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HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS

From the harry potter series , vol. 2.

by J.K. Rowling ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 2, 1999

Readers will be irresistibly drawn into Harry's world by GrandPre's comic illustrations and Rowling's expert combination of...

This sequel to  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone  (1998) brings back the doughty young wizard-in-training to face suspicious adults, hostile classmates, fretful ghosts, rambunctious spells, giant spiders, and even an avatar of Lord Voldemort, the evil sorcerer who killed his parents, while saving the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from a deadly, mysterious menace.

Ignoring a most peculiar warning, Harry kicks off his second year at Hogwarts after a dreadful summer with his hateful guardians, the Dursleys, and is instantly cast into a whirlwind of magical pranks and misadventures, culminating in a visit to the hidden cavern where his friend Ron's little sister Ginny lies, barely alive, in a trap set by his worst enemy. Surrounded by a grand mix of wise and inept faculty, sneering or loyal peers—plus an array of supernatural creatures including Nearly Headless Nick and a huge, serpentine basilisk—Harry steadily rises to every challenge, and though he plays but one match of the gloriously chaotic field game Quidditch, he does get in plenty of magic and a bit of swordplay on his way to becoming a hero again.

Pub Date: June 2, 1999

ISBN: 0-439-06486-4

Page Count: 341

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1999

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY

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THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL

From the school for good and evil series , vol. 1.

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by Iacopo Bruno ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2013

Rich and strange (and kitted out with an eye-catching cover), but stronger in the set pieces than the internal logic.

Chainani works an elaborate sea change akin to Gregory Maguire’s Wicked (1995), though he leaves the waters muddied.

Every four years, two children, one regarded as particularly nice and the other particularly nasty, are snatched from the village of Gavaldon by the shadowy School Master to attend the divided titular school. Those who survive to graduate become major or minor characters in fairy tales. When it happens to sweet, Disney princess–like Sophie and  her friend Agatha, plain of features, sour of disposition and low of self-esteem, they are both horrified to discover that they’ve been dropped not where they expect but at Evil and at Good respectively. Gradually—too gradually, as the author strings out hundreds of pages of Hogwarts-style pranks, classroom mishaps and competitions both academic and romantic—it becomes clear that the placement wasn’t a mistake at all. Growing into their true natures amid revelations and marked physical changes, the two spark escalating rivalry between the wings of the school. This leads up to a vicious climactic fight that sees Good and Evil repeatedly switching sides. At this point, readers are likely to feel suddenly left behind, as, thanks to summary deus ex machina resolutions, everything turns out swell(ish).

Pub Date: May 14, 2013

ISBN: 978-0-06-210489-2

Page Count: 496

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

ONE TRUE KING

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

QUESTS FOR GLORY

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FALL OF THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by RaidesArt

RISE OF THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by Julia Iredale

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THE LAST EVER AFTER

From the school for good and evil series , vol. 3.

by Soman Chainani ; illustrated by Iacopo Bruno ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 21, 2015

Ultimately more than a little full of itself, but well-stocked with big themes, inventively spun fairy-tale tropes, and...

Good has won every fairy-tale contest with Evil for centuries, but a dark sorcerer’s scheme to turn the tables comes to fruition in this ponderous closer.

Broadening conflict swirls around frenemies Agatha and Sophie as the latter joins rejuvenated School Master Rafal, who has dispatched an army of villains from Capt. Hook to various evil stepmothers to take stabs (literally) at changing the ends of their stories. Meanwhile, amid a general slaughter of dwarves and billy goats, Agatha and her rigid but educable true love, Tedros, flee for protection to the League of Thirteen. This turns out to be a company of geriatric versions of characters, from Hansel and Gretel (in wheelchairs) to fat and shrewish Cinderella, led by an enigmatic Merlin. As the tale moves slowly toward climactic battles and choices, Chainani further lightens the load by stuffing it with memes ranging from a magic ring that must be destroyed and a “maleficent” gown for Sophie to this oddly familiar line: “Of all the tales in all the kingdoms in all the Woods, you had to walk into mine.” Rafal’s plan turns out to be an attempt to prove that love can be twisted into an instrument of Evil. Though the proposition eventually founders on the twin rocks of true friendship and family ties, talk of “balance” in the aftermath at least promises to give Evil a fighting chance in future fairy tales. Bruno’s polished vignettes at each chapter’s head and elsewhere add sophisticated visual notes.

Pub Date: July 21, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-06-210495-3

Page Count: 672

Review Posted Online: June 25, 2015

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book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

The first movie was the setup, and this one is the payoff. “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” leaves all of the explanations of wizardry behind and plunges quickly into an adventure that’s darker and scarier than anything in the first Harry Potter movie. It’s also richer: The second in a planned series of seven Potter films is brimming with invention and new ideas, and its Hogwarts School seems to expand and deepen before our very eyes into a world large enough to conceal unguessable secrets.

What’s developing here, it’s clear, is one of the most important franchises in movie history, a series of films that consolidate all of the advances in computer-aided animation, linked to the extraordinary creative work of J.K. Rowling, who has created a mythological world as grand as “Star Wars,” but filled with more wit and humanity. Although the young wizard Harry Potter is nominally the hero, the film remembers the golden age of moviemaking, when vivid supporting characters crowded the canvas. The story is about personalities, personal histories and eccentricity, not about a superstar superman crushing the narrative with his egotistical weight.

In the new movie, Harry ( Daniel Radcliffe , a little taller and deeper-voiced) returns with his friends Ron Weasley ( Rupert Grint ) and Hermione Granger ( Emma Watson , in the early stages of babehood). They sometimes seem to stand alone amid the alarming mysteries of Hogwarts, where even the teachers, even the august headmaster Albus Dumbledore ( Richard Harris ), even the learned professors Snape ( Alan Rickman ) and McGonagall ( Maggie Smith ), even the stalwart Hagrid the Giant ( Robbie Coltrane ) seem mystified and a little frightened by the school’s dread secrets.

Is there indeed a Chamber of Secrets hidden somewhere in the vast pile of Hogwarts? Can it only be opened by a descendent of Salazar Slytherin, the more sinister of the school’s co-founders? Does it contain a monster? Has the monster already escaped, and is it responsible for paralyzing some of the students, whose petrified bodies are found in the corridors, and whose bodies are carried to the infirmary still frozen in a moment of time? Do the answers to these questions originate in events many years ago, when even the ancient Dumbledore was (marginally) younger? And does a diary by a former student named Tom Marvolo Riddle–a book with nothing written in it, but whose pages answer questions in a ghostly handwriting–provide the clues that Harry and his friends need? (Answer to all of the above: Probably.) This puzzle could be solved in a drab and routine movie with characters wandering down old stone corridors, but one of the pleasures of Chris Columbus’ direction of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” is how visually alive it is. This is a movie that answers any objection to computer animation with glorious or creepy sights that blend convincingly with the action. Hogwarts itself seems to have grown since the first movie, from a largish sort of country house into a thing of spires and turrets, vast rooms and endlessly convoluted passageways, lecture halls and science labs, with as much hidden below the ground as visible above it. Even the Quiddich game is held in a larger stadium (maybe rich alumni were generous?). There are times, indeed, when the scope of Hogwarts seems to approach that of Gormenghast, the limitless edifice in the trilogy by Mervyn Peake that was perhaps one of Rowling’s inspirations.

The production designer is Stuart Craig, returning from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” He has created (there is no other way to put it) a world here, a fully realized world with all the details crowded in, so that even the corners of the screen are intriguing. This is one of the rare recent movies you could happily watch with the sound turned off, just for the joy of his sets, the costumes by Judianna Makovsky and Lindy Hemming, and the visual effects (the Quiddich match seems even more three-dimensional, the characters swooping across the vast field, as Harry finds himself seriously threatened by the odious Malfoy).

There are three new characters this time, one delightful, one conceited, one malevolent. Professor Sprout ( Miriam Margolyes ) is on the biology faculty, and teaches a class on the peculiar properties of the mandrake plant, made all the most amusing by students of John Donne who are familiar with the additional symbolism of the mandrake only hinted at in class. The more you know about mandrakes, the funnier Sprout’s class is.

She is the delightful addition. The conceited new faculty member, deliciously cast, is Gilderoy Lockhart ( Kenneth Branagh ), author of the autobiography Magical Me, who thinks of himself as a consummate magician but whose spell to heal Harry’s broken arm has unfortunate results. And then there is Lucius Malfoy ( Jason Isaacs ), father of the supercilious Draco, who skulks about as if he should be hated just on general principles.

These characters and plot elements draw together in late action sequences of genuine power, which may be too intense for younger viewers. There is a most alarming confrontation with spiders and a scary late duel with a dragon, and these are handled not as jolly family movie episodes, but with the excitement of a mainstream thriller. While I am usually in despair when a movie abandons its plot for a third act given over entirely to action, I have no problem with the way “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” ends, because it has been pointing toward this ending, hinting about it, preparing us for it, all the way through. What a glorious movie.

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

  • Maggie Smith as Prof. McGonagal
  • Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley
  • Richard Harris as Prof. Albus Dumbledore
  • Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
  • Emma Watson as Hermione Granger
  • Alan Rickman as Prof. Snape
  • Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy
  • Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid The Giant
  • Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy

Directed by

  • Chris Columbus

Based on the novel by

  • J.K. Rowling
  • Steve Kloves

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book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

Book Review

Harry potter and the chamber of secrets.

  • J.K. Rowling
  • Adventure , Fantasy

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

  • Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.

Year Published

After a particularly horrible summer at home with the Dursleys, Harry can’t wait to return to Hogwarts for his second year. Banished to his bedroom, Harry receives a visit from an elf named Dobby, who warns him that he must not return to the school, for great danger awaits him there. Finally, he is rescued from his bedroom prison by Ron and his brothers in their flying car. Despite Dobby’s warnings, Harry returns to Hogwarts and stumbles right into the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets.

On Halloween night, Harry, Ron and Hermione find a message painted on a wall that reads, “The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware.” They soon discover that the Chamber of Secrets contains a deadly monster, that it hasn’t been opened for 50 years, and that the last time it was opened, someone died. “The heir” in the message refers to a descendant of one of the school’s four founders, Salazar Slytherin, who had an affinity for the dark side of magic.

Apparently, only Slytherin’s heir would be able to open this Chamber of Secrets and use the monster within to cleanse the school from all “Muggle-borns” and “halfbloods” whom he felt were unworthy to study magic. Suddenly, students who don’t come from “pureblood” wizarding families begin turning up petrified. Harry and his friends must solve the mystery before the monster goes beyond petrifaction and kills again.

At the end of this story Harry again meets and defeats Voldemort, who has found another body to inhabit, and another life to feed off. Again, Harry defeats the evil one, but questions linger in the air, and the reader must assume that Harry still hasn’t seen the last of his enemy.

Positive Elements

1) denunciation of pride..

New professor Gilderoy Lockhart is unbearably vain and perpetually concerned with image and publicity. Because it is Harry and Ron—not Lockhart—who defeat the monster in the Chamber, he is uncovered for a pompous fool. The message is clear that actions speak louder than words and that self-aggrandizement is a hollow joy.

