Mini-Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) – J.K. Rowling

    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.

I did a full review of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR’S STONE but I opened up a new draft to start my review for HP2 and… My mind went blank. It’s honestly so hard to write a full review of a book and a series that I’ve loved and cherished for half of my childhood and all of my adult life so far (it’s totally epic) so it’s hard to put THINGS down into words, ya know? I think I actually know the series TOO well to write a review because I really know how everything goes!

What I can say is that it’s interesting starting over from the beginning. I haven’t done that in MANY YEARS because before when I would re-read Harry Potter, I wouldn’t necessarily do it in order. Books four, five, six, and seven are my favorites so usually I would just pick those up and re-read out of order since really, I knew the series so well anyway. The first three books are the ones I’ve re-read the least but the first two are also the ones I think have the closest movie adaptations so with a few minor exceptions, I still knew exactly how it all went.

I’ll just briefly recap the things I loved about HP and the CoS here:

Rule-breaking Hermione with the Polyjuice potion! You go, girl.
The mild annoyance and mild hilarity that is Gilderoy Lockhart
Learning so much more about Tom Riddle (and there were more tidbits in the book than in the movie (which that’s usually the case, but I thought that was interesting!))
Watching that best friendship between Harry and Ron really start to develop into a bond that extended beyond Ron and to becoming almost a part of his family

I’m also not a Harry-Ginny shipper so I won’t even go there. Their relationship always felt weird to me for some reason — both books AND movies — so it’s cute to see Ginny acting all love struck around him, but doesn’t get me all mushy for the future.

So what was your favorite think about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets versus HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Are you a fan of Harry and Ginny? Don’t you just LOVE Lucius Malfoy? (No, seriously. I love how evil he is and somehow I really just love him.) Are you a Dobby-love or a Dobby hater? Lockhart: Funny or annoying? Inquiring minds want to know!!

Hi, I'm Brittany!

I'm an avid reader, candle-maker, and audiobook lover! Here you'll find book reviews, fun blog posts, and my other loves of photography & craft beer!

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11 thoughts on “Mini-Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) – J.K. Rowling”

Alexa Y. November 5, 2013 at 10:56 am

I really want to re-read the series this year! It’s been a good, long while since I’ve actually taken the time to do that, so it should be interesting to see how I react to it. I do love that you’re enjoying yourself! The best part of a series you love so much is being able to revisit the characters and the stories even if you know what’s going to happen.

Book 2 is actually very intriguing to me because of the diary. I liked learning more about Tom Riddle, and I found the whole story of this one really good!
Liz (Along for the Read) October 15, 2013 at 10:01 pm

Oh goodness, I love that you are doing this. I know I’m in the minority, but this is actually one of my favourites in the series (at least of the early ones). I think it actually has to do with the fact that I am a big Harry/Ginny shipper (don’t hate me), and have been from the second they met on platform 9 3/4.
Stormy October 15, 2013 at 7:36 am

I love Harry Potter, of course, but I have to admit that Chamber of Secrets has long been one of my least favorites(though, not as much of a least favorite as Order of the Phoenix). I appreciate it more now that the series has ended, because a lot of the foundation for later books was really set in this book(with the basilisk and diary and all), but something about it never quite captured me the same way. I find Lockhart mostly hilarious though, must admit.
Jackie Lea Sommers October 11, 2013 at 9:47 pm

Who do you ship with Harry? I’m so curious!

Book 7 is my favorite. I’ve read the whole series twice, but book seven like 15 times. 🙂
1. Brittany Post authorOctober 12, 2013 at 7:33 am
  
  Hmmmm, I think I liked him with Cho the best! That was his first crush and I’m always rooting for the first big crushes to work out 🙂
  
  Wow, that’s a lot of book seven! 🙂 I know I’ve read the whole series a few times but four, five, six, and seven are my favorites! Six sticking out the most 🙂
  
  Thanks for commenting!!!
Amanda October 9, 2013 at 8:58 pm

See I liked Harry & Ginny but my husband always wished Harry had ended up with Luna.
1. Amanda October 14, 2013 at 1:09 pm
  
  I’m with you! I kind of always wished for Harry to end up with Luna and Neville and Ginny to end up together.
Pamela October 9, 2013 at 4:46 pm

I felt Ginny and Harry’s relationship was weird too. There was just something off about it.
Quinn @ Quinn's Book Nook October 9, 2013 at 11:43 am

You know, I’ve probably read Harry Potter 1, 2, and 3 the most. Actually, for books 5,6 and 7, I’ve only read them twice. I started reading Harry Potter when I was 16, and only the first three books were released. That’s part of the reason I’ve read the earlier books so much – that’s all there were available at the time. Also, books 5, 6,and 7 are so sad, that I usually don’t want to go there that often. However, I have been thinking that I’m readying for a re-read.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is probably my least favorite, although I do still love it to pieces. it’s just so similiar to HP1. I get suck a kick out of Lockhart, but I do find him ridiculous and annoying. If I really had to deal with someone like that, I would be beyond frustrated.

I’m not exactly a Harry-Ginny shipper, but at the same time, I’m not an Anti Ginny-Harry person, either. I just don’t think Rowling does romance all that well.
Samantha October 9, 2013 at 2:31 am

Chamber of Secrets was never a favourite of mine, but I do love Lucius Malfoy. Maybe it’s Jason Isaacs… but also Malfoy. And Dobby, unpopular opinion, but I have never been a fan of Dobby.
1. Brittany Post authorOctober 9, 2013 at 7:26 am
  
  I agree – the combination of Malfoy & Jason Isaacs… Kind of perfect!
  (I was never a fan of Dobby either!)