Harry Potter books one and two

This post and all posts about Harry Potter will contain spoilers.

I first read Harry Potter in late 1999, the year book three came out. My friend had lent them to me, this was the same friend who told me about His Dark Materials. Even though we are not as close as we once were, we still share book recommendations with one another and she’s lent me a number of her books for the summer while she studies abroad including a couple for the Book Awards Challenge.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: I really like one of the first scenes of Harry’s magical ability is with the snake at the zoo. I know it’s Voldemort’s territory, but I’m surprised Harry has not been using his Parseltongue abilities more in the later books. I’ve always found it a fascinating albeit dark magical ability.

In Chapter 5, Hagrid knits. I love any knitting reference in these books. Is JKR a knitter? She must know a couple, but I love that Hagrid knits and Dumbledore enjoys knitting patterns.

When Harry has his sorting hat paranoia seems so very similar to myself — worrier, nervous, over active imagination. Harry has become much more confident over the years, and I’ve seen his progression, but also his true core as a resourceful, brave, and loyal person.

I miss Dumbledore. I’ll give you a pair of wool socks! Books and wool socks, perfect match for Christmas in my opinion.

This book sets off right away the antagonism between Harry vs. Snape. My friend and I shared emails over this. Harry is right about a lot of things in the books, but the one thing we hope he is most wrong about is the nature of Severus Snape. More on that when I review Book Six.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
: Continuity: when the Malfoys are at Borgin and Burke’s in Knockturn Alley, he notices both the cabinet and the Hand of Glory that he uses for the attack on Hogwarts in HBP. Book 2 and 6 share a lot of parallels. Both of them feature people’s relationships with strangers who have left messages in books and ultimate (alleged) betrayals the end.

As someone who is a Ginny fan and a bit of a shipper (heh), I did like this book and really considered H/G to be canon which came true to form in HBP.

I actually listened to the audiobook for this rather than read it because I want an excuse for that and also I finished knitting something while listening to it. I did like the ending more than I remembered because Harry was alone in his battle against Voldemort in first couple of books even if he is in different forms. There’s more team work in the later books.

3 thoughts on “Harry Potter books one and two

  • Nymeth

    I miss Dumbledore too.

    I wish I had taken the time to do this – re-read the books before the last one. I hope I have the time to at least re-read the 6th one. About Snape, nothing has ever made him trust him as much as book six. I look forward to your thoughts on it.

    Reply
  • dew

    I just started to reread book 4, and I’d forgotten what an angry teen Harry is when in the opening chapters! Understandable, really, considering he’s just spent a month with the Dursleys.

    Reply
  • Athena (Post author)

    Oh dew, I wish I was reading GoF now, but I have to pace myself for the read along. Harry was an angry teen, something I always found amusing and realistic. I’m not surprised he isn’t more of an anger filled person. He’s matured a lot by the end of HBP.

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