7 Reasons Every Reader Should Read Harry Potter

So, you love to read, and you consider yourself a serious book-lover. You have piles of books stacked all over your room, your favorite places in the world are bookstores and libraries, you can't choose just one favorite book. You love books, but you've somehow managed to avoid one very famous book series: you've never read Harry Potter.

The truth is that somehow, you’ve made it this long without ever reading Harry Potter. Maybe you just weren’t into it as a kid, or maybe you were busy reading other things. Perhaps you like that you’ve never read the series, because it makes you like a unicorn — rare. 'Why spoil that now?' you think. Or perhaps you simply feel that it’s too late to read the books, so you might as well just keep on reading other things. I'm here to tell you that it's never too late to read Harry Potter, because its magic last long past childhood. It's a book that any one, any age can read and enjoy.

I believe that every reader should finish the Harry Potter series at least once in their life — here are seven reasons why:

1. It Has A Chiastic Plot Structure

The Harry Potter books actually have a chiastic — or symmetrical — plot structure. This image explains how events that happen in the first book are mirrored in the seventh, the second mirrors the sixth, and so on. This is a literary technique that goes all the way back to The Odyssey and The Illiad.

2. It References Many Other Works Of Literature

Book-lovers will notice references to many other works of literature in the series, and Harry Potter has been compared to everything from mythology and folklore to The Sword in the Stone and Wuthering Heights .

3. Lots Of People Have Read It, So You Will Have More Opportunities To Talk About Books

The fact is, a lot of people have read Harry Potter. If you read it, you will suddenly have waaay more opportunities to talk about books, because even people who "don't really like reading" (however that's possible) have often read Harry Potter. So, if you love talking about books, you can give yourself more chances to do so — even if you're not into the series, you'll probably get to have a lively argument with an HP fan.

4. It's A Smooth Read

Since Harry Potter is a children's series, it's pretty easy to read. The writing is clear and entertaining, and it won't take you long to burn right through the series.

5. The Audiobooks Are Wonderful

If you're an audiobook fan, you definitely need to listen to Harry Potter, because the audiobooks are pretty amazing. Jim Dale reads the U.S. version, and Stephen Fry reads the British version. They're both spectacular, so even if you're not into the series, you will be when you let their magical voices draw you in.

6. There Are More Harry Potter-Universe Projects Coming Out

Harry Potter isn't over: there are so many more Harry Potter-inspired projects coming out. From Cursed Child to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to the new interactive books, this is a series that just keeps expanding. You can fully enjoy the world, too, once you read the original series.

7. It's Truly Magical

The true reason every reader should read Harry Potter? It's magical and you're going to love it. Always. (And you'll finally understand that reference!)

Images: Giphy (7)