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Read this on the train and while Fritz was working this weekend. I wanted something light and fun to read.
A lot of things I hadn't remembered. Harry finds out at the end of this book that Voldemort was out to kill him specifically, and therefore his mother was protecting him when she died--but he doesn't find out here *why* Voldemort wanted to kill him. He doesn't find out about the prophecy until, what, book 5? I forgot that that was an unsolved plot point for so long.
It was fun to see everyone's beginnings--how Hermione became Harry and Ron's friend, and what Neville was like at first, especially considering how brave and good Neville turns out to be. I hadn't realized, reading the first book, but Neville really is set up to be a major character--he's the only first year we know much about, besides the trio and Malfoy. I liked seeing a little bit of Neville discovering himself--when Malfoy was teasing Neville, Harry tells him that he's worth 12 of Malfoy, and it's clearly just a tossed-off sort of comment from Harry (more about what a crud Malfoy is than about how great Neville is), but Neville hangs on to that and it gives him inspiration to stand up to Malfoy later. Yeah, Neville's definitely a favorite with me.
I think it's interesting that even from the very beginning, Rowling's working with a definite character list--we see Justin Finch-Fletchley get sorted, and the Patil sisters, but they stay very minor characters until much later.
Have we found out yet how James Potter saved Snape's life once? I can't remember.
A lot of things I hadn't remembered. Harry finds out at the end of this book that Voldemort was out to kill him specifically, and therefore his mother was protecting him when she died--but he doesn't find out here *why* Voldemort wanted to kill him. He doesn't find out about the prophecy until, what, book 5? I forgot that that was an unsolved plot point for so long.
It was fun to see everyone's beginnings--how Hermione became Harry and Ron's friend, and what Neville was like at first, especially considering how brave and good Neville turns out to be. I hadn't realized, reading the first book, but Neville really is set up to be a major character--he's the only first year we know much about, besides the trio and Malfoy. I liked seeing a little bit of Neville discovering himself--when Malfoy was teasing Neville, Harry tells him that he's worth 12 of Malfoy, and it's clearly just a tossed-off sort of comment from Harry (more about what a crud Malfoy is than about how great Neville is), but Neville hangs on to that and it gives him inspiration to stand up to Malfoy later. Yeah, Neville's definitely a favorite with me.
I think it's interesting that even from the very beginning, Rowling's working with a definite character list--we see Justin Finch-Fletchley get sorted, and the Patil sisters, but they stay very minor characters until much later.
Have we found out yet how James Potter saved Snape's life once? I can't remember.
