I originally read the Harry Potter Series, by J. K. Rowling, as a child. I anticipated each novels release with that “it’s-never-ever-ever-going-to-get-here!” zeal that I had as a child. After waiting in line at the local bookstore, I would run home and pour over them, reading late into the night, until I had thoroughly devoured them.
And since I was a child when I read them, many of the details, the beauty of the school, the intricate imagination that went into developing the world of Harry Potter, went by me unnoticed. I don’t know how to describe the buzz that urged me to re-read Harry Potter (I read 3, then 4, then 5, then 1, then 6, then 2, then 7- so not entirely in order), but it took me roughly a month-and-a-half to finish the series. I am now positive that this will need to be a reoccurring adventure for me, because of how enjoyable, magical, and interesting these books are, now that I am seeing them through a different set of eyes.
So while this is not a “review” necessarily, it is still my suggestion, especially for those who read this series as children or teens or young adults, to re-read them again. Read them in order (or out of order such as I), and watch as bits and pieces of this world fascinate you. There were dozens of moments where I had to stop reading, and rearrange my thoughts, because I was so impressed by J. K. Rowling and her ability to create this world in a way that made all the books weave into one another. This is not a series without thought or guide. Every detail is reasoned, and one can see the ramifications of simple acts, such as Peeve’s breaking a cabinet, in later books.