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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Big Potter Fan Here!, 2 April 2008
This is the second book in the series of Harry Potter, here is the plot:
On his twelfth birthday, Dobby, a house-elf, visits Harry to warn him that he will be in earthly danger if he returns to Hogwarts. Harry ignores Dobby's terrible caution but is determined to return. Harry unintentionally gets sent to Knockturn Alley in a store that Draco Malfoy (Harry's foe) and his father, Lucius, are stopping by.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione try to find out who the Heir of Slytherin is. With the help of Ron and Moaning Myrtle, Harry discovers the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. Harry makes it to the Chamber where he finds an unaware Ginny. Harry learns that Ginny, under the control of Lord Voldemort, opened the Chamber. Lucius Malfoy, (who was very angry over Harry having deceived him into releasing his slave), attempted to attack Harry... Find out what happens in this great book which continues the adventures of the first!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
I am a Potter fan, 28 Jul 2007
I admit it. But I should say that I was a Potter fan before the media hype started. In effect, the hype is its downfall. Just skimming through the reviews here reveals how many are baffled by its success, and blaming it on media attention. This is simply not true! The books had to of been popular in the first place in order to catch the eyes of those in the many media-based industries.
I don't think it is an original piece of work either - what book is nowadays? Do you go into Waterstones, gaze in wonder at all the books that have appeared on the shelves over the past 100 hundred years, and say "Look at these! I bet they're all entirely original". As anyone knows, there is only really three (or at least about that amount) types of plot that any piece of writing can follow. IE - Good Vs Evil. Like The Lord of Rings, The Worst Witch, the list is endless. I don't regard it as great writing, but I don't let such things spoil a fun story.
If someone is telling you a story, you don't just interrupt them and suggest possible ways of rewording their sentence. Not being able to go beyond the writing style is just being lazy. Your imagination is there to take the story you are presented with and play about with it in your head!
I agree her writing is patchy, but it does improve in the later books.
And anyone who says that adults shouldn't read kids books - get over it, it's just a book! Just because it is written in a simple fashion, this doesn't mean it should be ignored. If can't interact with your childish side, then quite frankly, you aren't human. Or a human I'd want to know.
I'm sorry, but it just annoys that people should let someones writing style ruin a fun story. And should stop being so offensive to the people who do like them. I love Harry Potter, and yet I will quite willingly sit down with a Dickens, an Austen or a Waugh, etc.
I buy books to wallow in a story, not get upset by the fact that someone uses the same word twice in one sentence. Yes, I'm an English student, and I did do quite well in all my papers by analyzing language and characters, but that doesn't define what a good book should be about.
Okay rant over - sorry people! It's an enjoyable series written for children, but why should that stop adults enjoying the story? Just because we feel we are more intelligent than kids doesn't mean that we should be snobbish about liking something written for them. We were that age once you know. And wouldn't it be wonderful to lose our cynicism and become one again? Go ahead, argue against me if you wish, call me a bad writer for this hurried mess I'm typing out. Please :)
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 3 Sep 2003
By the time I came to reading this second book I had ripped through the first one in a matter of days.It is another great follow up story from J K Rowling following the further adventures of Harry and his friends.It was a great follow up novel, and has now been made into a movie.Read the book first though.It is great and is another one of those books which you will most probably find hard to put down!
