Hey, everyone! You may use this thread to give us your general feel of having reread the first book now that you've read the last one! Feel free to discuss pretty much whatever you'd like; give us your impressions, your thoughts, your feelings. . .anything as it's relating to your reread!

Starting out, I'm finding it more enjoyable. When I first read this book, honestly, I put it down after the first chapter and didn't care if I ever picked it up again. I really was that bored with it. I thought that the set-up for the entire thing took too long. Now, it's a little more interesting to me to see the reactions and relations of Harry and the Dursley's and how Harry fits in with the regular world - or doesn't, as the case may be.

See, i love the way the first chapter is written. The first sentence is perfect, the way it's structured. There are no holes, and the chapter flows really well, in my opinion. The amount of times i've read this chapter ... I can't get enough of it!

(I love this re-read idea, by the way. I'm almost constantly re-reading the books anyway, so this will be great for everyone to get back into HP).

I've always loved the first chapter. Ever since i first read it when i was ... oh darn, nine? It was before GoF was out, i was given the first three to me for Christmas by the Grandma. She said, "These are becoming quite popular in England, you would like them!". So i started reading PS and i loved it.

I really like how structured the Dursley's are shown-how they don't believe in nonsence, how their lifes are perfectly normal 'Thank you very much'. I love how their perfect world is suddenly interupted by magic and all things opposite. I always loved magic as a little kid, anything make-believe, so this was my kind of book. Yes, like passerby i found it incredibly long when i first read it, i remember showing my Mum, going "Look Mum, look how long the first chapter is!!!" Little did we know how much more was to come ...

So i love the introduction of the first chapter. And i also find it funny to read back on that, then to skip forward to DH. It's easy to see how JKR's writing has, while already good, gotten way more brilliant as the books progress.

I must say that I think I have only read this book 2 times because when I first became a fan I had read it and that was so long ago like in 2002.Then I had got all of the books again and I never read it again. I always started with the CoS because it was my fav book so I loved reading it more. I don't think the SS peaked my interest that much but now that we are doing this reread, I'm excited to see all of the things I missed and see the many clues that forshadow whats to come...I'm excited!

Ok, random list discussion.



Lol. Anyway, I love the list when I reread the cook. It's strange, but it's true. Also, the whole book was a little better than the second.

I remember not being a fan of the books before the film came out. That doesn't mean to say i've jumped on the band wagon, it's just i respond better to visuals than anything else. I never used to get why everyone was so interested in Harry Potter; i thought it was chiche, the whole wizard thing. But then i was dragged to see the film by my sister, who was about 25 and had never read the books but was really excited about the film, and the story just grabbed my attention. I loved the way it was so unusual, and surreal ... that was always the sort of thing i liked when it came to watching films, whever something unusual happened, like an animal transforming into a human ...
So, it went on from there. I tried to read the second book but i had a short attention span for reading at the age of eleven, so i skipped loads of chapters in the middle. Then i watched the second film, and after that i started reading the books more. I have to admit, i didn't read the first book for the first time until about two years ago. I remember reading PoA and i loved it! There were a lot of surreal moments in that book, which is what grabbed my attention - the time travel sequence was like errotica, it made me drool (not literally of course, that would have made a mess! ).
But anyway, the first book has become a very inspirational part of my life. Just reading the first chapter sparks off plenty of ideas for a very special project i'm doing.

OK so I'm at chapter 4..I know I started late today reading, but I realize that Dumbledore makes some of the weirdest comments...lol. They are so funny and I really like the first chapter how it set everything up as if someone is just looking down on all of this. I also like the last sentence in the first chapter.

I really liek that quote because it could have been used again in the last book at the very end as well because once again Harry became the boy who lived u know? That is definitely something that stood out to me.

I'm on chapter six right now! I felt so sorry for Harry when he found out that he was a wizard but his "relatives" never told him. I felt like I could feel his pain, his grief that his parents didn't really die in a car crash and that the greatest Dark wizard in the world is after him really struck me like it struck him. I feel so close to Harry this time I read the book and I don't know what makes this time different than the others!