2) Justice.

One mystery left unsolved in Book I is finally unraveled—why was Hagrid expelled from Hogwarts? Justice is finally served when Harry, Ron and Hermione prove that Hagrid was framed by the student who would later become Lord Voldemort.

3) Respect.

Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore are portrayed as adults very worthy of respect—Harry always wants to please them, and he is repeatedly rewarded for the good choices he makes under their advisement.

4) Loyalty.

Harry and Ron defend Hagrid and see his name returned to its deserved good repute, because he is their friend and they believe in him. Also, Harry’s loyalty to good professor Dumbledore is what summons help to him in his battle in the Chamber.

5) Courage.

Harry’s selfless bravery is what allows him to save Ginny’s life and defeat the monster, even at a risk to his own life.

6) The power of truth and love.

When he meets Voldemort and the monster in the Chamber, Harry repeatedly speaks what he knows to be true, even though he doesn’t understand how it will help. The truth helps to disarm Voldemort. Also, Harry again appeals to the sacrificial love of his mother, who died to save him. This love is something the enemy can neither understand nor overcome.

Disobedience and Lying

Harry repeatedly lies to avoid answering difficult or annoying questions or to avoid explaining his actions. And, as in Book I, it is through breaking rules that the heroes solve the mystery and defeat the enemy: “‘There might be a way [to find out who is the Heir of Slytherin],’ said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy, ‘Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We’d be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect.'”

But, in contrast with the punishment and apparent repentance in Book I, Harry and his friends are ultimately rewarded, not punished, for their rule breaking in Book II: “‘I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules,’ said Dumbledore [the Headmaster]. … ‘Which just goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words.'”

Harry’s Family

Harry’s awful adoptive family (“It’s not possible to live with the Dursleys and not hate them”) is again compared with the love of the surrogate family he’s found through his Hogwarts friends (“What Harry found most unusual about life at Ron’s, however, wasn’t the talking mirror or the clanging ghoul: It was the fact that everyone there seemed to like him.”)

Ron shows selfless devotion to his own family when his sister Ginny’s life is in danger: “‘I’m going down there [into the Chamber of Secrets],’ he said. He couldn’t not go, now that they had found the entrance to the Chamber, not even if there was the faintest, slimmest, wildest chance that Ginny might be alive.”

Bathroom Humor

For some reason, author J.K. Rowling chooses to make the scene of the mystery’s unraveling a bathroom. So you have a ghost that hides in a toilet and repeated (though, admittedly, not vulgar) references to bathroom things: “I don’t want to talk to Moaning Myrtle. … She haunts one of the toilets in the girls’ bathroom on the first floor. … It’s been out of order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it’s awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you.”

Violent Content

The monster in the Chamber of Secrets speaks to Harry through the castle’s walls, saying, “Come … come to me. … Let me rip you. … Let me tear you. … Let me kill you.”

The resident dormitory ghost Nearly Headless Nick complains about the way he was killed (since the murderer didn’t succeed in completely decapitating him, he has been disqualified from participating in the Headless Hunt): “‘… you would think, wouldn’t you,’ he erupted suddenly … ‘that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?'”

Moaning Myrtle, though already dead, tries to kill herself again. When Harry defeats the monster in the Chamber, the scene is bloody: “A sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. The snake’s tail thrashed, narrowly missing Harry, and before Harry could shut his eyes, it turned—Harry looked straight into its face and saw that its eyes, both its great, bulbous yellow eyes, had been punctured … blood was streaming to the floor, and the snake was spitting in agony.”

Spiritual Elements

As in Book I, magic is employed extensively as a tool, an art, a diversion and a weapon. “Bless them, [Muggles, or nonmagical people] will go to any lengths to ignore magic, even if it’s staring them in the face.”

“Harry stared around. He had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. … Opposite was a nasty window display of shrunken heads and, two doors down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders.” The Dark Arts are again portrayed as frightening, dark and an evil that Harry and his friends must fight against.

Harry also finds out that he’s a parselmouth, or someone who can talk to snakes. At first he is frightened because the ability to speak in this tongue has generally been granted only to Dark wizards, but eventually it becomes clear that Harry will be able to use his parseltongue for good—to defeat the monster in the Chamber of Secrets.

For many children, curiosity about things such as “parselmouths,” “shrunken heads” and “Moaning Myrtles” cannot be met in a healthy manner. And they can become enamored with what Star Wars calls “The Dark Side” and Rowling calls “The Dark Arts.” A Christian parent’s responsibility, then, is to direct children away from witchcraft and worldly wisdom, and toward the proper source of truth—the Bible.

Plot Summary

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Book Review - Harry Potter and The Chambers of Secrets by J.K. Rowling | Blushing Geek

Book Review – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

  • October 16, 2016

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling | Blushing Geek

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling Series: Harry Potter , #2 First published on  July 2, 1998 by Arthur A. Levine Books Genre:   Fantasy , Young Adult Pages:  341 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Find on Goodreads Get it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vHGHjb

Ever since Harry Potter had come home for the summer, the Dursleys had been so mean and hideous that all Harry 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 who says that if Harry 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 and a spirit who haunts the girls’ bathroom. But then the real trouble begins – someone is turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possible be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects… Harry Potter himself!

Just like the first book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets started so good and so natural that it instantly made me feel that I am one of its characters and is present with every scene in this story. I love that it’s so easy to read that even if you haven’t read the first book yet, you can perfectly understand the story because the author takes time to explain those events or terms that were first mentioned in the first book.

But unlike the first book , this one had quite a number of some new words that I need to consult my dictionary for its meaning, but so far, it didn’t annoy me at all because this story is just too good to be true. It’s been so many years since I’ve watched the movie that’s why when I read those scenes that I remembered from the movie, I get too excited and can’t help my stupid grin. I know this line has been too overused by me, but I have to say that books are absolutely better than the movie. All of those scenes that I had some questions about in the movie we’re all explained in the book.

In its first few chapters, we were also introduced to the life of the Weasley family and I can’t really help but be envious of Ron. Even if they’re not rich like the evil Malfoy, their family are, should I say, the best family I’ve ever met in the book world so far. It’s also so much better because of the playful twins, awww. I’ll be binge watching all the 7  movies after I’ve read this series for sure haha.

I have no complaints and I didn’t find any questionable scenes at all. All are properly executed and I can’t even believe that it’s only 352 pages because I felt that it was almost a thousand pages because there’s so many things happening in this book.

I don’t know what to add anymore so let me finish this review by saying that this is absolutely one those books that is worth your money and time.

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Kristin

I will admit that I own all the movies and LOVE them… but I only read the last book in the series. Which was mainly because I couldn’t wait between movies to figure out what happened at the end, so I borrowed a friend’s book. However, your reviews are making me want to grab some copies from my library and read them. I’ve always heard that the movies don’t fully capture the essence of the books and I assume that’s true with all adaptations because a book really gets into the nooks and crannies. Whereas a movie has a limited time-frame to portray the story within the book. I can’t wait to read your next review on the series. 🙂

Vanessa

Yay! We’re the same. I own all the movies and books too. And yes, the books are so much better than the movie and I am sure you’ll love them too 🙂

Sophia Rose

It’s great when a book makes you smile. Glad you loved it, Vanessa! I want to read them over again someday because they were so good the first time.

Absolutely. I’m quite sure I’ll be reading this series again 🙂

Book review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in the Harry Potter series and is the first to really delve deeper into Lord Voldemort’s background, increasing the magical world we found ourselves enveloped in the first book.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling book review

Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means if you choose to purchase The Chamber of Secrets via one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission to support the blog at no extra cost to you. These affiliate links do not affect my final opinion of the product.

As I read the penultimate book in the Harry Potter series, Half-Blood Prince, I thought I’d carry on my reviews of the previous books in the series which I’ve read over the past year. The Chamber of Secrets leads on from The Philosopher’s Stone ( read my review of that here if you haven’t had the chance yet ) and expands upon the wizarding world of Harry Potter. 

Plot – 4.5/5

The Chamber of Secrets finds Harry, Hermione, Ron and friends back at Hogwarts for their second year. They’ve had the summer off after the heroic trio faced off against some magical trials, climaxing with Harry meeting Voldemort for the first time vicariously through their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirrel.

JK Rowling starts off this sequel by reminding us exactly where Harry comes from but quickly also reminding us how contrastingly exciting the magical world is he can go back to. Upon returning to Hogwarts, Harry Ron and Hermione hope for a quiet year than the last but when a student is found “petrified” with blood on the wall saying “the chamber has been opened” things take a dark turn. When it comes out that this isn’t the first time this has happened, the trio find themselves once again involved in trying to find out what is happening.

Chamber of Secrets improves on Philosopher’s Stone in almost every single aspect – we find out more about Lord Voldemort including his history at Hogwarts, some of our favourite heroes end up in harm’s way and there’s a genuinely darker aspect to this book that draws you in.

Characters – 5/5

Something that many people say is the reason Harry Potter has done so well is the incredible characters that JK Rowling has created and continues to build upon throughout the novel. Harry, Ron and Hermione’s friendship is one that all kids strive to have – heck any adult would strive to have too. The characters around this trio are memorable for either their kindness, evilness or hilarity too.

In this particular book , we see the main trio’s friendship build and see them face some of their biggest fears in an attempt to save the school from a dark history that could see students being killed off. Their dynamics show their age brilliantly – Ron is growing into an awkward young man, Hermione is still the composed intelligent young woman and Harry is the slightly quiet but incredibly brave hero. The likes of Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hagrid and so many other characters bring in such a wonderfully diverse selection of different characters to love. 

Summary – 5/5

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling once again delivers a wonderfully magical book. You’re probably wondering if it still holds up after all this time? And the answer is well and truly: Yes! There’s a reason people are still buying these books in their droves these days – their perfectly crafted world, wonderfully built characters and approachable writing style make them a must-read for any fiction fan.

The Chamber of Secrets continues this, building on our favourite characters, expanding on this brilliantly developed world and doing it all whilst effortlessly balancing humour and seriousness really well.

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What readers think of Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, plus links to write your own review.

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Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets by J.K. (Joanne) Rowling

Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets

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  • Jun 1, 1999, 341 pages
  • Aug 2000, 352 pages
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Book Review Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J. K. Rowling

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

May 16, 2013 By Jessica Filed Under: Book Review 4 Comments

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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.

My favorite thing about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets  is how we get to see that wizards and Muggles are much the same.  Mr. Weasley actually thinks that Muggles are fasinating and even “magical” in their own way.  It’s a nice little theme that I only picked up since it was my third time reading it.  It’s a subtle contrast to the “Muggle-born” hate the goes along with the opening of the Chamber of Secrets.

And enter Lockhart – the fun, semi-villain.  He’s fun to make fun of and laugh at but I think he represents a villan that we are more likely to encounter in real life or even become ourselves if we’re not careful.  He’s selfish, vain and will do anything to get ahead including hurting others.

