Review: Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone (Audio Book- Stephen Fry)

Book: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Written by: J.K. Rowling

Narrated by: Stephen Fry

Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins

Release Date:20/11/2015

Publisher: Pottermore from J.K. Rowling

IRT! Informal Review Time!

Sorry my posts have been a little bit all over the place. Time has been a thing I have not had a lot of lately!

Now obviously I love Harry Potter and I wanted to reread the whole series for a long time now and I finally got the opportunity because of Harry Xmas To You which is a readawatchalongathon. I’m currently on Goblet Of Fire- which I forgot was a monster of a book.

But before then I read- and listened- to Philosopher’s stone. I mainly did this because I wanted to change up my ‘reading’ of a book. Yes, this was the first time of me hearing an audio book. I chose to read the book along with the audio so I didn’t feel too weird.

It was unusual at first and I immediately found something I disliked. I was reading faster than the narrator. And I know I could of sped it up, but then it was going too quick and I wasn’t reading, but just looking at words- not taking in an ounce of information (not that I needed too really but it felt pointless reading it really if I wasn’t going to take in anything). There was no real perfect speed for me which is probably why it took my longer than usual to finish the first book.

Next the narrator- Stephen Fry. He read the book beautifully! I forgot how lovely it was for someone to read to/for you. It was like you were slipping into a nice, hot bath and all you had to do was listen and relax. His voice was very animated and made the characters live and breathe more than I thought was possible.

The only downfall I had with his narrating was how he acted out Voldemort. I always imagined Voldemort’s voice to be barely a whisper, cunning, thin, sharp. But what I got was a thick, and no where near as fear igniting as it should of been.

There’s nothing much to write in this review, but that hearing the book was pretty awesome, but I would never swap it for actually reading the book, but I might partner up the two again one day. I heard that there is something like a battle between Jim Dale’s HP audios and Stephen Fry’s so maybe I’ll check out a Jim Dale later…

Stephen Fry- Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone (Audio book link from audible)

I’ll talk soon!

-Astra