Out of all of the HP books, i definetley think that SS is the one that i have, unfortunately, neglected the most :-(
I think ive read it about 3 times, because i usually prefer to read the last 3 over and over again rather than going back to the first for some reason.
But i am so happy that i have started to read the whole series again!
It amazing the little details that get forgotten over time - for example, i forgot about Dumbledore's scar over his left knee that looks like the London Underground - i got a hilarious mental image when i read that line yesterday!
Im on chapter 5 right now, i cannot wait to keep reading!

jonasgurl, i'd just like to say that your post reflects some of the same feelings i have about the first book. I'm also on chapter 4, and i also started reading the book a little bit late yesterday; i ended up reading various sentences in the first chapter over and over again, like the final sentence - there's so much detail to each chapter, it's very easy to overlook some parts. And it's usually the last sentence of each chapter i have to read over more than once in order to take it in a certain way.

I have to admit, today i was reading the second and third chapter, and i felt like i could imagine how Harry felt, more than i could before. It's like a barrier has been taken down and i can understand why Harry reacts in certain ways. Also, when i read the first chapter, i never really appreciated before why McGonagal was so upset and surprised by Harry's parents being killed, but the other day i suddenly understood the significance of their murder. I think after watching the film so many times and knowing the story so well, i have taken this aspect of the book for granted. I could imagine how tragic it seemed to McGonagal that after everything the Order went through to keep James and Lily and their son safe, Voldemort actually managed to find them and kill them, but astoundingly their son survived ... how disturbing must that have been?

I am always astounded at how "normal" JKR seems to make Harry and the Dursleys. I know that sounds odd, but what I mean is she casually describes how Harry sleeps in a cupboard under the stairs, how the Dursley's reject magic and the world it comes from, how Vernon does everything in his power with increasing desperation to keep that world at bay - and then bam! - we have Hagrid arriving to tell Harry the truth.

Harry's neglect by the Dursley's is awful, and as a mother of three children, I couldn't imagine ever treating any child like that - unwanted relative or not. I related to Harry's feelings of not belonging even before he knew why he didn't belong in the muggleworld: losing a parent at such a young age (let alone both of them!) can be an incredibly alienating experience. I so yearned for Harry to have a family that he could relate to and be loved by, and this issue was just as intriguing to me as the whole magical world situation.

I saw the film (PS) before I started to read the books, and then I was completely hooked, and am still (I've just finished reading the Twilight series, and although I enjoyed it, I don't think I'll be re-reading it 7 times the way I have re-read the whole HP series to-date!!!). I will re-read PS now I've finished Breaking Dawn, so I can properly participate in this discussion!

QUOTE
He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter---the boy who lived."
I dont get that- weren't McGonagol and DD saying how wizards are not being sutble about it??? but here it says the wizards are doing it in secret

also speaking of lists- the letter syas
students may bring a owl Or cat OR toad'
but Ron takes a rat lol

I read half the book in about 3 hours yesterday- but I'm cramming for exams now so it will have to wait tillt hursday night to be finished

I started reading PS last night! Ok, it was like 2.30 am. I left it at 3.40 and got till chapter 5 Well, not the entire chapter because I was tired, I left after theire visit Harry's vault.

It was really hard to make the exercise of leaving every subjetive charge behind, because I read PS for the first time like two years after the movie was released,so I already had the characters in my mind. My first impression that time was of deep confusion,because thatwas my first experience of reading a book that had been turned into a movie, and I didn't know how different they could be. I was really puzzled with the first chapter, because it told things they had been left out of the movie!

And that's all I can remember from my first time, because that part of my life is quite forgotten, don't know why. But all the time I tried to compare the movie with the book, that for sure, and thought the book was much better.

So, now I tried to forget everything I knew, all the other books, to have true first impressions.

As Magelirose said, I was impressed as well by the way JK describes the Dursleys life, and then Harry's life with them. I wish I had the books in English so I'd learn a bit more of her writiong style, but from the Spanish version, I was really amused (I mean, when you're torn between the tears and laughter) by how she says "Mr and Mrs Dursley were very normal people" all the time. I think my favourite line of that first chapter is when she says "How wrong he was." in regards to Vernon.
Also ,it horrifies me too the way Harry is treated. It's really hurtful the way he's treated as scum! I never can't help but imagining poor little Harry, how she must have treated himwhen he barely could walk on his own. Who changed his diapers? Who fed him? Where did he sleep? I've thought maybe they hired someone to do it for them. I'd risk that Mrs Figg could have done it, but if she had, she would have had a much closer bond with Harry that would have shown up in OotP.



