#HPReadathon2018 discussion

Here we go! First discussion thread for #HPReadathon2018! Have fun and I hope you stick with us!

What are some of your first memories of this book?
- When did you first become aware of the series?
- What did you expect going in? Were you aware of the story, or did you have no prior knowledge?

I remember not wanting to read the HP books, but my parents wouldn't let me watch the movies first, so my dad read me the first chapter of HP1 and I loved it so much that I read the rest of the book and the series on my own. I was 10 at the time and it was just after Deathly Hallows part 2 came out and I only knew that Harry was a wizard with two wizard friends Ron and Hermione but I didn't know anything else, so I was so surprised reading every book. After I read the books I watched the movies.

I got aware of the series when the seventh book came out as my mum read the books. I couldn't read back then but as soon as I could I started reading PS (my sister owned the German version). I don't have present memories of my first time but I know that it was very exciting for me. I didn't experience many spoilers I only knew about Fred when I read the last book. I got more traumatised by the other books welp.

I first became aware of the series at nine years old when in a literature homework assignment we had to connect some fictional places to the books/series in which they appear. Somehow I still clearly remember muttering "what the heck is Privet Drive" under my breath as that was the only place I didn't know of. I didn't read the books until I was eleven, and as I cannot remember being spoiled about anything, I'm pretty sure all I knew about the story prior to cracking the book open was limited to the little summary in the back of the book. Definitely glad the ugly Finnish covers caught my eye in the library, though!

I was already teaching when it came out and was amazed that kids that didn't like to read were reading and liking it my son was 8 and he was begging for the book for his birthday and he stayed up all night to finish reading it. I read it when he finished and I was hooked

Hi everybody! :D So excited about the group.

What are some of your first memories of this book?
My very first memory is my mother asking me if I wanted the book, because she'd heard people say it was being a hit. I dismissed her but thank god she bought it for me anyway!!!

When did you first become aware of the series?
Above :P

What did you expect going in? Were you aware of the story, or did you have no prior knowledge?
I had ZERO prior knowledge! I just picked it up because I'm a bookworm and I didn't want a book go to waste! I had no expectations either, just curiosity after mom bought it for me.

I only started reading the books when I was 11. I’d become aware of Harry Potter through the films, and got the third film on tape for a Christmas Present when I was 4. I wasn’t very interested in reading loads until Harry Potter. I had intended to start reading them when I was 10 because I had been asking for the books for my Birthday and Christmas. However, I’d got every book except the first (we couldn’t find it in Qatar) but eventually my Dad got it for me in a Waterstones in England.

I can’t really remember my first impressions of the book, but I was amazed at how much more magical it was than the films. It was also interesting to see which scenes they had left out of the film and I found the book a better and more magical experience than the film.

I remember being terrified about reading Harry Potter because it was always described to me as being similar to a horror story. However when I was around 6/7 my mum began reading the books to me and Hermione quickly became my favourite character, I would always try and copy her at school which made my experience a lot more enjoyable.

I became aware of the books because of the movies. I remember my dad buying us the whole DVD set and I watched it with my brothers. And then I continued watching the films some more and every time I loved a movie, I'd read its book. So if I remember it right, the first HP book I read was Prisoner of Azkaban. That's my favorite movie adaptation. And then Goblet of Fire. Yep, the first time I read the HP series, was not in its proper chronological order. 😂

Ive always knew what harry potter was because who doesnt but never read them or watched the movies and there were 2 girls in my class who were major potterheads and kept begging me to read it me being the curious soul i am finally gave in because i was really curious about what the hell is this harry potter why are they so obsessed and safe to say i picked up the first book and i never looked back i fell in love with the books then me and the 2 girls really started bonding over harry potter and we got referred to the “harry potter girls” not a bad thing tbh but whenever harry potter was mentioned people would look in our direction so yea that was my first memory of harry potter 😂

I got the first book as a Christmas present from my uncle and aunt. I think I must have been 8 or 9 years old at the time and I don’t think I was aware of the existence of the books at all. I started to read it the same night, stayed up until 5 o’clock in the morning when I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore...