Hello again readers, yes it's been 2 weeks, sorry about that, I'm doing a lot of stuff right now and I'm really busy preparing for a couple weeks off and my driving test. I will actually endeavour to attempt to update more regularly but I make now promises, especially if I get a regular paying day job which will limit my updating power further but I will try.
Summary:
OK, this one starts with Draco Malfoy baiting Ron again and he ends up challenging Harry to a Wizard's duel that night at midnight. well never let it be said that our intrepid heroes aren't a little bit (read: a lot) hot headed so Ron accepts the wizards duel for Harry (Harry doesn't say a word)...and then Hermione buts in and, in typical Hermione fashion, points out that they're going to get in serious trouble if they're caught, typically they ignore her and go on with their day, culminating in sneaking out of the common room at night. Of course, things are rarely so easy for our heroes and they run into Hermione (again) who follows them out of the common room and...gets locked out. Of course she can't just stay there until the Fat Lady comes back so she insists upon coming with them, they run into Neville who got locked out as well and make their way to the trophy room. Of course they soon find out that Malfoy set Filch on them and they run and end up on the forbidden corridor . They go through a locked door and meet... (dun, Dun, dun) a viscous 3-headed dog! (Hagrid, or course, named him Fluffy, because he's Hagrid) and of course they are forced to flee or be eaten. Upon re-entering the common room Hermione goes to bed before either of them come up with another clever idea to get them killed, or worse, expelled. The boys agree that Hermione is a bit of a nightmare (understatement) and that they never want to see hide nor hair of Fluffy ever again.
Review:
I say this about a lot of chapters but I loved it. I love fluffy he's so adorable! He'd be more adorable if he wasn't trying to eat our heroes but still. Of course Malfoy took the cowards way out and set Filch on them instead of actually attending the duel (for shame Draco!) But all's well that end's well (er...sort of) and our heroes find that Fluffy's guarding something. Could it be the same thing that Hagrid took from vault 713? It just might be! Also, they're still not getting along with our bushy-haired friend but that comes later (next chapter I think) but that's to be expected. I expect Ron thinks she acts a bit like Percy, a bit pompous a bit know-it-all-ish and a bit rule happy. All in all it was a wonderful chapter, full of excitement and intrigue and 3 headed dogs. What ever will the next chapters bring? read on and find out!
On a different note I'm going on a bit of a blogging vacation so I won't be able to update until I get back. See you all next time Potterheads!
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Friday, 10 July 2015
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 8: Snape, Snape, Severus Snape
Spoilers Ahead: Read with Caution
Hi all I'm Back! It's been a while but life's been busy, again, and I've been working on a couple of projects I've had going for a while, and couple new ones. I will attempt to keep a regular updating schedule but as usual I make no promises.
Summary:
This chapter starts off as an ordinary day at Hogwarts, people wandering around trying to get to their first classes of the year, doubling back to get a good look at the Boy-Who-Lived and his friend...oh wait, that's unusual, and confusing I'd imagine. They find their classes and you meet Professor Flitwick, the charms professor, who falls off his stack of books taking role when he reached Harry's name. Professor McGonagall who changed her desk into a pig and back and set them to learning how to transfigure matchsticks into needles. and the potions master, Professor Snape. Who seems to loathe Harry just for existing, and asks him questions no first year (except maybe Hermione) would know the answer to. At the feast Harry got the terrible feeling that professor Snape may not like him, despite not having met him before, he was wrong of course, professor Snape absolutely hates him through no fault of his own. Other than meeting the professors not really much happens in this chapter.
Review:
This chapter is mostly exposition and setting the scene for late chapters with the relationships between characters, mostly the teachers and our favourite trio of not-yet-friends. Personally I don't like the way Snape treats Harry or Neville but you're not supposed to. Although I kind of do understand the need to terrify you class a bit especially in a potions lab. Anything that were to happen, like a cauldron explosion, could be disastrous, like in a chemistry lab. All in all it's a good chapter if a bit introduction heavy.
That's all for now folks, I'll be back soon with the next chapter review, hopefully it's less than a month this time...until then keep reading, and writing and comment!
