Trigger Warning:
This book deals with death. Nothing graphic, but the main character is orphaned. Also, child neglect (minimal).
I also understand that the author of this book may be a trigger, too. I will not be addressing the controversy surrounding her.
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
Harry Potter's summer is dragging on as he awaits his freedom back in the Wizarding World. So far, he has had the worst birthday and has been sent to his room to make no noise and pretend like he doesn't exist. Something he has gotten quite good at. It all seems normal for poor Harry, until a strange little house-elf appears.
Dobby, the house-elf, has a sinister warning for him. Don't return to Hogwarts; it is not safe. But Hogwarts is the only place Harry remembers ever calling home. A place where he fits in, where he has friends, where he can live a normal life and not be shunned by the people around him.
But Dobby will stop at nothing to try and protect Harry, including closing the passageway to Platform Nine and three-quarters! Unable to access the Hogwarts Express back to school, Harry and Ron borrow Mr. Wesley's flying car and make the trip, coming face first with the whomping willow as they land on the school grounds.
An odd start to an odd school year. Soon, Harry begins to hear strange whispers echoing through the halls. And then students start getting attacked. What is going on? And is Harry somehow connected to everything?
The Review
As I said in the previous review (for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone), Harry Potter was a HUGE part of my childhood. It changed my life. I fell in love with reading because of Harry Potter. And I think I have to make that disclaimer before talking about this book.
This book was a little darker than the first one, not overly, but it burst a bubble in a way. Hogwarts was supposed to be the safe place for Harry, and while last year a teacher tried to kill him (Spoiler Alert), it is safe to believe that is a one-time thing. WRONG. Though this time it is a little scarier in my opinion - the unknown of what is going on, the actual targeted attack instead of three meddling kids getting caught up in grown-up stuff.
From the students being randomly attacked to the threats being written in blood. This book is much more of a psychological game. It also sees Harry being specifically sought out and targeted, whereas the last book was a little less on the nose.
From the students being randomly attacked to the threats being written in blood. This book is much more of a psychological game. It also sees Harry being specifically sought out and targeted, whereas the last book was a little less on the nose.
SPOILER ALERT
When Hermione gets attacked, I think it really hits how Harry is in danger. It is not just some bad guy looking for the elixir of life; it is now someone actually targeting Harry and the people in his life. And I think again, a bubble bursts in the sense that the school, the faculty, even Dumbledore can't stop these attacks. No one has been able to find the chamber and stop what is going on. And it really shows that Harry is going to have to step up and take charge of not only his own protection but that of the other students.
In the end, we see Harry prevail, obviously. But we also see that bad men, like Lucius Malfoy, look like any regular person. He is Draco's father, a fellow student. But he is the one that place the journal in Ginny Weasley's cauldron in Diagon Ally; he is the reason these attacks are happening. He is a secondary evil, but he has access; he is walking around, doing day-to-day life things unexposed. Unlike Voldemort, who everyone is looking for and on the lookout for.
My mom read me the Scholastic paperback edition to me when I was a kid. Since then, I have listened to Stephen Fry read the book. I also have the full cast reading from Audible!
Rating and Recommendation
Naturally, I gave this book five stars also. As I said before, I am biased; I fully admit it. But I simply can't imagine giving Harry Potter anything less. (And almost three million people agree with me - out of a little over 4.5 million reviews on Goodreads.) I think some lower reviews may have come later on because of reasons other than the book's storyline or quality, but I have chosen not to go into that.
That being said, I can understand that Harry Potter hit different for my generation. We grew up with The Boy Who Lived. I went from not caring to standing in line for book releases and reading the new book in two days. By the time the last book of the series came out, I was reading for hours on end just because I couldn't stand to wait a moment longer, not knowing what happened. It was a far cry from the kid who hated reading.
Fantasy is everywhere now. So the "shock" of something new and enchanting isn't necessarily there anymore. But I think any child who enjoys such things (witches and wizards, magic and dragons, etc) would enjoy this series. And they now have "Pocket Potters" books dedicated to a younger audience.
Conclusion
Give Harry a chance. Show your children the movies or the upcoming TV show. Introduce them to Harry, and if they fall in love too, you may very well find your child's gateway into the reading world. I am a firm believer that it doesn't matter what your child reads (as long as it is age-appropriate and doesn't cause any negative feelings), or how they read (audio, e-book, physical book), as long as they are exposed to reading, to books, to stories that can transport them to magical places.
You can find Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in its respective mediums below:
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The Illustrated Editions:
The Hogwarts House Editions of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets are available below:
(The best house) Hufflepuff - Black and Yellow: Hardcover and Paperback
Slytherin - Green and Black: Hardcover and Paperback
Slytherin - Green and Black: Hardcover and Paperback
Audible has recently released a new "Full-Cast Audio Edition" of all seven books. You can find this edition of the audiobook here.
HBO is recreating Harry Potter as a TV series. You can see the trailer below. The Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone TV Series will be released on December 25th, 2026.
HBO is recreating Harry Potter as a TV series. You can see the trailer below. The Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone TV Series will be released on December 25th, 2026.
* Book cover image retrieved from GoodReads. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher.
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.
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