... It is my least favourite of the Harry Potter books. It just seems to lack the same readability, the same flowing story-line, and it gives me a funny feeling of dread every time I read it.
So where has the magic gone?
First of all the plot and tone of the book are noticeably darker than ... Read review
J K Rowling's sequel toHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stonecarries on where the ... more
original left off. Harry is returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after the summer holidays and, right from the start, things are not straightforward....
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J K Rowling's sequel to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone carries on where the ... more
original left off. Harry is returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after the summer holidays and, right from the start, things are not straightforwar...
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This limited edition presentation contains ten 35mm film cells, one 6x4 inch mini ... more
poster&one engraved metal plaque. We hand pick each cell from the original cinema reel to ensure that only main characters and memorable scenes feature in the presentation. Every presentation is different and will contain a unique set of cells. Each presentation comes with its own certificate of authenticity confirming the edition number which is signed and dated by the designer. The presentation comes framed&ready to hang, with glazing to the front and clear perspex to the rear so that each film cell can be viewed clearly. All items are carefully inspected then packed into rigid cardboard boxes,and shipped Royal Mail first class recorded with insurance upto £34. Total framed size approx 9 x 11 inches. This really is a fantastic chance for you to own a rare and highly collectable piece of movie memorabilia.
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All our items are despatched from the United Kingdom. Starring - Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw, Manufacturer: MoviePostersDirect
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Combining imagination, creativity and the enduring appeal of LEGO building bricks,LEGO ... more
Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsis an exciting CD-ROM that allows Muggles to create and build their own magical Harry Potter universe.Explore the world of Harry Potter and master the advanced building techniques, and you can create, progress and ultimately control your adventures. Accompanying the CD-ROM is an excellent black-and-white pamphlet that should be read and fully absorbed before playing. Because of this, and the need for computer literacy, this reviewer thought the package suitable for children aged 8 years and above, though help may be needed for the less PC literate even at this age, or younger players who can't wait to get going.Welcome to the second year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Set in three different environments--the world, the workshop and the mini-figure builder--the first things to be mastered are the gameplay controls that allow players to control the characters and the camera the game is viewed through. Next, discover portals, (magical LEGO archways that transport you to other areas of the game), collect chocolate frogs, find LEGO treasure chests, cast spells, (remember: you must have a wand) control your characters and make them fly, change the weather, create other pupils to attend Hogwarts, take snapshots--the list seems endless, but continue and complete exciting challenges and open even more play worlds.Graphically superb, the package flows easily and is of the high quality anyone has played LEGO Creator games before would expect. With all the fun of a PC Game, and the educational content of a software package, parents should be as comfortable buying this as their children are playing it. In fact, children--beware of parental Muggles who love Harry Potter and also remember the joy and pleasure of building with LEGO, for you may have to work hard to keep them away from the controls. --Susan Naylor
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Advantages: Has some good adventure sequences, and some of the magic remains Disadvantages: Plot has too many loop holes and may be slow-moving at times
...my least favourite of the Harry Potter books. It just seems to lack the same readability, the same flowing story-line, and it gives me a funny feeling of dread every time I read it.
So where has the magic gone?
========================
First of all the plot and tone of the book are noticeably darker than the first book 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'. This means that you don't get the same feel-good attraction ... ...before that even though the Harry Potter books are a good read, full of creative links to mythology and the Classics, JK Rowling isn't the best story teller in the world. Her enthusiasm and imagination surpass her actually writing ability; this is why her books are so popular. But there are some things that really get on my nerves. For example JK Rowling has a nasty habit of re-telling the whole of Harry's life story in each of her books following ... more
Just another sequel? ================= For me, sequels often seem like duller, watered-down shadows of the original classic, meant for harvesting the last remnants of commercial success from a book or film where the end should have been 'Happy ever after'. However there are some exceptions, for example 'Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' which at least equalled or surpassed 'The Fellowship of the Ring' in its originality, emotion and battle sequences. However, I can't help feeling that the 'Chamber of Secrets' falls into the first category, despite the fact that the magic of the Philosopher's Stone is hard to beat. It is my least favourite of the Harry Potter books. It just seems to lack the same readability, the same flowing story-line, and it gives me a funny feeling of dread every time I read it.
So where has the magic gone? ======================== First of all the plot and tone of the book are noticeably darker than the first book 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'. This means that you don't get the same feel-good attraction when reading it... I must admit, the first time I read this book is was to catch up on bits I'd missed in the series as a whole, rather than for pure enjoyment. Harry's fame and popularity while he starts his education as an eleven year old wizard are, a year later, transformed into infamy and suspicion by the fear that has swept Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is a shame that so much of the magic created by Harry's discovery of the Wizard World is somewhat overlooked in this book, and seems to be taken for granted.