Hi all I'm Back! It's been a while but life's been busy, again, and I've been working on a couple of projects I've had going for a while, and couple new ones. I will attempt to keep a regular updating schedule but as usual I make no promises.
Summary:
This chapter starts off as an ordinary day at Hogwarts, people wandering around trying to get to their first classes of the year, doubling back to get a good look at the Boy-Who-Lived and his friend...oh wait, that's unusual, and confusing I'd imagine. They find their classes and you meet Professor Flitwick, the charms professor, who falls off his stack of books taking role when he reached Harry's name. Professor McGonagall who changed her desk into a pig and back and set them to learning how to transfigure matchsticks into needles. and the potions master, Professor Snape. Who seems to loathe Harry just for existing, and asks him questions no first year (except maybe Hermione) would know the answer to. At the feast Harry got the terrible feeling that professor Snape may not like him, despite not having met him before, he was wrong of course, professor Snape absolutely hates him through no fault of his own. Other than meeting the professors not really much happens in this chapter.
Review:
This chapter is mostly exposition and setting the scene for late chapters with the relationships between characters, mostly the teachers and our favourite trio of not-yet-friends. Personally I don't like the way Snape treats Harry or Neville but you're not supposed to. Although I kind of do understand the need to terrify you class a bit especially in a potions lab. Anything that were to happen, like a cauldron explosion, could be disastrous, like in a chemistry lab. All in all it's a good chapter if a bit introduction heavy.
That's all for now folks, I'll be back soon with the next chapter review, hopefully it's less than a month this time...until then keep reading, and writing and comment!
Wednesday, 17 June 2015
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone; Chapter 7: Magical Talking Hat
Spoilers ahead: Read with caution
Hey readers I'm back! I know I promised weekly reviews and it's been, like, a month but job hunting and life in general really got in the way, I haven't even been reading Struggle to Salvation as diligently as I meant to. But anyway, I'm back now, with the Sorting Hat chapter!! (yes I know I've been neglecting my polls too, but for now on with the show!)
Summary:
OK, from Hogsmede station they move up toward the school, for the traditional journey. For older students they ride the carriages, but the first years get a special treat, the get to ride in boats across the lake. So they all split off into groups of four and head off across the lake with Hagrid. When they disembark the boats Hagrid finds Neville's toad Trevor and leads them to the door, from there the meet Professor McGonagall who takes them into the school and into an antechamber off the great hall, from there they await the sorting, everyone speculating on how it works. They are lead in to the great hall and Professor McGonagall calls roll alphabetically to get them sorted. Some are hat stalls, some are not. Our intrepid trio get into Gryffindor (even though Harry was almost in Slytherin) and the feast commences. After the feast they sing the school song (I always wondered how the founders
came up with that, I think Salazar and Godric got drunk one night). From there they move to their common rooms and go to bed. In this chapter we also meet Peeves, the Poltergeist (he drops a bundle of walking sticks on Neville's head) and the house ghosts.
Review:
All in all a bit of an expose chapter but really good, I really like this chapter, and not just for the sorting hat song. I always wondered why Peeves wasn't in the movies, he's such a great character, throughout all the books but they totally left him out! It also always made me wonder, if the sorting hat was meant to sort the students impartially, how can it be so easily talked out of placements? Like, if you take Hermione for example, it's obvious she'd do well in Ravenclaw and I know the hat is supposed totake your choice into account and she obviously made a wonderful Gryffindor but why did she talk the hat out placing her there? (I'm a Ravenclaw and it's an amazing house so maybe I'm a tad biased). Also, I think, in the books, what else bothered me was that everyone always said that Gryffindor was the good house and Slytherin was the evil house that sets them up for life! I mean, there were some bad wizards who were in Slytherin sure, but there was at least one in Gryffindor too. There were a lot of good wizards in Slytherin, Merlin himself among them, and let's not forget Regulus Black, but because of the Dark Lord they all get tarred with the same brush and it bugs me to no end (OK rant over). Either way, all in all I find this chapter really great and for the purposes of the story it does set up some really nice house rivalries.