That part is one of the best in the book. It's really touching and almost made me cry last night.

Another thing that makes me feel like crying is Harry's resignation. I mean... it's really crap! Poor Harry! He had only a lemon ice cream! He had an eaten sandwich! He was used to people treating him badly, of bad things, of used clothes!

And I'll continue this tomorrow or later because I've got to leave and study, lol.

Well, there is something, I've noticed. I never realized how innocent Harry, Ron, and Hermione are, until I reread it. I decided to start dissecting each one through again. I never did this with Harry Potter. Actually this is my first rereading of the books. It is so much fun dissecting, though it is hard work I admit. Flipping from book to computer or notebook. Oh, well, its worth it.

I'm so with you! I was not a fan of HP at all when the books and movies started coming out, and now I'm actually obsessed. I love this book so much because it does have a lot of things that now that I'm done with the series, I realize held a lot of importance, even though there wasn't a lot of emphasis placed on them.

Wow I love reading all of you guy's comments...they really touch me. I'm currntly about to finish chapter 6 and I love how magical Diagon Alley really is. I enjoy reading of all the different descriptions of the shops and I love the scene with Ollivander. He's a ,ysterious character but I love him. I find myself getting so excited along with Harry as he is about to go to Hogwarts it's really amazing.

Also to monkeymushroom I find myself rereading a lot of things as well.It's amazing how so much ties into the whole story. I love it. And Hagrid is def becoming one of my fav characters again I love the way he is in this book.

I actually started watching the movies before I ever bought the first book. Once I started reading though I was hooked! I remember how sad I felt for Harry when I first read Sorcerer's Stone. It made me feel really bad for him. How his cruel family showed indifference towards him, by forcing him to live in a broom cupboard. I began comparing Harry to abused children that were forced to live in the same unloving conditions, filled with abuse and hate and I never could understand how Harry turned out to be such a "normal" loving person as he got older. Generally children living in the types of conditions that Harry was forced to live in grow up to become bitter individuals, criminals or abusive themselves.

I commend Harry for over coming really bad odds and making himself a much better person than what the Dursleys had made him out to be. Harry grew up with no love from his so-called "family" but he was a very loving vcaring individual towards others (the Weasleys, Dumbledore) he is a very strong person.

I love it when Harry meets Draco for the first time:

"Is it true? So it's you, is it?"

"Yes" said Harry. He looked at the other boys, both of whom were thickset and looked extremely mean.

"Oh this is Crabbe and this is Goyle" "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy"

Ron gave a slight cough, Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny do you?"

I just love that part "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there" He stuck out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry did'nt take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sorts are for myself thanks."

Right off the bat when Harry met Malfoy he totally dissed him. I believe that is why Malfoy set out on a mission to try and destroy Harry, because he was not used to being rejected by others.

I like that too. I just don't get how in the movie they have him asking Harry about friends right before the sorting ceremony. That makes me pout. I also. Draco is the coolest character, but I'm guessing that he's mean to Harry because he's jealous, and just like that way. It was the way he was raised. One of my favorite parts is when their getting their robes and Malfoy sees Hadgrid.



Harry is like that's my buddy and Draco's all like big whup you should see Dobby, and Malfoy Manor.

Ok so now I'm on Chapter 9 and I was just wondering how come Snape treats Harry so terribly when he first meets him. I mean he acts as if it was Harry's decision to become a famous wizard. I thought about it for a while and the only thing I could come up with is maybe he is just constantly reminded of James when he looks at Harry you know. I mean I can't see any other reason because Harry didn't even know Snape and in the first Potions lessons he immediately refers to Harry's fame when he can't answer the question and it made me so mad because I was just so shocked harshly he treats when he first meets him...so unfair. It's no longer they had problems in the future. What are yall thoughts?

I think snape is super mean to harry primarily because he was totally in love with Lily, and harry is the result of James's relationship with her instead of Snape.

I feel like it would be a little out of character for Malfoy to be trying to be all buddy-buddy with Harry. Wouldn't he be a supporter of Voldemort since his dad is a death eater and dislike Harry since he caused Voldy to go away for a while?

also, on a completely separate note... why do wizards use ink and quill and parchment paper? why not just pens. or for that matter why not computers? I've always just thought that was kind of weird.

