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Loading... Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (original 1998; edition 1999)by J.K. Rowling
Work InformationHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling (1998)
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Fantastic the second time. As with the first book, I am struck by just how complex the entire series truly is. The foreshadowing of events and relationships which will not mature until several books later is patently obvious in retrospect. The depth of character development, especially in the secondary characters (i.e. not Harry) is breathtaking. ( ) Harry Potter is back for his second year at Hogwarts (despite a bit of trouble getting there), and mysterious things are happening at the school. Students are being attacked, just as they were decades earlier when the mysterious Chamber of Secrets was opened. The Heir of Slytherin is said to have the ability to open the Chamber of Secrets and unleash its horror, and many at Hogwarts suspect that Harry may be the heir. Harry, with the help of Ron and Hermione, will need to find the real heir of Slytherin in order to acquit himself. The setting and characters are the stars of the story rather than the plot. I guessed where things were headed fairly early on, although there were a couple of twists that surprised me. Despite the narration by the outstanding Jim Dale, my mind would wander, and I would find that I hadn’t missed anything important. The house elf, Dobby, became a sentimental favorite for me because my grandparents had a dog by that name when I was a child, long before Harry Potter’s creation. The second entry in the Harry Potter franchise is, in my opinion, the most underrated one. This is considered by most Harry Potter fans to be the weakest story in the entire saga. However, I respectfully disagree. While I acknowledge a lot of the flaws people have with it, I also have a lot of things I absolutely love that make it stand a hair over the first book, in my opinion. [return][return]My favorite aspect about this whole book is the mystery. Yes, it's not perfect (there are lots of plot holes), but I still consider it very well-written as a whole. Rowling did an ungodly job setting it up and revealing all the major information in the final couple chapters. I tell you, when I first read this book about five years ago, I just could not put it down. The mystery had me absolutely enthralled, and the major reveals in the end absolutely blew my mind. I could not stop thinking about them for hours after I had finished the book and put it down. Well done, Rowling.[return][return]Not only do I like the way the mystery is built up and resolved, but I also love the dark tone it sets all over Hogwarts. A lot of people complain about the major shift in tone between this book and the books coming before and after it, but I honestly don't see a problem with it. I love the brooding and ominous air all over Hogwarts in the last 200 pages of this story. The fact that a giant monster is creeping around this massive school and trying to kill students is a very simple, yet effective story beat. It really hooked me in and never let go. I just couldn't help but continue reading to see what happens next. [return][return]Harry Potter continues to show why he's become one of the most iconic fictional characters of all time. Not only does he go on incredible adventures and solve mind-bending mysteries, but he truly has a heart of gold. You just can't hate the guy. He is the perfect protagonist. Not only are his morals completely straight, but he's been through a lot at school and throughout his early life. Making him be bullied by the Dursleys for the first ten years of his life is a great decision as it makes the reader more empathetic towards him. He's poor and humble, and that's partly what makes him so likeable. [return][return]This book is obviously not perfect, though. While Rowling created an engaging mystery, she made it a little too big and complex. Consequently, lots of plot holes propped up. Why did the Basilisk just slither through the pipes and not into school grounds? Why did it stop at paralyzing one victim before retreating temporarily and coming back a few weeks later to hunt more students? Why did Tom Riddle explain the entire mystery to Harry down in the Chamber of Secrets instead of just killing him when he had the chance? How did Harry get the extremely convenient instinct to stab Riddle's diary with a Basilisk fang? Why did Ginny dispose of Riddle's Diary in Myrtle's bathroom where Harry and Ron would conveniently end up in not too long afterwards? I could go on. The point is that there are too many things that happen simply to push the plot forward. The entire final scene between Harry and Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets is chock full of conveniences that ensure that Harry survives and Riddle's diary gets destroyed. [return][return]Also, the first 100 or so pages are a bit slow, in my opinion. Not much happens, and it does get a little boring at times. Thankfully, as soon as Harry hears the Basilisk for the first time, the story instantly gets more exciting, and I just can't stop reading it from that point onwards.
The atmosphere Rowling creates is unique; the story whizzes along; Harry is an unassuming and completely sympathetic hero. But, truth to tell, you may feel as if you’ve read it all before. Rowling clearly hit on a winning formula with the first Harry Potter book; the second book — though still great fun — feels a tad, well, formulaic. Tras derrotar una vez más a lord Voldemort, su siniestro enemigo en Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal, Harry espera impaciente en casa de sus insoportables tíos el inicio del segundo curso del Colegio Hogwarts de Magia y Hechicería. Sin embargo, la espera dura poco, pues un elfo aparece en su habitación y le advierte que una amenaza mortal se cierne sobre la escuela. Así pues, Harry no se lo piensa dos veces y, acompañado de Ron, su mejor amigo, se dirige a Hogwarts en un coche volador. Pero ¿puede un aprendiz de mago defender la escuela de los malvados que pretenden destruirla? Sin saber que alguien ha abierto la Cámara de los Secretos, dejando escapar una serie de monstruos peligrosos, Harry y sus amigos Ron y Hermione tendrán que enfrentarse con arañas gigantes, serpientes encantadas, fantasmas enfurecidos y, sobre todo, con la mismísima reencarnación de su más temible adversario. Belongs to SeriesHarry Potter (2) Is contained inHas the adaptationInspiredHas as a reference guide/companionThe Magical World of Harry Potter: A Treasure of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts by David Colbert Has as a student's study guideAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
When the Chamber of Secrets is opened again at the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, second-year student Harry Potter finds himself in danger from a dark power that has once more been released on the school. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.914Literature English English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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