Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, Book 2)

I first read this novel several years ago, but had not reviewed it until now. Since I own a copy of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child", I decided I needed to revisit the series. This second reading was just as delightful as the first! This series just has a freshness, an amazing originality, that I know I'll NEVER get tired of! Poor Harry Potter has not had an easy life....after all, he's been targeted for bullying and attempted murder. In the first book, not only was he nearly killed by Voldemort, but then grew up being constantly bullied by his nearest relatives, the Dursleys, who are Muggles (non-magical people). Then he started attending the magical boarding school -- Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry -- and found two new enemies: Draco Malfoy, and Professor Snape. All of these characters continue to harass him in this second installment, too. Amazingly, Harry manages to deal with it all, including the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, who is ridiculously narcissistic. And in the end, as always, Harry emerges as hero! In this book, there's a new mystery to be solved, as several students, and one cat, are Petrified. This means they're literally turned into statues. At the same time, Harry is hearing something very unusual, that no one else can hear. And a certain villain makes a very unexpected appearance.... The three main characters are GREAT, as usual. Harry remains resolute in solving any and all strange mysteries that may arise, and he has two incredible allies in Hermione and Ron, who back him up in all of his adventures! I love how Hermione constantly turns to books as the answer to every problem that crops up. When in doubt, head for the library! As for Ron, I really admire his loyalty to Harry. He's given Harry some very great help along the way, as well. All the secondary characters are also wonderful, which is a Rowling trademark. This is very important, as I do feel that secondary characters can either make or break a novel. Professor McGonagall, although very strict, is also very fair, as well as compassionate. Professor Snape is his usual nasty, detestable self, constantly directing his unpleasant remarks to Harry. The Weasleys -- especially Fred and George -- are very comical. I love how the whole family accepts and loves Harry, who is an orphan. And Hagrid is his usual sweet, adorable self! In this novel, we find out more about his rather shadowy past. Three new minor characters are introduced here -- the house elf, Dobby, Draco's vicious father, Lucius Malfoy, and Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. Poor Dobby leads a miserable existence, but, in spite of that, he attempts to warn Harry away from Hogwarts. Unfortunately, for some reason, he's not able to tell Harry exactly why it would be dangerous for him to return to the school. My heart went out to him! I thought it was great that Rowling also threaded in some social commentary through this character. But then, she's been doing that since the first book. It's very obvious that she's against abuse of all types, as this is a recurrent theme in the books. Dobby is mistreated by Lucius on a constant basis. Harry is mistreated by the Dursleys, and abused by Draco and Snape. This is one of the elements of the books that, I'm sure, has contributed to their appeal. Rowling definitely sticks up for the underdog! The portrayal of Lucius is very well done. He's cruel, despotic, and evil. He might come across as very stereotypical, as Harry's Muggle relative, Uncle Vernon, does, but again, I think Rowling is using some of her characters to speak out against abuse. Unfortunately, children in particular do suffer a lot of abuse worldwide, and so do other groups who have no access to power of any type. Through these two characters, Rowling also makes a very important statement regarding bigotry. Lucius (as well as his son, Draco) detests "Mudbloods", which is the name given to magical people whose parents happen to be Muggles. Lucius also loathes elves, as they are powerless to change their own status unless someone helps them out. As for Uncle Vernon, he detests magical people. Both characters are constantly judging and stereotyping those who belong to other, "different" groups. Both are, of course, insensitive to the suffering of those they unfairly mistreat. Gilderoy Lockhart provides a lot of the comic relief in this novel. He is incredibly FOND of himself! He's constantly telling people about his supposed magical exploits, as well as pushing his own books, making these a requirement for the subject he's teaching. It turns out that he's just a ridiculous windbag, but, along the way, he provided a lot of laughs at tense points in the narrative. I also loved the character of "Moaning Myrtle", even though she was constantly complaining and whining. I do feel sorry for her. She had self-esteem issues while alive, and these continued to plague her even as a ghost. She just had a very raw deal. Even her death was totally unfair. She does help out our heroes, though. Without the clues she provided, they would not have been able to solve the mystery so easily, and lives would not have been saved. The novel ended in a very satisfactory manner, as the first book did. Rowling is obviously not a fan of cliffhangers, which is something I really appreciate! Of course, it was Harry who saved the day. In fact, in this particular installment, I was very strongly reminded of Greek mythology. Harry could have been one of the famous Greek heroes, in that he battled some very great obstacles, and used his intelligence and resourcefulness in doing so. I'm sure this was intentional on Rowling's part. She certainly excels at bringing in all kinds of literary allusions to these books! Rowling's imagination is amazingly fertile, as she brings in more plot twists, more incredible events, and makes her readers wish even more that they studied and lived at Hogwarts! I find it hard to believe that these books should have met with some negative criticism. After all, they fall squarely into the tradition of the hero who triumphs against all odds! And they do so in an entirely unique and very entertaining way, too!