That's it for today, hopefully it won't take me a month to get back it this time, I'll even do my best to update the polls. Until next time!
Hey readers I'm back! I know I promised weekly reviews and it's been, like, a month but job hunting and life in general really got in the way, I haven't even been reading Struggle to Salvation as diligently as I meant to. But anyway, I'm back now, with the Sorting Hat chapter!! (yes I know I've been neglecting my polls too, but for now on with the show!)
Summary:
OK, from Hogsmede station they move up toward the school, for the traditional journey. For older students they ride the carriages, but the first years get a special treat, the get to ride in boats across the lake. So they all split off into groups of four and head off across the lake with Hagrid. When they disembark the boats Hagrid finds Neville's toad Trevor and leads them to the door, from there the meet Professor McGonagall who takes them into the school and into an antechamber off the great hall, from there they await the sorting, everyone speculating on how it works. They are lead in to the great hall and Professor McGonagall calls roll alphabetically to get them sorted. Some are hat stalls, some are not. Our intrepid trio get into Gryffindor (even though Harry was almost in Slytherin) and the feast commences. After the feast they sing the school song (I always wondered how the founders
came up with that, I think Salazar and Godric got drunk one night). From there they move to their common rooms and go to bed. In this chapter we also meet Peeves, the Poltergeist (he drops a bundle of walking sticks on Neville's head) and the house ghosts.
Review:
All in all a bit of an expose chapter but really good, I really like this chapter, and not just for the sorting hat song. I always wondered why Peeves wasn't in the movies, he's such a great character, throughout all the books but they totally left him out! It also always made me wonder, if the sorting hat was meant to sort the students impartially, how can it be so easily talked out of placements? Like, if you take Hermione for example, it's obvious she'd do well in Ravenclaw and I know the hat is supposed totake your choice into account and she obviously made a wonderful Gryffindor but why did she talk the hat out placing her there? (I'm a Ravenclaw and it's an amazing house so maybe I'm a tad biased). Also, I think, in the books, what else bothered me was that everyone always said that Gryffindor was the good house and Slytherin was the evil house that sets them up for life! I mean, there were some bad wizards who were in Slytherin sure, but there was at least one in Gryffindor too. There were a lot of good wizards in Slytherin, Merlin himself among them, and let's not forget Regulus Black, but because of the Dark Lord they all get tarred with the same brush and it bugs me to no end (OK rant over). Either way, all in all I find this chapter really great and for the purposes of the story it does set up some really nice house rivalries.
That's it for today, hopefully it won't take me a month to get back it this time, I'll even do my best to update the polls. Until next time!
Friday, 15 May 2015
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 6: Journey to Hogwarts
Spoilers Ahead: Read with Caution
Hi everybody I'm back again, this time we Journey from London to Hogwarts with Harry, join me!
Summary:
OK, so this one starts off with Harry back at the Dursley's after shopping in Diagon Alley. No one actually knows how the Dursley's got off the rock, it never says. The rest of the summer passes fairly without incident and on August 31st Harry goes to the Dursley's to ask about driving him to London, of course, Vernon, being the monsters that he is only agrees because he's going to London anyway with Dudkey. Of course you'll remember that in Chapter 4 when Hagrid was introduced he gave Dudley a pig's tail so they need to have it removed before he goes to Smelting's. Well, they go to London and it goes about as well as you'd expect. When he can't find the platform (Hagrid, conveniently forgot to mention it) the Dursley's leave him there without a second thought (They're terrible people, I think we covered this). Well, he wanders around trying to find the entrance to the platform and eventually DA DA DA DA! the Weasley cavalry arrives! Ginny is predictably adorable for a 10 year old and the twins are surprisingly serious and helpful and Ron is, well, Ron. The Weasley's are wonderful and should be protected from the machinations of evil at all costs. Molly helps Harry get through the barrier and the twins help him get his trunk on the train. He kind of watches the Weasleys and wishes he had family like them. Well the train journey gets underway and Ron comes to sit with Harry and the twins introduce them to each other, they become fast friends and Harry gets his first chocolate frog card (Dumbledore) and they meet Hermione and Neville (he's lost his toad again). Finally they reach Hogsmede station and the real journey begins.
