While her technique isn't bad (look at how she describes Dursley's day in the first chapter, for example -- when she mentions what he doesn't see), her language is at this point very naivistic, almost too simple. It does not flow naturally, and she repeats words too often. This is something that suggests a children's book to me. There are also a couple of phrases, like "he looked simply too big to be allowed" which ring like a child's language (or a grown-up talking to a child, at any rate).
But because she uses this language to point out things that normal children's books wouldn't, it appeals to us as well. The early description of Petunia, for example, is gold. As is Vernon's slow descent into madness.
But because she uses this language to point out things that normal children's books wouldn't, it appeals to us as well. The early description of Petunia, for example, is gold. As is Vernon's slow descent into madness.
I forgot how funny it was, the little details about him spreading marmalade on the newspaper and jumping at small noises. And Harry is quite the smartass, I forgot that too.

Insert theme music here.
Harry Potter Re-read: The Philosopher's Stone - Final section underway! (& next book plans)
12/07/2010 08:27:51 AM
- 3366 Views
Chapters 1-3: Introducing Harry
12/07/2010 08:28:49 AM
- 1806 Views
Characterisation *NM*
12/07/2010 08:29:02 AM
- 1034 Views
My thoughts, such as they are.
12/07/2010 04:09:55 PM
- 1862 Views
Re: My thoughts, such as they are. *spoilers*
12/07/2010 07:43:49 PM
- 1799 Views
Writing style *NM*
12/07/2010 08:29:18 AM
- 1021 Views
It is very clear it is a children's book at this time
12/07/2010 07:18:14 PM
- 1878 Views
Vernon's slow descent into madness is great.
13/07/2010 04:03:26 AM
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Re: Vernon's slow descent into madness is great.
13/07/2010 08:54:40 AM
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Early themes *NM*
12/07/2010 08:29:37 AM
- 1073 Views
Chapters 4-10: Making Friends at Hogwarts *NM*
12/07/2010 08:29:58 AM
- 960 Views
Impressions: thoughts about the school, the teachers, the enemies and the friends. *NM*
14/07/2010 08:29:38 AM
- 1005 Views
I'd forgotten how annoying Hermione was
14/07/2010 01:48:13 PM
- 1722 Views

Yep. I like seeing her transformation in this story though.
14/07/2010 04:58:04 PM
- 1710 Views
Re: Yep. I like seeing her transformation in this story though.
14/07/2010 06:13:13 PM
- 1721 Views
Yes and, I think, this may be another candidate for early themes (from above)
14/07/2010 07:43:14 PM
- 1814 Views
Re: Impressions: thoughts about the school, the teachers, the enemies and the friends.
14/07/2010 04:22:54 PM
- 1854 Views
Agree. I loved the instant tension between Harry and Malfoy and with Harry and Snape too.
14/07/2010 05:03:20 PM
- 1989 Views
Some thoughts before I run off to the library again
14/07/2010 06:11:45 PM
- 1857 Views
It's interesting to look at the beginning of the story from Draco's point of view.
26/07/2010 03:08:38 PM
- 1985 Views
Re: It's interesting to look at the beginning of the story from Draco's point of view.
26/07/2010 03:18:02 PM
- 1598 Views
What about the magic?
14/07/2010 08:58:51 AM
- 1726 Views
The magic wasnt really developed at this point
14/07/2010 02:13:41 PM
- 1650 Views
Re: The magic wasnt really developed at this point
14/07/2010 08:53:08 PM
- 1891 Views
I think
14/07/2010 04:34:30 PM
- 1642 Views
Diagon Alley - Olivander's Foreshadowing
14/07/2010 05:11:40 PM
- 1936 Views
I really need a remembrall.
14/07/2010 08:57:10 PM
- 1820 Views
But it doesn't tell you what you've forgotten!
15/07/2010 02:51:47 AM
- 1933 Views
Chapters 11-17: Harry the Hero *NM*
12/07/2010 08:30:29 AM
- 982 Views
What'd you think of the ending? *NM*
15/07/2010 05:21:38 PM
- 944 Views
Two separate things:
15/07/2010 07:14:08 PM
- 1699 Views
Lovely
15/07/2010 09:00:11 PM
- 1767 Views
Haha
15/07/2010 09:16:16 PM
- 1861 Views
Re: Haha
15/07/2010 09:24:06 PM
- 1743 Views
But I thought all girls were made of sugar and spice and everything nice?
15/07/2010 09:26:53 PM
- 1654 Views

