Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)

Chilling, malevolent voices whisper from the walls only to Harry, and it seems certain that his classmate Draco Malfoy is out to get him. Soon it's not just Harry who is worried about survival, as dreadful things begin to happen at Hogwarts. The mysteriously gleaming, foot-high words on the wall proclaim, "The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware." But what exactly does it mean? Harry, Hermione, and Ron do everything that is wizardly possible--including risking their own lives--to solve this 50-year-old, seemingly deadly mystery. This deliciously suspenseful novel is every bit as gripping, imaginative, and creepy as the first; familiar student concerns--fierce rivalry, blush-inducing crushes, pedantic professors--seamlessly intertwine with the bizarre, horrific, fantastical, or just plain funny. Once again, Rowling writes with a combination of wit, whimsy, and a touch of the macabre that will leave readers young and old desperate for the next installment. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Amazon.com Audiobook Review
What makes the Harry Potter series so successful? Maybe it's the fact that J.K. Rowling doesn't write children's books, she writes children's stories, more in the tradition of the Brothers Grimm than Dr. Seuss. The exploits of Harry and his friends captivate even the shortest attention spans by engaging the imagination with vivid characters and fast-moving action, instead of trying to merely catch the eye with colorful pictures or pop-up effects. Not surprisingly, the Potter tales sound wonderful read aloud, and adapt to the audiobook format extremely well. Broadway actor Jim Dale's impressive vocal range gives each character in the book its own distinctive voice--a considerable task, given the pantheon of witches, warlocks, ghosts, ghouls, dwarves, and elves that Harry encounters in his second outing. And thankfully, since the book is read unabridged, no one's favorite character is omitted. Engaging for children without being childish, the audio version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is worthy addition to the deservedly popular series. (Running time: 9 hours, 6 cassettes) --Andrew Nieland

Book Description
In one of the most hotly anticipated sequels in memory, J.K. Rowling takes up where she left 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 girl's bathroom, an outrageously conceited professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, and a mysterious force that turns Hogwarts students to stone.

This book is truly engrossing, more intense and frightening than the first. I loved it! It was both fun and funny, much like the other two in the series. It is interesting to read, and I honestly think it appeals to all ages. Even older readers will enjoy being taken back to the days when the line between fantasy and reality was blurred, and all the books would keep any modern teenager enthralled. Harry Potter No. 2 actually kept me laughing throughout. At some points in the middle, the story may get slightly bland, but don't worry: the best part is yet to come. I love children's stories, have read many, and these are the best, most modern works out there. There's a reason they are so hot right now, and all these other 5-star reviews are deserved! This series breaks the ordinary mold of children's books which are not always written with the same flair J.K. Rowling successfully incorporates into the plot, and they each possess their own sense of magic, not allowing the reader to put the book down! The Harry Potter books are highly recommended! Other children's authors I enjoy are Roald Dahl, Louis Sachar, Mark Twain, C.S. Lewis, and E.B. White.


Harry Potter's true adventures begin...   April 24, 2000
Gregory Baird (Morristown, NJ)
75 out of 98 found this review helpful

After introducing us to Harry Potter and his new life at the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry author J.K. Rowling is able to expand on her idea. In "Sorcerer's Stone" she had to spend a lot of time getting us accustomed to Harry's world, but now we can enjoy it along with a richer plot and more developed narrative and characters. And what a plot! I was under the impression that these were completely dumbed down, G-rated kid-friendly books but there is a definite dark side to them. It's nothing that will give kids nightmares or anything, but it is a little creepy. I couldn't put it down I was so drawn in, and finished it easily the first day I got it. It's very hard to pull yourself away from. I think that if you are a parent you should read these books aloud to your children. Some of my most cherished childhood memories are my father reading to us, and this is the sort of book that we would have loved. You will enjoy it on your own, but I imagine that it would be a more fulfilling experience shared with the whole family.


I was spooked -- read before giving to your kids.   November 21, 1999
dragonsphoenix (Cupertino, CA)
61 out of 113 found this review helpful

I won't repeat my last review, you can find it under "Sorceror's Stone", which describes why I gave that one 3 stars. It was good, but not mind-boggling so: Read Roald Dahl.

This is a comparison to the first book, which I enjoyed and found interesting and entertaining. The second book is Much Darker, and I caution people who give this to young children: not because I think they shouldn't read about Magic, but the overt death threats for Harry spooked _me_: and I'm 23. (Maybe it was because I kept reading this until the early hours of the morning in the dark!) So don't read this book at night if you are easily scared. :)

Anyway, *definitely* much more violent than the first, which was mostly schoolyard fighting and MAGIC battle to the death (in other words, fantasy and pretend); as opposed to the attempted murders in this one. There were no less than four instances where graphic killings were attempted, and they were much more real in this book: Spiders (which many people are scared of Anyway!); Magic giant insects trying to kill you, plus some pain and child manipulation thrown in.

In short, good, IF you can remember it's not real.


A real page-turner   December 14, 1999
Dafna Yee (Plano, TX United States)
44 out of 51 found this review helpful

Although I am 40+ and my husband (also 40+)originally bought the Harry Potter books for our eleven-year-old daughter, she really had to fight us both off, in order to read it for herself. She finally got to read it first because she had the excuse that her homework required her to read for at least 20 minutes a day. I can't think of a single time that she stopped reading after 20 minutes;we had to remind her that she had other homework. I found this book to be highly entertaining (although not quite on a par with the first and third books). However, my biggest complaint is that (like the other books),I couldn't put it down for just a few minutes, or my husband or daughter (whoever got there first) would grab it. Then I had to keep a watchful eye out and grab it back. I usually read it during the night hours (I'm a night owl anyway), which leads to my second complaint. Not only did the book keep me awake, I found it almost impossible to read my textbooks (I'm a graduate student)until I had finished the entire book. J.K. Rowling has made a wonderful addition to literature; I'm sure these books are destined to become classics. I can't wait for the next one to come out. In case you're wondering why I gave it four instead of five stars, was that the vain professor did not ring true and I found myself getting irritated when none of the faculty did anything at all about this incompetent instructor. On the other hand, the car who turned wild, but came in the nick of time to save his friend Ron, was thoroughly charming.