Book 2 of 7: a house elf begs Harry not to return to Hogwarts, and by Halloween something nobody can see is turning students to stone.
Funnier, spookier and cleverer than book one, with a mystery that plays fair and Lockhart as a comic gift. The start is slow and adults may guess the answer early, but it is still a joy. Four and a half out of five.
Every guide comes as a video and a full written article. Pick the one you need: the review is spoiler-free, the ending explained is not.
Is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets worth reading? A spoiler-free review of J.K. Rowling's book 2 of 7: the setup, Lockhart, Dobby, the mystery, what drags, content notes and my score.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ending explained: Hermione's page, the basilisk, Tom Riddle's diary, Ginny, Fawkes, the sword, Dumbledore's talk and Dobby's sock. Full spoilers.
Every clue hidden in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: the diary, the voice only Harry hears, the spiders, the roosters, the pipes, Ginny and Dobby, plus the seeds planted for later books. Full spoilers.
How does the 2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets film compare to the book? Cast, runtime, box office, reception, what was cut and what was changed. Contains spoilers.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998 in the UK, 1999 in the US) is book 2 of 7 in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. In his second year at Hogwarts, Harry hears a cold voice nobody else can hear, a message appears on a wall, and students begin to be found frozen. The Chamber of Secrets has been opened.
Below you’ll find a spoiler-free review, the ending explained, the clues you missed, and how the 2002 film compares.
It is the summer after Harry's first year at Hogwarts. He is turning twelve, the Dursleys have forgotten his birthday, and they have locked his wand, his spell books and his broomstick in a cupboard. Then a strange little house elf named Dobby appears in his bedroom with an urgent warning. Harry must not go back to school.
Of course, he goes back. And at Hogwarts, doors that should have stayed closed are opening. A message appears on a wall, students begin to fall victim to something nobody can see, and the whole castle starts whispering about an old legend. The Chamber of Secrets has been opened, and the Heir of Slytherin has come.
It is a mystery, so the question driving the book is simple. Who is behind the attacks, and what is the thing nobody can see?
It is the summer after Harry's first year at Hogwarts. He is turning twelve, the Dursleys have forgotten his birthday, and they have locked his wand, his spell books and his broomstick in a cupboard. Then a strange little house elf named Dobby appears in his bedroom with an urgent warning. Harry must not go back to school.
Funnier, spookier and cleverer than book one, with a mystery that plays fair and Lockhart as a comic gift. The start is slow and adults may guess the answer early, but it is still a joy. Four and a half out of five. Read it if: you loved harry potter and the sorcerer's stone; you enjoy a good mystery with fair clues; you want a funny, cozy and slightly spooky read. Skip it if: you haven't read book one yet; young or sensitive readers who are frightened by snakes and spiders; you want a fast opening with the school mystery from page one. Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets →
Our ending explained covers the final chapters in full, with spoilers. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ending explained: Hermione's page, the basilisk, Tom Riddle's diary, Ginny, Fawkes, the sword, Dumbledore's talk and Dobby's sock. Full spoilers. Ending explained: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets →
How does the 2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets film compare to the book? Cast, runtime, box office, reception, what was cut and what was changed. Contains spoilers. Book vs movie: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets →
A little. It has more suspense, a creepy voice, and students found frozen, plus snakes and giant spiders. It is still gentle compared with the later books, and best for readers around nine and up.
Yes, it helps. This is book 2 of 7, and it builds on characters and events from the first book, though it recaps enough to follow the plot.
It has 18 chapters and roughly 85,000 words, longer than the first book. Confident readers around eight or nine can manage it, and it works well as a read aloud.
Yes. Warner Bros. released a film adaptation in November 2002, directed by Chris Columbus with a screenplay by Steve Kloves. It runs 161 minutes and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, with Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart.
It was first published in the UK in 1998, and in the United States by Scholastic in 1999. It is book 2 of the 7-book series.
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