<P> Most reviews were very favourable, commenting on Rowling's imagination, humour, simple, direct style and clever plot construction, although a few complained that the final chapters seemed rushed . The writing has been compared to that of Jane Austen, one of Rowling's favourite authors, Roald Dahl, whose works dominated children's stories before the appearance of Harry Potter, and the Ancient Greek story - teller Homer . While some commentators thought the book looked backwards to Victorian and Edwardian boarding school stories, others thought it placed the genre firmly in the modern world by featuring contemporary ethical and social issues . </P> <P> Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, along with the rest of the Harry Potter series, has been attacked by several religious groups and banned in some countries because of accusations that the novels promote witchcraft, but other religious commentators have written that the book exemplifies important viewpoints, including the power of self - sacrifice and the ways in which people's decisions shape their personalities . The series has been used as a source of object lessons in educational techniques, sociological analysis and marketing . </P> <P> The most evil and powerful dark wizard in history, Lord Voldemort, murders James and Lily Potter but mysteriously disappears after failing to kill their infant son, Harry . While the wizarding world celebrates Voldemort's apparent downfall, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and half - giant Rubeus Hagrid place the one - year - old orphan in the care of his surly and cold Muggle uncle and aunt, Vernon and Petunia Dursley and their spoilt and bullying son, Dudley . </P> <P> For ten years, living at number Four Privet Drive, Harry is treated by the Dursleys more like a servant than a member of the family and is forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs . Shortly before his eleventh birthday, a series of letters addressed to Harry arrive, but Uncle Vernon destroys them before Harry can read them, leading to an influx of more and more letters . To evade the pursuit of these letters, Vernon first takes the family to a hotel, but when the letters arrive there too, he hires a boat out to a hut on a small island . </P>

Number of chapters in harry potter and the philosopher's stone