By Amelia Lipcsei
As a major book lover, Harry Potter became one of those book series that truly resonated with me. Filled with a superb plot, dynamic characters, and writing beyond descriptive, J.K Rowling created a popular series that readers would love for centuries. After reading the seven books for the third time, and enjoying myself every bit of the way, I began to wonder what drew so many people to this magnificent book series.
Personally, the flawlessly completed storyline throughout the entire series plays a large role in the popularity of Harry Potter. Each book builds on another so effortlessly that I almost started to believe that I was reading one 4,224 page long book. Rowling did a wonderful job including miniscule, barely noticeable details in early books that would play out perfectly in the later ones. As I picked up the first book in the series and flipped through to the fifth page, I noticed the mention of Sirius Black’s motorcycle. As a first time reader, this name flew over my head and I forgot about him by the end of the first book. However, J.K Rowling introduces us once again to the seemingly maniacal character Sirius Black in the third book. His name brings up Harry’s past, helping the readers connect to the stories of Lily and James Potter, Harry’s dead parents. Adding this level of depth to Harry’s character aids readers in relating each of the books to one another and better understanding each character.
Likewise, Rowling created truly detailed storylines and personalities for each character; even the most horrific villains. As I read the sixth and seventh books, I found that the backstory for Lord Voldemort allowed readers to form a connection between his younger self and the evil wizard that he had become. Learning about his childhood and the events that shaped him into who he had become caused me to almost feel sympathy for Tom Riddle, the lonely orphan. Additionally, Rowling created a character that held such wisdom, but that had a childhood with the most complex issues: Albus Dumbledore. Her connection to his dark past and the wizard that he became aids readers in realising the true goodness that Albus held (spoiler alert!!) up to his very last breath. The knowledge and intimate details that readers come to learn about all of the characters emphasizes the feelings of severity and loss throughout the entire series.
An exceptional writer, J.K Rowling constructed a series with incredible depth, an outstanding storyline, and characters with magical personalities (literally). Thus, I advise everyone, first time readers and people that already love Harry Potter, to go and read the series. I promise you won’t regret it.