More of the same, but slightly more enjoyable than the first...
Written: Jun 28 '05 (Updated Dec 11 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: AS funny, mysterious, and engaging as the first - plus some...
Cons: ... characters still a little shallow and felt a tiny bit formulaic
The Bottom Line: A fine second book in the Harry Potter series, but things really kick off in the next book...
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| captaind's Full Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Pot... |
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets picks up where the first book left off, that is with young Harry (who turns out to have been a Wizard) coming back to his Muggles (a term for non-magical people) family for the summer holidays. As usual they try to make life hell for him, since they are deeply ashamed of his parents (who were both of the magical inclination but were killed by a Dark Lord when Harry was just one – somehow Harry survived but no-one really understands how) and of him, and treat him like he doesn’t exist – well, that’s the best that they treat him.
But help is soon on hand from some of the friends Harry made in his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – in the shape of the mischevious Weasley twins, Fred and George, their younger brother Ron, who has become Harry’s best friend, and… a car with what might be called an unusual upgrade…
After a rip-roaring journey to Hogwarts (I won’t tell you any details so it won’t spoil the impact for you), Harry and Ron arrive ready for action – or to be expelled, always a constant danger it seems. As the school term begins, it becomes clear that something is amiss – it seems that someone has reopened something that should definitely stay shut, and the suspicion falls squarely on Harry. Along with Ron and his other best friend, Hermione (too studious for her own good, Ron would say), they set out to find the truth, while trying to keep away from sinister Potions lecturer, Professor Snape, who hates Harry for reasons that may or may not become known by the end of this book ;-). There’s also a new “Defence Against the Dark Arts” Teacher who seems completely useless but the ladies all love him, the Wizard’s game of Quidditch with the competition between the four Houses in the school, Harry’s arch-nemesis Draco Malfoy to contend with, and the Gamekeeper Hagrid’s obsessive liking for dangerous animals to be worried about… after all, they know he was once expelled from the school, but they don’t know why… what if it was him that… (trails off into mysterious silence).
The follow-up to the indecently successful Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (known in the States as “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone), this book has the same high energy writing style that will delight children and adults alike. The only slight problem with the layout lies with the slightly formulaic feel, which of course you would only pick up on if you had read the first book anyway. (This comes from following the course of a year at school so can’t really be helped.) It’s certainly not a re-hash of the first book, however, and though for the majority is of approximately equal quality (very readable and enjoyable, certainly compulsive reading, but lacking that certain indefinable something that the real classics have), the final few chapters are definitely superior. It’s real on the edge of your seats stuff, with plot twists being thrown at you (I thought I’d seen the main one coming but was completely wrong!). The characters are fairly well developed, though as with the first book I still found them to be a little shallow (this is not a problem in the next book, btw!) – they just seemed to be a little too conveniently set up for their roles in the story. In all honesty though the characters aren’t a problem as they’re at least consistent, and it’s the action sequences, mysterious plots, and the wry humour that really make these books so readable – and so popular. This book certainly doesn’t disappoint on that score.
It’s hard to say how well this would stand up as a read-alone book – probably very well, as Rowling gives brief backgrounds to the characters as they are introduced for those who didn’t read the first book or those of us who’d forgotten the important parts of it! The Harry Potter books really should be read in sequence though, especially as the extra features of Harry’s personality and aspects of his past that are brought out here are relatively meaningless without knowing what was revealed in the first book. It’s a shame the book isn’t a bit longer, as I felt things were really beginning to get very interesting near the end, but since it’s part of a series I’ll forgive it…
Overall this is, like the first book, and extremely enjoyable read and will prove (correction - has proved) popular with children and adults alike. A worthwhile addition to any fantasy fan’s collection.
Still not quite five stars for this one, but just wait for the next one… that’s where the real fireworks begin!
Other Books in the Harry Potter Series
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
**-SEE ALSO-**
CHILDREN'S FANTASY NOVELS
The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis
The Hobbit J R R Tolkein
ADULT'S FANTASY NOVELS
The Silmarillion by J R R Tolkien
Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien
See also: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for Windows
Recommended:
Yes
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