Enjoyed. Not much missed by the film. ( )

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First posted on my Book blog.

Normally I don't write book reviews, perhaps because I'm never sure what to write other than if I love or hate it. But my goal for this year, along with reading around 50 books, is to actually start writing reviews. Let's see how this goes! :)

Slight spoilers if you haven't seen the film or read the book.

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I must say, the film version of the CoS is my least favorite of the series, though I’m not sure why. But the book renewed my love for it. I don’t remember the first time that I read the CoS, but I’m so happy to have re-read it.

There were parts in the book that I certainly wish were in the film and, at times, there were scenes that were in the book that I had thought were in the film that I found out weren’t actually in it. Like when Harry lands in Knockturn Alley instead of Diagon Alley and, in the shop, he sees Draco and Lucius Malfoy talking in the shop with the owner. I could have sworn that it was in the film but when I watched it, I was surprised to see that it wasn’t. I guess that I must have seen it playing it my head and mistaken it for having been in the film!
I guess it’s best to not judge a book by its film; granted, I hadn’t read the book for quite a long time!

The book, however, was great. I love how J.K. Rowling writes; it’s just beautiful. She really knows how to bring the reader into Hogwarts, just like you’re a student yourself watching everything unravel. I feel like Harry, Ron and Hermione are actually friends of mine whenever I open any of the books in the series; including when watching the films.

I’d recommend this series to anyone who hasn’t read it. Even if you don’t like it, at least you gave it a try. And you never know, you might fall in love with it and Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you back no matter how hard life gets. And that’s what I love about them. ( )

I think I found this one inoffensive but relatively dull. Although I have read it in full twice, when I started to read it the third time, I lost interest after a while and abandoned it. ( )

Another fun book full of imagination and unexpected surprises. The characters, though many, are easy to keep track of given each has his or her own unique, notable quirks. There's never a dull moment and no lack of entertaining peculiarities among the witches and wizards at Hogwarts. I thoroughly enjoyed this easy, pleasant read. ( )