Review:
I adore this chapter, we meet the Weasley's who are wonderful and caring and Molly sends Harry a sweater for Christmas even though he;s not a Weasley. It really shows that from the time he became Ron's Friend, nay, from the time he met the Weasley's on the platform he became an honorary Weasley. You also meet Hermione, then a bushy-haired, buck-toothed know-it-all who spews facts like a dictionary. She just wants to prove she's the best at everything and it shows. However, at the time she's trying to help Neville find his toad and finds Ron about to cast a fake spell given to him by his twin brothers Fred and George (who are at the time, down the other end of the train with Lee Jordan who has a Giant Tarantula. Hermione comes in, spouts facts at them, tells them to get changed and leaves with Neville. We also meet Draco Malfoy and his cronies Crabbe and Goyle and Scabbers does the only useful thing he's ever done and bites Goyle's finger. They leave and our protagonists finally get dressed in their school robes and arrive at Hogsmede station.
So, this is the review on Chapter 6, I know I didn't get more than one chapter review done last week, life got nuts and I never got around to doing this review. I should have another review done in a couple of days but it is the Victoria Day long weekend so you never know, either way it should be done soon.
See you for the Sorting!!
Hi everybody I'm back again, this time we Journey from London to Hogwarts with Harry, join me!
Summary:
OK, so this one starts off with Harry back at the Dursley's after shopping in Diagon Alley. No one actually knows how the Dursley's got off the rock, it never says. The rest of the summer passes fairly without incident and on August 31st Harry goes to the Dursley's to ask about driving him to London, of course, Vernon, being the monsters that he is only agrees because he's going to London anyway with Dudkey. Of course you'll remember that in Chapter 4 when Hagrid was introduced he gave Dudley a pig's tail so they need to have it removed before he goes to Smelting's. Well, they go to London and it goes about as well as you'd expect. When he can't find the platform (Hagrid, conveniently forgot to mention it) the Dursley's leave him there without a second thought (They're terrible people, I think we covered this). Well, he wanders around trying to find the entrance to the platform and eventually DA DA DA DA! the Weasley cavalry arrives! Ginny is predictably adorable for a 10 year old and the twins are surprisingly serious and helpful and Ron is, well, Ron. The Weasley's are wonderful and should be protected from the machinations of evil at all costs. Molly helps Harry get through the barrier and the twins help him get his trunk on the train. He kind of watches the Weasleys and wishes he had family like them. Well the train journey gets underway and Ron comes to sit with Harry and the twins introduce them to each other, they become fast friends and Harry gets his first chocolate frog card (Dumbledore) and they meet Hermione and Neville (he's lost his toad again). Finally they reach Hogsmede station and the real journey begins.
Review:
I adore this chapter, we meet the Weasley's who are wonderful and caring and Molly sends Harry a sweater for Christmas even though he;s not a Weasley. It really shows that from the time he became Ron's Friend, nay, from the time he met the Weasley's on the platform he became an honorary Weasley. You also meet Hermione, then a bushy-haired, buck-toothed know-it-all who spews facts like a dictionary. She just wants to prove she's the best at everything and it shows. However, at the time she's trying to help Neville find his toad and finds Ron about to cast a fake spell given to him by his twin brothers Fred and George (who are at the time, down the other end of the train with Lee Jordan who has a Giant Tarantula. Hermione comes in, spouts facts at them, tells them to get changed and leaves with Neville. We also meet Draco Malfoy and his cronies Crabbe and Goyle and Scabbers does the only useful thing he's ever done and bites Goyle's finger. They leave and our protagonists finally get dressed in their school robes and arrive at Hogsmede station.
So, this is the review on Chapter 6, I know I didn't get more than one chapter review done last week, life got nuts and I never got around to doing this review. I should have another review done in a couple of days but it is the Victoria Day long weekend so you never know, either way it should be done soon.
See you for the Sorting!!
