Hello, this is the second post in my "Harry Potter" series! If you have seen my complete ranking, you will know that this is my least favorite Harry Potter book (I'm sorry!), and in this article, I promise you I will explain why. Let's get into it!
Credit: Scholastic
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets covers Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The story starts on Privet Drive, and of course Harry is having another miserable summer vacation. However, just into the second chapter we readers get to meet my favorite character of all, Dobby!
In this chapter and in the movie, I will say that Dobby is portrayed as quite annoying. But as I have to remind my family, he really does get better! Anyway, it is definitely fun to meet a new character early.
However, one of my favorite parts of the story is coming up: Harry's first visit to the Burrow! I have to say that one of the most heartwarming quotes EVER is when Ron is embarrassed about his home, but Harry says it's the best place he's ever seen. (I mean...)
Harry's time at the Burrow is like a window into how other magicians must live; with self-cleaning dishes, live garden gnomes, and a magic clock.
Another new character introduction comes at the wizarding bookshop, Flourish and Blotts. Here is where we meet my least favorite character of the book, Gilderoy Lockhart. The phony blonde asks Harry to take a picture with him, and shortly, after, Lucius Malfoy is able to sneak Tom Riddle's small black diary into Ginny's stack of books. (But of course we don't know this yet)
Just before school starts is the part of the book that you know I despise: the flying car to Hogwarts stunt. I still cannot get over it! But I will spare you the rant here. Just know that I do not approve of the boy's decision in. Anyway, the rest of Harry's year is a bit uneventful.
We get to see Polyjuice Potion at work, Ron barfs up a couple of slugs, and Lockhart tries (and fails) to repair a broken arm of Harry's.
The main part of the story is that creepy whispering voice that Harry can hear in the halls. Now, I have some comments about this. I don't know if it is just me, but whenever there is a moment in a story that is like "I hear something but nobody else does", I just get incredibly annoyed? Well, anyway, that happened to me here, but I was able to get through it.
I really found it fascinating to learn about Parseltongue, though I was a bit skeptical about the statistic that Harry was the only one person in so many years to speak the language besides Salazar Slytherin and Lord Voldemort themselves.
I also found it interesting to see how the trio was able to figure out the mystery of what was in the chamber and how to get down there.
That reminds me: we also got to see Moaning Myrtle! I think she is definitely an underrated character. She does not say much in the books, but I always found her funny.
Down in the Chamber, we are greeted with the sight of a young Tom Riddle. He used his name, Tom Marvolo Riddle, to spell out I Am Lord Voldemort, and I have to say that was the best part of the movie for me. (I wonder how many tries it took him to get that right?)
And just when Harry is about to get killed by the giant Basilisk, Harry is greeted with a wealth of tools to help him: the Sorting hat, from which he pulls Godric Gryffindor's sword, and Dumbledore's Phoenix, Fawkes. He uses the sword to kill the Basilisk, and Fawkes' tears heal his wounds.
Yes, this was way too convenient for my liking, as I probably said in a previous post. However, I do suppose I like a happy ending, even if it only lasts until the next book.
Overall, I am seeing through this post that I really do like the book, I do. I still stand with the fact that it is quite similar to the first book, however. Nevertheless, I will always enjoy rereading any Harry Potter book, and this one is not quite an exception. :)
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