Book Title: Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
Author: JK Rowling
Published: 1998
Pages: 251
Category: fiction: fantasy
Whenever I’m asked to rank the Harry Potter books in order of my favourites, Chamber of Secrets always seems to end up on the bottom of the list. I’m never quite sure of exactly why – in Chamber of Secrets we get a lot of new information about Voldemort, and that there are larger forces at work in Harry’s world than we were aware of in Philosopher’s Stone.
We also learn that there’s a darker side to the wizarding world. There is racism in this world. There are slaves. It is not the perfect world that we assumed when, like Harry, we discovered it, rescued from the muggle world. There is darkness, there always is – and not just the pure, easily distinguished evil of Voldemort.
We also get a daring rescue of Harry from the Dursleys, a flight across England in an illegally modified flying car, and further proof of Hermione’s brilliance. We learn about Knockturn Alley, and Floo powder, and are introduced to Borgin & Burke’s and glimpse a necklace that will return 4 books later, in Half Blood Prince.
Maybe my problem is with Professor Lockhart, I can’t abide idiots. Or maybe its with Harry and Ron’s idiocy in deciding the only option was stealing a car to fly to school instead of waiting 5 minutes to ask Mr and Mrs Weasley for help. (Though maybe I am being too harsh on a couple of 12 year old boys?) Perhaps its the giant spiders, and even more giant snake (okay, its a basilisk, i know). It’s just not my favourite.
Of course, being my least favourite of the Harry Potter books puts it further ahead of a whole host of other books!
Philippa Adams 
At work, so not logged into my own wordpress account.
Yes. COS always ends up on the bottom of my list, and I can never quite put my finger on why. Parts of it are totally brilliant, of course. And when you consider some of what it introduces (house-elves, a certain diary, and a certain sword, for itstance) becomes really, really important at the end of the series, it’s easier to see where it fits in the overall arch of the series.
Though, COS did introducs us to Dobby, one of my favorite secondary characters… so…yay.
My brain is addled my movie plans for tonight. I’m thinking about little else but Potter, ATM.
I definitely have more appreciation for Chamber of Secrets after reading Deathly Hallows, but still…it always ends up on the bottom of the pile!