Magic lost in the telling ================== I've said before that even though the Harry Potter books are a good read, full of creative links to mythology and the Classics, JK Rowling isn't the best story teller in the world. Her enthusiasm and imagination surpass her actually writing ability; this is why her books are so popular. But there are some things that really get on my nerves. For example JK Rowling has a nasty habit of re-telling the whole of Harry's life story in each of her books following 'The Philosopher's Stone'.
"At the age of one, Harry had somehow survived a curse by from the greatest Dark sorcerer of all time, Lord Voldemort, whose name most witches and wizards still feared to speak. Harry's parents had died in Voldemort's attack, but Harry had escaped with his lightning scar, and somehow - nobody understood why - Voldemort's powers had been destroyed the instant he had failed to kill Harry.
So Harry had been brought up by his dead mother's sister, and her husband. He had spent ten years with the Dursleys, never understanding why he kept making odd things happen without meaning to, believing the Dursley's story that he had got his scar in the car crash that killed his parents.
And then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to Harry, and the whole story had come out. Harry had taken his place at wizard school, where he and his scar were famous... but now the school year was over, and he was back with the Dursley's for the summer, back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in something smelly."
Don't get me wrong, this is a very thorough summary of the starting events of Book 1, but lost is the magic of Harry's discovery of his true identity, and the creative genius that permeates the rest of her book. It was a little disappointing for JK Rowling to leap into such a childish narrative, and the word 'smelly' at the end... that was just plain annoying. She usually manages an adult style that is a compelling read for adults and children alike. It is a good job that all of her book isn't like this, but they are definitely NOT perfect and that's why I've only given it 3 stars.
The story ======= However the story is quite a complicated one, which is a redeeming feature of the Harry Potter books… JK Rowling doesn't dumb down the plot because it's a children's book, which is why even adults are kept guessing. As she's already summarized Harry's past by page 3, I'll tell the rest of the story as best I can.
♦Imprisonment at the Dursleys♦ Harry, stuck with his horrible muggle (non-magic) family, the Dursleys, is visited by a house elf named Dobby. House elves act as servants for wizard families and are particularly indebted to Harry for ridding the world of Voldemort, a period in which they were very cruelly treated. Some elves, such as Dobby, still are treated badly. They keep their masters' secrets, and if they disobey this servitude they must punish themselves by hitting lamps on their head, shutting their ears in oven doors etc. Dobby brings Harry an obscure message about danger at Hogwarts and does everything he can to get Harry expelled. Harry ends up locked in his room after Dobby's levitating charm leaves the Dursleys and their rich guests with a healthy covering of whipped cream and sugar violets.
♦Escape from the Dursleys♦ One of the most famous sequences from this book is the flying Ford Anglia which is illustrated on the book's front cover. Ron and his twin brothers, Fred and George, rescue Harry and take him back home to 'The Burrow' where a furious Mrs Weasley is waiting. A new character is introduced, Ron's younger sister Ginny, who has an obvious crush on Harry as she accidentally puts her elbow in the butter dish.
♦Flourish and Blotts♦ Diagon Alley is a wizard-only street in the heart of London. Here we meet two more characters integral to the plot. One of these is Gilderoy Lockhart, an annoying and rather weak character who spends his time writing books about his own daring exploits with titles such as 'Voyages with Vampires,' 'Wonderings with Werewolves' and 'Year with a Yeti.' I believe it was the worst decision Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore ever made in appointing this idiot Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, as Professor Lockhart has an unhealthy obsession with Valentine's Day and the colour lilac. On the other hand there's Lucius Malfoy, who must be one of the best characters in the series for his sheer evil sliminess. He is the father of Draco Malfoy, Harry's rival, and shows how JK Rowling has adult concerns in her book such as the racism between pure-blood wizards and muggle enthusiasts.
♦Platform 9 ¾♦ The plot starts to darken when weird things keep happening to Harry. Normally the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 at Kings Cross Station, London, lets Harry through to the magical platform where the Hogwarts Express is waiting to take him to Hogwarts. However, for some reason Harry and Ron when stranded decide to fly the flying car to school. I never really liked that part of the plot. I don't know why they didn't just wait for help, or send a message… Oh well.
♦Mudbloods and murmers♦ And then strange things start happening at Hogwarts as well. Harry starts to hear strange voices that nobody else can (never a good sign). When Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermione, are found right in front of the caretaker's petrified (sort of magically frozen) cat, they are obviously blamed also for the strange writing on the wall above which reads:
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.
♦The heir of Slytherin♦ Harry spends most of his time in a state of social limbo. Sometimes he's got people like Colin Creevy queuing up for his autograph (helped along by the fame-hungry Professor Lockhart). Or Harry is hated and despised, feared or avoided, such as the constant bullying from the obnoxious Potions Master, Professor Snape, or Harry's worst enemy Draco Malfoy. What's more, when Harry is discovered to be able to talk Parseltongue (snake language) suspicion deepens as to whether he could be Slytherin's heir, who in legend unleashed a monster from the secret chamber, to such an extent that even Harry begins to believe he could be evil.
