Book-It 'o15! Book #14
The Fifty Books Challenge, year six! ( 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014) This was a personal loan.
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
Details: Copyright 1999, Scholastic Press
Synopsis (By Way of Front Flap):
"The Dursleys were so mean that 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?"
Why I Wanted to Read It: I delved into the Harry Potter franchise, remember? Here's my review of the first book.
How I Liked It: The first book was such an iconic story and so well-received. How was the author going to top/compete with that?
She does her best, filling out the background characters and introducing new ones. We get to know the Weasely family much better including life in the magical world that isn't Hogwarts (Mr Weasely's profession of inspector is a handy trick for just that, among other foibles). We also haven't heard the last of Harry's adopted family, as evidenced by the blurb, who have gotten more awful, if possible, since Harry's association with Hogwarts.
More than the latter twist and turns and mysteries (which are all well-crafted), the book shines when it's detailing minutia of the magical. Yard work with the Weasleys is a fun adventure as is the amusing introduction of a "Howler", or irate telegram of elder scolding.
The book's twist and ending is truly impressive and clearly another one of the reasons this book was seen as a worthy continuation of the stories.
Notable: I debated mentioning this at all, because I realize this book is still early in the series.
But the portrayal of female characters in this book didn't get any better. Almost every female character, from shrewd, smart Hermione to no-nonsense Mrs Weasley, has a crush on pretty-boy huckster professor Gilderoy Lockheart, a professional fraud with a sparkling smile. I realize that characters can be so multi-faceted as to be both a brain and a "typical young girl" that swoons over handsome idols, but it's still irksome. I was also slightly annoyed at the fact Ginny has a crush on Harry, which, while making perfect sense, still does a lot of the stereotypical "girl" behavior, like mooning about him to a diary and sending him a ridiculously embarrassing singing valentine.
I realize that the book is written, more or less, from the point of view of a twelve-year-old boy, who probably doesn't have the most developed view of women and (sexist, stereotypical) social cues would suggest to him that girls are so different as to be a bizarre species occasionally devoid of logic. But this is written by an adult, and also an adult woman, which makes the characterization all the more frustrating.
As I said, I realize this is only the second book in the series, it's just distracting.
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
Details: Copyright 1999, Scholastic Press
Synopsis (By Way of Front Flap):
"The Dursleys were so mean that 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?"
Why I Wanted to Read It: I delved into the Harry Potter franchise, remember? Here's my review of the first book.
How I Liked It: The first book was such an iconic story and so well-received. How was the author going to top/compete with that?
She does her best, filling out the background characters and introducing new ones. We get to know the Weasely family much better including life in the magical world that isn't Hogwarts (Mr Weasely's profession of inspector is a handy trick for just that, among other foibles). We also haven't heard the last of Harry's adopted family, as evidenced by the blurb, who have gotten more awful, if possible, since Harry's association with Hogwarts.
More than the latter twist and turns and mysteries (which are all well-crafted), the book shines when it's detailing minutia of the magical. Yard work with the Weasleys is a fun adventure as is the amusing introduction of a "Howler", or irate telegram of elder scolding.
The book's twist and ending is truly impressive and clearly another one of the reasons this book was seen as a worthy continuation of the stories.
Notable: I debated mentioning this at all, because I realize this book is still early in the series.
But the portrayal of female characters in this book didn't get any better. Almost every female character, from shrewd, smart Hermione to no-nonsense Mrs Weasley, has a crush on pretty-boy huckster professor Gilderoy Lockheart, a professional fraud with a sparkling smile. I realize that characters can be so multi-faceted as to be both a brain and a "typical young girl" that swoons over handsome idols, but it's still irksome. I was also slightly annoyed at the fact Ginny has a crush on Harry, which, while making perfect sense, still does a lot of the stereotypical "girl" behavior, like mooning about him to a diary and sending him a ridiculously embarrassing singing valentine.
I realize that the book is written, more or less, from the point of view of a twelve-year-old boy, who probably doesn't have the most developed view of women and (sexist, stereotypical) social cues would suggest to him that girls are so different as to be a bizarre species occasionally devoid of logic. But this is written by an adult, and also an adult woman, which makes the characterization all the more frustrating.
As I said, I realize this is only the second book in the series, it's just distracting.