Goodreads Mobile | see what your friends are reading

Oct 07, 2011

Lora rated it:

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." - Albus Dumbledore

Such a wise wizard.

You know how sometimes when you read the first in a series and it turns out so much better than you originally anticipated, it makes you a little apprehensive when starting the sequel? Well, I felt that way before starting this, but I can definitely say that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is another fabulous installment in the right More...

30 comments like (17 people liked it)

Feb 09, 2008

Chris rated it:

Since pretty much everyone I know has read these books, I figure reviewing them is pretty pointless. But with the new book coming out in a couple of weeks, I have to go through them beginning to end. To make the reviews more entertaining, I will be doing them in a variety of unexpected formats. For this review, I will be writing as someone who's just getting into Freudian theory.

From the very beginning, the true nature of this story is quite obvious - The Chamber of Secrets. There is More...

11 comments like (38 people liked it)

Jun 09, 2011

Namratha rated it:

In a bid to revive the Harry-related nostalgia, am re-reading the series. This is my third trip around Potter’s world, so the cynicism hasn’t crept in yet.I decided to start off with “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”.

I always find the second in a long-running series the most-fulfilling. After the first, we know the character profiles down to a tee, have decided on our favourites and our pet-hates and can easily summon up the landscapes and surroundings. So now it’s just a ques More...

2 comments like (11 people liked it)

Aug 05, 2011

dan rated it:

A typical year at Hogwarts:

First x months of school: nothing noteworthy at all. Harry and friends go to classes, break some rules, meet some new people and have run-ins with some teachers.
Last 4 weeks of school: there's something evil in Hogwarts! Good thing Harry knows exactly how to fight it!
Last day of school: climactic showdown between Harry and said evil thing.

(And they all lived happily ever after.)

There's nothing wrong with exposition; heck, More...

16 comments like (13 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Silvercharmer rated it:

While the story fits neatly together and again, her imagination is fantastic, the flat characters that play to extreme stereotypes take a lot of the enjoymeny out of this story.

There is no excuse for Gilderoy Lockhart. Granted, his fame obsession and ludicrous self-absorption make for some amusing Rowling-esque moments that make the series good (such as a dozen Lockharts running for cover in the photo frames with rollers in their hair), but at the expense of the reader's patience. T More...

4 comments like (16 people liked it)

Dec 30, 2010

Elisa rated it:

A lot of people cite this book as their least favorite in the Potter saga; many of my friends included. When I asked one of my friends why he felt it was the worst of the bunch, he gave me a very reasonable reply. He'd come in late on the Potter game, having only read them last year in fact, when a Professor of his was walking them through what it takes to be a good mystery-- using Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as an example of a perfectly fashioned mystery.

Moving on to the s More...

4 comments like (12 people liked it)

Oct 22, 2007

Carmen rated it:

What stands out in book 2:

* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilde More...

2 comments like (10 people liked it)

Aug 25, 2011

Keely rated it:

In her second outing, Rowling builds up her confidence (and relationship with her publisher) enough to begin her signature page number crawl. Unfortunately, for this book, her chaotic plotting means that the further length just becomes more scattered moments.

Despite some interesting twists and concepts, this is the weakest entry in the series. It betrays a utilitarian sense of plot and worldbuilding, in that it expands the story little. Of course, Rowling never really gets the proce More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jul 06, 2008

Ann rated it:

I'm not sure what more I can say about Harry Potter. It's obvious to anyone who knows me how much I love these books, and for anyone who doesn't I'm not sure that I can add any more praise than these books have already received (and, rightfully so, in my opinion). The books are full of heart, wit, mystery and fantasy, humor and sadness, each page bringing more plot or more characterization, and often times both.
And the books are just as delightful upon the second read!

**SPOIL More...

2 comments like (6 people liked it)

Jul 06, 2008

Kathryn rated it:

Simply splendid on the second read, too. I first read this in December of 2002. Charming, funny, mysterious, thoughtful, sweet, frightening--and Professor Lockheart, the cherry on top! One of my favorite of the HP books, despite the fact I found a few places where I thought perhaps JK was stretching a little bit (very rare for me to find anything like that in the HP books). Still, five stars all round.

It wouldn't be summer for me without an HP book to read. This is (I think) th More...

