Right, enough about audiobooks, it's time to go back to the original challenge - reviewing the Harry Potter series.
And so, without further ado, let's see what J.K. Rowling had to say about Harry's summer holiday.
Chapter 1 - The Worst Birthday
Chamber of Secrets starts with a bang, of sorts, as Harry and Uncle Vernon are in the midst of a fight about Hedwig's screeching. We get a lot of recap of the events of the previous book, which I quite like. I can see how this can be annoying for some readers, especially those reading the books one right after the other as we are doing now, but we have to remember that when Chamber of Secrets was first published, it was a year after Philosopher's Stone came out. It makes sense, therefore, for JK Rowling to remind her readers what happened but also to make the book accessible to those who perhaps hadn't read the first book of the series.
We are told that it's Harry's birthday and, as always, the Dursleys make no mention of it. The only person to comment on this occasion is Dudley, and he only does so to taunt Harry about the fact that his friends hadn't sent him any birthday cards. There is the slight hope during breakfast that perhaps this year will be different, but no - the special event of the day is the visit from Mr. and Mrs. Mason.
The Dursleys go through the plan for the evening and I have to marvel at this quote:
While moping in the garden, Harry notices two enormous green eyes watching him through the leaves of the hedge. Before he can investigate, however, Dudley turns up and is his usual mean self. Harry loses his temper and threatens Dudley with magic, causing Aunt Petunia to "aim a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan."
This really struck me. We have have witnessed many times the complete over-reaction the Dursleys experience whenever Harry accidentally lets slip anything about his abilities, but this level of violence is truly frightening. If he wasn't quick on his feet, he could have sustained some very serious injuries. Nobody can deny that the Dursleys are cruel people, but I wouldn't have expected this from Aunt Petunia.
Apart from nearly being decapitated, Harry is further punished by being tasked with a load of household chores. I really don't understand why he had to repaint that garden bench - it's not like the Masons would see it. He quickly dines on toast and cheese, then it's one final threat from Uncle Vernon and we finally get to Harry's bedroom, only to find it occupied by...
Even more pressingly, what is the Japanese golfer joke?! I have found this possibility - although I question the appropriateness of saying such a joke in front of your son and potential business partner.
My regard for Dobby falls even further when it is revealed that he has been stopping Harry's letters. Although, again, how? Has he been intercepting Hedwig as she flew back to Privet Drive? Or has he been taking the letters in the night before Harry wakes up?
When Dobby urges Harry to promise he won't go back to Hogwarts, I ask myself the fundamental question: why didn't Harry lie at this point? I am sure some other conflict would arise between Harry and the Dursleys, causing them to lock him in his room and have the Weasley boys rescue him.
Alas, Harry is too honest and pays the price. Dobby levitates Aunt Petunia's masterpiece of a pudding and drops it on the floor. The dinner party is ruined and Harry receives a warning from the Improper Use of Magic Office.
We don't at this point understand how exactly the Ministry knew that magic had been performed in Privet Drive, but we find out later that it is because all under-age wizards have the Trace on them - a sort of monitoring charm, I suppose. However, it is never fully explained how this charm works. We know that Harry has done magic outside of school before (albeit unknowingly) - he re-grew his hair overnight and made the glass in the reptile house disappear in Philosopher's Stone. Why did this not trigger the Trace?
Is the Trace, perhaps, activated once children start school and actually start learning magic? Also, if the Trace is on a person and not a place, how could the Ministry think that it was Harry who performed the hovering charm? Is the Trace active over a radius around each witch or wizard? If this is the case, how then does it work in wizarding households where parents or older siblings use magic all the time?
All these questions remain unanswered as Uncle Vernon locks Harry away in his room. What is the point of this punishment? Are the Dursleys really so hell-bent on making Harry miserable? Would they keep him in there forever? Doesn't it better suit their purpose to be rid of him in Hogwarts?
My favourite part of this chapter is the ending, specifically Harry's dream. I've always enjoyed his dreams - be they prophetic or just kooky, like this one. We end the chapter on a slight cliff-hanger because, hey everyone, Ron Weasley is outside Harry's window!
Until next time,
Lucia
We are told that it's Harry's birthday and, as always, the Dursleys make no mention of it. The only person to comment on this occasion is Dudley, and he only does so to taunt Harry about the fact that his friends hadn't sent him any birthday cards. There is the slight hope during breakfast that perhaps this year will be different, but no - the special event of the day is the visit from Mr. and Mrs. Mason.
The Dursleys go through the plan for the evening and I have to marvel at this quote:
We had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr. Mason, and I wrote about you.Seriously? Do they honestly believe that Mr. Mason would be stupid enough to fall for this ploy? 12 year old boys rarely hero-worship rich builders...oh Dudley. Harry is, naturally, told to keep out of sight the whole evening.