♦The Monster Within♦ When people start getting attacked at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron and Hermione, as always take it upon themselves to solve the mystery. Of course the most likely person to be Slytherin's heir is Draco Malfoy who is, after all, in Slytherin. The plot drags along while we wait for the Polyjuice Potion to boil (a complicated potion that allows you to look like someone else for an hour). Moaning Myrtle is a tragic ghost of a girl that died in a girl's toilet, which is consequently abandoned, and is where the trio brew their potion. When a mysterious diary with no writing turns up, the intrigue deepens, revealing more about the Chamber which was opened 50 years ago.
♦Phoenix Tears and Phoenix Song♦ The great battle sequence at the end of the book has Hermione attacked, Hogwarts on the verge of closure, Ron stuck with Professor Lockhart in a dark tunnel, and Harry alone to rescue Ginny who has been taken into the Chamber. Fawks the Phoenix, a pet of Albus Dumbledore, represents the great Headmaster's help in times of trouble. Harry, along with a little help, must fight his own demons of doubt and inadequacy, and a greater demon, the monster and its master deep within the Chamber.
My thoughts on the book =================== I have no criticism about the action sequences. They are gripping and exciting, a bit darker than the last book, but may scare younger children. When I read the battle sequence for the first time I remember staring at the blank wall in front of me, and having it transform into a sort of cinema screen in my mind's eye. That's never happened before while reading a book. I remember getting angry when my sister interrupted me.
However, these exciting bits are few and far between. A plot weakness is that JK Rowling always stretches out her story until the end of Harry's school year, so that at times the story is slow moving. The atmosphere of darkness and suspicion is very cleverly done, but I found little discrepancies in the plot annoying as an adult reader. For example, when things start going wrong at Hogwarts how is it that three thirteen-year-old students can work out the mystery of what's going on when a whole staff of adult wizards cannot? There are other loop holes I've got written down, but they would give too much plot away. I've tried to be as careful as possible.
It's not a bad book. But it isn't the best book in the Harry Potter series in my opinion. It's just little niggling things (along with the feeling of darkness and dread) that stop me from enjoying this book completely. For example, this line had me laughing out loud and I wondered just how quickly JK Rowling had tried to get 'The Chamber of Secrets' into print.
"…all four of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's floor…"
I just wanted to share that, because I thought it was funny when I read it.
So is it worth reading? ================ Despite my criticisms, this book is almost invaluable to the series as a whole. If you want to read the later books (which refer quite consistently to the early books) and know exactly what JK Rowling is referring to, then it's worth while reading 'The Chamber of Secrets' just to find out who Dobby is, where the flying car came from, and why Ron has a phobia of spiders. That's why I read it in the first place, because I found Book 4 impossible to enjoy otherwise.
I must admit, I took ages getting into Harry Potter because it was such a well established series. And although it is possible to start with any Harry Potter book, to grasp the depth of the plot properly it's worth reading all the books in order.
All Harry Potter books are a good read, some of them better than others. I would not recommend this book to the first time Harry Potter reader (you can't beat the first book for being introduced into the Wizard World). But if you are hooked and want to know more about Harry's adventures, by all means give it a read. For parents wondering if this book is suitable for younger children, it's worth giving it a read in advance as it is quite a dark book. JK Rowling has always said that she will not lie about death or evil just because it is a children's book.
Book details ========= Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Published in February 1999 by Bloomsbury Paperback: 251 pages Price: £5.99 Currently selling for £4.79 on Amazon
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in the series that has been wrote by the great author JK Rowling. It follows on from the first book that she wrote and leads on nicely to the next book in the series. The Harry Potter books have been out in the world for quite some time now although the sixth book in the series has only been out for about a year now, but I am sure that most people in the world know the books staring Harry ... ...The plot
As Harry ends his first year at Hogwarts he is then sent home again for the summer holidays and it is not trusted by the Dursley's one little bit. Dudley is now ever so careful about what he says to Harry and Vernon is always threatening about what will happen if he uses his magic in his house or against his family. Whilst Harry was staying at the Dursley's in the summer it was his birthday and he considers it the worst birthday that he ...
iamthebest1 28.11.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
Advantages: I'm lovin' it, lovin' it, lovin' it! Disadvantages: I just can't get him outta my head...
...but the second one – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – was the first time I had read a book in this series without knowing what was going to happen! So, did it pass the test? Or was it just an over-hyped children’s’ book?
I’ll tell you what I thought of it in a minute – but the one problem I was having as a thirty-two year old reading a kids’ book was that I did worry it didn’t look right. ... ...– ‘Look! Miss is reading Harry Potter!’ This led us on to discussions about the characters, the film and the series of novels. Miss was IN!
