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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling


As a child of a year old, Harry Potter became one of the most famous people in the magical world. Now he's almost twelve years old and he still has yet to know the legacy he left behind him….

After surviving an attack by Lord Voldemort, Harry is left orphaned and alone. He is then sent to the Dursley's to be taken care of. He grows up in the "loving care" of the Dursley's but after a series of mysterious letters addressed to Harry, his uncle Vernon decides to move out of the house to a shack in the country, but to no avail. Then Hagrid arrives on the scene and whisks Harry off to London to buy his equipment for Harry's new school called Hogwarts. On the way to London, Hagrid explains to Harry that he (Harry) is a wizard. So Harry starts that September in Hogwarts knowing nothing about wizardry or the magical world.

However, on the Hogwarts Express, Harry instantly becomes a celebrity for the lightning scar on his forehead. Harry eventually manages to get a seat beside a boy called Ron Weasley. Harry and Ron instantly become friends and by the time they reach Hogwarts they have another friend by the name of Hermione Granger. Little do the three know of the adventures that lie before them….

At Hogwarts, Harry soon settles in and during a flying lesson becomes involved in a duel against Slytherin brat Draco Malfoy right in front of Professor Mc Gonagall. The professor immediately takes him to the Gryffindor Quidditch captain Oliver Wood. Oblivious to what is happening, Harry gains a place as a seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Harry becomes one of the best seekers Hogwarts has ever seen. As the year wears on the three discover about the Philosopher's Stone, but Harry, Ron and Hermione are not the only people who have discovered about this mysterious object….

Harry and Hermione are then caught wandering the corridors late at night and are given detention. During detention Harry finds out that Voldemort may still be alive. This spurs the three into action and after a series of miraculous escapes and cryptic clues, the three break into where the philosopher's stone is kept. A confrontation with Professor Quirrell in front of the mirror of Erised ensues and after a vicious fight, Professor Dumbledore manages to save Harry from the clutches of death, yet the philosopher's stone is destroyed. Harry then returns to the Muggle world to face the Dursley's….

This book is a brilliant book with a juicy storyline and excellent jokes thrown in as well. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves reading the unexpected. It is published by Bloomsbury. I would give this book a definite 10/10.

Reviewed by-
Shane O' Byrne,
Class 6A,
Ennis National School.

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