Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the 2nd novel in the 7 long series. Written by J.K. Rowling in 1998 the book is a great intro to the fantasy genre. The book follows Harry Potter and his friends as they explore more of Hogwarts, including the Chamber of Secrets. The book begins with Harry at the Dursley’s house during summer. They hate him and everything to do with magic, including Hogwarts. Throughout the summer Harry hasn’t received a single letter from any of his friends even though they said they’d write. The culprit is soon revealed as Dobby, a house elf, who has been taking the letters to stop them from getting to Harry. Dobby warns Harry that going back to Hogwarts is dangerous. Harry still wants to go but he needs a way to get there. So, Ron, one of Harry’s friends comes with his 2 brothers and a flying car to help Harry get to Hogwarts. Once they arrive they crash into the whomping willow which nearly kills them. They were able to escape though and the car leaves into the forest. Now at Hogwarts, as they start the school year, weird things start to happen. Like the groundskeeper, Mr.Filch’s cat was found petrified in a hallway next to a cryptic message referencing the Chamber of Secrets. During a duel with Malfoy, he summons a snake, but Harry can talk to it. This causes people to think that he has something to do with the chamber of secrets and the petrification. As the book progresses Harry and his friends start to investigate the Chamber of Secrets further. During these investigations, Harry’s friend Hermione was also petrified and Ron’s sister Ginny was taken into the Chamber of Secrets. Harry eventually made his way into the Chamber where he then met the real heir to Slytherin. Tom Marvolo Riddle. Which when rearranged spells out Lord Voldemort (The main antagonist of the first book). Inside the chamber was the monster responsible for the petrification, the Basilisk. Through the use of the sword of Gryffindor Harry killed the Basilisk and Tom Riddle. This caused all the petrified victims to be freed. The book ends with Hogwarts continuing with the rest of the school year.
I thought this book was an overall great read. The book was slow at times, especially during the investigation. By the time they made it into the chamber of secrets, it was really interesting though. The big reveal that Tom Marvolo Riddle was both Lord Voldemort and the heir was my favorite part.
I think this book is best for beginner to intermediate readers. It’s just longer than a quick read sitting at a few hundred pages and is perfect for something casual. I still believe everyone should read it though because even advanced readers can enjoy the series as a whole.
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