Roof Beam Reader
Adam Burgess
Review: Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Final Verdict: 3.25 out of 4.0
Plot/Story (3 of 4):
“3 – Plot/Story is interesting & believable.”
In the second book of the series, Harry and his friends – Ron and Hermione- find themselves again involved in a battle with a mysterious opponent, whose identity and purpose are not revealed until near the end of the story. Lord Voldemort returns, not by physically possessing another wizard, but as an enchanted memory, weaving his evil plot through one of the Hogwarts first-year students. When Hermione and Ginny Weasley fall prey to the monster of The Chamber of Secrets
Characterization (4 of 4):
“4 – Characters extraordinarily developed.”
Once again, Rowling demonstrates her devotion to and mastery of characterization and character development. New characters, such as Gilderoy Lockhart, Dobby the house elf, and even Professor Binns are all perfectly introduced and executed throughout the book, regardless of their major or minor status in the storyline. Additionally, characters whom we are more familiar with from book one, like Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione and Percy Weasley continue to grow and we begin to see more of their natures – even anticipating how they may act in certain situations, or where we might see them in future books.
Prose/Style (3 of 4):
“3 – Satisfactory Prose/Style, conducive to the Story.”
While The Chamber of Secrets maintains a similar reading level as its predecessor, The Sorcerer’s Stone
Additional Elements (3 of 4):
“3 – Additional elements are present and cohesive to the Story.”
Once again the setting of the story works to its favor. The novel begins in the “muggle” world, of which we are all familiar – a single family home in the suburbs of London, recognizable in general as “living space.” Then, we proceed through Diagon Alley, the wizarding area of downtown London, as well as the subway and its magical counterpart, Platform 9 & ¾. Balancing each of the magical places with a realistic twin helps to keep the reader firmly planted on the ground while simultaneously being swept into the mystical enchanting fantasy of Hogwarts. Rowling works her own magic, here again, almost making it seem as if, in our day-to-day lives, there would be nothing extraordinary at all about bumping into a crimson-cloaked wizard (though they do try to be covert). Certain symbols and motifs from book one, like friendship and the “formed family” are carried into and further developed in Chamber of Secrets. Other elements, such as the nature of humanity (subservience and slavery, hypocrisy, cozening, etc.) are introduced. The resolution, though, seems much more far-fetched than in Sorcerer’s Stone. While this is obviously a fantasy novel, the climax is a bit far-reaching and it becomes harder to believe, in this case, that no adult wizards – teachers or otherwise, would be present during the final “showdown.” While in book one it seemed almost natural for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to be solving the problem, here it seems a bit odd and even uncomfortable. Still, new information has begun to be hinted at in regards to certain characters, like Percy Weasley and the Harry-Voldemort connection, which is interesting at the start and even more fascinating to those, like me, who are going back for a re-read and being reminded of how early in the timeline these characters and relationships began to develop.
Suggested Reading for:
Age Level: All Ages
Interest: Fantasy, Education, Good/Evil, Friendship
Roof Beam Reader 
>Although I absolutely LOVE every single one Harry Potter book, I was always the least impressed with the Chamber. At one point I actually considered it the only stand-alone book in the series, but the later, Rowling managed to build the story around it… All in all, great!
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>Nikola – thank you for your comment! I have read the entire series so many times (too many to admit without being embarrassed) and I completely agree with you! I never noticed it before, but The Chamber of Secrets actually reads quite differently from the other books in the series. I had thought that I liked each book progressively better, but I actually enjoyed The Sorcerer's Stone more.
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>I am a huge HP fan, and I agree with Nikola – Chamber of Secrets was my least favorite of the series. I really need to go back and re-read, especially after hearing from so many people that it's amazing how early on JKR begins cultivating later events. I'm here visiting from the Hop, by the way! So nice to have found your blog!
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>Kate,Chamber is now probably what I would consider to be my least favorite as well. That being said, though, as I'm re-reading the series I've been looking for particular themes and "histories" of the characters, and it's clear to see that, even as early as Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber that Rowling had clear ideas of the direction she was going and the path each character would be traveling (Draco Malfoy & Percy Weasley, particularly, began showing signs early). Thanks for your comment!
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