Honestly, this book gave me chills when I first read it. I was not expecting what I considered to be a “kids” book to be scary. I had to finish it in one night so I could sleep.  If I didn’t find out how Harry got rid of the voices talking about blood and killing, my subconscious would have no way to fight back in my nightmares.  I have nightmares about everything.

The magical world J.K. Rowling has built is so fantastic and unbelievably real that it makes me ask questions like, “Why is Peeves physical when ghosts are not and why is he afraid of the Bloody Baron?”  And I seriously want an answer.  There is no level of detail that is too much in my mind.  I must know all the things about Hogwarts.  And oh how I love Professor Binns.  He’s the ultimate old and boring teacher (another thing that Muggles sadly have, too).

I really can’t get over how very relatable this book is to kids.  It deals with the big and small struggles that kids go through every day.  It shows how the characters deal with unfairness and how tedious and boring school can be.  And Harry really acts like a kid  – he doesn’t tell Dumbledore important things in the fashion of any kid who is afraid.  Who as a kid didn’t tell their parents something even though they knew they should?

After reading it for the third time, it’s fun to pick up on the foreshadowing that I missed.  I’m noticing that Ms. Rowling often disguises important things as jokes or just another detail to make the world more interesting and colorful.  Ooh I just get chills when they figure out who Moaning Myrtle is.  See? She’s important although at first she appeared to just be a colorful character to annoy them in the bathroom.

I can’t end this review without the best quote of the book:

It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. – J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (p. 333)

Content Rating : Mild , for talk of killing and blood, some scary scenes, and some mild swearing.

About J. K. Rowling

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

J K (Joanne Kathleen) Rowling was born in the summer of 1965 at Yate General Hospital in England and grew up in Chepstow, Gwent where she went to Wyedean Comprehensive. Jo left Chepstow for Exeter University, where she earned a French and Classics degree, and where her course included one year in Paris. When her marriage ended, she returned to the UK to live in Edinburgh, where "Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone" was eventually completed and in 1996 she received an offer of publication. The following summer the world was introduced to Harry Potter.

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May 16, 2013 at 5:52 am

Great review of a book a lot people have already read! I haven’t thought about how similar the wizarding world is to the muggle world. I only focused on the difference. Very nice!

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May 17, 2013 at 3:13 pm

I agree with you. I love picking up the foreshadowing whenever I reread Harry Potter. JK Rowling is a genius with foreshadowing. Did you notice that a certain opal necklace was mentioned in Borgins & Burkes?

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May 18, 2013 at 8:22 am

I wondered if it was the same necklace :) And isn’t Harry hiding in the vanishing cabinet in the store? And my favorite was when they are cleaning out the Black residence and come across a locket that won’t open…and then they throw it out!

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April 26, 2014 at 7:46 pm

Your books r the best and I learn a lot from them and I really like adventure and magical books!!!!AWESOME BOOKS

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

By J.K. Rowling

Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 4 - 8Grades 10 - 8V6.784799

In one of the most hotly anticipated sequel in memory, J.K. Rowling takes up where she left off with Harry's second year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Old friends and new torments abound, including a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, an outrageously conceited professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, and a mysterious force that turns Hogwarts students to stone.

Book Reviews (573)

Anonymous user

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by J.K. Rowling continues the story of the boy who lived, Harry Potter. Harry starts off at his aunt and uncles (the Dursleys) house and meets someone strange who gets him in trouble. Then he decides to leave the Dursleys and heads off to his friends house, the Weasleys. After a trip to Digon Alley to get his school supplies , Harry and the Weasleys head to the train station to get to Hogwarts. Then Harry and Ron (one of Harry's best friends) cant get on to platform 9 3/4 and they steal Ron's dad's car to get to Hogwarts, and it doesn't end so well. Soon after their trip to Hogwarts blood writings start to appear on the wall and students are being attacked (petrified), while Harry is hearing a weird voice. Soon enough Harry's other best friend Hermione, thinks she found the answer even though she got attacked (petrified) too. Can Harry save Hermione and the other students? Can he find out what that weird voice is? Well if you like magic and wizards this book and book series is for you because this is only the 2nd book of 7 books in the series of Harry Potter's time through the wizarding world.

evelynsnake

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" continues the magical journey of Harry Potter and his friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with breathtaking excitement and enchantment. J.K. Rowling once again proves herself as a master storyteller, seamlessly weaving together elements of mystery, adventure, and friendship in a tale that will leave readers spellbound from start to finish. As Harry returns to Hogwarts for his second year, he finds himself embroiled in yet another thrilling adventure, this time involving dark secrets hidden within the school's very walls. From the moment Harry sets foot in Diagon Alley to the climactic showdown in the Chamber of Secrets, Rowling takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of suspense and intrigue. The mystery of the Chamber and the identity of the heir of Slytherin keep readers guessing until the very end, while the discovery of Tom Riddle's diary adds a chilling layer of depth to the story. But "Chamber of Secrets" is not just about plot twists and turns - it's also about character growth and development. Rowling delves deeper into the personalities of her beloved characters, allowing us to see new sides of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the gang. From Hermione's relentless pursuit of knowledge to Ron's unwavering loyalty, each character shines in their own unique way, making us laugh, cry, and cheer along with them every step of the way. Of course, no review of "Chamber of Secrets" would be complete without mentioning the delightful world-building that Rowling is known for. From the bustling streets of Diagon Alley to the eerie corridors of Hogwarts, the wizarding world comes alive with vivid detail and imagination, transporting readers to a place where magic is real and anything is possible. In conclusion, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is a triumphant continuation of the beloved series, filled with thrills, laughter, and heartwarming moments that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page. With its unforgettable characters, mesmerizing plot, and richly imagined world, it's a book that deserves every bit of praise it has received. Whether you're a fan of fantasy or simply love a good story, "Chamber of Secrets" is not to be missed. Highly recommended.

slytherin4life

This book is my second-least favourite Harry Potter book it is still outstanding. That shows you how much I love my favorite Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban!)! Reviewed by Slytherin4Life P.S. Follow me if you are a Harry Potter fan!

i_love_animals

J.K Rowling inspires me with her books

gav1n

It's a really good book and give quite a challenge.

rubypony

this is an amazing book and I think everyone should read especially because it finishes on an exciting part but definitely read the first one first or it won't make sense

danniell

AMAZING, JK Rowling knows her stuff i'm on the 3rd book,perfect!!! i highly recomend this seires if you have nothing to do or have a lot of time. daniell

lunalovegoodfan

Truly a amazing book!

lilykim

SUCH ROMANTIC STORY! i think i'm gonna like Ginny the best of all. the duel between riddle and harry is just AMAZING!

1232023

I haven't read this book yet,is it to scary or am I missing out?

musical_nerd

a little scary, but your missing out

DickWizardry

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Book Review

A sleeping evil awakens under the castle of Hogwarts. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second installment to the Harry Potter series. A sequel that gives what we were looking for an solidifies a desire to read the entire series. Let’s dive in and see what this chapter of the series is all about. I will do my best not to spoil anything major for this book.

Introduction

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was released in June 1999. This book is slightly longer than the previous entry clocking in at 341 pages that are shared between eighteen chapters. J.K. Rowling takes us into another mystery for Harry, Ron and Hermione to solve involving the heir of house Slythrine.

ChamberofSecretsCover.jpg

This book starts with Harry back at Privet Drive. He has been writing to his friends but has not been receiving letters back. This has really isolated him. Now that he has experienced the wizarding world, he wants nothing more than to return to it. However a house elf named Dobby appears and tells him not to go back to the school and that something really bad will happen there this year. Harry finds out that Dobby has been holding back his letters and chases him. This causes him to interrupt the dinner party his aunt and uncle are having when Dobby uses a hover charm to float a cake over one of the guests head and drop it.

This leads Harry to get in trouble and he gets locked into his room. Eventually Ron Weasly and his two brothers Fred and George come to rescue him and take Harry to their home. This leads to the return to the magic setting that the Diagon Alley chapters of the previous novel had, but this time, in a more homey situation which is very refreshing. It also allows us to learn more from several new characters that were not touched on very much aside from names in the previous book.

That is one of the biggest strengths of this book. It builds very well off the previous book with very little recap needed. The initial shock on a magical world is gone. Now, it’s time to expand on it and really begin to grow the wizarding world. The section in Diagon alley for this book tacks on the idea more heavily of celebrities in the wizarding world with Gildoroy Lockheart. An author who has achieved many fantastic tasks. We also see the view of another section of the wizarding world for the first time. This is the darker side, the evil side if you will. It introduces some more of Malfoy’s family and also shows how the wizarding world also has political divides.

20200116_203531.jpg

The return to Hogwarts is handled differently than the past book as well. It’s all these small changes that I believe really make this book feel new and expand on the world with several different ideas. 

This book noticeably does less school lessons with more time devoted to moving the plot of the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets. Harry Potter gets himself in trouble being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This spirals downward and leads to detention and eventually isolation with the whole school no longer trusting him. In a way this is a book that shows school bullying at their second year. The derogatory term “Mud Blood” is uttered by Malfoy to Hermione and we get once again a better sense of the bullying and political differences of families in the wizarding world.

We the readers get to learn some new spells along the way in this book as well as take a deeper dive into the class of potion making in a sense. A whole several chapters are spent in the development and use of the Polyjuice potion. A potion that will have major consequences on the rest of the series. best to learn it young!

FullCover.jpg

There is plenty of comical relief in this book even through it feels rather bleak at times. Everything from Ron’s wand breaking to the Gilderoy Lockhear shenanigans that happen throughout the year after he gets the Defence Against the Dark Arts job. There is even a Valentines bit in this book that I feel is very well placed in the series for character romance. This is treated only as a crush a not a full blown relationship between 12 year olds that would feel very cringy at best.

The conclusion of this book feels much more epic than the previous book. There are some tropes that can be pulled from the fantasy genre here but at the end of the day, the end of the book pays off nearly all the established questions and leaves me asking for more after a satisfying battle that I am trying not to spoil my review.

Overall the character development is great, every character seems to grow and we learn more about them throughout the book. This is effective for more than just the main characters but the supporting characters as well which really makes this world feel very lived in deep.

The Chamber of Secrets does it’s best and good effort of living up to the first installment of the series. It grows the wizarding world and gives us the reader to be more invested in characters that are not the three main leads. We also get a good idea for where the series is planning on heading in the future as Voldemort is still a major threat to the world. This book meets the goals that J.K Rowling set out to achieve. It does not manage to reach the first books level in my honest opinion but is a successful sequel nonetheless. This book is still a fantastic read and worth everyone’s time. There are major setups in this book for future books to come so it’s a very important book as well that cannot be skipped.

If you want to find out where this book ranks in the series you can check out our ranking list for the Harry Potter book series here !

If you want to pick up a copy of this book, you can use our affiliate link below. It helps out the site and allows us to bring more reviews like this one to you in the future. Up next we have the third installment “The Prisoner of Askaban.” I cannot wait to get into this book with everyone.

