Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets-Paola Dimartino

Paola dimartino

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

REVIEW

INTRODUCTION

PLOT

FAVOURITE PARTS

‘It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.' "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” is the second book of the Harry Potter saga and it was written in 1998, by J. K. Rowling. She is a British writer, screenwriter and producer and, most of all, the author of the 7 fantasy books, worldwide famous. In the realization of the story, Rowling was inspired by her teachers and friends to create the characters we meet in the saga.

Before reading this book, I had seen the corresponding film, so I already knew the plot. However, against my expectations, I read it non-stop for a few days. Many people think the Harry Potter saga is for children and I agree in part: even though you can draw lessons about friendship, prejudice, love, family and forgiveness it is mainly a tale about the adventures of a special boy in an unordinary universe. This doesn’t mean it is less interesting and involving: somehow, even if you’re a grown-up, you end up fantasizing about this world. Going back close to these stories, you always see them through new perspectives and you get completely different impressions everytime you finish the book. This helped me remember how important books are to children and in particular how this saga was important to me: eventually it becomes a safe place you can escape to whenever you need it and at some stage in our life we all need something like this, or better: somewhere where our fears and issues disappear for a while.

The story takes place during Harry Potter’s second year at Hogwarts, a school for wizards. However difficulties start even before the beginning of terms: indeed there is something strange that is preventing the boy from going to school. After some incidents Harry and his best friend Ron manage to get there but, as always, troubles follow where he goes. After a ghost-party Harry and his friends run into a wall where in red ink is written that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Soon afterwards, some strange incidents happen to the students of Hogwarts: they are found petrified and seemingly dead. In the meantime Harry seems to be the only one able to hear an embodied voice, saying terrifying things. After quite a few adventures, Harry and Ron manage to solve the mystery: they find the hidden chamber, they defeat, at least temporarily, Harry’s worst enemy, Voldemort, and they save their friends.