A review by lastingliterature
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

While I still love this book, I don’t think it can be denied that it is the weakest of the series. The first book immerses you in the magic from the start and keeps you enraptured through all of Harry’s first experiences at Hogwarts. Chamber of Secrets, on the other hand, seems a bit more—is boring the right word? Most of the action is saved for the very end and the encounters leading up to it feel blander than the all of the others in the series. I have a feeling it may be the lesser presence of some of our most lovable characters—Neville, the twins, Hagrid, even Hermione! (Barely any quidditch either!) It felt like a lot of just Harry and Ron talking... 

Nonetheless, this is a very enjoyable read and I always like hearing of young Voldemort. I can’t help but feel antsy for the next book; Prisoner of Azkaban was my favorite for many of years until Order of the Phoenix took its place. Give me some Sirius and Lupin! 

I rate this 3.5/5, but I’m going to knock it down to a 3 here so it accurately reflects my current perspective.