While moping in the garden, Harry notices two enormous green eyes watching him through the leaves of the hedge. Before he can investigate, however, Dudley turns up and is his usual mean self. Harry loses his temper and threatens Dudley with magic, causing Aunt Petunia to "aim a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan."
This really struck me. We have have witnessed many times the complete over-reaction the Dursleys experience whenever Harry accidentally lets slip anything about his abilities, but this level of violence is truly frightening. If he wasn't quick on his feet, he could have sustained some very serious injuries. Nobody can deny that the Dursleys are cruel people, but I wouldn't have expected this from Aunt Petunia.
Apart from nearly being decapitated, Harry is further punished by being tasked with a load of household chores. I really don't understand why he had to repaint that garden bench - it's not like the Masons would see it. He quickly dines on toast and cheese, then it's one final threat from Uncle Vernon and we finally get to Harry's bedroom, only to find it occupied by...
Chapter 2 - Dobby's Warning
...Dobby the house-elf!
I'm not going to beat around the bush - I don't like this chapter and I don't like Dobby (in this book!). The whole scene seems a bit forced - J.K. Rowling is usually better at introducing new characters. Dobby is unbelievably annoying when we first meet him. I guess we are supposed to feel sorry for him and the environment he lives in, but I honestly can't muster up a lot of sympathy for him at this point.
There are just so many questions - how is it possible for Dobby to have been at Privet Drive all day? Wouldn't the Malfoys have noticed his absence? He mentions that they wouldn't notice if he shut his ears in the oven door, but surely they would notice if he wasn't in the house serving the food and cleaning? Or did he keep popping in and out?
It irritates me that Dobby refers to the fall of Voldemort as Harry's triumph over him - Harry did not win a battle, because there was no battle. Harry was a baby, he didn't do anything - the curse rebounded! Or maybe I'm just being pedantic...It is telling that Dobby refers to Voldemort as the Dark Lord - if I remember correctly, we later find out that only Death Eaters call him thus.
Then there is this:
...there are powers Dumbledore doesn't...powers no decent wizard...To what is Dobby referring? Is he talking about Horcruxes? If so, how does he know about them? We find out in Half-Blood Prince that Lucius didn't know Voldemort's diary was a Horcrux when he gave it to Ginny Weasley. If it is not the Horcruxes, is he talking about the opening of the Chamber of Secrets?
Even more pressingly, what is the Japanese golfer joke?! I have found this possibility - although I question the appropriateness of saying such a joke in front of your son and potential business partner.
 |
| Is this the joke that Uncle Vernon was telling Mr. Mason? (Source) |
My regard for Dobby falls even further when it is revealed that he has been stopping Harry's letters. Although, again, how? Has he been intercepting Hedwig as she flew back to Privet Drive? Or has he been taking the letters in the night before Harry wakes up?
When Dobby urges Harry to promise he won't go back to Hogwarts, I ask myself the fundamental question: why didn't Harry lie at this point? I am sure some other conflict would arise between Harry and the Dursleys, causing them to lock him in his room and have the Weasley boys rescue him.
Alas, Harry is too honest and pays the price. Dobby levitates Aunt Petunia's masterpiece of a pudding and drops it on the floor. The dinner party is ruined and Harry receives a warning from the Improper Use of Magic Office.
We don't at this point understand how exactly the Ministry knew that magic had been performed in Privet Drive, but we find out later that it is because all under-age wizards have the Trace on them - a sort of monitoring charm, I suppose. However, it is never fully explained how this charm works. We know that Harry has done magic outside of school before (albeit unknowingly) - he re-grew his hair overnight and made the glass in the reptile house disappear in Philosopher's Stone. Why did this not trigger the Trace?
Is the Trace, perhaps, activated once children start school and actually start learning magic? Also, if the Trace is on a person and not a place, how could the Ministry think that it was Harry who performed the hovering charm? Is the Trace active over a radius around each witch or wizard? If this is the case, how then does it work in wizarding households where parents or older siblings use magic all the time?
All these questions remain unanswered as Uncle Vernon locks Harry away in his room. What is the point of this punishment? Are the Dursleys really so hell-bent on making Harry miserable? Would they keep him in there forever? Doesn't it better suit their purpose to be rid of him in Hogwarts?
My favourite part of this chapter is the ending, specifically Harry's dream. I've always enjoyed his dreams - be they prophetic or just kooky, like this one. We end the chapter on a slight cliff-hanger because, hey everyone, Ron Weasley is outside Harry's window!
Until next time,
Lucia
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