Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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 show more 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. show less

Harry Potter enters his second year at Hogwarts with a bang… literally. He crashes into a tree while flying a car to school. The second book in the series has never been my favorite, but I was surprised, upon re-reading it, to discover how many small details foreshadow events in future books. They seem unimportant here, but in retrospect Rowling was clearly setting up the final premise early on.

There are also so many important characters that are introduced in this installment. We meet Dobby and see his eternal loyalty unfold from the first chapters. We meet the entire Weasley family (except the eldest brothers) and visit their home, the Burrow, for the first time. They truly become Harry’s family and so this is an important event. show more We also see Dumbledore’s office for the first time and his role becomes more prominent.

This is also the book where Voldemort becomes more than just a generic baddie. Until now we knew nothing about his past. Learning about his heritage, childhood and “normal” years makes him an interesting adversary, instead of just a villain. I love Harry’s struggle with the similarities between him and his foe. It adds another great layer to the story.

Rowling has an interesting habit of splitting up the core group at the end of many of the books. In the first one, Ron is separated from Hermione and Harry at the chess game. In the second book, Hermione is debilitated before the Chamber of Secrets sequence. In the third book, Ron is again out of commission before the final section. I never really noticed that before, but it’s an interesting trend. Side note: What happened to Neville? He is barely mentioned at all in this book, which is sad.

A few things I'd forgotten about the second book:

1) This is the first time Harry is really disliked or feared by other students. In future books this happens frequently, but this book marks the first time Harry is rejected by many of the people he knows in the wizarding world.

2) I’d forgotten all about Nearly Headless Nick’s deathday party. It provides a chance to meet a few of the house ghosts, which is important in the final books.

3) Fawkes is such a critical character in this book. I’d forgotten how crucial the phoenix’s role is and how important it is that he comes when Harry needs him. It speaks volumes about Harry’s loyalty to Dumbledore at a time when Harry didn’t know him well. show less

RE-READER ( 4th time ) .... In this book the list of people I dislike is slowly forming into a long list . Lockhart was annoying and I’m glad he is out of the picture . He should be in Azkaban for all his fraud . The Malfoy’s are almost up there with LV and the Dursley’s ... The hatred shown towards muggle-borns is nothing but a fantasy world version of racism . Pure-blood , half-blood , muggle-born ( or the racist term mud / dirty-blood . It’s all so silly really ... You blood line should be the basis of what type of witch or wizard you will become . I mean look at Neville and Hermione ... Neville is pure-blood and Hermione is muggle-born ... Neville can hardly do simple spells and Hermione is the best in her class . I think In show more this book my dislike for Slytherins have increased .. And I know it’s not fair to label all Slytherins in the same bad box , but we have yet met a decent Slytherin witch or wizard . Dobby , where do I begin with him . Always trying to save Harry Potter , yet he put him in more danger than anyone else ... In the end it was Harry who save Dobby . It’s was fascinating learning more about LV past before he became who he is today , how human he was . This book is heavy in real life issues in a fantasy world . Everyone can relate too it ... We have all seen or been apart of things that one consider to be an act of racism or a hate crime of some sort . LV is just a wizarding world version of Hitler . This teaches you about the courage to stand up for what’s right . It teaches you that , as Dumbledore said , it’s our choices that show us who we truly are and not our abilities . That one statement defines the entire book and series . Great book and now on to book 3 show less

Boa continuação, já um pouco mais pré-adolescente, da saga de Harry, consistente como a primeira e com boa e criativa utilização da figura da donzela em apuros (Ginny) e dos charmes da futilidade masculina (Gilderoy, que no filme é extremamente bem retratado). De novo, esperamos que o final amarre todas as informações espalhadas nos capítulos e é o que acontece. A câmara dos segredos, afinal, não é algo de grande importância, mas certamente ligada ao perigo e falhas de segurança que sempre fragilizam instituições das mais diversas. Leitura muito divertida, salvando até mesmo a figura do familiar estabanado, Dobby, com a esperada cena final (mostrando como a boa malícia sobrevive à servitude infeliz).

Second readings are a rare treat these days. Typically, it means I'm reading for pure pleasure, there aren't many other pressing reasons to revisit a book apart (perhaps) for reading with one of the kids (school assignment, or merely to join the conversation). This re-read was aloud, over a few months, and always just before bed. We'd seen the film adaptations, and were familiar with the overall story, so we could marvel at the good bits and not worry too much about the larger narrative arc.

For instance, I'd forgotten that Filch is a Squib: a non-magical child of a magical family. Interesting how Rowling introduces the reader to the various intersections between magical and non-magical people, in her world, and hints at the various show more dynamics in personal relations as well as those between groups. These aren't framed as such, rather they arrive in the form of one or another character. So for Filch, the shame of being non-magical, the distrust of Muggles, the excommunication of such imposing personalities as Hagrid.

