Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone vs The Great Gatsby: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Fiction
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
“Mr. And Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”
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Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H'. HARRY POTTER has never even heard of Hogwarts…
The Great Gatsby
“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.”
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Here is a novel, glamorous, ironical, compassionate – a marvelous fusion into unity of the curious incongruities of the life of the period – which reveals a hero like no other – one who could live at no other time and…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone highest: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 4.5 · The Great Gatsby 3.9.
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has the widest readership — 11767753 ratings behind its score.
- The Great Gatsby runs the darker storyline; Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | The Great Gatsby | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.5 (11767753) | 3.9 (6120259) |
| Hardcover | 4.3 (9265) | 4.5 (2) |
| Google Books | 5.0 (1) | 5.0 (1) |
| Apple Books | — | 4.5 (806) |
| LiveLib | — | 4.0 (5) |
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Reception
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | The Great Gatsby | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 11767753 | 6120259 |
| Editions | 399 | 1179 |
| Citations | — | 24 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 1836537 | 2127185 |
| Reading it now | 287150 | 85180 |
| Written reviews | 203304 | 138625 |
| Wikipedia attention | 102689 | 94574 |
| Pages | 334 | 431 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone or The Great Gatsby?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 4.5/5, The Great Gatsby 3.9/5).
Which is shorter to read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone or The Great Gatsby?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (334 pages, ≈ 6 h 11 m); The Great Gatsby (431 pages, ≈ 7 h 59 m).
Which is harder to read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone or The Great Gatsby?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Moderate; The Great Gatsby: Moderate.
Have both books been made into films?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: 1 film adaptation; The Great Gatsby: 5 film adaptations.