ISBN: 0-590-35340-3 Order from: Amazon.com
A pleasant but simplistic adventure, heavy on wonder and with broadly sketched characters.
Reviewed by David on January 10, 2002
Genre: Fantasy (Juvenile, Coming of Age)
Synopsis: Young Harry is an orphan. Raised by his rather unpleasant aunt and uncle, Harry's occasional forays into the strange are firmly squelched by his guardians. But finally, the strange reaches to Harry. It seems he is invited to the finest school of magic, one whose existance is kept secret from the Mugles—the regular, unmagic people of Britain.
Harry's encounter with the world formerly hidden, and his lessons in magic and human nature form this entertaining start of a multi-book series.
Full Review: An entertaining and appealing book, this juvenile fantasy builds a fantastic if conventional world of magic, magicians and spells. Sure to attract readers of many ages, this book provides little subtlety for a deeper reading. The characters are enjoyable but stereotypical, and the lively adventure is liberally sprinkled with wonders, but suffers from predictability.
This first novel in what is projected to be a seven-book series is pleasant and supplies a satisfactory conclusion, but lacks the subtlety, unpredictability or originality to rise above the merely pleasant.
Overall: 5.5; Plot: 5; Characters: 5.5; Style: 6; World-building: 6; Originality: 5.5;
Copyright date 1997, Scholastic Press (Arthur A. Levine Book), 1998, Cloth, 309 pages
ISBN: 0-590-35340-3 Order from: Amazon.com