3 comments like (6 people liked it)

Aug 05, 2011

29alabs rated it:

Harry Potter y la Cámara Secreta es el retorno de Harry Potter a su segundo año en Hogwarts, un colegio de magos.

El segundo libro en definitiva es mejor que el primero, los personajes se sienten un poco más vivos, excepto aquellos que Rowling desea mantener en misterio, sigo pensando que Harry Potter es un inútil pero al menos es un inútil decidido a algo, otra sorpresa que me llevé es que no cae en el trope de que personaje introducido en este libro resulta ser pilar de la historia, More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jul 03, 2011

Mike (the Paladin) rated it:

The Harry Potter books are all well worth reading. I read this "back" when it came out (my kids grew up "as the books came out" and were adults by the time the series finished). The books do develop as they go along and slowly become somewhat darker volume by volume. There is more foreshadowing here more clues and a good solid story. Adults and children alike will like it. Just be sure with each volume that the child/youth in question is mature enough. Here the story is only More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jul 31, 2008

Amber rated it:

I was happy to begin the second Harry Potter book, which turned out to be filled with plenty of laughs, but still gives the sense of 'what will happen next?' to the reader. We begin with Harry Potter, who returned to the Dursleys, his uncle Vernon, aunt Petunia, and cousin Dudley, after the end of the school term. But the Dursleys despise Harry, especially now that he has become a wizard, and Harry feels like he's left his own home behind him at school.

This book was a little more ser More...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Oct 07, 2009

Nikki rated it:

One of the things that has disappointed me most about the Harry Potter books (and I'm writing this having read only 4 of them at this point) is the smallness of the characters. (I ask that you forgive my nearly redundant use of some words in this review, but I can think of no better way to describe my feelings about these books.) When one reads books, one might expect "evil" characters to be petty, for their meanness to be somehow small and vindictive in nature. Malfoy's meanness is More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Apr 21, 2008

Ryan T rated it:

This is the second book in the 7 book series by J.K Rowling and since the book is so much different from the movie and She is such a good author, i chose to re-read the book.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a thrilling science fiction book about the adventures of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger as they try to unravel the mysteries surrounding the rumored Chamber of Secrets.
The beginning of the book starts off with Harry at More...

1 comment like (6 people liked it)

Nov 14, 2007

Sue rated it:

It’s been another long summer at the Dursley’s for Harry Potter. He can’t wait to get back to Hogwarts and is counting down the days until he can return. He’s surprised when, on his birthday, a strange elfish creature named Dobby shows up with dire warnings for Harry: He must not return to Hogwarts!

When Harry refuses to stay home from school, Dobby lands him in heaps of trouble with the Dursley’s, who lock Harry up in his room and refuse to let him out. Before Harry can sink too far More...

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Aug 08, 2007

Maddy rated it:

"Seperti biasa, liburan musim panas Harry Potter dilalui dengan penderitaan. Selain dikurung tidak boleh keluar kamarnya, teman2 sekolahnya tidak ada yang mengirimkan kabar atau mengucapkan selamat ulang tahun untuk Harry. Ternyata, ini semua perbuatan peri-rumah bernama Dobby. Dobby berupaya menghalangi Harry kembali ke Hogwarts karena dianggap Hogwarts tidak aman baginya. Dobby bahkan sampai mengusili keluarga Dursley sehingga Harry yang dipersalahkan. Setelah diselamatkan sahabatnya Ron More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jul 26, 2011

Brad rated it:

So this book was going to get just 2 or 3 stars until the last third or so. Things pick up in a great way once spiders are met and more is discovered about the Chamber of Secrets. I really like the aspect of the diary.

This will never be a favorite of mine in the HP series, but it was a good read with some great parts. And a couple crummy ones. Dobby, for instance, is the Jar Jar Binks of the HP world. So annoying. He might be a big part of why the book was just ok at the beginn More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Dec 06, 2010

Jackie rated it:

This is another re-read for me. I actually listened to the audio book this time with Jim Dale as narrator. Jim Dale’s voice just adds an extra oomph to the story. It made me fall in love with the story again even though Chamber is not my favorite in the series. It’s nice taking a look back though to see how everything in the previous books fits in the series. I’m discovering little things that I previously didn’t pay attention too.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2010

Justine rated it:

I thought this book was very interesting and i really liked it!

