Review of Harry Potter 2

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

In this book, Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts school for the second year. Harry and Ron Weasley have a nice non-damaging adventure on the way to school. I feel that this book is also suitable for relatively young children. Later books are not nearly so suitable.
    Shortly after the students arrive, something called the "Chamber of Secrets" appears to have been opened, because people keep getting petrified. None of them are permenently damaged, but it makes for some controversy. For a while, Professor Dumbledore is removed from headmastership, and Hagrid is put into prison(both for poor reasons). Eventually, everything comes to a head and (of course) the good guys win. That much shouldn't be much of a spoiler, as there are 5 more books to come after this.
    There really are enough clues within this book to solve the part of exactly who is opening the chamber of secrets before the end. I didn't see these clues the first time I read it, but they're most assuredly there. If you're the sort who finds these mysteries important, then read carefully and give it a whirl.

I give this book a 6/10

Minor Spoiler to this book and a later book below
    One problem I have with this book is the serious misuse of a powerful concept. I won't say what it is, but the potion they make is far too powerful an object to only have the effect described in the book. Simply because they are illegal for most uses, it seems completely improbable that the enemy wizards encountered in later books would not use them extensively. This is an example of what I call "polluting" a fictional universe with concepts stronger than the use they're put to. These objects have implications far beyond what is used. At least in this case, she makes some effort to include people using it illicitly in a later book, but in all honesty, in books 5 and 6 it should be used constantly.

The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

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