I’m a high school special education reading teacher, and I have used a handful of audiobooks over the years. This one? On a completely different level. The full-cast performance, sound effects, music, and ambience don’t just tell the story—they build an entire world that my students are eager to step into. For the first time in a long time, I’m watching students who have historically struggled to read along actually lean in. They’re listening closely. They’re following the text. They’re reacting to scenes, anticipating moments, laughing, gasping, and fully embracing the tone and mood set by the cast. The immersive experience lowers the barrier to access while raising engagement—and that is huge for my students. What makes this so powerful is that it doesn’t feel like “extra support.” It feels exciting. It feels cinematic. It feels magical. The students aren’t being reminded of what’s hard for them; they’re just enjoying the story, and the reading happens naturally alongside it. That kind of joy-driven engagement is something educators chase, and this audiobook delivers it effortlessly. Seeing students who once disengaged from books now excited to read along has been genuinely moving. This full-cast edition has transformed our reading time into something my students look forward to—and honestly, so do I. Well done, Amazon. This is not just an audiobook; it’s an inclusive, immersive reading experience that works. If you care about accessibility, engagement, and reminding kids why stories matter, this is a must.

Why are so many people wild about Harry? I have a fascination with the thought of teaching at Hogwarts though notice they do not seem to have a philosophy course in the curriculum! Over the last year or so I have read the Harry Potter Books and watched the movies. I listen to the music on the soundtrack CDs while working. It sets a nice mood for me. Why? There has been a flurry of writing over the issue of why Potter has been such a hot item. Why do children like to read the books? We have their quotes to read over and think about. Some declare reading them has pulled them away from the abyss and toward success. Adults ponder these issues and offer various reasons why they think they have been so popular with children. Better, they also ponder why the books have been popular with adults as well. Notice that Lady JKR says she wrote the books for herself, because she liked them. Some have detailed the perfect fit the stories have with the trends in political and economic aspects of British or American society. Others have described the wonderful use the plots make of classic templates that always win hearts and imaginations. Harry is Jesus made flesh. Those who see a satanic cultus have been pretty much laughed out of town or they live in towns most laugh at. We also have the interplay with public relations and the media. Lady JKR received good PR even prior to the first publication of HPP/SS. The news media were interested in the poor single mother making good. It was like magic. Scholastic bid high for the rights in America and that meant a burden was on them to produce fans. They did a good job. But of course, the book was good in its own right. The movie stuck to the text, so to speak. One thing AOL did right. The kids would have been disappointed otherwise. Now when we read we picture things according to the film for better or worse. Frankly, I could never have imagined the delivery of lines such as, "It does not do Harry to dwell on dreams and forget to live." as well as Richard Harris did. Bless him. The irony of it hurts, but it sounds like good advice and one reason to dwell on someone else's dream when it delivers such wonderful insights. With so many enjoying the books each for their own reasons, it makes little sense to think there is a peculiarly important reason why the books have enjoyed the overwhelming success they have. There are lots of reasons. I do not want the story to stop. It bugged me that I had to wait until June to see the last movie and even longer to find out what happens to Harry next. Book 6 is scheduled to come out July 16, 2005 and my order for it is already placed. But I know I have to be patient. I don't want JKR to feel rushed. I want her to do the job right all the way to the word "scar." When I received my order for HPCS, as a side note, I puzzled over this recent development of ordering things before they are published. I have had outstanding orders for about four of five things that have not come out yet. This never used to be the case, at least for me. So this is some new kind of economic development in its own right. I suspect computers had something to do with this. And credit. I would love to teach at Hogwarts. Imagine! Students studying. Reading assignments and papers done. Students working at the library. (I seriously think Snape is the best teacher there). Reading books after class on school grounds. Students getting along well in their own houses at least. Competition between houses is a good stressor. Teachers get to teach what they consider important and they don't have to worry so much about their popularity. They can be as strict as they want. In fact, if they are not good enough or strict enough they can lose their positions! No more casual clothes. Discipline is the order of the day. All you need to do is deduct points or give detentions, even if those are no longer hanging by the thumbs in the dungeons; they are amazingly effective at Hogwarts. Students really behave. School spirit is great. The school spirits are interesting as well. The classrooms look like the pits - well, dungeons at least. At least they are not temporary or make shift! And if they are drafty? Except maybe divination class where it is warm on purpose. Students have sweaters and robes to keep them warm. Cooler is always better for staying awake anyway. Heck, even dead teachers can keep going in a school like this! (See professor Bins in the books.) No Internet. Heck, no eklectricity at all in fact. But instead of instant messaging there are instant owls. No spam, though there are occasionally howlers. You never have to find someone's address even if they are hiding from everyone. Owls know where they are. Imagine the possibilities! Message to Osama? Better use a timer if you want your owl back. How would that work? But I think the reason I would want to teach there is not just the castle and its peculiarities. It's the quality of the students. They are smart and interested. They are the kinds of kids we really want. Is this different than the ones we really have? They come to school reasonably prepared even if some of their wands are defective. There is still the pressure on those who would over indulge in intellectualosity-- maybe I should use the word "lucubrations". "This is light?" "How can you be behind in your school work? We are on vacation!" "She's a nightmare. No wonder she doesn't have any friends." But that sort of thing is resolved. "Thank goodness. Hermione pays attention in Herbology." What could be more rewarding than being her teacher? I do miss the fine arts. History taught by a dead teacher is not the best critical thinking course. Would critical thinking be out of place in Hogwarts? Not likely. Maybe there is a place for philosophy? At least in Britain. Well, no tickling sleeping dragons.