I'm on chapter 12 now Two days left to finish it

I completely agree withharrrynerrrd about why Snape hated Harry so much at first. That has to be the reason why in my opinion.

I think the reason why wizards use parchment and quills and ink is because it just shows how completely different their world is from our own. It was probably just another difference JK Rowling added in to make the wizard world as original and different as she could. In fact, on a random note, I was in a museum a while ago, and they were selling pens in he style of HP quills, and i bought one because they were awesome

My favourite chapter in PS so far has got to be The Mirror of Erised. I couldn't believe how touched and weepy i was reading it - it never really effected me reading it before! I think its because the whole series is now completed and because i've sort of, um, known harry for all these years, i just fell so unbelievably sorry for him when he looked in the mirror and saw his family. My heart completely went out to him and i wanted to give him a massive hug! It was the same for me when Ron looked in the mirror - can you imagine how he must feel on a daily basis??? I read the chapter twice i liked it so much

I started rereading PS about 2 weeks ago now and the first thing that struck me was how JKR's writing had changed over the course of the books.

The first book now seems very relevant for the target market. It's easy to read and the characters seem very young, which in fact they are although I could sense even from this book that Harry and gang had a maturity that deepens as the series goes on.

I still love how this book starts and introduces us into the world of Hogwarts, witches, wizards and all that goes along with it. I remember the first time I read it thinking that Quidditch sounded very complicated yet now JK's description is very clearand allows the reader to visualise the game!

Looking forward to reading the next book. COS was my least favourite but I hope that since I haven't read it since, since...I don't know when, it will take me by surprise.

Yeah I have to say that Chamber of Secrets was probably my least favorite as well but I love them all. I'm on Chapter 11 page 180 right now of Sorcerer's Stone. I was lollygagging around and didn't actually start reading this until 2 days ago. I've been very busy lately. I'm sure I will finish this sometime Today.

I think this reread is such a good idea.. It's been a while since i'v re-read the series and it'd be good to read in sync with everyone else on hear and discuss things together as we all go along

Looking back on the first book, it's so much fun to read the chapters with already having an understand ofing the wizarding world, and the perspective that JK probably had when she wrote/released PS.

It's so great looking back on the characters too, and i agree with basketballpro032, the maturity level has grown so much and the characters have developped heaps in the course of the book.

And imagine if Harry had shaken hands with Malfoy that day haha

I really do enjoy that chapter, and it makes me sad as well. When I first read the series, I read SS slowly as I just wanted to see whether I would like it. Once I was hooked (instanly) I wanted to know what was going on and what would happen so bad that I didn't focus on details. Rereading the series, you can look at the details and then know why she put this in there or why she mentioned that.

I like Harry's first Quidditch game. It's really great

OK so I just finished reading the SS and I was really happy and sad at the same time cause I loved the whole story and I could only imagine how the fans that started when the book first came out must have felt having to wait on the CoS with all of that excitement. I can't wait to read the CoS it's my fav book out of all of them. I love everything about it and Gilderoy is so freaking funny. I realized that love reading the Quidditch matches especially with Lee Jordan commentating. lol funny. But I loved the end and how Ron, Harry, and Hermione bonded together and got through all fo the traps that's actually my fav part in the movie...that and def the chess scene. One thing that I am a little confused about is that I thought Sirius was the one who sent Harry the Invisibility Cloak but maybe he gave it to Dumbledore but it seems like I remember Sirius mentioning somethng about it. So I guess I ahave to wait and read PoA to see. So if anyone remembers just let me know...cuz I wondered. Ok well now I'm gonna go and I suppose I will start the CoS tomorrow or the next day.

I just finished Sorcerer's Stone. Tonight I read from page 180 to the end. I am about to start reading Chamber of Secrets and it is 2:30 a.m. here.

I absolutely love that with these books, even though i have read them all at least 3 times each, they still keep me up till like 2 in the morning reading! They are so amazing!

Just finished reading SS
I thouroughly enjoyed re-reading it and i just want to thank passerby - it was a fantastic idea!
My final thoughts on SS would be that i think Firenze is something of an unsung hero throughout the series. It was him who saved Harry in the forbidden forest, despite wht his friends thought, and i just think that he should be given a lot more credit for what he did in this book, and possibly throughout the entire series.
Okay, i'm off to start reading COS - i can't wait!!