A nasty head ache, my faithful PC of three years crashed, things were not certainly looking up for me that day. I needed magic – magic to set things right – that’s when my eyes fell on the book “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s stone” and true it is, the magic cast a spell on me – the head ache was gone, the PC forgotten J.
Well, there are no young school-going kids in my house, nor am I an avid reader of magic and mystery paperbacks. Non-fiction seems to be the flavor of the day for me now. Then, why did I buy this book?. I am not the kind of person who falls into the hype created by the media or the onslaught of relentless commercials. Looks like the “book found its reader ;-)’’ .
Should I narrate the story and list the characters ? Nah, I don’t think I should do that. Harry, his friends and foe - are already famous – Harry, Ron, Dursleys, - each one of them is in every child’s dream. I will get straight onto my review.
After reading it, the feelings are mixed. It sure doesn’t live up to the hype and hoopla it has generated. It might be true that kids have started reading books, and no doubt that it is captivating. The formula is - add the magic and setting of Avalon; mix it with Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew type of characters and couple it with the power of advertising, and presto !!!, you have a best seller that attracts kids in hoards.
The books is good for light reading – the magic doesn’t last long enough. The characters are well crafted. There are unique Rowling touches all along on the canvas – the howlers for one – reminds you of the “dishum dishum” ad for a toothpaste :-).
P.S. This review was written around six months back. I just found it on my hard disk while on a cleaning-drive. So here it is. Don’t ask me why I didn’t publish. Well, then I would have to tell you about my strange ways. :-(. Better late than never, I guess ;-).