I'm so glad that I decided to re-read these books right now. Because oh, how I am loving them. Reading this book again was a lot of fun. And I loved it so much. Harry is amazing. The Weasleys are so adorable. I love Ron and Hermione. I love the school. I love Hagrid. Just, I have so much love for this book. I like how every book in this series is about one year at Hogwarts. Harry must spend every summer with the Dursleys. And oh my god. I can't stand them. I really can't. They are so awful towards him. They never get him anything. And they are cruel, in a way. Did not like the small part of them in this book. There is so much to love about Chamber of Secrets. The writing is gorgeous. I liked it more in this than I did in the first one. This book is special to me. I loved reading about Harry and all his problems. Things aren't going very well for him. He is getting blamed for just about everything, and I must admit to loving that, hah. There was this new teacher in this one. And oh, how he annoyed me. How he annoyed Harry. And it was so much fun to read about. This book is awesome. And not nearly as dark as the books that are coming up.. sigh. Yet still a bit heartbreaking, even so. The writing is lovely. The characters are all perfection to read about. The plot is awesome. All of it is so. I'm so happy that I loved re-reading this gorgeous book. So much is happening in this one. I don't think I will describe much of it. But I have some thoughts to share. I adore the friendship between Harry and Ron and Hermione. It is stunning to read about. Though I also feel like we don't get to see nearly enough of it, and that makes me a bit sad. Hmph. But I'm okay. Probably. Because there is so much amazing happening at all times. I like reading about Harry's sort of hate relationship with Draco. It's awesome. I don't fully hate this boy. He's a bully, but not the worst one. I also liked reading about the sport in this book. How awesome Harry is at it. How great he is at flying. I'm all kinds of jealous, though, as I have always wanted to fly. I still adore reading about the different classes in these books. Though not too much about it, so I didn't get tired of it. I keep thinking that I don't see how people could love Snape after book seven, but so far I don't hate him at all. He just seems a bit grumpy, maybe. But yeah. Not liking him much either, to tell the truth. He is interesting, though. The plot in this book is all kinds of exciting. I loved the mystery about the Chamber of Secrets. About who was turning so many people almost into stone. About the whispering that only Harry could hear. About that annoying Dobby, and all the awful but meant in a good way things he did. I loved reading about the different creatures in this one. Huge spiders. Shudders. Those were awesome. And huge snake. And just, yeah. It was a lot of fun to read about and I can't seem to say much more than that :) I wish there were tons of things I could say about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. But my mind seems empty. Probably because this book is so awesome that I have no negative things to talk about, hah :) So my review is a lot shorter than usual. But that's okay. I just wanted to share about how much I adored re-reading this book. And how happy I am that I did this right now. You all need to read the Harry Potter books. If you have only read book one, you should know that this one is even better. It's so good.

