Denver Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Club

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1999)

Book Two of the Harry Potter Series
Year Two at Hogwarts

Eighteen chapters

illustrated Scholastic paperback
cover art by Mary Grandpre (left)

2002 Scholastic paperback
433 pages (right)

This book predictably lacks some of the freshness of the previous installment, and the humor does not find its target quite as often.  Rowling is remarkably adept, however, at coming up with clever ways to reuse ideas.  For example, we are familiar with the moving photos from the last book, yet it still made me laugh to think of Lockhart's photo trying to drag Harry's photo back into the frame.  But then, I thought outrageously pompous Lockhart was the funniest new element in the entire book.

The good news is that the plot of this book is much more involving than the last.  The gradual increase of tension around the legend of the chamber of secrets made for some gripping moments.  It was difficult to guess the identity of the Heir of Slytherin, but it made perfect sense once revealed.  I didn't think there was an adequate explanation for why Harry failed to tell Dumbledore (and even lied to him) about the things that were happening - his visits from Dobby, the menacing invisible voice, etc. - but even allowing for that flaw I was very absorbed in the story all the way through.