Oh, we are.
15/07/2010 09:35:17 PM
- 1547 Views
Honestly, dumbledore is a bit of an ass...
15/07/2010 10:48:32 PM
- 1562 Views
The decades of manipulation of a child doesn't bother you, but the House Cup does?
*NM*
15/07/2010 11:37:54 PM
- 918 Views

Overall thoughts for the book
12/07/2010 08:31:37 AM
- 1734 Views
Foreshadowing and setting up the future
12/07/2010 08:32:10 AM
- 1646 Views
Harry's anger management issues?
12/07/2010 07:14:58 PM
- 1706 Views
Heh.
12/07/2010 07:40:40 PM
- 1748 Views
Nah, not deliberate.
12/07/2010 09:14:20 PM
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Re: Nah, not deliberate.
12/07/2010 09:55:32 PM
- 1727 Views
I noticed a lot of this.
12/07/2010 07:22:54 PM
- 1828 Views
Re: I noticed a lot of this.
12/07/2010 07:39:25 PM
- 1769 Views
Re: I noticed a lot of this.
12/07/2010 07:45:32 PM
- 1753 Views
On Ginny:
12/07/2010 10:36:47 PM
- 1793 Views
This was my interpretation too and why I didn't pay much attention to it at the time. *NM*
13/07/2010 02:53:08 PM
- 878 Views
I've noticed a lot of the same things, probably because I've reread this book so many times...
13/07/2010 04:45:28 AM
- 1969 Views
Re: I've noticed a lot of the same things, probably because I've reread this book so many times...
13/07/2010 08:58:10 AM
- 1722 Views
So much (chapters 1-3) *spoilers*
12/07/2010 07:35:57 PM
- 1939 Views
I missed the school roof thing this time around too! Good catch there. *NM*
12/07/2010 09:22:21 PM
- 957 Views
The thing that tipped me off
12/07/2010 09:53:01 PM
- 1713 Views
Imagine how easy his test would have been if he remembered he'd done it as a child! *NM*
13/07/2010 03:20:27 PM
- 940 Views
You have to wonder why Hagrid and Dumbledore didn't suspect the truth about Sirius.
26/07/2010 04:04:05 PM
- 1644 Views
I re-read a couple weeks ago, and I was highly amused by all the little things she worked in
14/07/2010 04:09:19 AM
- 1774 Views
Some stuff (chapters 4-11)
14/07/2010 09:18:35 PM
- 1905 Views
Re: Some stuff (chapters 4-11)
14/07/2010 10:30:23 PM
- 1736 Views
I can answer your consistency question!
15/07/2010 02:35:42 AM
- 1835 Views
More stuff (chapters 12-17)
15/07/2010 08:55:34 PM
- 1593 Views
Tiny tiny inconsistency (?) in Ch. 12
17/07/2010 04:23:15 PM
- 1793 Views
What made this book (and the rest of the series) such a success?
12/07/2010 08:33:00 AM
- 1805 Views
I think it was mostly because it was a simple narrative with an identifiable protagnonist.
13/07/2010 11:59:06 PM
- 1797 Views
It has tons of things in it that every kid dreams of doing
14/07/2010 01:56:05 PM
- 1815 Views
It's a simple, well-done little book.
12/07/2010 07:46:48 PM
- 1793 Views
you don't read instructions, do you?
12/07/2010 07:49:24 PM
- 1859 Views
When did you pick up this book?
12/07/2010 11:30:46 PM
- 1736 Views
I was 10.
13/07/2010 04:13:44 AM
- 1891 Views
Ah book orders...man you just brought back nostalgic memories. I miss being a kid
13/07/2010 04:42:12 AM
- 1938 Views
1999
13/07/2010 09:03:03 AM
- 1797 Views
What do you mean by adult version?
13/07/2010 02:15:40 PM
- 1937 Views
They started publishing copies with 'adult' covers so people wouldn't be caught out reading
13/07/2010 11:53:46 PM
- 1861 Views
Got a boxed set for Christmas when Order of the Phoenix came out in hardback.
13/07/2010 03:06:42 PM
- 1851 Views
The first five were out, waited for HBP.
14/07/2010 06:20:39 AM
- 1958 Views
Very early. Beginning of 1999, so it had just come out in the States. *NM*
14/07/2010 08:54:06 AM
- 1140 Views
I held out quite awhile because I don't like "fads"
14/07/2010 02:04:37 PM
- 1779 Views
I did the same thing.
15/07/2010 06:39:16 AM
- 1882 Views
I would have, if I had known there was hype. I know I would have.
15/07/2010 03:28:50 PM
- 1918 Views

