updates! And I hope you enjoy it, Brie! :D

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    1. That's the one thing with readalongs - I end up noticing a lot more things than I normally would have had I read the book on my own. Mostly because others are pointing these things out! Which is both good and bad. Sometimes it does take a bit away from the experience because we over analyze things, but at the same time, I like that part too! The discussions are definitely worth it :)

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    2. I kind of like that aspect for little details too, but I agree that it could make it feel like you're over analyzing things...like when you read it for school. :P That's true, sometimes I hate analyzing stuff, but other times it does really bring a new perspective and makes you appreciate a work even more. :D I'm glad you're enjoying them! :D

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  10. Hagrid is the sweetest, most awesome and amazing character ever. Everything he does for Harry is just so heart-warming and thoughtful, he's just a beautiful person basically!

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    1. He really is, isn't he! I keep thinking, "why didn't he just raise Harry after his parent's died?!"

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  11. SUCH a good observation about Rowling's somewhat prophetic paragraph there. I think about that all the time. I mean, by the second book, I'm sure she realized it was gonna be huge...and so did her publisher. But it would still be so WEIRD to watch it grow and grow and grow and become a separate entity almost. Art is crazy like that.

    I'm glad you're enjoying your first read as much as I am!

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    1. Art *IS* crazy like that! I can't even imagine being able to come up with an idea like "Harry Potter", let alone having said idea become world-famous!

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  12. I love that quote on page 15, and how it came true for the muggle world too! :)

    How is Harry not incredibly bitter after living in a cupboard for 10 years? If I were raised by the Dursleys, friendless, and bullied constantly, I would have turned out to be the bitterest misanthropic kid in all of Great Britain. Kid came out surprisingly "normal".

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    1. YEs! Exactly. He's still like the nicest boy around. In normal life, he'd be like the biggest bully EVER!

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