Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Series: Harry Potter (#2)
Rating: ★★★★☆
All Harry Potter wants is to get away from the Dursleys and go back to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he’s packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby – who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.
And strike it does. For in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls’ bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley’s younger sister, Ginny.
But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone–or something–starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects… Harry Potter himself.
Book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Eh.
Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t want to give the wrong idea. This is Harry Potter – and thus a part of my FAVORITE series, ever. However, it’s probably my least favorite book (oddly, not my least favorite movie). There are a few reasons for this, the biggest one being that it came directly after Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Book 1 was SO amazing, so entrancing, that I don’t know that there ever would have been a single book that could live up to it. So, immediately, from the start, Chamber of Secrets suffers. It’s actually not saying too much that it’s my least favorite, because it’s still a solid four-stars, but full-disclosure and all.
Confession: I don’t like Dobby. I never have. And even though I have heart-felt emotions regarding him later in the series, it doesn’t ever negate the fact that I just do not like him.
What I really like here is that, in this book, you are first given the sense that this series is more than just books connected by characters, but there’s an overall storyline and plot running throughout. That it’s not just going to be book after book after book of the same thing, but that as our characters age, and the world changes, new and interesting and dangerous things are going to start happening.
Then there’s the new characters that start getting introduced. In this book, it’s primarily Dobby (a house-elf – and even though I don’t like him, I do LOVE the plot-lines that his species opens up later in the series), and Gilderoy Lockhart. By the way – Kenneth Branaugh is brilliant as Lockhart.
Lockhart is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, a position that he seems to be eminently qualified for. Look, I know a lot of people hate Lockhart, I do too, actually, but I love to hate him. Seriously love it. He’s a fantastic character, even though he is a prat, or maybe because he is.
Confession 2: I’m not the biggest Ginny fan. Especially not here in the beginning. I feel for her, but the hero-worship…Ugh. Thankfully that doesn’t last much beyond this book.
But there are so many things that I enjoy here, too!
- Peskipiksi Pesternomi
- Potion brewing in the bathroom
- Hermione <3
- Dueling Club – <3 Snape
- Fawkes!
- Dwarves dressed as “Cupids” to deliver Valentines
- The thought of asking Snape for a love-potion!
- Harry’s Valentine
- The Mystery
The mystery is actually quite good – something I’ve finally been able to realize and acknowledge on this last re-read. It unravels quite beautifully, and with an awesome amount of building suspense.
Now, onto one of my absolutely favorites: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. YES!
This is my least favourite HP book by far. Easily 2 stars (just don’t tell my goodreads that XD )
It’s so fun reading your opinions as you discover the series. It’s cool ~ and reminds me of my good old days (aka like 6 years ago 😛 )
I really think this book suffers from being the one immediately after the magical story of Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone.
Have you re-read the series at all yet? I always love the new things I capture whenever I do re-reads.
YES IT DOES. Literally the second book syndrome. I think that’s why it was so much more boring. And honestly, Ginny was cringe-worthy here XD Thank god she got better
I READ IT LIKE A BILLION TIMES
like at least twice a year… I never tire of it 😀
Oh my gosh! Ginny was awful! If I’m being honest, the one thing I’ve never loved about the series as a whole is the romantic pairings – I didn’t hate them, but I just didn’t love them either. Ginny does get LOADS better, as soon as she stops focusing on Harry and her obsession with him, though.
I watch the movies about twice a year, but I only get to re-read every couple of years now. I really appreciate the things that I miss in the movies, so much.
Yup, at the beginning, Ginny was the most annoying character ever. I mean, I liked Draco over her XD But it’s the charm of HP: the Characters grow along too!
Haha, that’s the opposite for me! #booksarebetter 😉 😛