What are your thoughts on the Chamber of Secrets book? Was it better than the first book and how does it compare to other entries in the series? Comment below and let us know!

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The latest book reviews and book news, harry potter and the chamber of secrets: book review.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets book cover

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

The second novel in the Harry Potter series is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling. Harry is in his second year of Hogwarts and his second year goes even worse then his first year. Keep reading to see the epic adventures that follow Harry as he returns to Hogwarts.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Summary

School is a month away and Harry Potter is staying with his aunt and uncle who despise him and make his life as miserable as they can. Things are boring and calm until Dobby, an elf, appears in Harry’s bedroom. Dobby warns Harry not to return to Hogwarts as there is someone there plotting to kill him. Even though Harry believes Dobby, there is no way he won’t return to the only place where he is happy. Dobby tries to prevent Harry from returning and will do anything in his powers to just that.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets book cover

Harry, Ron, and Hermoine return to Hogwarts and soon after, a message on the wall appears that says the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. The trio try to learn more about the Chamber of Secrets and what it has to do with Harry. Students are attacked and Harry and the group suspect Malfoy of being the one behind the attacks.

The trio attend classes and during their free time, try to figure out the culprit. But the attacks hit close to home for the group and the teachers become paranoid. Now, it is up to Harry to defeat the evil creature lurking in Hogwarts.

I enjoyed this book a lot and when I finished reading it, changed my original four star rating to a five star . The book has a good pace, throws a lot yet balances it all out, and creates a mystery that you as the reader can solve. The novel is targeted towards a younger audience and that is evident throughout the book.

There are some flaws in this novel such as why Lord Voldemort’s previous life isn’t common knowledge, why Hagrid went to jail for doing absolutely nothing, and why Dumbledore was banished easily. Maybe you shouldn’t let the guy who worked for Voldemort be a board member.

Yes, yes, I know, that was needed for the plot. Rowling has a lot of the plot thought out which is why those things seem like an easy way out. Besides my small complaints, I enjoyed the character development from the various characters. I will say Hogwarts has a lot of secrets for a school that is about a thousand years old.

Lastly, reading these novels makes you realize your luck is never going to be as bad as Harry’s. If it isn’t Lord Voldemort trying to kill him, it is usually a professor making his life hell. Or other students. Or even ghosts. And in this novel, a ghost from 50 years ago. Did I forget to mention snakes ? And this is only book two and we all know it doesn’t get any better from here.

Book two stands the test of time and was a fun read. It was short and the school term flew by but I was still turning the pages as the mystery of who opened the chambers takes another turn. Tune in for the next review in the upcoming days!

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I highly recommend reading The Worst Witch books too. They have a very similar concept, but remain as short, heartwarming children’s stories. Not the greatest books ever, but they’re a must read for any Harry Potter fan, as they’re also an important part of English pop culture and helped pave the road for stories about boarding schools of magic.

It was a great book

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Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

It is the second book in J.K Rowling's fantastic book series Harry Potter. 12 year old Harry has just come back from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to spend a dreadful summer at Number 4 Privit Drive. Little does he know his summer is about to get worse. Uncle Vernon is expecting to get one of the best deals of his life during a visit from the Masons. Unfortunately it doesn't go as planned when a house elf shows up in Harrys bedroom with an ominous message. The elf proceeds to try to get Harry expelled from Hogwarts by dropping a pudding on Mrs. Masons head. Uncle Vernon puts bars on Harrys window to stop him form getting out. Harry is in despair when the Ron (his best friend), Fred, and George(Ron's twin brothers) Weasley save him from the clutches of his aunt an uncle and he spend the restof the summer with them.

Harry is back at Hogwarts after an eventful journey. He's ready to start a new peaceful year at Hogwarts. That doesn't go to plan when he starts hearing a mysterious voice in the school corridors. Harry, Ron, and Hermione partake on a amazing and thrilling journey to uncover who is petrifying the students. This book is absolutely amazing and is worth reading. It has magic, mystery, and loads of adventure.

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

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Harry potter and the chamber of secrets: harry potter, book 2.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Harry Potter, Book 2 Poster Image

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Carrie R. Wheadon

Potter sequel is a creature-packed page-turner.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series about an orphan boy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you're flying through the Potter books faster than a Quidditch seeker because kids have been begging, note that after…

Why Age 8+?

Kids are in peril often, but at the hand of fantasy creatures most of the time:

Hermione is called a "mudblood" by Draco, an offensive term in the Potter world

A mention that Percy Weasley's younger sister Ginny catches him kissing his girl

Any Positive Content?

Full of positive messages about the power of love, friendship, and self-sacrific

Main characters Harry, Ron, and Hermione, models of dedicated friends, are rewar

Author J.K. Rowling borrows from many established stories and myths to piece tog

There's a little diversity at Hogwarts. Lee Jordan is described as having dreadl

Violence & Scariness

Kids are in peril often, but at the hand of fantasy creatures most of the time: giant spiders and an angry tree attack, and a basilisk (giant serpent) has Medusa-like abilities, nearly killing characters and putting them in a rigid, comatose state -- it also chases Harry. Harry falls from his broom and breaks his arm, then bones in his arm are magically and mistakenly removed. A house elf punishes himself by hitting his head repeatedly. In a practice wizards' duel, a (small) snake threatens a student. A spell backfires and Ron coughs up slugs. Two main characters almost die in the book's climax. Two fathers have a fistfight. A party for ghosts makes light of many ghosts who had been beheaded and can take off their heads for sport. Mentions of Harry's parents dying in a magical attack when he was a baby. Harry is routinely treated poorly and threatened by his aunt and uncle.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Hermione is called a "mudblood" by Draco, an offensive term in the Potter world meaning "dirty blood," for being part wizard and part muggle.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A mention that Percy Weasley's younger sister Ginny catches him kissing his girlfriend.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Full of positive messages about the power of love, friendship, and self-sacrifice. Also, about not letting your background dictate who you become. Harry is afraid of his similarities to Voldemort, but Dumbledore reminds him that it's the choices we make that make us who we are. Also, the wizarding world's version of racism and classism is introduced (some pure-blood wizards despise those who are not) and shown as wrong. A flashy professor provides a lesson about fame at any cost.

Positive Role Models

Main characters Harry, Ron, and Hermione, models of dedicated friends, are rewarded for their bravery. They are usually punished for rule-breaking, but also get away with quite a bit, especially when they're trying to solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets -- they steal potion ingredients, knock out other students with a sleeping potion, and then impersonate them to get information. It's all in the name of saving other Hogwarts students, though, which of course they do in the end. Dumbledore (Hogwarts' eccentric headmaster) is a wonderful mentor to Harry, showing up with sage advice when needed. Harry shows him loyalty at just the right time and is rewarded with the tools to save the day.

Educational Value

Author J.K. Rowling borrows from many established stories and myths to piece together her magical world. Kids can look up more about basilisks, giant spiders, flying brooms, magic wands, etc., compare the author's take with other interpretations, and think about how and why she weaves these magical elements and beings into her stories.

Diverse Representations

There's a little diversity at Hogwarts. Lee Jordan is described as having dreadlocks, and the Indian Patil twins are in Gryffindor house. Some diverse family structures are described: Harry lives with his aunt and uncle and Neville with his grandmother. Harry and Ron bond over growing up with second-hand clothes and wishing they had more money. Ron's insecurity over being from a poorer family comes up a lot. Women have prominent roles at Hogwarts: Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout are both heads of houses. There are two girls on the Gryffindor quidditch team. There's only one large-size character who isn't a bad guy, and that's Hagrid. Lots of negative language around the size of Dudley and his father and Malfoy's Slytherin friends Crabbe and Goyle.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in J.K. Rowling' s Harry Potter series about an orphan boy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you're flying through the Potter books faster than a Quidditch seeker because kids have been begging, note that after Book 2, the series gets more complex and scarier, and a break between Book 2 and Book 3 may be warranted, especially if you're doing a read-aloud party with siblings of different ages. Harry Potter Age-by-Age Guide as well as details in individual reviews will help you decide. Also of note: this one is tough on kids who are afraid of monsters like giant snakes and spiders. Both attack school kids in tense scenes. Some kids (and a cat) end up in a coma-like state, and two students nearly die in the book's climax. There are also a lot of ghosts, but they are often more silly than scary. Something not in the movie (that otherwise sticks very close to the source material) is Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday Party, where decapitated ghosts throw their heads around for sport. Main characters Harry, Ron, and Hermione are rewarded for their bravery, but after quite a bit of rule breaking. The story is full of positive messages about friendship and that our choices show what we truly are more than our abilities and backgrounds. This book is also available in an illustrated edition with art by Jim Kay.

Where to Read

Parent and kid reviews.

  • Parents say (32)
  • Kids say (140)

Based on 32 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, Harry's summer at his aunt and uncle's house is bad enough when a house elf named Dobby shows up. Dobby warns Harry not to return to Hogwarts, that something dangerous is going to happen, and when Harry won't listen, Dobby performs a hover charm and dumps Aunt Petunia's prize pudding on the floor in the middle of a dinner party. Harry doesn't know what's worse: the threatening owls from the Ministry of Magic accusing him of performing underage magic or getting locked in his room with bars on the windows. When his best friend Ron Weasley and his brothers embark on a midnight rescue in Mr. Weasley's enchanted flying car, Harry's summer is saved. Then September 1 arrives. Ron and Harry are in a panic because they can't get through to Platform 9 ¾ to catch the Hogwarts Express. They decide the only way to make it on time is to chase the train in the flying car. When they get to Hogwarts, their not-so-brilliant plan lands them in serious trouble, but it's nothing compared with the trouble brewing at school. A message appears on a castle wall in blood proclaiming that "The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened," and students wandering the corridors alone are ending up in mysterious coma-like states. It's no wonder Dobby didn't want Harry to return to school.

Is It Any Good?

While this sequel doesn't have the impact of the Potter origin story, it's an exciting creature feature with an engrossing mystery to solve. Many, especially older readers, consider this the lesser of the Potter books, but for younger readers, this is an ideal way to ramp up for the rest of the series. The fear is of external forces -- monsters -- not the less tangible, like how the Dementors in Book 3 embody fear itself. And the mystery builds in a more straightforward manner with steps Harry, Ron, and Hermione take to uncover clues: brewing a potion, playing the spy, and breaking all kinds of school rules in the process as they do.

All that said, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets preps young fantasy fans to take on the meatier stories to come. The monsters sure are scary, and the scenes in the Forbidden Forest and the Chamber of Secrets are thrilling. What was Hagrid thinking telling Harry and Ron to "follow the spiders"? And as for the mystery, efforts to solve it may be methodical but the Chamber of Secrets has quite a few secrets to reveal -- some that only come to light in Book 6. Mouths will be hanging open in that climactic moment when the Heir of Slytherin is revealed at last and appetites will be whetted for more Potter mystery and excitement to come.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the big scary monsters in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Are you afraid of monsters? Does reading about them make you more afraid? Ron really hates spiders. How does he deal with his fear? What does it say that someone with such a fear is still in Gryffindor, the house for the bravest witches and wizards?