3 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 22, 2011

Myles rated it:

Even as the weakest link in the Harry Potter chain The Chamber of Secrets still works and, my goblet being half-full, it's the shortest!

I said I wouldn't focus on the wizarding-world-makes-no-sense-at-all problems that occur to me whenever I read these books, but Chamber of Secrets is the only Harry Potter where its less the magical thinking and more the actual lack of thought at all from the characters that causes problems. The general silliness and lack of logic that enlivened Harr More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 24, 2011

João rated it:

A saga continua e encontramos Harry um jovem feiticeiro "cortado de relações" com o mundo da magia e de Hogwarts que deixou à muito pouco tempo. Que se passará com os seus amigos que não lhe escrevem? A resposta vêm na forma de um pequeno elfo doméstico que traz um aviso a Harry Potter, este não deverá retornar a Hogwarts sob a pena de acontecimentos terríveis acontecerem.
Como seria de esperar este novo ano não augura nada de bom na vida do nosso jovem trio. Ron, Hermione e Harry More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 01, 2008

Stephanie rated it:

Even though I had watched the movie before reading this book, I could not put it down, it was definitely entertaining and suspenseful. New dangers reveal themselves in this capturing story as Harry Potter comes back to Hogwarts in his second year and finds that a deadly mystery awaits him. I think that J.K Rowling added a certain depth of mystery and seriousness to this book yet kept it refreshingly humorous.

The whole school is faced with danger when a message is written on the wall More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 25, 2008

Skinnywhitedude19 rated it:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets begins when Harry is spending a miserable summer with his only remaining family, the Dursleys. During a dinner party hosted by his uncle and aunt, Harry is visited by Dobby, a house-elf. Dobby warns Harry not to return to Hogwarts, the magical school for wizards that Harry attended the previous year. Harry politely disregards the warning, and Dobby wreaks havoc in the kitchen, infuriating the Dursleys. The Dursleys angrily imprison Harry in his room for th More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Jan 27, 2008

Dan rated it:

More than a year and a half after reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, I finally picked up it’s immediate sequel in the series. No sooner than I’d turned the last page of the Sorcerer’s Stone, than my friend Amanda invited me to see the movie made from the third book in the series. I knew I’d missed a lot of content between book one and book three, but as it turns out, that wasn’t entirely the case. Nevertheless, as much as I enjoyed the first Harry Potter book, I didn’t imagine that More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 11, 2008

Jennifer rated it:

I decided to tackle the second installment of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, and was very pleased with the read.
I found this book to have a pretty excellent plot line, and I certainly thought the climax was very good. I had seen the movie before, so I had an idea how it would work out, but I was still very pleased with it. It's easy to follow, and I found it to be a rather quick read.
I can't say that it is my favourite in the series, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I find that Ro More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 14, 2008

Atre rated it:

ini tahun kedua Harry Potter bergelut dengan dunia sihir. tahun kedua Harry juga di sekolah sihir yang sudah menjadi seperti rumahnya, Hogwarts.

di musim libur sekolah, Harry tetap harus kembali ke rumah pamannya. rasanya liburan kali ini terasa lama sekali untuk Harry. ia tak sabar ingin kembali ke Hogwarts yang nyaman dan meninggalkan rumah pamannya itu.

di tahun kedua ini, Harry mulai terbiasa dengan kado2 yang datang saat ulang tahunnya. biasanya, dulu, hadiah ulang tah More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 27, 2008

Holly (2 Kids and Tired) rated it:

I think this is my least favorite of all the Harry books, and I still love it! It's full of little clues and treasures of information that only make sense when you finally get to book 7.

Harry has another adventure. We visit the Burrow, where the Weasley's live and we learn about Polyjuice Potion. Professor Lockhart is hysterical. We also see some foreshadowing for Ron and Hermione's future relationship. We also see Borgin and Burkes, where Harry sees the cursed locket and hide More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Aug 05, 2011

Shannon rated it:

I had thought that the second Harry Potter book was my least favourite of the series, but on re-reading it ten or so years after the first read, I had to wonder: Why did I think that? This is a great story, full of adventure and mystery and suspense and danger, even more so than the first book. Harry's world keeps on expanding and being fleshed-out, the characters continue to grow (more thoughts on that below), and if it seems a shade paler to us now it's probably because of how much darker and More...

14 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 26, 2008

Bonnie Gayle rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like (3 people liked it)