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

by J.K. Rowling

[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.