Kids just getting into the series will find a whole world of Harry Potter available to them, from Chocolate Frogs for sale at the grocery store to theme parks. A diehard Potter fan can spend a lot of money in their lifetime on merchandise and experiences. Do you think this is worth your money? Are there other ways you can celebrate books you love without raiding your piggie bank?

Will you read more of the series? Are you ready for the stories to get darker and more complex? Will you read some other books in between or plow right through as some kids do?

Book Details

  • Author : J. K. Rowling
  • Illustrator : Mary Grandpre
  • Genre : Fantasy
  • Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Brothers and Sisters , Cats, Dogs, and Mice , Friendship , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
  • Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
  • Book type : Fiction
  • Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
  • Publication date : June 20, 1999
  • Number of pages : 341
  • Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
  • Last updated : July 14, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling (Harry Potter: Book 2)

J.K. Rowling’s series began with the Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets continues the adventures of the young wizard Harry and his friends at Hogwarts.

The Chamber of Secrets begins, as did the Philosopher’s Stone, with Harry once again at home with the dreadful Dursleys. The Dursleys are, to put it mildly, unpleasant and the arrival of the house elf Dobby sets in motion a chain of events that ends with Harry, thanks in no small part to a flying car, happily back at Hogwarts. There are mysterious happenings at Hogwarts and Harry, assisted by his staunch friends Hermoine and Ron set about discovering the truth to the Chamber of Secrets and look for clues to help them understand the attacks on the children at the school.

All the ingredients that made The Philosopher’s Stone a much-loved success are once again here in abundance. This is a rich fantasy tale, fuelled by J.K. Rowling’s vivid imagination and full to the spine with magic, spells, companionship and humour. The humour, in particular, is once again rich in the narrative, a humour that will make both children and adults laugh at loud. Gilderoy Lockhart is a superb character that steals the spotlight from Harry and his friends on more than one occasion.

Cynics may say that the success of the first Harry Potter book made this success of The Chamber of Secrets inevitable. That would, however, be extremely unfair as this is a fine book in its own rights and deserves to be praised every bit as highly as the original. The Harry Potter series is a must read for all children as they are best enjoyed when the imagination is undimmed by age.

The Harry Potter series cannot lay claim to being the most original as J.K. Rowling has drawn on many influences within their construction. The lovely thing is that she pays homage to these influences in her own style and this has made her stories compellingly unique. The ability to completely immerse the reader in a fictional world and make it seem so real is her strongest card and her strong characterisation further enhances this. This is a much darker and adult themed book than its predecessor and this again is well played as the books mature along with Harry Potter.

A delightful fantasy story full of magic, mystery and laughter.

  • Buy on Amazon

Review by Amanda White

11 positive reader review(s) for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

362 positive reader review(s) in total for the Harry Potter series

JK Rowling biography

Harry Potter

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter: Book 1)
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter: Book 2)
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter: Book 3)
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter: Book 4)
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter: Book 5)
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter: Book 6)
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter: Book 7)

Shreya from India

I enjoyed this book. It was packed with action, fantasy, adventure. My favourite part was Harry going into Riddle's diary... this book made me go into Harry Potter's world. It helped me in my book review.

Someone from Somewhere

Interesting, great twist, great mystery, a few awkward and questionable scenes, but all in all good, but not as good as the others, yet still better than Philosopher’s Stone.

Dick Smith from Ameria

Itthink this is a great book.

AC from USA

it was good

Anjitha from India

I really loved Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The snake language, Parseltoungue fascinated me a lot. The Polyjuice potion was just amazing. I enjoyed the part when Harry communicated with Tom Riddle and went 50 years back in time through riddle's diary. I recommend this book to all.

Katie from Chippemham

Dhanin from India

This deserves more than 100 star rating.

Thasindu from Australia

One word: Amazing.

Amara from Australia

Wow! This book is absolutely wonderful! I loved every part of the book infact i am doing a book review on this book tomorrow to my class. Thanks JK Rowling!

K from India

Deven from US

I love this book and it is an excellent book and I recommend it to children as well as adults. I also liked the part of the Polyjuice potion and when at last, Harry Potter fights with the dragon.

Simon from Canada

Wow! It was amazing, there was a thrill throught the book. My favrourite part was the end.

Laura from England

Wow! I love this book, there aren't any boring parts. My faveriot bit is when they take the polyjuice potion :) The books are so unique. I love them :D

9.4 /10 from 14 reviews

All JK Rowling Reviews

  • The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Harry Potter Companion)
  • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Harry Potter Companion)

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Trying to avoid society's pigeonholes, book review: harry potter and the chamber of secrets.

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling, is the second installment in the popular series chronicling the eponymous boy wizard’s years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This review is of the 20th anniversary edition and is a reread of the main story. As Pottermore sorted me into Ravenclaw and my daughter into Slytherin I had access to both house hardback editions. I reviewed the first in the series and wrote about these anniversary editions  here .

The book opens with an introduction to the chosen house, naming key alumnae who will feature in the story. For Ravenclaw these include Gilderoy Lockhart (five times winner of Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award) and Moaning Myrtle (a ghost haunting a girls’ toilet at the school). For Slytherin there is Tom Riddle and Severus Snape.

A double page spread containing a map of Hogwarts reminds readers of key locations. It is then straight into the story.

Opening on Harry’s twelfth birthday, the boy has spent a miserable summer being bullied and belittled by the Dursleys, his reluctant guardians following his parents’ murders. Compounding his misery is the fact that promised letters from friends have not been received. Harry wonders if he has been forgotten and the invitation to stay with Ron at the Weasley’s home, The Burrow, rescinded. The reason for their silence is explained when a house elf, Dobby, appears in Harry’s bedroom demanding a promise that he will not return to school.

Ron has not forgotten Harry and, along with his brothers, mounts a daring rescue involving a flying car. This vehicle is also deployed when the boys miss their connection with the Hogwarts Express. Starting the year by risking expulsion puts a damper on their reunion with Hermione. It is not long, however, until further trouble attracts the trio of friends.

The academic year is marred by unexplained attacks on pupils at the school. There is a strange voice coming from behind walls that only Harry can hear. Graffiti written in blood claims that the legendary Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Speculation is rife as to who the Heir of Slytherin can be. Due to his unfortunate proximity to each attack, and his outing as a Parselmouth, Harry finds himself in the frame.

Determined to find out if the chamber exists, and what links there may be to events from fifty years ago, Hermione uses her books and magic skills to help her friends investigate. There are potential links to Hagrid whose expulsion from Hogwarts and ban on using magic has never been explained. And then there is a mysterious diary.

As attacks continue, Dumbledore is discredited leaving the future of the school in its current inclusive form at stake. Harry and Ron realise that they must piece together what little they know in an attempt to enter the chamber and face whatever is within.

In rereading the story with the benefit of having read the entire series there are many details to enjoy that foreshadow future events. Although there were now no surprises, it was still a highly enjoyable read.

The book ends with information on house elves which differ slightly in house detail. Ravenclaw focuses on the work the elves do, Slytherin on how harshly some are treated and how they may gain their freedom. There then follows a quiz on The Alumni of Hogwarts (I didn’t do very well) along with a line drawing of the appropriate house common room. The final extra content is a Q&A with illustrator Levi Pinfold on how he created the house crests. A line drawing of the relevant crest explains the symbols he employed and what they represent.

These editions of the book are beautifully presented and the extras provide interesting detail about Hogwarts and its history. The story at its heart remains well worth reading.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is published by Bloomsbury.

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

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I love this book… maybe even more than the first one. I have the Ravenclaw anniversary edition, which looks smart on my shelf in comparison with the others which have been read many times.

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 2

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In this sequel to HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, we find Harry spending the summer vacation with his awful relatives, the Dursleys, following his first year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Dursleys are so fearful of Harry's growing magic talents that they lock his school books and wand away in a closet and even lock Harry in his tiny bedroom. Harry worries he'll never get back to Hogwarts and his friends, until he's rescued by his best buddy, Ron Weasley, who arrives in a flying car to take Harry away. 

The second year at Hogwarts should be smoother sailing, right? Not so. First, Harry receives a strange warning from a house elf named Dobby. Then, when he arrives at Hogwarts Harry must face a vain new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and his old enemies, Malfoy and Snape. And, even more troublesome this year, some evil force is turning Muggle-born students (those born to humans, without magical blood, including Harry's pal Hermione) to stone. Who could be doing such a thing? 

While Harry and Ron try to unravel the mystery of petrification, they discover information about the Chamber of Secrets, a hidden room in Hogwarts that is rumored to be home to a horrible monster. Old legends, clues, and research eventually lead Harry and Ron to the Chamber of Secrets for a showdown with evil like they've never seen before. And Harry must triumph over the Dark forces in order to save Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister (now a first year at Hogwarts), who has been taken over by a nasty wizard. See if he succeeds in this rollicking, spine-tingling adventure. You're sure to love all the fast-moving action, magic and fun in every chapter. 

Reviewed by Shannon Maughan on August 15, 2000

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 2 by J. K. Rowling

  • Publication Date: June 26, 2018
  • Genres: Fantasy
  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
  • ISBN-10: 1338299158
  • ISBN-13: 9781338299151

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

Themes and Analysis

Harry potter and the chamber of secrets, by j.k. rowling.

'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' explores a lot of new themes that were not considered in the first book, making it grittier and realistic compared to the first installment.

Mohandas Alva

Article written by Mohandas Alva

M.A. Degree in English Literature from Manipal University, India.

‘ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ‘ J. K. Rowling is a significantly different book than its predecessor in that it tackles a lot of strong and politically charged themes. After ‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, ‘ this book delves deeper into the world of magic and brings into the spotlight the struggles and unequal treatment of different magical beings as well as the inequalities among humans.

The book also explores the debate of free will and determinism to an extent by discussing the idea of choice. The analysis of ‘ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ‘ is bound to highlight discrimination and inequalities that are persistent in the wizarding world. The premise of this book alone rests on a group of wizards claiming superiority over other wizards and a select few trying to stop these evil forces.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Themes and Analysis

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Themes

Discrimination and inequality.

One of the most important themes explored in the story of ‘ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ‘ is discrimination and inequality between different magical beings and between the bloodlines of wizards and witches. There are several magical beings, which include humans who are developed for magic (wizards and witches), goblins, giants, trolls, merpeople, house-elves, and many others. However, in this book, after the appearance of Dobby, Harry learns a lot about how house-elves are treated by wizards and witches.

House-elves are direct allusions to how slavery was a prominent practice in our world, and the rules and methods governing a house-elfs’ enslavement is very similar to that of the slaves in our real world. This book sheds light on how unfair practice slavery is, as house-elves are not even allowed the most basic comforts that the wizards who ‘own’ them could easily afford.

Another separate arena for discrimination follows the major plot of this novel – the reason the Chamber of Secrets exists in the first place. A lot of pure-blooded wizards claim superiority over others who are either half-blooded or muggle-born, just like Salazar Slytherin did when he cofounded Hogwarts.