Similarly, the idea of a ghost teaching History, particularly History of Magic. Takes old joke of not knowing if the lecturer is alive or dead, making it literal.

For all that, it seems to me this second book is a major climax to the series, in many ways more resonant than the final book. There's no real way to know that except after having read them all, though. We learn of the origin and background of Voldemort / Riddle; Lily's "potent countercurse" (by a Muggle!) in sacrificing her life to save Harry against major Dark Arts wizardry; Ginny is possessed by Voldemort whose efforts are foiled nevertheless; Lucius is behind the plot to scandalize the Weasleys but the actions of Harry - Ron - Ginny defeat him; and the Weasley brand of "pure blood" wizarding family triumphs over the Malfoy brand. Not to mention the key lesson for Harry: he knows Parseltongue because Voldemort put a piece of himself in Harry when giving him the scar; despite the parallels with Riddle, he is different in his choices not his blood.

It's a pleasure to read without any concern or aim except for the fun on the page, right there in front of me. show less

I like Harry Potter more than I expected to. I resisted reading it for a long time thinking that it wasn’t the gritty sword and sorcery fantasy that I love. That was correct, it isn’t, but it isn’t as awful as I expected. I am not a contrarian who has to hate anything that is wildly popular. I see the appeal, and kind of liked Chamber of Secrets, but I can’t see myself loving the series.

Why does Hogwarts need a train? The wizards seem to generally disdain technology, though most of their magic replicates or improves on some muggle technology. Why not a magic portal or the ubiquitous broom stick?

Is Harry Potter a magical Fred Flintstone? Fred replicated technology with various combinations of rocks and dinosaurs. Harry does the show more same thing with magic.

Do British boarding schools make their students compete on a point system? I have always thought of the boarding school system as a vicious system for cranking out representatives of the empire. Developing cruelty and endurance is a good goal for a nation running a vast colonial machine. A competitive point system would quickly crank up the cruelty.

How many co-ed boarding schools are there? There must be some, but that seems like a liability risk for the older students. Harry and crew are able to sneak around Hogwarts almost at will. I would guess that all of the older students eager to make out can do the same. What is the Hogwarts policy on magic birth control? show less

Nehéz kijönni belőle. Nehéz letenni, és megint ott lenni ebben a gyártási hibás valóságban, ahol Dumbledore valahogy sosem ér rá, de még a Voldemortunk is csak egy pocakos gazduram.

Rowling úgy építi tovább az atmoszférát, ahogy az a nagykönyvben meg van írva. Új szereplők, új lények, Roxfort színei mélyülnek és finomodnak, az egész varázsvilág a szereplők jellemével, no és persze Harry és Tudjukki szembenállásával egyre diverzifikáltabbá válik. Két újdonságot emelnék ki a második részből:
1.) Először mondtam magamban, hogy “Harry, te hülye vagy.”
2.) És immár Harrynek, az üdvöskének is szembe kell néznie azzal, milyen kitaszítottnak lenni, milyen a közösség gyanakvásának show more kereszttüzében állni. (Így jár, aki kígyókkal beszélget.) Úgyhogy még inkább rá van utalva arra a mágiánál is fontosabb dologra, amit mindközönségesen “barátságnak” nevezünk.

Nekem ennél a kötetnél vált egészen nyilvánvalóvá, hogy a HP-sorozat kultikussá válásának egyik központi oka nem is a mágia meg a rejtélyek, mert ezeket a köröket már sokan lefutották előtte. (Persze hogy jobban vagy rosszabbul, azon lehet vitatkozni.) Hanem hogy ez egy barátságregény. Hogy ott vannak a spanjaid, akik különben, egyenként nem nagy számok. Van köztük csóró, van köztük idegesítően tudálékos, no meg olyan is, aki a saját lábában felbotlik. De a barátaid. És ott vannak melletted, pedig rohadtul nagy szarban vagy.

És basszus, ez egyben egy kőkemény társadalomkritika. Ezt is észre kell venni. Mert kik állnak veled szemben? Akik számára a hatalom nem csak eszköz, hanem maga a cél. A folyton “sárvérű!”-t kiáltó rasszisták. A rohadt gazdagok, akik elnyomják és kizsigerelik a házimanóikat. De te nem hátrálsz, pedig esélytelen vagy. Pedig csak egy kölyök vagy. De olyan kölyök, akinek vannak barátai, akikből erőt meríthet. Tudod, hogy igazad van, és ez az igazság is erő. Lehet, hogy félsz, de mész tovább. Úgyhogy Voldemort kösse fel a gatyát, mert előbb-utóbb fenékbe lesz billentve. Minden Voldemort fenékbe lesz billentve.

Mondom, nehezen jöttem ki belőle. Folytatnám tovább a harmadikkal, és így tovább. Majd folytatni is fogom. Most azért tartok egy kis taktikai pihenőt, mert a jó dolgokból érdemes hagyni későbbre is. show less