Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

This topic is open for discussion of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling.



Book Synopsis:
The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone--or something--starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter himself.

Reserved

Reserved

I'm in!

I'll get to this one, but I'm not sure I can start right now!

I think I'll start this from the beginning next week maybe.

I've started reading this today and i'm on chapter 6

(view spoiler)[I didn't realize how whiney and spoiled Draco was until I started rereading this book, I guess I didn't notice it as much watching the movies because i've always had a crush on him (hide spoiler)]

I was going to try to do a re-read with you, but I certainly can't read one every couple days. I'm more like a one per month person. I'll just do a casual re-read and comment as I go along. Hope you guys love it!

Following along. Still on my re-read of book 1, but still love to talk anything HP!

Yay! I'm here...so don't read the below spoiler if you haven't read the whole series!

(view spoiler)[I'm at the part where Harry is first in Borgins and he has just casually passed that cursed necklace!!! I was so weirdly happy when I realized how small the mention is when it plays such a big part later on. (hide spoiler)]

Taryn wrote: "Yay! I'm here...so don't read the below spoiler if you haven't read the whole series!

[spoilers removed]"

Don't read if haven't read whole series!

I noticed that too (view spoiler)[also when he hides in the the black cabinet do you think it's the vanishing cabinet that Draco uses to help get the death eater into Hogwarts? (hide spoiler)]

I noticed that too [spoilers remo..."

Ohhhh I never thought about that but (view spoiler)[ it would definitely be easy for him to get him through there. (hide spoiler)]

Taryn wrote: "I noticed that too [spoilers remo..."

Ohhhh I never thought about that but [spoilers removed]"

This will be the 4th time reading this book but it's the first time that i'm noticing all the little thing that play a big part later.

Just started chapter 6 and have to say Gilderoy Lockhart is so full of himself.

Taryn wrote: "I noticed that too [spoilers remo..."

Ohhhh I never thought about that but [spoilers removed]"

Other things (Spoilers for whole series):

(view spoiler)[

pg. 57 | I never realized that Mr. Weasley and the Grangers spent time together away from the kids. I thought this was kind of sweet considering what happens at the end of the series.

pg. 58 | JK Rowling said in a follow up after she had written the books that after Kingsley resigned from MoM, Percy took over. I think it's cool that even though he isn't an incredibly important Weasley, his future is mentioned here, in such an early capacity. (Things that Happened After the Books as Told by JK Rowling)

pg. 62 | This whole scene is so frustrating. What with Lockhart and Lucius Malfoy all being assholes...it's hard to say which one's worse. Although, I do think it's awesome that Mr. Weasley stood up for his new friends.

pg. 70 | Not being able to see yourself in a car while you are flying would make me pass out. The broomstick thing would be fine...you can see yourself holding onto something supporting you. But just floating in the air pretending there's a seat there? No thank you.

(hide spoiler)]

More dumb thoughts from me later lol

Quotes I missed the first time I read that made me go oh ho! this time around,

(view spoiler)[

pg. 139 | "As the edged nearer, Harry almost slipped-- there was a huge puddle of water on the floor..."

pg. 146 | Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris's fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover.

pg. 157 | "Listen, we never laid a finger on that cat. (Ron)" "That's what I told Ginny," said Percy fiercely, "but he still seems to think you're going to be expelled. I've never seen her so upset, crying her eyes out...."


(hide spoiler)]

A good reason why Hermione is in Gryffindor, not Ravenclaw (brought over from previous discussion) can be found on pg. 165, last paragraph (Hardcover edition):

(view spoiler)["Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine!" she said..."I don't want to break the rules you know. I think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion." See, she's even telling Ron and Harry a thing or two about risking it all for something worthwhile and valuable and moral! (hide spoiler)]

Sorry, I know I'm blowing up this post. But I am reading through this one pretty fast (need it for a lot of challenges, plus I love it!) and I want to write out all my thoughts as they come.

(view spoiler)[
I think one of the reasons I have such a problem with the movies is that they kind of dumb down Ron. I get that he's a bit goofy, but in the books he was never made to seem the big idiot of the three. I actually think Rupert Grint was one of the better child actors, but they gave him a very one-note character. I think they actually did that for all of them. In the books, the three represent more complex people, and it was possible for them to do the same things in the movies, but for some reason, I think they got lazy and just said, "F*$& it. Let's focus on special effects. Everyone's going to buy this anyway." (Sorry you all know I was sooo so disappointed in the movies).