Hence, when he left Hogwarts after disagreements with the other three founders, who wanted magical education to be accessible to anybody who has a talent for magic, he built the Chamber of Secrets to one day let his heir carry out his mission. This mania to ‘cleanse’ the world from wizards who are not pure-blooded is very similar in form to several racially discriminatory factions that have risen in history over the years. This book uses the Basilisk , a very dangerous and monstrous entity whose very eyes cause death, as a symbol of how detrimental and destructive such mania about so-called racial superiority can actually be.

Choice and Ability

Another major theme explored through ‘ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ‘ is the idea of how identity is built through a compromise between and ability. Harry grapples with this idea for a major part of his second year, especially after the school assumes that he might be the Heir of Slytherin as he is discovered to be a Parseltongue . However, at the end of the book, after he defeats Voldemort and the basilisk, he speaks to Professor Dumbledore, who solves his dilemma with a very important point.

Dumbledore claims that Harry’s identity is based on the choices he makes and not the abilities he possesses. The abilities might contribute to who Harry is, but even though he possesses the same abilities as Voldemort, Harry will never be like him because Harry chooses to do things differently despite his abilities.

Dumbledore means that it is the choices we make that determine who we are. In spite of probably even housing a lot of demons within our psyche, the fact that we choose to do things that are moral and ethical allows us to be better people. We will always have doubts about our identities, as they are constantly changing too, but we will always be who we choose to be and not who we inherently are.

Friendship is a recurring theme in all of the Harry Potter books, but more specifically, in this book, the friendship between Harry and Dobby is an interesting dynamic. Although Dobby’s methods in saving Harry Potter are questionable, there is a genuine innocence in the way he tries to go to great lengths to save Harry. It becomes obvious even to the reader that Dobby means well but doesn’t know what else he could do. Harry acknowledges Dobby’s affection for him and eventually frees him from his masters, which resonates as a true act of friendship.

Fame is another major theme explored in this book. It becomes more prominent when Harry encounters Gilderoy Lockhart. Lockhart seeks fame, and his entire life is surrounded around it and gaining more of it. The narrative does a wonderful job showing the reader how different Harry is from someone who desperately seeks fame. Harry does not seek fame the way Lockhart does.

Analysis of Key Moments in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

  • Harry is very dejected about his stay at his uncle’s as he hasn’t received any letters from his friends, and his birthday is uneventful.
  • Harry meets Dobby, a house-elf who warns Harry about his life being in danger at Hogwarts. Furthermore, Dobby deliberately drops a pudding on Mrs. Mason to prevent Harry from going to Hogwarts.
  • Harry is initially locked in a room by his uncle but is eventually saved by Ron and the Weasley twins in a flying car, and they go together to the Burrow , where the Weasleys stay.
  • Harry joins the others on a trip to London to get their books and supplies. He meets Gilderoy Lockhart at Flourish and Blotts, and Mr. Weasley and Lucius Malfoy have a fist fight inside the shop.
  • Harry and Ron miss the Hogwarts express and try to come by the bewitched flying car to Hogwarts.
  • Gilderoy Lockhart is eventually revealed to be an attention seeker and merely has any talent for teaching.
  • Malfoy is selected as the seeker for the Slytherin Quidditch team. He has a tussle with Harry, Ron, and Hermione and calls her a ‘ Mudblood .’
  • Harry, Ron, and Hermione go to Nearly Headless Nick ’s Deathday Party and meet Moaning Myrtle, Peeves, and several other ghosts there.
  • Harry, Hermione, and Ron encounter the ‘petrified’ body of Mrs. Norris. There is a writing on the wall, written in blood which claims that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened and that the Heir of Slytherin has returned.
  • While playing Quidditch, a rogue bludger attacks Harry and fractures his arm. Lockhart makes the injuries worse when he tries to repair them.
  • During a duel in the newly created Dueling Club, Harry tries to stop a snake from attacking Justin Finch-Fletchley but unknowingly uses Parseltongue to converse with it. People suspect that he may be the Heir of Slytherin.
  • The Polyjuice Potion is finally ready, and the trio takes it. Hermione is unable to go, but both Harry and Ron are disguised, and Crabbe and Goyle go to Malfoy to collect details about the Heir of Slytherin.
  • Harry finds a diary that belongs to a mysterious and unknown person called Tom Riddle. Harry eventually converses with the diary and realizes that Hagrid might be responsible for the attacks.
  • Hermione is ‘petrified’, and eventually, Harry and Ron go to Hagrid’s hut to question him but are stopped short as Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic takes Hagrid to Azkaban prison .
  • Harry and Ron go to the Forbidden Forest to meet Aragog, the large Acromantula or spider that Hagrid is friends with. After collecting the truth from it, they are forced to flee in Ron’s old car, which miraculously appears when the other spiders try to eat them.
  • Harry and Ron find out that Ginny has been taken to the Chamber of Secrets, and along with Lockhart, who is confirmed to be a phony, they go into the Chamber.
  • Harry eventually finds out that Lord Voldemort is Tom Riddle and that he is the Heir of Slytherin. He faces the beast, the Basilisk, and eventually kills it. He also destroys Riddle’s diary, thereby destroying his apparition .
  • Harry talks to Dumbledore about what happened at the Chamber, and they eventually meet Lucius Malfoy and Dobby. Harry frees Dobby by giving him a sock by tricking Lucius Malfoy.

Writing Style and Tone

Both the writing style and tone of this novel are very similar to ‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone .’ Rowling’s writing style is quite consistent for these two books, and she writes similar humorous lines and has quite the same descriptive language for world-building. However, this book is a tad bit darker and politically charged than the first one and alludes to real-world problems like discrimination, slavery, and people who abuse power.

Analysis of Key Symbol in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Tom riddle’s diary.

Tom Riddle’s Diary is of major symbolic significance for this entire narrative to move forward. It primarily signifies dangerous ideologies that are easy to believe when we could be manipulated through our vulnerabilities. It is also significant because it is this diary that led to the events of this book which include the opening of the Chamber of Secrets. It is quite similar in form to dangerous ‘evil’ ideologies and claims made by people in power to manipulate a large mass of people into doing their bidding, something that has been very common in history.

Does Dumbledore not know about the Chamber of Secrets?

Dumbledore does know about the Chamber of Secrets and had his suspicions about such a chamber existing. However, he had no evidence or any form of knowledge concerning where to find the chamber as it is very well hidden from everyone except people who know Parseltongue.

Who is Dobby’s Master?

Lucius Malfoy is Dobby’s master, and Dobby worked in Malfoy Manor until Harry Potter freed him. Dobby knew about Tom Riddle’s Diary and wanted to prevent Harry Potter from going to Hogwarts. But the unique nature of Elf magic prevented him from betraying his master.

Why does Hermione not go to meet Malfoy after drinking Polyjuice Potion?

Hermione accidentally ends up drinking a Polyjuice Potion mixture that contained the hairs of a cat instead of Millicent Bulstrode as she had initially intended. This turns her appearance into that of a cat. Therefore, she suggests the already-transformed Harry and Ron go ahead.

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

Harry Potter Quiz

Summon your wit and wisdom—our Harry Potter Trivia Quiz awaits you! Do you have the knowledge to claim the title of Master Witch or Wizard? Take the challenge now!

1) Which character is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange in the Battle of Hogwarts?

2) Who originally owned the Elder Wand before Dumbledore won it?

3) What is the name of the book Hermione gives to Harry before his first ever Quidditch match?

4) What specific type of dragon does Harry face during the Triwizard Tournament?

5) What does the incantation "Obliviate" do?

6) What is the name of Harry Potter's pet owl?

7) What is the name of the goblin who helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione break into Gringotts?

8) Who was the Peverell brother that owned the invisibility cloak?

9) What was the last Horcrux to be destroyed?

10) What is the name of the train that takes students to Hogwarts?

11) Who is the Half-Blood Prince?

12) Which potion did Hermione brew in her second year that allowed her, Ron, and Harry to assume the identities of Slytherins?

13) Who teaches Herbology at Hogwarts?

14) Which creature can transform into a person's worst fear?

15) What are the dying words of Severus Snape in both the book and the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"?

16) Which spell is used to open the Marauder's Map?

17) What is Dumbledore's full name?

18) What is the effect of the Cheering Charm?

19) What is the core ingredient of the wand owned by Harry Potter?

20) What potion is known as "Liquid Luck"?

21) What is the name of the goblin-made object that is supposed to bring its owner prosperity, but also brings them into conflict with goblins?

22) Which object is NOT one of the Deathly Hallows?

23) In which Harry Potter book does Harry first speak Parseltongue?

24) What does the Mirror of Erised show?

25) In the "Order of the Phoenix," who is NOT a member of the original Order of the Phoenix shown in the old photograph that Moody shows Harry?

26) What form does Hermione Granger's Patronus take?

27) What creature is Aragog?

28) What animal represents Hufflepuff house?

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Mohandas Alva

About Mohandas Alva

Mohandas is very passionate about deciphering the nature of language and its role as a sole medium of storytelling in literature. His interests sometimes digress from literature to philosophy and the sciences but eventually, the art and craft of narrating a significant story never fail to thrill him.

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The Harry Potter section of Book Analysis analyzes and explorers the Harry Potter series. The characters, names, terminology, and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros ©. The content on Book Analysis was created by Harry Potter fans, with the aim of providing a thorough in-depth analysis and commentary to complement and provide an additional perspective to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

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  • In My Own Words
  • Younger Readers

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

book review of chamber of secrets harry potter

Throughout the summer holidays after his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter has been receiving sinister warnings from a house-elf called Dobby.

Now, back at school to start his second year, Harry hears unintelligible whispers echoing through the corridors.

Before long the attacks begin: students are found as if turned to stone.

Dobby’s predictions seem to be coming true.

Publishers: UK Print – Bloomsbury US Print – Scholastic eBook – Pottermore Digital Audiobook – Pottermore UK Illustrated – Bloomsbury US Illustrated – Scholastic  UK MinaLima edition – Bloomsbury US MinaLima edition – Scholastic

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A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World

23 Funny 'Harry Potter' Jokes and Puns Every Muggle Should Know

80 Magical Harry Potter Quotes for Wizards and Muggles Alike

Meghan Jones

By Meghan Jones

Updated Sep. 24, 2024

These funny, touching and just plain iconic Harry Potter quotes will make you want to reread or re-watch the series

Now Trending

It’s been more than 15 years since the last Harry Potter  book hit shelves, yet we’re still enthralled with its magical world. That’s because the exciting tale is filled with epic bravery and heroics, lovable (and hatable!) characters, and memorable Harry Potter quotes we’ll never forget.

Quotes from Harry Potter have stood the test of time as some of our all-time favorite quotes from books , and the books themselves definitely make our list of the best children’s books. And the best part? Lots of them are equally great quotes on their own!

So, keep reading for some of the best Harry Potter quotes. They’ll make you want to read the books or watch the movies again and again!

Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more quotes, holiday tips, fun facts, humor, cleaning, travel and tech all week long.

