Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)

by J.K. Rowling

Jim Dale (Narrator)

The Dursleys were so mean that 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?

• ISBN10: 0807281948
• ISBN13: 9780807281949
• Publish Date: 1 December 1999 (first published 2 July 1998)
• Publish Status: Inactive
• Out of Print: 1 October 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Random House US Audio
• Edition: Unabridged edition
• Format: Audiobook
• Duration: 9 hours and 36 minutes
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780807281949

Reviews

[Nessa Luna]

Reread June 2020: Well I guess J.K. Rowling is being a piece of trash again. That being said - I won't stop reading these books, because they were still part of my childhood and I love them a lot even with the flaws they have. I think with my next reread I will honestly write down all the thoughts I have while rereading because there are a lot of things that made me go ???????

To any trans people that read this: You are valid, no matter what terfs like Rowling say.

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Harry, Ron and Hermione involve themselves in more mystery {and breaking about a hundred school rules in the process}. to get to the bottom of the Chamber of Secrets hidden underneath Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and uncover the heir of Slytherin, who has the ability to open the Chamber once again and has the power to control what lies within.

In the second installment of the series J.K. Rowling introduces several new characters into the mix.

First is Dobby the house elf who warns Harry, for his own good sir not to go back to Hogwarts School as it is not safe this year. Unfortunately, Harry brushes this advise aside and attends his classes, Dobby tries to no avail to detour Harry but nothing bears fruit and usually ends up doing more harm than good to himself and The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Second is the Weasley family, the reader is introduced to Mr and Mrs Weasley who become surrogate parents to Harry and treat him as one of their own. The other member is the youngest Weasley child and only girl Ginny who is starting her first year at Hogwarts.
The third new character is Moaning Myrtle, a girl who was consistently teased and tragically died fifty years ago under mysterious circumstances.

Lastly, and my personal favorite the new Defense Against the Arts teacher Gildaroy Lockheart, a big headed, international bestseller for such books as Magical Me and Gadding with Ghouls; and in truth can only talk the talk and not walk the walk so all in all is rather pathetic. I reread this series numerous time and still get a kick out of his disastrous magical attempts.

Of course we can't forget the main characters, Harry, Ron and Hermione, the writing for all three is much more developed and mature and through out the books J.K. Rowling makes apparent that the three are going through "growing pains" and maturing in general.

All in all this was a good young adult novel {I've read at least twenty times so it better be} and as the series progresses and builds more popularity as a crossover book the writing style improves and becomes a little less juvenile. Great read good author.

[moraa]

***FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, I CANNOT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS AUTHOR***

It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.

4.5 stars

5/xx/15: Wonderful! Didn't like it as much as the first though.

12/16/19: Oh Lord. I've always considered this (and the third book really) a bridge to books 4-7. I think this is in part because I was too young to have 'grown up reading' the series. BUT rereading it has opened my eyes to how great a book it is in its own right.

One of my favorite Harry Potter books - I love the introduction of Dobby and the Moaning Myrtle, Lockheart's hilarious egocentrism and the mystery surrounding the Chamber of Secrets.

[leahrosereads]

The first re-read since about 2008...and I remembered that this was my least favorite Harry Potter.

It's really just filled with either really boring happenings or plot holes galore. There's nothing really magical about this story.

However, since this is the illustrated edition, I had some gorgeous art to keep me enticed to keep turning the pages.

[bookperson]

Re-read. I think I'm too old for this shit tbh😂

[bestmessever]

"And Harry Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the dark days would never end." Defintely getting this as a tattoo.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I love seeing the uses of the different archetypes and how they are applied.

[Djilan]

Re-reading all Harry Potter books. Just love all of them!

[kimbacaffeinate]

These are just wonderful on audio and I am enjoying revisiting this beloved series.