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
The Writing's on the Wall for Harry Potter, 7 Jul 2001
By A Customer
This is the second book in the Harry Potter series, and the one that I tried to read first. I gave up after a couple of tries, and found that this novel could only be unlocked by going through The Philosopher's Stone. The Chamber of Secrets is the novel that sets up the pattern for much that will come later. Rowling quickly settles into the yearly cycle that characterises all the books. One year, Lord Voldemort is going to have to surprise us all by turning up in the autumn term, and catch Harry Potter when he's napping. Like The Prisoner of Azkaban, this book starts off on Harry's birthday. It's the summer, so Harry is trapped at 'home' with the Durselys. He starts to question his fabulous year at Hogwarts when he finds that nobody has remembered his birthday. He does get a visit from a masochistic house elf though. Dobby implores Harry not to return to Hogwarts, or something nasty will happen to him. It's not long before Ron Weasley arrives in a flying Ford Anglia to rescue Harry. Arthur Weasley, who works for the Ministry of Magic, enchanted the car, but it's beyond the letter of the magic law he wrote himself to actually fly the car. Just as well then, that Arthur Weasley wasn't around when Hagrid rescued the baby Harry by borrowing Sirius Black's flying motorbike. The Weasleys take care of Harry and they all go to Diagon Alley to buy more stuff for the oncoming school year. Harry is thrust into the limelight at one of Gilderoy Lockhart's book signing sessions. Gilderoy Lockhart is the Delia Smith of Wizardry, but having all his books as prescribed texts at Hogwarts also helps them sell. Gilderoy snatches a photo opportunity with Harry to proclaim the good news that he is set to become the new Defence against Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. It's not long before Hermione is swooning at the mere sight of the charming Gilderoy. Less charming is the malodorous Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father. He and Arthur get into a fight at Flourish and Botts. Apparently, the Malfoys believe that some wizarding families are better than others. Harry and Ron set off to get on board the Hogwarts Express as usual, but find that they cannot get on. Still, who needs a train when you've got a flying Ford Anglia? After a slight disagreement with a Whomping Willow and Snape, Ron and Harry are safely housed at Hogwarts. There are a few, new, junior members of the school, namely Ginny, the younger sister of Ron, who blushes furiously every time she sees Harry. There's the less welcome Colin Creevey, who's always flashing with his camera, and, of course, the publicity shy Gilderoy Lockhart. Like Joanne Harris, J K Rowling appears at times to be uneasy about her fame. Of course, this is only the second Harry Potter book, but already Rowling seems to have an inclination of just how big Hogwarts is going to get. No doubt she's warning herself to never become as shallow as Lockhart. Those who accuse Harry Potter of plagiarism would be better placed to accuse Gilderoy Lockhart instead. Rowling does use many literary references, but she does so subtly. For instance, the writing on the wall that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened was very reminiscent of the fall of Babylon in the Bible, even down to the feast (although, I'm pretty sure that there was no petrified cat at Babylon). Rowling also seems to have been delving into Thomas Bulfinch's The Age of Fable, especially where the Basilisk is concerned. Evidence of the intricacies of Rowling's larger plot is there to see. We learn why Hagrid was expelled; we get a hint of what Azkaban is like (useful for the next book), and see more of Hagrid's favourite pets. Rowling is not as understanding of spiders as Barbara Kingsolver in Prodigal Summer. Rowling's knowledge of Herbology is as thorough as ever, and the mandrake plants are amusingly rendered from fable, albeit in the company of pink earmuffs. All in all, a satisfactory sequel.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
A step further into the magical world, 29 May 2007
After defeating Voldemort for the second time at the end of the previous year Harry is back at the Dursleys again for the Summer holidays.A house elf arrives to warn Harry not to return to Hogwarts,Harry does not take his warning seriously but it appears Dobby (the house elf) is not going to give up without a fight, he seals the barrier to get to the train. Harry and Ron get a flying car to school but it crashes into a tree and they nearly get expelled. This year at Hogwarts theres a new self obsessed defence against the dark arts teacher and a monster has been released from the chamber of secrets and it's prey is mudbloods (people with non magic parents).Harry and his friends are trying to discover what the monster in the chamber of secrets is and who opened the chamber of secrets.
This second book is great and I really enjoyed the bit with Tom Riddle's diary.Another bit I really enjoyed was when Harry goes into the chamber of secrets, there are a few interesting plot twists.Something I really like about the books is when I read them I really get into them.
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Again another solid book, 26 Aug 2009
Taking Harry Potter for what it is meant to be, a light reading childrens book then this, like the first one, ticks all the boxes. Rowlings writing style has seemed to improve with this book, the sentences are not as stark as in the first book and the description a little more vivid. The plot has enough twists in it to keep it interesting though the ending does seem to be over in about ten pages or so, thats the main criticism I have with it but apart from that once again a nice solid read...
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Better late than never, 18 Aug 2009
Just getting into this series - a bit late - but then I am 60. Enjoying them much to my surprise.
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Aidan's Chamber of Secrets Review, 11 Aug 2009
A Kid's Review
I really enjoyed the second harry potter book (I feel that they're just one big book).gilderoy lockhart is in it throughout!"freshly caught cornish pixies"he says.it's realLy cool, especially the FFFLLLYYYING CAR!
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What does it get to have it on mp3 CD?, 1 Aug 2009
For all sakes, even in Poland they managed to issue Polish Harry Potter Audiobook on mp3 CD. In POLAND! Just get it Done, I will not import kilograms of CDs from UK to Poland.
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 26 Jul 2009
This is one of my favorites, harry and ron have been left in london due to not being able to get on the train to Hogwarts. Although, ron has an idea, we should use "dad's" car to get us to Hogwarts, as you can imagine, it does not go to plan!. A great book to read and fun for all age's. 10/10
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