Dobby is definitely one of the best characters. I enjoyed this book. Took about 6 hrs total to read. I am a casual reader.

It’s a good second book

There have been numerous reviews of Harry Potter to date, and Rowling has racked up many awards for her books. I’m going to try and stay away from writing things that can be easily found in other reviews from years past. Note that I am now nearly 24 years old and this is my first time reading Harry Potter, which was published when I was in elementary school. I remember my mother reading them, and then my middle brother. I was into other genres, and for some reason I had an unfounded stigma toward Harry Potter. I have seen the first four movies; I didn't really keep up with the latter movies. But I didn't know what was going on because I missed out on so much that was in the books! I wish that I had read Harry Potter as I was growing up, instead of waiting – I feel that I’ve lost a lot of the magic in waiting, and also in seeing the movies before reading the books. The basic premise of Harry Potter is about Harry Potter himself, and discovering who and what he is, where he came from and his quest to becoming what he’s destined to become – a great wizard, with a bond not seen before in the wizard world of magic (i.e. Voldemort). We already know from the first book that Harry is going to encounter a scary, dangerous situation while at Hogwarts – and it is all about him. (Cue Voldemort.) After Voldemort’s quick and mysterious exit yet again, it’s no doubt that he will return at the worst possible moment and be behind it all. And, seeing as how he used a Hogwarts professor as a means to an end to get to Harry, who’s to say he won’t do the same thing again? Or will he, since he’s already played that card? Each subsequent book in the series brings additional characters into the life of Harry Potter. And with them come more knowledge, more mystery and more story lines. Young Ginny, Ron’s little sister, comes to Hogwarts as first year…and she has a terrible crush on Harry. It’s quite cute if you've ever had a mad crush before. In the latter half of the book, we learn Ginny and Harry unknowingly share an item that belonged to the student who first opened the Chamber of Secrets so many years ago. Dobby makes a few surprise appearances, sharing some valuable and thought-provoking information. Harry and Ron get punished for some grievous infraction with Malfoy at the center. Harry is sequestered with Lockhart for punishment and he hears a chilling voice. The words uttered stop you in your tracks and send you running and screaming...which lands them in an empty corridor with some bad juju and incriminating evidence: The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware. And not only do Harry, Ron, Hermione and the usual professor gang see the threatening message, but the whole student body does so as well. Now the cat’s outta the bag! They are all bent out of shape trying to find out about the infamous Chamber of Secrets...and it just continues from there. The shared item between Harry and Ginny, a diary, crystallizes Rowling’s style: she sets up a mysterious scenario, with the main characters involved, and a few suspects as well as some hints of evidence. (And of course the worries of an expulsion.) All of these hints and suspicions build up the plot (and undoubtedly cause other side problems for the gang) and give small flickers of light in this dark big picture. But we never see the whole picture until the pitfall, which is quite unexpected…yet, not really. (We know that’s the natural course of the book.) And then all is revealed, and we get that “aha!” moment when the light bulb comes on. I have the sneaky suspicion this is going to be the formula for most of the rest of the series, which is something I’m not a fan of. But, seeing as how I couldn't figure it all out on my own, it’s nice having it explained. Overall, I enjoyed this book (as I did the first, and probably all to come), with the exception of the light bulb idea above. If you've never read the Harry Potter series, I highly encourage you to do so. It is truly an enjoyable (and easy) read.

Man this series is great. really going well. Snape is kinda starting to sound better than last book. Maybe i judged his VA too harshly. Dumbledore is great and had no idea Hugh Laurie played him. The VA are great again but Madam Promfrey sounds like a dude.