Thursday, 7 May 2015
The Harry Potter Re-read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 5: Magical Shopping Trip
Spoilers Ahead: Read with Caution
Hi Everyone I'm back with another chapter in my chapter reviews! I know it's been just over a week since my last review but life happened and I never got around to writing this one. I will try to update once or twice a week (maybe more if I can wing it) but in the meantime Allons-y! Come with me to Diagon Alley, it'll be a blast! on another note with a resounding 2 votes at the conclusion of the poll Moaning Myrtle is our favourite Hogwarts Ghost! (I'll put up a new poll soon, also, if anyone's got any poll ideas feel free to drop a comment or a tweet). Without further ado, grab your wands and your Galleons, we're going shopping!
Summary:
This one is basically just the Diagon alley Trip, Harry and Hagrid venture into Muggle London and from there arrive at the Leaky Cauldron. In the Leaky Cauldron there's a bit of a kerfuffle because naturally everyone recognizes Harry and wants to met him. We also meet Professor Quirrel(Stupid moron with a dark Lord attached to the back of his head, stupid turban). From the Leaky they venture out into the alley itself which is accessed through a portal in the wall (third brick from the left) and head to Gringotts. At Gringotts we meet Griphook, a Golbin, who takes Harry and Hagrid down to the vaults, first vault 687, Harry's trust vault, where he gets some money for shopping and then too vault 713 which contains a grubby, nondescript package which Hagrid retrieves (Dumbledore's orders) from thee the fun begins. He goes to Flourish and Blotts where he comes across "Curses and Countercurses by Vindictus Viridian" and he wants to learn to curse Dudley, he gets his Snowy Owl Hedwig as a birthday present from Hagrid and meets a strange, pointy faced boy in Madam Malkin's Robes for all occasions (we later learn that this is Draco Malfoy and he's about as pleasant as you'd remember him being). Last we venture into Ollivander's, Makers of Fine wands since 382 BC (I think) and he acquires a very unusual wand, the brother wand to that of the Dark Lord, Holly and Phoenix feather (a difficult pairing) 11 inches. Soon after they go for hamburgers in Muggle London, Hagrid gives Harry his train ticket for the first of September and tells him about how his parents died and he's off back to Little Whinging.
Review:
I liked this chapter, it was a lot of exposition and mostly scene setting but it was fun. Also it introduced a couple of new characters who will become important in the coming books, it also gave us (and Harry) something to think about, what was in the grubby little package from vault 713?
We got introduced to the Hogwarts house system (briefly, by way of Draco Malfoy) and way wizards think about Muggles (well, some wizards at any rate) and we met Hedwig! Everybody loves Hedwig. We also met Mr. Ollivander with his slightly bulbous silver eyes and strange demeanour and Harry gets his wand.
All in all I really liked this chapter it was a lot of description but fun all the same, especially the description of the Gringotts cart ride, I always think of either a roller coaster or that cart ride from Temple of Doom (or the cart ride from the movie)
Well that's it for today, I'll be back soon with more Chapter reviews (tried to keep each chapter review as I read a new chapter in Struggle to Salvation but it was just too hard).
I might not update again this weekend (Mother's day and all) but I will try to have the next chapter(s) up soon.
See you all on Platform 9 3/4!
Hi Everyone I'm back with another chapter in my chapter reviews! I know it's been just over a week since my last review but life happened and I never got around to writing this one. I will try to update once or twice a week (maybe more if I can wing it) but in the meantime Allons-y! Come with me to Diagon Alley, it'll be a blast! on another note with a resounding 2 votes at the conclusion of the poll Moaning Myrtle is our favourite Hogwarts Ghost! (I'll put up a new poll soon, also, if anyone's got any poll ideas feel free to drop a comment or a tweet). Without further ado, grab your wands and your Galleons, we're going shopping!
Summary:
This one is basically just the Diagon alley Trip, Harry and Hagrid venture into Muggle London and from there arrive at the Leaky Cauldron. In the Leaky Cauldron there's a bit of a kerfuffle because naturally everyone recognizes Harry and wants to met him. We also meet Professor Quirrel
Review:
I liked this chapter, it was a lot of exposition and mostly scene setting but it was fun. Also it introduced a couple of new characters who will become important in the coming books, it also gave us (and Harry) something to think about, what was in the grubby little package from vault 713?
