★★★★☆ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Full-Cast audiobook), by JK Rowling
The sound effects are overdone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Full-Cast audiobook)
JK Rowling
The sound effects are overdone
I am not really going to review the novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I first read the book almost 30 years ago -- got it as a gift from my parents and loved it. You probably already have an opinion of the Harry Potter books, and I'm unlikely to change your mind.
The new thing is this full-cast audiobook version. Audible and Pottermore have released almost the complete series. I have ordered them all (pre-ordered in the case of Deathly Hallows -- the only one not yet released) and will in the course of the next few months listen to all of them.
I have not had the pleasure of listening to many full-cast audiobooks. (I think the first ones were Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, which were splendid.) Presumably they're expensive to make. The end-credits on this one last more than 13 min -- I imagine many films have smaller casts. (Here's a list.) And it is astonishing how good a job a single narrator can do, if skillful.
I am not sure I really like this one better than the Jim Dale single-narrator versions. True, Hugh Laurie is the perfect Dumbledore -- I can't think of anyone else who would be better in the role, even including the actual Harry Potter movie actors. I had forgotten how funny this first Harry Potter novel is. (They become more serious later.) Laurie helped the humor, as did Jeremy Swift in the role of Vernon Dudley.
But Laurie is just one actor among dozens. None of the other actors really stood out for me. They weren't bad -- in fact, they were good, just not outstanding.
There was one thing I didn't like. The sound production staff made an effort to fill out the sonic landscape -- too much of an effort, I think. There are always sound effects. The sentence "Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling" is accompanied by the sound of Hugh Laurie's tuneless humming. If Harry is understood to be doing something effortful for a time, then we get to hear Harry grunting throughout the narration of that time.
No one needs that. *I* certainly do not, at least. I hope that they dial it back in the subsequent novels.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Full-Cast Edition) on Amazon
I can see how trying to have lots going on at once for the audio could sometimes make the listening experience arguably not as good, and if I have the option of listening to one narrator or listening to a full cast my general preference is to listen to the one narrator.
I can see why some people get excited about full cast versions though, and there certainly are benefits to full cast versions especially if they’re done well.
Thank you for writing and sharing this review! 🙏💯