Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

by J.K. Rowling

Reviewed by Coral

Harry Potter and all of his friends (and enemies) are back for their second year at Hogwarts. But any hopes that this year will be quieter than the year before are dashed when the school's Chamber of Secrets is opened once again and the monster from its depth begins terrorizing the school population. Will Harry and his friends save the day before one of their own pays the ultimate price?

Is it just me or is this book even more ridiculous than the first one? Wait, why am I asking that, of course it's just me. I don't know what it is about this series that draws so many people in, but whatever it is, I can't find it. I mean come on, was I the only one who cared how contrived the plot was? Man, another stupid question.

I just find it hard to believe that no one - not even Dumbledore - was able to find this Chamber of Secrets since the last time it was opened. I mean, the last time the monster actually killed someone and didn't just petrify them - which, as a side note, is a rather lame plot device to make the monster seem terrifying for a bit, but is really an escape for the author, so she doesn't have to do anything drastic, like kill anybody off. So, someone dies and I'm supposed to believe that this great and powerful wizard never followed the rather simple - and blindingly obvious for someone who was supposedly in the school the first time the Chamber was opened - line of questioning that leads Harry to the Chamber's location? Please.

And then there was the manner in which the Chamber of Secrets was opened in the first place. It was a needlessly contrived plan, totally reliant on a third party behaving in a certain un-guaranteed manner. In a school attended by at least a few children of Voldermort's followers, I'm supposed to believe not even one of them could have opened the Chamber without being caught? What kind of second-generation Death Eaters are they breeding? Inept and childish bullies is all I've seen so far.

Lastly, Dobby the house elf. He's supposed to be so terrified of his owners that he beats himself when he says or thinks something out of place, yet he can find the courage to try and trick Harry into staying away from the wizarding world and then, when that doesn't work, to warn him. And how did creatures with magical powers like the elves become these second-class indentured servants in the first place? It's just too ridiculous.

Grade: F