Inspirational Harry Potter quotes

Harry Potter Quotes 1

1. “To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” –Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

2. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . Dumbledore, getting deep right from the get-go with his cautionary advice when Harry is looking at his family in the Mirror of Erised.

3. “As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all—the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . Dumbledore’s not shy with his thoughts about the allure of the Sorcerer’s Stone and its power.

4. “Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew.” —Dobby, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets . Dobby might seem like a “simple” character, but he delivers this profound thinker in the first scene we meet him!

5. “Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain!” —Arthur Weasley, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets . For a world basically devoid of technology, the wizarding world still provides this solid cautionary message! Of course, Arthur is talking about the diary containing the consciousness of Lord Voldemort that Ginny fell victim to.

6. “I am what I am, an’ I’m not ashamed. ‘Never be ashamed,’ my ol’ dad used ter say, ‘there’s some who’ll hold it against you, but they’re not worth botherin’ with.’” —Rubeus Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire .

7. “If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” —Sirius Black to Ron, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

8. What’s comin’ will come, an’ we’ll meet it when it does.” —Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire . More words of wisdom from Hagrid! Harry takes these words to heart, and they’re reiterated as the final line of the book.

9. “Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire .

10. “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire . Dumbledore delivers some doozies in his final speech in Harry’s fourth year.

11. “CONSTANT VIGILANCE!” —Barty Crouch, Jr., Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire . Nope, the real Mad-Eye Moody never actually says this! But when the evil Barty Crouch, Jr. is posing as the Auror, he’s actually a pretty decent teacher and delivers this motivational quote.

12. “We must unite inside [Hogwarts] / Or we’ll crumble from within / I have told you, I have warned you… / Let the Sorting now begin.” —The Sorting Hat, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . In its first song after the return of Voldemort, the Sorting Hat expresses conflict over its job of “dividing” the students during these troublesome times when unity is so important. All in rhyme!

13. “Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

14. “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” —Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . Ginny’s brothers Fred and George inspired her to think this!

15. “Age is foolish and forgetful when it underestimates youth.” —Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

16. “Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress? All of them realize that, one day, amongst their many victims, there is sure to be one who rises against them and strikes back!” —Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

17. “I don’t think you’re a waste of space.” —Dudley Dursley, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . It may not quite be an epic redemption arc, but it was nice to finally see Dudley Dursley emerge a little from his parents’ shadow and express his appreciation for Harry.

18. “Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving.” — Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows .

19. “And what if we want to stay and fight?” —Ernie Macmillan, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  We included this one specifically because of the glow up of this character! Early in the books, Ernie Macmillan is a rather pompous student who even outright believes Harry is the Heir of Slytherin in  Chamber of Secrets . But fast-forward to the Battle of Hogwarts, and Ernie is the first to raise the call to fight!

20. “It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.” —Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Get more insight on the wizarding world with our exclusive interview with Tom Felton (aka Draco Malfoy).

Harry Potter quotes about love

Harry Potter Quotes 2

21. “To have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

22. HARRY: “I didn’t want anyone to talk to me.” GINNY: “Well, that was a bit stupid of you, seeing as you don’t know anyone but me who’s been possessed by You-Know-Who, and I can tell you how it feels.” —Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix .

23. “It is impossible to manufacture or imitate love.” —Horace Slughorn, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . Professor Slughorn shows off a love potion on the students’ first day of class—reminding them that there’s a caveat.

24. “When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love.” —Horace Slughorn, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

25. LORD VOLDEMORT : “Nothing I have seen in the world has supported your pronouncements that love is more powerful than my kind of magic, Dumbledore.” ALBUS DUMBLEDORE: “Perhaps you have been looking in the wrong places.” —Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

26. REMUS LUPIN: “Tonks deserves somebody young and whole.” ARTHUR WEASLEY: “But she wants you.” —Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . Tonks and Lupin might not be one of the best-known Harry Potter couples, but Lupin believing he’s not worthy of love and Tonks proving him otherwise gets us every time!

27. “What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave!” —Fleur Delacour, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . Fleur’s fiancé, Bill Weasley, has just been attacked and scarred by Greyback the werewolf. Mrs. Weasley even suggests that Fleur might not marry him anymore, but Fleur won’t hear it. Her haughty declaration that she’s “good-looking enough for the both of” them is very on-brand.

28. “I never really gave up on you. Not really. I always hoped…” —Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince . Ginny for the win! She was crushing on Harry as early as her first year at Hogwarts. Four years later, they were falling in love! (They did break up before he went to save the world, and then got back together again.)

29. “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living. And above all, pity those who live without love.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Consider wooing your crush with these cheesy (but delightfully funny) Harry Potter pickup lines .

Funny Harry Potter quotes

Harry Potter Quotes 3

30. “I’ll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I’m not there.” —Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

31. “Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn’t mean we all have.” ―Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

32. “We’ll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat.” —George Weasley, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . When Harry first meets the Weasleys at the train platform, the twins are trying to appease Ginny, who is sad she can’t go to Hogwarts yet. The best part? Dumbledore tells Harry that Fred and George tried to send him  a toilet seat after he’s hospitalized at the end of the year fighting Quirrell.

33. “You haven’t got a letter on your [sweater]. I suppose she thinks you don’t forget your name. But we’re not stupid — we know we’re called Gred and Forge.” —George Weasley, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . At Christmastime, the twins’ are the only ones of Mrs. Weasley’s handmade sweaters with initials on them, and George can’t help but make this joke.

34. “Alas! Ear wax!” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . Of all the Dumbledore quotes , this one might demonstrate the old wizard’s irreverent, young-at-heart attitude the best. Visiting Harry in the hospital wing, he tries a Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Bean, banking on it being “a nice toffee.” The rest is history.

35. MOLLY WEASLEY: “ Your sons flew that car to Harry’s house and back last night! What have you got to say about that, eh?” ARTHUR WEASLEY: “Did you really? Did it go all right?” — Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

36. “Of all the trees we could’ve hit, we had to get one that hits back.” —Ron Weasley after flying the Weasley car into the Whomping Willow, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

37. “Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!” —Gilderoy Lockhart, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets . The hapless fraud Lockhart has just erased his own memories when his spell backfired. Fawkes the phoenix is carrying him, Harry, Ron and Ginny out of the Chamber of Secrets and he is just delighted.

38. RITA SKEETER: “Congratulations, Harry! I wonder if you could give me a quick word? How you felt facing that dragon? How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?” HARRY: “Yeah, you can have a word. Good-bye.” — Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire . Unfortunately, this sick burn does little to keep wizarding tabloid journalist Rita Skeeter at bay.

39. GEORGE: “Hello, Harry. We thought we heard your dulcet tones.” FRED: “You don’t want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out. There might be a couple of people 50 miles away who didn’t hear you.” — Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . Oh, angsty Book 5 Harry. Fred and George take the edge off a scene where he’s getting all his anger out about being stuck at the Dursleys and knowing nothing about what’s going on in the wizarding world post–Voldemort’s return.

40. “You’re just as sane as I am.” —Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

41. HERMIONE: “Harry, don’t go picking a row with Malfoy, don’t forget, he’s a prefect now, he could make life difficult for you.” HARRY: “Wow, I wonder what it’d be like to have a difficult life?” — Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . It’s Year 5, Voldemort is back, and Malfoy the school bully is the  least  of Harry’s concerns.

42. “[Harry] has achieved high marks in every Defense Against the Darks Arts test set by a competent teacher.” —Professor McGonagall to Professor Umbridge, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . In both the books and the films, we live for McGonagall resisting Umbridge’s reign of terror (and terrible teaching)!

43. “ Give five signs that identify the werewolf. Excellent question…One: he’s sitting on my chair. Two: he’s wearing my clothes. Three: his name’s Remus Lupin.” —Remus Lupin,  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . We think of Lupin as a wise, profound mentor figure, but he’s delightfully hilarious in this memory of him as a teen remarking on a certain question on his O.W.L. exam.

44. SNAPE: “Do you remember me telling you we are practicing non-verbal spells, Potter?” HARRY: “Yes.” SNAPE: “Yes, sir.” HARRY: “There’s no need to call me ‘sir,’ Professor.” —Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

45. HARRY: “What does [the Unbreakable Vow] mean? RON: “Well, you can’t break an Unbreakable Vow…” HARRY: “I’d worked that much out for myself, funnily enough.” —Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . Even in Book 6, Harry still has a lot to learn about the magical world since he didn’t grow up in it. But he does still understand…logic!

46. “He can move faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo.” —Fred Weasley on Voldemort’s powers of flight, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . Leave it to Fred to sneak in two digs about two different bad guys in the same sentence.

47. “We teachers are rather good at magic, you know.” —Professor McGonagall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

48. “We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter’s the one / And Voldy’s gone moldy, so now let’s have fun!” —Peeves the poltergeist, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . Ron sums up Peeves’ post–Voldemort defeat victory song the best: “Really gives a feeling for the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesn’t it?”

49. “Don’t let it worry you. It’s me. I’m extremely famous.” —Ron, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . In the epilogue, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny are sending their children off to Hogwarts, and Harry’s son Albus wonders why everyone is staring at them. Ron lightens the nervous new students’ mood with this quip.

Long after the epilogue is over, find out the hidden messages in Harry Potter books you never knew.

Harry Potter quotes about friendship

Harry Potter Quotes 4

50. “Books! And cleverness! There are more important things — friendship and bravery…” —Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . The massively book-smart Hermione reveals the extent of her admiration for Harry’s defining qualities right before Harry goes off alone to face his foe in  Sorcerer’s Stone . Though, of course, Hermione, you have a super healthy dose of those qualities, too—give yourself some credit!

51. “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . Who could forget the moment of victory when Dumbledore rewards Neville—who tried to stop Harry, Ron and Hermione from going after the Sorcerer’s Stone—with the winning House Cup points? It was an early glimmer of Neville’s greatness, to be sure!

52. “If you want to kill Harry, you’ll have to kill us too!” —Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Ron’s not about to let Harry die at the hands of Sirius Black alone!

53. “I enjoyed the meetings, too. It was like having friends.” —Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . Oh, Luna, breaking our hearts with her casual statements, this one about the Dumbledore’s Army meetings. Of course, we later learn she decorates her bedroom with a mural of the core DA members surrounded by the word “friends”!

54 “[James] called it my ‘furry little problem’ in company. Many people were under the impression that I owned a badly behaved rabbit.” —Remus Lupin on his werewolf condition, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . Is there a greater show of friendship than undergoing a complicated, not to mention illegal, animal transformation process to support your friend who’s a werewolf? We don’t think so. (Peter Pettigrew’s betrayal notwithstanding.)

55. DUMBLEDORE: “You do them a disservice by not confiding something this important to them.” HARRY: “I didn’t want —” DUMBLEDORE: “— to worry or frighten them? Or perhaps, to confess that you yourself are worried and frightened? You need your friends, Harry.” — Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , on Harry confiding in Ron and Hermione. As more-than-a-little-manipulative as it is, the relationship between Harry and Dumbledore certainly qualifies as a friendship of sorts, too. The fact that Dumbledore says this knowing he’s planned his death soon and is going to leave Harry is a bit of a gut-punch.