We got introduced to the Hogwarts house system (briefly, by way of Draco Malfoy) and way wizards think about Muggles (well, some wizards at any rate) and we met Hedwig! Everybody loves Hedwig. We also met Mr. Ollivander with his slightly bulbous silver eyes and strange demeanour and Harry gets his wand.
All in all I really liked this chapter it was a lot of description but fun all the same, especially the description of the Gringotts cart ride, I always think of either a roller coaster or that cart ride from Temple of Doom (or the cart ride from the movie)
Well that's it for today, I'll be back soon with more Chapter reviews (tried to keep each chapter review as I read a new chapter in Struggle to Salvation but it was just too hard).
I might not update again this weekend (Mother's day and all) but I will try to have the next chapter(s) up soon.
See you all on Platform 9 3/4!
Tuesday, 28 April 2015
The Harry Potter Re-read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 4: Introducing Rubeus Hagrid
Spoilers Ahead: Read with Caution
Greetings Browncoated Potterheads! It's a Shiny day! (I've been watching Firefly again)
Today we're reviewing Chapter 4, The Keeper of the Keys. I know it's only been a couple of days since my last review but the Chapters go by really fast. I may post the next one as well, Either it'll be up soon after this one is posted or it'll be up tomorrow (yes I update at very odd times, it's very rarely consistent). So, buckle your seat belts and grab your pink umbrellas!
Summary:
OK, when we left our intrepid boy hero and those atrocious muggles they were in the Hut on the rock and someone was knocking to come in from the storm but they're on a rock in the middle of nowhere. So, the booming knock sounds again and the door crashes inwards, enter Vernon Dursley with a rifle. Hagrid comes in and gives the Dursleys a dressing down they won't soon forget complete with a little piggy tail for Dudley. He also gives Harry his letter, the one he's been waiting for. The truth comes out, his parents never died in a car crash but were murdered by the dark Lord Voldemort and he's off to the finest school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the world. Of course the muggles weren't about to allow that but there's not really much they can do about it. We also find out that Hagrid baked Harry a birthday cake and they settle down for the night again with Hagrid on the couch to await morning.
Commentary:
OK, so, admittedly not much happens in this chapter, Hagrid arrives, gives Harry his birthday cake and letter, cooks sausages, gives Dudley a pigs tail, bends Vernon's rifle and they settle down for the night. I think one thing I was sad that they left out of the movies was Vernon running from the letters, I think it really showed just how far his character was willing to go to make sure Harry never got that letter (I'm sure you all remember what happened last chapter). However, the persistence of Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore won out. They found the Dursleys, Harry got a birthday cake and his Hogwarts letter out of the deal.
I really like Hagrid as a character, he's unfailingly loyal, to both Dumbledore and Harry and, even though he was expelled from Hogwarts in his third year (for something that wasn't his fault, may I add) he put the broken pieces of his wand in his pink umbrella and uses Magic, to a lesser degree, regardless. Just because the Dursleys insulted Harry's parents (and Dumbledore, and Harry, basically in just a few lines) he tried to turn Dudley into a pig. I mean, we all know how well a broken wand works at the best of times *cough Ron, 2nd year, cough* but it still made them rethink preventing Harry from going to Hogwarts, especially once they saw how far the wizards (and witches) were willing to go to get Harry there.
I think that's it for Chapter 4, the next chapter is Diagon Alley, that should be fun! See you next time!
Greetings Browncoated Potterheads! It's a Shiny day! (I've been watching Firefly again)
Today we're reviewing Chapter 4, The Keeper of the Keys. I know it's only been a couple of days since my last review but the Chapters go by really fast. I may post the next one as well, Either it'll be up soon after this one is posted or it'll be up tomorrow (yes I update at very odd times, it's very rarely consistent). So, buckle your seat belts and grab your pink umbrellas!