Secondly, I love how the second book encapsulates how the kids are growing up, but still haven't quite reached maturity. For example, all these dark things are happening around them, but they are still twelve. So even though they are trying to confront these dangers, their biggest fear really is always, I'm about to get expelled! I never noticed it before but not one of them is really worrying about dying. And you can say it's their Gryffindor bravery, but I like to think it's because JK Rowling was like...no 12 year old is thinking that they will really die from an adventure..they just worry about getting in trouble. And then as the kids get older, their mortality really hits them, as it does all of us. So they recognize danger as something bigger, and their risks are riskier. I like that progression. (hide spoiler)]

Finished! Last thought (below contains some spoilers for the WHOLE series):

(view spoiler)[ pg. 333 |"Voldemort put a piece of himself in me?" I've never reread this one before so it's crazy to see how this comes together with the seventh book. I never realized how clear Rowling made the fact that the diary was more than just Tom Riddle possessing an object. Horcrux though? Yeah. (hide spoiler)]

Taryn wrote: "Finished! Last thought (below contains some spoilers for the WHOLE series):

[spoilers removed]"

That was major quick. I'm only on the first chapter still. lol.

Taryn wrote: "Finished! Last thought (below contains some spoilers for the WHOLE series):

[spoilers removed]"

I'm only at chapter 6, I keep getting distracted by other books

❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote:

I'm only at chapter 6, I keep getting distracted by other books"

I know what you mean. I am too.

I just finished rereading today. I agree with Taryn's post in the last thread, this is my least favorite of the books. I just find Dobby really annoying.

(view spoiler)[ There was a thread on the post for the first book about how Harry needed to live with the Dursley's or he would be Draco-ish. I think that this point is built upon here, because we learn that Voldemort left part of himself in Harry - which is why he can speak parsletongue. So I think that being raised by the Dursley's has made Harry more appreciative of Hogwarts and the wizarding community where as if he had been raised among the wizards, both pitied and worshipped, I think there is the potential for him to have been even more intolerable than Draco.

I'm also wondering...I don't remember Colin in any of the subsequent books, is he there?

Funny part, when Ron says if Dobby doesn't stop trying to save Harry's life he's going to kill him. (hide spoiler)]

Poor Dobby so many people don't like him. I think he was very brave. (view spoiler)[He must really have to struggle with the magic that binds him to the Malfoys in order to try to stop Harry from being killed. Ok, he could have thought of better ways but it must have been hard because he couldn't tell anyone what the plot was and was forced to hurt himself any time he tried to do so. (hide spoiler)]

Spoilers for the whole series:

(view spoiler)[Yes, the vanishing cabinet in the shop and the one dropped by Peeves are the ones used by Draco later in the series. Also he uses the hand of glory. So with the necklace that's 3 things from that one scene in the shop that come into play later.

I love that "Voldemort put a piece of himself in me?" line. She practically tells us Harry is a horcrux in book 2. (hide spoiler)]

Jenn ~ Nemirdis wrote: "I just finished rereading today. I agree with Taryn's post in the last thread, this is my least favorite of the books. I just find Dobby really annoying.

There was a thread on the post for th..."

(view spoiler)[Yes, Colin and his younger brother Dennis appear in other books. They both join Dumbledore's army. (hide spoiler)]

I just started and we are about 14% through on our way (view spoiler)[ Daigon Alley.
I had completely forgotten that Dobby is introduced in this book, I kept thinking he was later in the series.

Interesting the time with the Dursley's is very Dickinson almost in terms of how they were treating him. It was clearly child abuse and I think a lot of writers would be afraid of writing things that may be seen that way today. (hide spoiler)]

Pigletto wrote: "Poor Dobby so many people don't like him. I think he was very brave. [spoilers removed]

Spoilers for the whole series:
"

(view spoiler)[In what book does he use the Hand of Glory, I don't remember that? (hide spoiler)]

Just finished chapter 13 (view spoiler)[I didn't realize that it took several weeks before Hermione was back to normal after getting turned into a cat from the Polyjuice Potion. (hide spoiler)]

@Taryn
Your comment about their biggest fear being expulsion is bang on. That is something I loved about this series. Each book is age appropriate to the characters

Karen wrote: "@Taryn
Your comment about their biggest fear being expulsion is bang on. That is something I loved about this series. Each book is age appropriate to the characters"

Thanks! :) Yeah, I just kept reading over and over...we're going to get expelled! (BIG spoiler ahead)

(view spoiler)[ Especially at the end when Harry's worried about Ginny getting expelled for 'opening' the CoS. And I feel like, as the reader, we're kind of laughing because...of course they're not going to expel her. The freakin' Dark Lord was using her as a puppet. But they're kids, and Hogwarts is so important to Harry as a 12 year old, that it makes sense his mind would go there first because that's literally the worst thing he can think of happening to a person. (hide spoiler)]

yes, absolutely. Hogwarts really is Harry's life, and that is understandable given his age and circumstances

I finished and I loved it, still my least favorite book in the series but still a great read.

(view spoiler)[The way Harry tricks Lucius into freeing Dobby in the book is so weird compared to the movie, he put the diary into the sock instead of the sock into the diary, that just seems such a weird way to do it. (hide spoiler)]

❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote: "Pigletto wrote: "Poor Dobby so many people don't like him. I think he was very brave. [spoilers removed]

Spoilers for the whole series:
"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[It's either book 6 or 7 and is during the time when he is using the cabinets. (hide spoiler)]

❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote: "I finished and I loved it, still my least favorite book in the series but still a great read.

