Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling Series: Harry Potter #2
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Published by Scholastic on July 2nd 1998
Also by this author: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Format: Audiobook (341 pages) • Source: Library
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The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the 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.
Luckily I started reading the Harry Potter series when the first three books had been released already. There wasn’t a lot of wait time in between those ones. I started book one in 1999 over the summer and got the next two books for Christmas that year. I remember actually laying underneath my Christmas tree and starting to read Chamber of Secrets almost instantly.
It’s funny because a lot of people generally say that this book is their least favorite of the books. I don’t remember having a least favorite! When Andi was reading the books (for the first time!) recently, I saw quite a few people telling her not to be discouraged by this book because the next one gets much better. It started coming back to me that this book was a little slower than the rest. Of course, it’s still amazing, but it’s definitely not as fast-paced. At times, it’s also less interesting than the rest.
I’ve said before how I’m generally not a big rereader of books. (Okay, I just started rereading a few months ago for the first time ever.) This series is the ONE that I said I would reread someday. The Reread Challenge this year is definitely helping motivate me to achieve this goal. I know so many people out there who have read the whole series countless times in their life… I just decided to start now. Oh well.
Eeeeek. My instant reaction was being mad that the audio copy of Prisoner of Azkaban I requested hasn’t been delivered to my library yet. The next book is actually my FAVORITE of the seven, so I am very anxious to get started. Finishing this one was a relief because it means I’m closer to the best of the best. All of that aside – I definitely agree that this book is slower / not AS good as the rest of the series. I forgot completely about how insane Gilderoy Lockhart is. It was nice having him as some comic relief. My boyfriend is reading these at the same time as me (except him for the first time) and he brought up something I didn’t notice before. He said that the biggest thing that annoyed him about this book is that everyone blames Harry for everything. Why would be be the Heir of Slytherin if he was placed in Gryffindor? Despite the incident with the sorting hat, none of the other students even knew Slytherin was possible for him. Why would they think he was involved? AND he’s the one who survived Voldemort’s attack and helped fight against him. Clearly he’s not a dark wizard. It just got annoying that no matter what Harry did, the students thought he was the one causing all the problems and doing everything wrong. The second Chris mentioned his annoyance about that to me, I couldn’t stop noticing it. Also, it’s funny picking up on things/scenes that didn’t happen in the movie. Nearly Headless Nick’s birthday party didn’t happen in the movie, and I’m pretty sure Lockhart’s Valentines Day love-fest wasn’t as pronounced in the movie. (I need to rewatch those too.)
YEP. As I said, I’m going to reread this series every year at this point. I think it would be a perfect series to keep on while I’m working and listen to the audio. I’m rereading right now by audio and LOVE the narrator’s voice and inflection. I would listen while I’m at work now, but it’s been about 15 years since I read these… I really want to pay attention and remember things I didn’t before. Next year I can listen while I work and pay attention enough to enjoy it.
Oh Harry Potter. As so many people I really grew up with this series. Glad you’re enjoying your reread. I used to reread like crazy when I was younger. It was Harry Potter and nothing else (or very little else) for years… Hahaha.
Haha there are plenty of people in that same boat!