Summary:
OK, when we left our intrepid boy hero and those atrocious muggles they were in the Hut on the rock and someone was knocking to come in from the storm but they're on a rock in the middle of nowhere. So, the booming knock sounds again and the door crashes inwards, enter Vernon Dursley with a rifle. Hagrid comes in and gives the Dursleys a dressing down they won't soon forget complete with a little piggy tail for Dudley. He also gives Harry his letter, the one he's been waiting for. The truth comes out, his parents never died in a car crash but were murdered by the dark Lord Voldemort and he's off to the finest school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the world. Of course the muggles weren't about to allow that but there's not really much they can do about it. We also find out that Hagrid baked Harry a birthday cake and they settle down for the night again with Hagrid on the couch to await morning.
Commentary:
OK, so, admittedly not much happens in this chapter, Hagrid arrives, gives Harry his birthday cake and letter, cooks sausages, gives Dudley a pigs tail, bends Vernon's rifle and they settle down for the night. I think one thing I was sad that they left out of the movies was Vernon running from the letters, I think it really showed just how far his character was willing to go to make sure Harry never got that letter (I'm sure you all remember what happened last chapter). However, the persistence of Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore won out. They found the Dursleys, Harry got a birthday cake and his Hogwarts letter out of the deal.
I really like Hagrid as a character, he's unfailingly loyal, to both Dumbledore and Harry and, even though he was expelled from Hogwarts in his third year (for something that wasn't his fault, may I add) he put the broken pieces of his wand in his pink umbrella and uses Magic, to a lesser degree, regardless. Just because the Dursleys insulted Harry's parents (and Dumbledore, and Harry, basically in just a few lines) he tried to turn Dudley into a pig. I mean, we all know how well a broken wand works at the best of times *cough Ron, 2nd year, cough* but it still made them rethink preventing Harry from going to Hogwarts, especially once they saw how far the wizards (and witches) were willing to go to get Harry there.
I think that's it for Chapter 4, the next chapter is Diagon Alley, that should be fun! See you next time!
Saturday, 25 April 2015
The Harry Potter Re-read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 3: Minerva's Persistence
Spoilers Ahead: Read with Caution
Hi all I'm back! What this? 3 chapter reviews in 2 days? Shock! What can I say? Harry Potter's kind of hard to put down and I'm hard pressed not to do all my chapter reviews in a steady stream all at once, that would be an interesting way to do it but it would be over really fast. I think I'm going to try to stick to one chapter a day or so when I can but you never know. Especially with how this one ends, it gives a lovely lead in for the next chapter doesn't it?
Summary:
This chapter starts, like most summer chapters do, during a normal day at the Dursley's. Dudley's practising for Smeltings by whacking alternately, his father, Harry, the table and Harry with his Smeltings Stick, (A kind of knobby can they carry around to whack each other with, it's supposed to be good practice for later life though personally I don't see it). Harry, come secondary school will not be attending Smeltings with Dudley but rather Stonewall High, the local comprehensive, of course, being an absolute Jerk, Dudley thinks this is very funny and takes to teasing Harry about it, leading to the following exchange between the cousins;
"They stuff people's heads down the toilet first day at Stonewall." Dudley told Harry "Want to come upstairs and practice?"
"No thanks," said Harry "The toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it, it might be sick."
And one of his pithiest lines is wasted on his whale of a cousin. This chapter is where you really (or I did) start to notice that Harry really is tremendously funny and witty and sarcastic and great in general. Another one of my favourite examples is his exchange with his aunt (she's dying some of Dudley's old things grey for his Stonewall uniform);
"What's this?" Asked Harry
"Your new uniform." Answered Aunt Petunia
"Oh...I didn't realize it had to be so wet..."
Anyway I digress, soon after these respective exchanges letters start arriving for Harry. Of course, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia brush them off, shred them in food mixers and even burn them just to prevent harry room getting them, But my Chapter review isn't called Minerva's persistence for nothing, once letters start arriving in such large quantities they overrun the house they run, and run and run, and end up on the Hut of the rock.
But there's someone at the door...
Commentary:
As I mentioned this may be the chapter in which Harry really comes into his wit and humour. I think that's one thing I missed about the movies is that in the books Harry really is tremendously funny but in the movies his best lines are cut.