56. “We’re with you whatever happens.” —Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

57. “We’re coming with you. That was decided months ago — years, really.” —Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . Before Harry, Hermione, and Ron embark on their journey to find Horcruxes, Hermione assures him that they’re not going to let him go alone after all they’ve been through together.

If you’re already familiar with all of the Harry Potter facts and Harry Potter quotes, see how you do on our tricky Harry Potter quiz !

Harry Potter movie quotes

Harry Potter Quotes 5

58. “Yer a wizard, Harry.” —Rubeus Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (film). In the book, Hagrid says, “Harry — yer a wizard.” But there’s a reason the iconic film version is what you’ll see on Harry Potter merch everywhere! It’s by far the most famous Hagrid quote.

59. “You’re saying it wrong. It’s leviOsa, not levioSA.” —Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (film). Hermione says a version of this iconic quote in the book, too, but Emma Watson’s delivery and phrasing made it an instant classic.

60. “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film). Nope, that one wasn’t in the books! Dumbledore says it in the start-of-term feast in Harry’s third year.

61. “What’s life without a little risk?” —Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix  (film)

62. “Nice one, James!” —Sirius Black to Harry, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film). In another film-only moment, Sirius mistakenly yells this while fighting alongside Harry in the Department of Mysteries. Is it a powerful moment that encapsulates how Harry has more than lived up to his father’s potential? Or a flawed one where Sirius reveals that he only ever saw Harry as a replacement for his father? Either way, fans of the franchise definitely have opinions on it!

63. “Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.” —Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film). By the end  of  Order of the Phoenix , we’re all in on Luna Lovegood, especially when she offers these quippy yet profound words to Harry after she finds her stolen shoes.

64. “You can’t deny, Dumbledore’s got style.” —Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film). Dumbledore spectacularly escapes his Ministry of Magic pursuers by catching a ride with his flaming pet phoenix. The pureblood-maniacal headmaster portrait Phineas Nigellus Black says a more subdued version of this line in the books, but we prefer Kingsley’s film delivery!

65. “Dobby never meant to kill! Dobby only meant to maim, or seriously injure!” —Dobby, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (film). Even when fighting Death Eaters in Malfoy Manor, Dobby is so pure.

66. “I’ve always wanted to use that spell!” —Minerva McGonagall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (film). We love giddy McGonagall when she uses a spell that animates the Hogwarts suits of armor to defend the school in the Battle of Hogwarts. (She does the spell in the books too, but the delightful follow-up is film only.)

67. “It is the quality of one’s convictions that determines success, not the number of followers.” —Remus Lupin, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (film). You’ll remember this line as the one where Kingsley Shacklebolt asks, “Who said that?” and Lupin proudly replies, “Me!”

68. “Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” —Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2  (film)

After reading these Harry Potter movie quotes, read up on how we ranked the movies , from best to worst.

Classic Harry Potter quotes

Harry Potter Quotes 6

69. “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.” —Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. It’s not a quote that a character says, but we couldn’t have a list of Harry Potter quotes without including the iconic opening. When you read that very first line, you know instantly that that normalcy’s about to be upended, and you can’t wait.

70. “The wand chooses the wizard.” —Mr. Ollivander, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

71. “I hope you’re pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled.” —Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

72. “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets . Dumbledore decisively shuts down Harry’s fears about thinking he was better suited to Slytherin at the end of the second book.

73. “You shall not harm Harry Potter!” —Dobby, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets . “Dobby is free!” might be the  most  remembered of all the Dobby quotes, but it’s equally satisfying to see him totally whup his former master, Lucius Malfoy, in defense of Harry.

74. “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” —The Marauder’s Map, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (and beyond). Though no character technically says this organically, its prominence as the code word to activate the Marauder’s Map earns it a spot among the best Harry Potter quotes!

75. “You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be! It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be!” —Albus Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

76. “If she could have done one thing to make absolutely sure that every single person in this school will read your interview, it was banning it!” —Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Maybe not as much of a classic as these others, but a total truth bomb from Hermione. After Dolores Umbridge bans students from reading Harry’s exposé on Voldemort’s return, Harry is dismayed—but Hermione knows that Umbridge’s move is sure to backfire.

77. “Weasley can save anything, He never leaves a single ring, That’s why Gryffindors all sing: Weasley is our King.” —The Gryffindors in Harry and Ron’s fifth year, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . They sing this after Ron leads them to a Quidditch championship—adapting the mocking “Weasley Is Our King” song sung by the Slytherins. That’s sportsmanship.

78. “Always.” —Severus Snape, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . Love Snape or hate him, you can’t deny the staying power that his most famous line has had. Dumbledore asks Snape if he’s continued to love Lily Evans/Potter “after all this time,” and he gives this one-word response.

79. “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . The last thing we see Dumbledore say (besides his headmaster’s portrait) reminds of us the power of thoughts and imagination!

80. “I’ve had enough trouble for a lifetime.” — Harry, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . Harry’s final line in the series (besides the epilogue) is pretty spot-on. We’ll miss you, Harry, but we agree—you deserve some peace!

If you loved reading through these Harry Potter quotes, check out these funny Harry Potter jokes and puns that will make you spit out your butterbeer!

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snape

Professor Snape’s First Words to Harry Potter

A collection of Harry Potter books

Details Missed in Harry Potter

platform 9 3/4

Things in Harry Potter That Are Actually Real

Originally Published: March 14, 2024

Meghan Jones

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  3. Harry Potter: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Paperback)

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  4. Book review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

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  5. Chamber Of Secrets Book Summary

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  6. Little Space of the Internet: HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS BOOK REVIEW

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COMMENTS

  1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Review

    4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Book Review. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling was published in 1999 and is a great way to connect the first installment to the rest of the books in the series. It delves deeply into a lot of new avenues that aren't explored in the first book. Although not considered as one of ...

  2. HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS

    This sequel to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1998) brings back the doughty young wizard-in-training to face suspicious adults, hostile classmates, fretful ghosts, rambunctious spells, giant spiders, and even an avatar of Lord Voldemort, the evil sorcerer who killed his parents, while saving the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from a deadly, mysterious menace.

  3. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

    161 minutes ‧ PG ‧ 2002. Roger Ebert. November 15, 2002. 5 min read. The first movie was the setup, and this one is the payoff. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" leaves all of the explanations of wizardry behind and plunges quickly into an adventure that's darker and scarier than anything in the first Harry Potter movie.

  4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    The story of 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' has been a great success since it was first published in 1998. Due to the roaring success of its predecessor ' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,' this series was already a household name, and the book took over most best-selling lists in both the UK and the USA.

  5. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets

    Book Summary. Fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, and a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom. 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 ...

  6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the second novel in the Harry Potter series. ... On BookBrowse, a site that aggregates book reviews such as media reviews, the book received a from "Critics' Opinion". [13]

  7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    On Halloween night, Harry, Ron and Hermione find a message painted on a wall that reads, "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware.". They soon discover that the Chamber of Secrets contains a deadly monster, that it hasn't been opened for 50 years, and that the last time it was opened, someone died.

  8. Book Review

    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling Series: Harry Potter, #2 First published on July 2, 1998 by Arthur A. Levine Books Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult Pages: 341 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Find on Goodreads Get it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vHGHjb Ever since Harry Potter had come home for the summer, the Dursleys had been so mean and hideous that all Harry wanted was to get back ...

  9. Book review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

    The Chamber of Secrets leads on from The Philosopher's Stone (read my review of that here if you haven't had the chance yet) and expands upon the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Plot - 4.5/5. The Chamber of Secrets finds Harry, Hermione, Ron and friends back at Hogwarts for their second year. They've had the summer off after the heroic ...

  10. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets

    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets By J.K.Rowling Book review by Abbas Panjwani This is the second book in the Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling, about the young wizard Harry Potter, his best friends Ron and Hermione, and their adventures at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry is no ordinary wizard.

  11. Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling Series: Harry Potter #2 Published: June 2, 1999 Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade Format: eBook (341 pages) Source: Purchased 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.

  12. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Book Review and Ratings by Kids

    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has 573 reviews and 649 ratings. Reviewer zehobulaside wrote: ""Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by J.K. Rowling continues the story of the boy who lived, Harry Potter. Harry starts off at his aunt and uncles (the Dursleys) house and meets someone strange who gets him in trouble.

  13. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Book Review

    August 10, 2019. A sleeping evil awakens under the castle of Hogwarts. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second installment to the Harry Potter series. A sequel that gives what we were looking for an solidifies a desire to read the entire series. Let's dive in and see what this chapter of the series is all about.

  14. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Plot Summary

    Back in the castle, Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister, is taken to the Chamber of Secrets, and fear spreads throughout the school. Harry, Ron, and Gilderoy Lockhart, the latter who had always been overconfident about his skills enter the Chamber of Secrets. Harry eventually goes into the Chamber, sees Ginny, and encounters Tom Riddle's life-like ...

  15. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Book Review

    The second novel in the Harry Potter series is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling. Harry is in his second year of Hogwarts and his second year goes even worse then his first year. Keep reading to see the epic adventures that follow Harry as he returns to Hogwarts. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Summary

  16. Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    Review. It is the second book in J.K Rowling's fantastic book series Harry Potter. 12 year old Harry has just come back from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to spend a dreadful summer at Number 4 Privit Drive. Little does he know his summer is about to get worse. Uncle Vernon is expecting to get one of the best deals of his life ...

  17. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Harry Potter, Book 2

    Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series about an orphan boy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you're flying through the Potter books faster than a Quidditch seeker because kids have been begging, note that after…

  18. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling book review

    9/10. J.K. Rowling's series began with the Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets continues the adventures of the young wizard Harry and his friends at Hogwarts. The Chamber of Secrets begins, as did the Philosopher's Stone, with Harry once again at home with the dreadful Dursleys. The Dursleys are, to put it mildly, unpleasant ...

  19. Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling, is the second installment in the popular series chronicling the eponymous boy wizard's years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This review is of the 20th anniversary edition and is a reread of the main story. As Pottermore sorted me into Ravenclaw and my daughter into ...

  20. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 2

    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 2. by J. K. Rowling. Publication Date: June 26, 2018. Genres: Fantasy. Paperback: 368 pages. Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books. ISBN-10: 1338299158. ISBN-13: 9781338299151. In one of the most highly anticipated sequels ever, J.K. Rowling takes up where she left off with Harry's second year at Hogwarts.

  21. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    The analysis of ' Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ' is bound to highlight discrimination and inequalities that are persistent in the wizarding world. The premise of this book alone rests on a group of wizards claiming superiority over other wizards and a select few trying to stop these evil forces.

  22. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    Throughout the summer holidays after his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter has been receiving sinister warnings from a house-elf called Dobby. Now, back at school to start his second year, Harry hears unintelligible whispers echoing through the corridors. Before long the attacks begin: students are found as ...

  23. 80 Magical Harry Potter Quotes for Wizards and Muggles Alike

    4. "Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew." —Dobby, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Dobby might seem like a "simple" character, but he ...