Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
history
,| Illustrator = Cliff Wright (UK)
Mary GrandPré (US)
,| Release date = 2 July 1998 (UK)
2 June 1999 (US)
,| Number in series = Two
,| Page Count = 251 (UK)
341 (US)
,| Sales = ~77 million (Worldwide)
,| Dedicated to = "SĂ©an P.F. Harris, getaway
driver and foulweather friend"
,| Story timeline = 1943
1992-1993
,| Preceded by = Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
,| Followed by = Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
,| Chapter Count = 18
,}}
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is the second novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. The book was published on 2 July 1998.
Harry is once again back 'home' with the Dursleys, and his summer holidays are not going to plan. The Dursleys have forbidden his broom, wand and all of his schoolbooks. Harry has not yet received any letters from his friends, Ron and Hermione. On his 12th birthday, Dobby the house elf, arrives to warn Harry that he will be in mortal danger if he returns to Hogwarts. Harry is determined to return, as it's the only true home he has ever known, so Dobby destroys the cake for an important dinner party attended by Uncle Vernon's potential client and the client's wife. The Ministry Of Magic send a letter explaining Harry cannot use magic outside of school as he will be expelled. No longer afraid of this, Uncle Vernon tells Harry he cannot return to Hogwarts and puts bars on Harry's window.
Ron, along with his twin brothers, Fred and George rescue Harry and take him to their home in their flying car. Ginny, Ron's younger sister is just starting Hogwarts in her first year and is overwhelmed when she meets Harry. After a pleasent month living with them everyone heads to Platform 9Âľ to take the Hogwarts Express back to school. To their shock, Harry and Ron are unable to enter the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. In desperation, they steal the flying car and fly to Hogwarts. They crash into the Whomping Willow which is not happy so it damages the car and Ron's wand. The wrecked car dissapears into the forbidden forest.
Events at school take a turn for the worse when the legendary Chamber Of Secrets is opened and a monster stalks the castle, petrifying anyone who meets its gaze. According to legend, the Chamber was built by one of the Hogwarts Founders, Salazar Slytherin and can be opened only by his heir, in order to purge Hogwarts of 'all those who were unworthy to study magic' or 'Muggle-borns'. Many suspect Harry is the heir of Slytherin because, while trying to save another student during a duel against Malfoy, he inadvertently speaks Parseltongue, the ability to talk to snakes. This being a rare ta
Time frame
Chamber of Secrets is the first book in the series to directly provide a timeframe for the series. Nearly Headless Nick celebrates the 500th anniversary of his death at Halloween, and it is stated that he died in 1492, placing the events of this book during the 1992-93 school year.
Pre-release history
In the early drafts of this book, the author had the ghost Nearly Headless Nick sing a self-composed song explaining his condition and the circumstances of his death. The material was cut as the book's editor did not care for the poem, although it has been subsequently published as an extra on J. K. Rowling's official website.»J. K. Rowling Official Site Another sub-plot cut from Chamber of Secrets was the family background of Dean Thomas, which was removed from the draft because Rowling and her publishers considered it an "unnecessary digression", and she considered Neville Longbottom's own journey of discovery "more important to the central plot".»J. K. Rowling Official Site
This book is thematically linked with the sixth book of the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In fact, Half-Blood Prince was the working title of Chamber of Secrets and certain "crucial" plot information from that book was intended to be placed in this volume, but Rowling ultimately felt that "this information's proper home was book six".»J. K. Rowling Official Site Several items that later play a role in Half-Blood Prince first make their appearance in Chamber of Secrets, including the Hand of Glory and the opal necklace that appear when Harry is in Borgin & Burkes, Tom Riddle's diary and a Vanishing Cabinet damaged by Peeves the Poltergeist.
First edition printings had several errors, which were fixed in subsequent reprints. This includes Dumbledore saying that Voldemort was the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin, instead of descendant. In addition, Lockhart's book on werewolves is entitled "Weekends with Werewolves" at one point and “Wanderings with Werewolves” later in the book.
The climactic scene in which Harry saves Ginny from Riddle's diary and the basilisk was compared by several Christian writers to John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, as in this scene, "Harry descends to a deep underworld, is confronted by two Satanic minions (Voldemort and a giant serpent), is saved from certain death by his faith in Dumbledore (the bearded God the Father/Ancient of Days), rescues the virgin (Ginerva »sic Weasley), and ascends in triumph."
Awards
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has won the following awards:
- ALA Notable Children's Books, 2000
- ALA/YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2000
- Booklist Editors' Choices, 1999
- Booklist Top Ten Fantasy Novels for Youth, 1998-99
- CCBC Choices 2000: Fiction for Children
- International Reading Association: Children's Choices, 2000
- International Reading Association: Young Adult Choices, 2000
- Publishers Weekly: Best Books of 1999
- School Library Journal: Best Books 1999
- CBC Not Just for Children Anymore! List
- British Book Awards 1998 Children's Book of the Year (NIBBY)
- Shortlisted for the 1998 Guardian Children's Award
- Shortlisted for the 1998 Carnegie Award
- Nestlé Smarties Book Prize 1998 Gold Medal 9-11 years
- Scottish Arts Council Children’s Book Award 1999
- FCBG Children’s Book Award 1998 Overall winner and Longer Novel Category
- North East Book Award 1999
- North East Scotland Book Award 1998
- The Booksellers Association / The Bookseller Author of the Year 1998
- Whitaker's Platinum Book Award 2001
Translations
- [http">Bloomsbury (United Kingdom, Australia, etc.)
- ISBN 0-7475-3849-2 Hardcover
- ISBN 0-7475-3848-4 Paperback
- ISBN 0-7475-7361-1 Hardcover (adult edition)
- ISBN 0-7475-7448-0 Paperback (adult edition) ; Scholastic (United States, etc.)
- ISBN 0-439-06486-4 Hardcover
- ISBN 0-439-06487-2 Paperback ; Raincoast (Canada, etc.)
- ISBN 1-551-92370-X Paperback
- [http
- //www.bookmistakes.com/book5663 Mistakes in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets] from »bookmistakes.com