Aged 13 or 14 - a while before the first movie (which was Christmas 2001). *NM*
26/07/2010 04:13:55 PM
- 1119 Views
Jesus Christ.
26/07/2010 05:04:46 PM
- 2032 Views
^That was me. *NM*
26/07/2010 09:55:49 PM
- 1112 Views

Aw. I was just feeling flattered as I didn't think Tor had read that many of my posts.
*NM*
27/07/2010 12:15:52 AM
- 1134 Views

Suggestions for the Re-read
12/07/2010 08:33:25 AM
- 1834 Views
This is my first official time participating and its been fun so far!
14/07/2010 05:16:48 PM
- 1780 Views
Unfortunately, no. (Silly me, pretending someone's still going to read all my posts...
) *NM*
26/07/2010 04:20:35 PM
- 1133 Views

Inconsistencies Re: the Potter's death...
15/07/2010 05:16:45 AM
- 2158 Views
Because they were tricked? They considered Peter and Sirius to be brothers.
15/07/2010 07:05:27 AM
- 1811 Views
That's nonsense..
16/07/2010 01:08:40 AM
- 1739 Views
Take it up with Rowling, since you don't believe me. *NM*
16/07/2010 08:19:58 AM
- 1032 Views
What's there to believe?
18/07/2010 06:03:13 AM
- 1825 Views
Peter + Sirius = family. I don't know how to explain it more simply. *NM*
18/07/2010 08:58:20 AM
- 1153 Views
Re: That's nonsense..
16/07/2010 09:37:59 AM
- 1952 Views
Also
16/07/2010 11:17:51 AM
- 2165 Views
Huh?
18/07/2010 05:57:58 AM
- 1738 Views
But Camilla explained it!
18/07/2010 09:27:55 AM
- 2068 Views

I'm fairly certain you guys have that totally wrong...
18/07/2010 05:42:18 PM
- 1756 Views
Re: I'm fairly certain you guys have that totally wrong...
18/07/2010 05:51:36 PM
- 1774 Views
Re: I'm fairly certain you guys have that totally wrong...
18/07/2010 06:17:04 PM
- 2067 Views
Re: I'm fairly certain you guys have that totally wrong...
18/07/2010 06:28:27 PM
- 1769 Views
That bothers me too.
18/07/2010 07:17:14 PM
- 1840 Views
Re: That bothers me too.
18/07/2010 07:20:44 PM
- 1711 Views
Again...
18/07/2010 07:35:10 PM
- 2007 Views
Re: Again...
18/07/2010 08:00:55 PM
- 1808 Views
Re: Again...
19/07/2010 06:33:13 AM
- 1999 Views
Re: Again...
20/07/2010 04:45:16 PM
- 1820 Views
Yet another load of bosh.
21/07/2010 01:00:14 AM
- 1804 Views
It was just the sort of things these two daredevils would do...
14/09/2010 12:11:20 AM
- 2258 Views
Re: It was just the sort of things these two daredevils would do...
14/09/2010 09:20:46 AM
- 1708 Views
You have to wonder if that's actually true.
26/07/2010 04:23:31 PM
- 1778 Views
Since Lily and James were unable to leave the house
18/07/2010 07:14:21 PM
- 1761 Views
Re: Since Lily and James were unable to leave the house
26/07/2010 05:07:48 PM
- 2205 Views
^ And this, too, was me.
26/07/2010 09:58:07 PM
- 1807 Views
