Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)

Unable to board the Hogwarts express, Harry and his friends break all the rules and make their way to the school in a magical flying car. From this point on, incredible events happen to Harry and his friends--Harry hears evil voices and someone, or something is attacking the pupils. Can Harry get to the bottom of the mystery before it's too late?

As with its predecessor Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a highly readable and imaginative adventure story with real, fallible, characters, plenty of humour and, of course, loads of magic and spells. There is no need to have read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to enjoy this book. However, if you have read it, this is the book you have been waiting for... (Ages 9 to Adult)--Philippa Reece

Stephen Fry is a highly talented comedian and actor with a very wide range. Without seeming to try too hard, he gives each of Rowling's characters their own voice, which is necessary in a reading of this sort, but the voices he uses are so cleverly chosen and executed that they do far more than merely help us distinguish one character from another. By assigning each character a specific accent he places them in the Great British Class Battleground and with his excellent sense of timing and nuance he accentuates Rowling's satires with his own sly wit. I actually prefer Fry's readings of the Harry Potter novels to the novels themselves, as Fry adds a whole new dimension to the books, grounding them firmly in the debates (squabbles?) of modern British life. An especial joy in his reading of Chamber Of Secrets is his interpretation of the ghastly Gilderoy Lockhart, who becomes almost frighteningly alive and believeable in Fry's hands. I would not be at all surprised to find the Loathsome Lockhart popping up on Start The Week! He'd fit right in...


Laugh and listen to the loveable, looney Lockhart!   October 29, 2003
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

Not only does Steven Fry do this ostentatious story justice but also the character Lockhart is the most hilarious thing on audio CD! Phrases like: 'Harry, Harry, Harry', and 'Fame is a fickle friend', gave us hours of tumultuous hysterics. This story is for all ages and despite not being the best of the novels, it is the epitome of family fun, and if you can only buy one set of CDs/tapes this should be the one. J. K. Rowling mixes wit, an intoxicating plot, vivid description and a fascinating culture into an unforgettable experience. This is the ultimate 'must-have' of the audio CD world. Stephen, you have created a masterpiece out of a masterpiece.


I love this book!   July 14, 1999
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

After reading Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone aloud to my mom and 15 year old brother,we could hardly wait for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to come out in August, but when my Mom came home with it from a library in July,we were ecstatic. We were planning on reading it aloud, but each of us would steal the book away and read in bed at night, or when he rest of the family was gone. Then, when my brother went to camp with my dad, my mom and I finished the book, photocopied the last 4 chapters and sent them to him. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets is an exciting book of a wizard boy who is warned not to go back to his school, Hogwarts, or terrible things will happen. He goes back anyway, and is faced by small problems: a snobby new professer, Filch, the Caretaker, a ghost in the girls bathroom, Moaning Myrtle, and Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris. But all these are small problems when something starts petrifing students, and Hagrid the gamekeeper is Taken to Azkaban, the Wizard prison. It is an exciting tale of adventure, and I recomend it to everyone.


Here's to Harry, Fred and Hermione   November 8, 2001
JONATHAN BECKETT
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful...

While I would like to write a review from the point of view of this 28 year old professional software developer and try to be studious and comment on the plot, character development and so on in this book, I can't.

This book makes you want to stay awake into the early hours to keep reading it, it makes you laugh out loud, it is exciting, thoughtful, clever and a hundred other enthusiastic adjectives.

I actually found myself making time to read a book for the first time I can ever remember.

The one thing I will say (being rather sensible for a moment) is that you absolutely must read the Harry Potter books in order. Without spoiling the plot, let's just say nothing happens without reason.


Money well spent!   November 30, 2002
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

I bought this audio book for my six year old daughter last year and she can now practically recite the whole thing by heart! She is allowed to listen to it in bed on weekend nights and she also takes it on car journeys and its even been to America and back with us. We also have The Philosophers Stone on CD and we are saving up for The Prisoner of Azkaban. Stephen Fry's adaptation of Rowlings characters really bring them to life and I don't know when I have ever spent my money more wisely. Also, with the number of times my daughter has played them, I am very happy that we invested in CDs as opposed to cassettes. Highly recommended!