the sorcerer's stone

Just finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It was an easy, enjoyable albeit unmemorable read. I appreciate the additional insight gleamed by reading the book - more background info on Harry's aunt, uncle and cousin, a stronger declaration of the rivalry between Harry and Draco Malfoy, and the presence of academic pressure on the young students. Particularly, I found it compelling how little familiarity Harry has with the world of wizardry upon arrival at Hogwarts. His naivety is accentuated much more in the book than the film. Also, though the scenario of sneaking Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback out of the school seems implausible, even for a Harry Potter book, the information and back story about dragons is very cool. One thing I found troubling in the first book is that Dudley has a "gang" at school. Really? Seems to me that Dudley would be picked on and made fun of in a normal school setting just as much as Harry, though for very different reasons.

Rowling's writing in the first book, which I'm refraining from calling a novel for the following reason, is quite plain. I do recognize this as a consequence of her intended audience and am looking forward to reading the subsequent installments as I've been told her writing improves and matures along with Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest. And now, on to the Chamber of Secrets.