So, that was one problem over, but intellectual snobbery can be conquered. However, was it worth it? Did I enjoy the book?
Well, YES, I LOVED IT!! I enjoyed it much more than the first book, probably just because each page was a surprise on this one. I went into it knowing nothing, but expecting ...
KarenUK 29.11.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
Advantages: Great storytelling Disadvantages: None
...bolt with the first, excellent Harry Potter tale, HP and the Philosopher's Stone (HP1 to keep things short), needn't have worried, for her follow up story, 1998's HP and the Chamber of Secrets (HP2, of course), if anything, outdoes the original and develops the myth of the boy wizard in a tale which is much darker, much more gripping and totally absorbing.
I mocked Mrs D and her childlike wonder after reading the Potter stories, but had my sarcasm ... ...she had previously captivated.
Harry still had his hated tormenters from HP1, Draco Malfoy and the sinister Professor Snape, to deal with, but the real bane of his life this time around was Gilderoy Lockhart, the newly appointed teacher of Defence against the Dark Arts. Harry's not sure if it's his wavy blonde hair and the suspicion of rollers, or the gleaming teeth of his smile, or the endless chummy chummy nature of the relationship that he thinks ...
dave27 28.10.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
Advantages: Another book to hook readers of all ages Disadvantages: none
...plunge and read the first Harry Potter book (The Philosopher’s Stone) I am now hooked. So I begged a colleague at work to ask her son if I could borrow the remaining books in the series (being too tight to buy my own).
So on Friday, she turned up at work with the remaining 3 books – I finished the 1st one by Saturday, the 2nd one on Sunday and am about to start on the last one! But for now, I will concentrate on the second book in the ... ...haven’t yet been tempted by Harry Potter), Harry is a twelve year-old boy who was orphaned when he was a baby. His parents were a well-known witch and wizard, but Harry was not aware of this until his eleventh birthday. He was rescued from a life of misery with his aunt and uncle and enrolled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he met his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. I won’t go into the full history ...
jools30 27.11.2001 (15.10.2002)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
Advantages: excellent read, thrilling, enchanting Disadvantages: none that I can think of
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the book about Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy.
There are four books in total so far (and three more to come) - one per school year. You should always read the Harry Potter books in the correct sequence, which is:
1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Harry Potter and ... ...As with the other Harry Potter books - once I had started to read it, I could not easily put it down before I had finished reading.
As all the other books, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets starts with Harry being at home with the Dursleys, his aunt and uncle who do not really like him.
When the Dursleys expected important visitors at home, Harry was told to stay in his room and by no means to disturb the dinner. However, when he went into ...
Michael-S 11.12.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
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Advantages: Twisting Storyline towards the End / Great Relationships / Good use of Themes Disadvantages: Uneventful Plot / Lacking Atmosphere / Silly at Times
It has been over ten years since the arrival of the infamous HarryPotter and it is no secret of just how successful J.K. Rowling has become because of her best selling novels. HarryPotter and the Chamber of Secrets was first published in 1998 by Bloomsbury Publishing
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Advantages: Great detail of the burrow, good character descriptions. Disadvantages: Not as gripping as others in the series
As anyone that knows will be able to tell you I am a HarryPotter addict so it might come as a bit of a shock for people to know that I am not a fan of The Chamber Of Secrets.
It is now over ten years since the arrival of J.K.Rowling's series of books about boy wizard HarryPotter. The chamber of Secrets is the second book in the series. I am reviewing this as I have just reread the books for maybe the eighth time!
The book starts of at the home of HarryPotter living with his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and his awful cousin Dudley. Uncle Vernon is having a meal with an important client of his company and he has asked one thing from Harry which is to stay upstairs and pretend that he does not exist! Sounds easy enough right?! Not for Harry it seems, after a small meal Harry retreats up to his bedroom where he is shocked to find ...
Advantages: Brilliantly Voiced, Plot, Characters, Mood, Everything. Disadvantages: May be a bit dark for younger listeners/readers
**What Is It?**
HarryPotter and the Chamber of Secrets is the 2nd book in the HarryPotter series. I own all the series now on audio CD and have been able to get almost another perspective of the series in general, just by listening to it, instead of reading it. This is one of the shorter books at 251 pages (compared to over 650 in the later books!) This book comes in many formats; paperback, hardback, braille, larger print, in many different language and audio. This review is on the audio CD Children's version on the book, for the Chamber of Secrets.
**Why Buy It?**
I am a HUGE HARRYPOTTER FAN. So if you are like me your a huge boy wizard fan like me then you HAVE to read it as you want to knew what happens next, from his first visit to Hogwarts. If your not as serious as us fans then you may read the book just to see if you like ...
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