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[The idea in the book is that his first instinct after being given the sock will be to get rid of it but I always think there was no way to know that he would throw it in Dobby's direction. (hide spoiler)]

Pigletto wrote: "❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote: "I finished and I loved it, still my least favorite book in the series but still a great read.

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[If I was Lucius I would have thrown it back at harry not to the side, it just seems so much more believable in the movie than in the book (hide spoiler)]

Pigletto wrote: "❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote: "Pigletto wrote: "Poor Dobby so many people don't like him. I think he was very brave. [spoilers removed]

Spoilers for the whole series:
"

[spoilers r..."

(view spoiler)[No matter how hard I think I still can't remember it, just have to keep reading the series until I will come across it. (hide spoiler)]

❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote: "Pigletto wrote: "❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote: "Pigletto wrote: "Poor Dobby so many people don't like him. I think he was very brave. [spoilers removed]

Spoilers for the whole serie..."

I don't think it gets a big mention.

❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote: "Just started chapter 6 and have to say Gilderoy Lockhart is so full of himself."

Chapter 6

Lockhart is just hilarious. I love his character in that love-to-hate kind of way.
;)

I was a Harry Potter book series virgin until a couple of weeks ago. I am going to pick up the Chamber of Secrets at the library tomorrow, hopefully. I have refrained from reading any spoilers here, but will love to come back once I get started with the book.

I loved first one and I really didn't appreciate the characters until I read that book. Yes, I loved the movies, but now I'm really starting to get it. Now, I must say that they were spot on with who they had to play the characters I have been introduced to thus far.

I'm glad you're enjoying the books Shan. I liked the movies, but they just can't convey everything in a book.

I'm just starting chapter 13. One of the things that I'm struck by is how "bad" Draco is at such a young age. (view spoiler)[ I guess when I first read these I put it down to a 12 year olds viewpoint and I always assumed it was a bit of a trick and the Malfoy's weren't really like that.
I also didn't realise it took Hermoine so long to transform back from a cat! (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "I'm glad you're enjoying the books Shan. I liked the movies, but they just can't convey everything in a book.

I'm just starting chapter 13. One of the things that I'm struck by is how "bad" Draco ..."

(view spoiler)[That's what I thought Karen, in the movies it made it look like it only took her a couple of days to get back to being human. (hide spoiler)]

❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote: "Karen wrote: "I'm glad you're enjoying the books Shan. I liked the movies, but they just can't convey everything in a book.

I'm just starting chapter 13. One of the things that I'm struck by is ho..."

(view spoiler)[Yeah, she was incapacitated a lot throughout this book lol (hide spoiler)]

Shan wrote: " I have refrained from reading any spoilers here, but will love to come back once I get started with the book.

I loved first one and I really didn't appreciate the characters until I read that book. Yes, I loved the movies, but now I'm really starting to get it. Now, I must say that they were spot on with who they had to play the characters I have been introduced to thus far. "

I would also come back to the threads after you've read the whole series to read the whole series spoilers.

I agree with you on the casting choices. Whenever they would announce which famous British actors would be in the next film I could always instantly tell who would play who.

Karen wrote: "I'm glad you're enjoying the books Shan. I liked the movies, but they just can't convey everything in a book.

I'm just starting chapter 13. One of the things that I'm struck by is how "bad" Draco ..."

(view spoiler)[The Malfoys are horrible. I do feel a bit sorry for Draco growing up in that family no wonder he is so awful.

For some reason I always have it in my head that the boys see her before they go to speak to Draco and that the potion wears off at the same time for her as the boys. (hide spoiler)]

Taryn wrote: "❤Stephanie ღ♥ღMrs Styxx Anaxkolasiღ♥ღ wrote: "Karen wrote: "I'm glad you're enjoying the books Shan. I liked the movies, but they just can't convey everything in a book.

I'm just starting chapter ..."

(view spoiler)[I know. It's a good thing that she had that paper with the basilisk info on it in her hand otherwise we may still be waiting for the boys to figure it out. lol (hide spoiler)]

I just started it, and as always I love Dobby. Haha

(view spoiler)["Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter, to warn him, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later..." *snickers* (hide spoiler)]

Pigletto wrote: "Poor Dobby so many people don't like him. I think he was very brave. [spoilers removed]

Spoilers for the whole series:"

I've always liked Dobby. I thought he was really brave, too.

Anita wrote: "I just started it, and as always I love Dobby. Haha

[spoilers removed]"

lol
He is such an interesting character

I just finished the audio and thoroughly enjoyed the re-read. Thanks for suggesting this BR and getting me back to the series after such a long time!

Book 3

Thread has been set up here