I love this chapter, it may be one of my favourites, not only because of Minerva;s persistence that Harry Potter will get his Hogwarts letter and under no circumstances will those no account, good for nothing Muggles keep it from him. Remember she knows exactly what the Dursley's are like and I think she's having fun trying to figure out interesting ways to have them delivered and watching Vernon slowly go mad.
I think what bothers me about wizard logic in this chapter is that, every muggle raised or muggle born child gets a Hogwarts letter but there's is always accompanied by a teacher so they can explain things. If they had just sent a teacher (or a Hagrid, in this case) to deliver Harry's letter in the first place they might have avoided all that hassle and someone could have knocked some sense into the Dursley's earlier. As it is though I think Hagrid does a pretty good job knocking some sense into that oaf Vernon Dursley.
I think that concludes my review of Chapter 3, the next one will be up either later today (it now being the 25th of April) or tomorrow. Hopefully by Monday we'll have reached Chapter 5, I'll try and come up with a decent update schedule so it's not just an info dump.
Hi all I'm back! What this? 3 chapter reviews in 2 days? Shock! What can I say? Harry Potter's kind of hard to put down and I'm hard pressed not to do all my chapter reviews in a steady stream all at once, that would be an interesting way to do it but it would be over really fast. I think I'm going to try to stick to one chapter a day or so when I can but you never know. Especially with how this one ends, it gives a lovely lead in for the next chapter doesn't it?
Summary:
This chapter starts, like most summer chapters do, during a normal day at the Dursley's. Dudley's practising for Smeltings by whacking alternately, his father, Harry, the table and Harry with his Smeltings Stick, (A kind of knobby can they carry around to whack each other with, it's supposed to be good practice for later life though personally I don't see it). Harry, come secondary school will not be attending Smeltings with Dudley but rather Stonewall High, the local comprehensive, of course, being an absolute Jerk, Dudley thinks this is very funny and takes to teasing Harry about it, leading to the following exchange between the cousins;
"They stuff people's heads down the toilet first day at Stonewall." Dudley told Harry "Want to come upstairs and practice?"
"No thanks," said Harry "The toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it, it might be sick."
And one of his pithiest lines is wasted on his whale of a cousin. This chapter is where you really (or I did) start to notice that Harry really is tremendously funny and witty and sarcastic and great in general. Another one of my favourite examples is his exchange with his aunt (she's dying some of Dudley's old things grey for his Stonewall uniform);
"What's this?" Asked Harry
"Your new uniform." Answered Aunt Petunia
"Oh...I didn't realize it had to be so wet..."
Anyway I digress, soon after these respective exchanges letters start arriving for Harry. Of course, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia brush them off, shred them in food mixers and even burn them just to prevent harry room getting them, But my Chapter review isn't called Minerva's persistence for nothing, once letters start arriving in such large quantities they overrun the house they run, and run and run, and end up on the Hut of the rock.
But there's someone at the door...
Commentary:
As I mentioned this may be the chapter in which Harry really comes into his wit and humour. I think that's one thing I missed about the movies is that in the books Harry really is tremendously funny but in the movies his best lines are cut.
I love this chapter, it may be one of my favourites, not only because of Minerva;s persistence that Harry Potter will get his Hogwarts letter and under no circumstances will those no account, good for nothing Muggles keep it from him. Remember she knows exactly what the Dursley's are like and I think she's having fun trying to figure out interesting ways to have them delivered and watching Vernon slowly go mad.
I think what bothers me about wizard logic in this chapter is that, every muggle raised or muggle born child gets a Hogwarts letter but there's is always accompanied by a teacher so they can explain things. If they had just sent a teacher (or a Hagrid, in this case) to deliver Harry's letter in the first place they might have avoided all that hassle and someone could have knocked some sense into the Dursley's earlier. As it is though I think Hagrid does a pretty good job knocking some sense into that oaf Vernon Dursley.
I think that concludes my review of Chapter 3, the next one will be up either later today (it now being the 25th of April) or tomorrow. Hopefully by Monday we'll have reached Chapter 5, I'll try and come up with a decent update schedule so it's not just an info dump.
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