Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I'm not sure how many years it's been since I read this, but it's hard to overstate the nostalgia. Like many around my age, I grew up on this series. My mom read the books aloud to me and my siblings. We listened to the audiobooks on roadtrips. We dressed up as the characters for Halloween and had Harry Potter-themed birthday parties. More than once, we tried to make butterbeer, and every time, it tasted gross. We had Harry Potter Game Boy games. It was serious (or should I say.......SIRIUS (no, I should not)).

Over the years, I've become less and less enthusiastic about the series and its author, mostly because I don't like when things drag on perpetually for the sake of money. Or retroactively ascribing diversity where by all indications there is none. I said what I said.

Weird backstory aside, this holds up. It is a funny, enchanting, somehow Christmas-y delight. It's a hopeful story about friendship and found family and how much your life can change when you find not only your purpose, but your people.

Some dumb takeaways this go around:
- Slytherins are unfairly discriminated against, including by key faculty
- Fred and George are doing wizardry and life in general RIGHT
- Snape is a dick, if there's wizard therapy he should go

Now to watch the movie!