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Summary: Whodunnit, fantasy, monsters, magic, and wit...
Review: I've always been incredulous that people could consider these books the work of the Devil, because they are superb pieces of fiction in their own right. Fiction is made-up, and I consider this book - The Chamber of Secrets - to easily be the best of the first three books. Its plot is worthy of one of the classic whodunnits, with its convolutions, its twists and turns, and its red herrings. We allow ourselves to think one way, and then another, and then Rowling surprises us and knocks us sideways by revealing the solution. And the solution makes sense, when you think back through the book. This is a very good book for fans of Agatha Christie and the classic whodunnit genre. The plotting is surprisingly complex and mature for a recommended reader age of - what is it? - 11, 12? which is largely why the Harry Potter books have so successfully captured the attention of adults. These are books for intelligent people of any age; a rare commodity, and even rarer is the fact that they can be read by people of almost any age. Of course, I would not recommend these books for the very youngest children, and they can be truly spinechilling, but there is nothing wrong with horror if it is firmly set in a fantasy world. There have been complaints that these books stereotype all Muggles as stupid lumpish people, but frankly - this book is written from the viewpoint of a world where witchcraft and wizardy is a way of life. It is no wonder that Muggles seem stupid, because they do not know or see the same things as the non-Muggles do. We are fortunate to be allowed to read about these things, and it makes us view this world with renewed wonder and magic. Because what is mundane becomes marvellous. Read these books to your children, or if they are old enough to read, read it with them. Your children will learn to think, especially if you discuss the issues raised by the books. There have been complaints that Harry Potter makes it good to tell untruths. I read all three books recently, to see whether this was a fair statement, and can tell you that where the untruths appear, they are almost always accompanied by a Very Good Reason - someone or something's life needs saving, or a very important talisman needs recovery. The lying and untruths are not gratituous, and the authorities usually find out about them at the end of the day, and excuse them with good reason. Joanne Rowling's prose is not bland-bland, or unduly convoluted, but settles at a very satisfactory point in between. She writes with wit, humour, warmth and intelligence, about real people who make the same mistakes and do the same things that Muggles would do in the same circumstances. Children's writing is where the discerning adult has to look these days, if they want good plotting, clever reasoning and strong characterisation, and fantasy as well. To find all these rolled up in one book is a delight; to find that they are rolled up in a trilogy - one day to be a septology - is wonderful. If Rowling had put her hand to classic whodunnit, in the mould of the women crime writers such as Christie, Tey, James and Rendell, she would quickly have become just another of those women writers. But she has instead combined her head for a strong whodunnit plot with magical elements and fantasy, and has produced something that is original in its elements, if not totally original in its concepts. And it is the best-written, best-composed of all the magician's-school stories I have encountered.I would like to add that I believe in God, and have seen nothing in Rowling to support the accusations that she is an arrant heathen and writes blatantly pagan stories. She is just a very good writer, and one who deserves her success. I will certainly be buying her next book, and the one after that, and the one after th....
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Summary: Thoughts from a Mother of Four
Review: I've been reading this book to my kids - and we all are enjoying it very much. I've heard all the negative comments about the 'evil' side of the story. Think about it - many children's stories have evil characters - Aladdin, Little Mermaid, gosh, even Bambi! The 'bad guy' shows up all the time. I think the Harry Potter books are delightful and imaginative. They get kids to read and love reading. (Also, a quick recommendation for some great books on parenting - check out these: Kid Cooperation, The 10 Greatest Gifts I Give My Children, and Perfect Parenting
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Summary: Outstanding!
Review: I've been reading this to my two children, a chapter a night. When we were three chapters from the end, I couldn't wait to read the ending any longer...I snuck into their room and read the last three chapters in the middle of the night! It's that good!
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Summary: Jim Dale is the best ! I love this book !
Review: I've got all 4 of the audio books read by Jim Dale and they are the best ! I've heard the books read by others, but I prefer Jim Dale. When he reads it Hogwards comes to life, perfect timing and humour ! He does the voices of the characters in a superb way. And also, the book itself is great :)
Defenitely worth the money ...
Rating: 
Summary: Mantains the Harry Potter magic but nothing is new here...
Review: I've now read all four Harry Potter books, and I must say that this was the worst. That's not to say it was bad--I still greatly enjoyed reading it. But compared to the other three, it was the worst. The problem is, nothing's new here. The first book had the advantage of being the first. The third and fourth book, you get some serious revelations about his past and the upcoming future. But this book, as I look back on it, is the least of the four. Still, it was enjoyable, and 3 out of 5 seems a fair score.
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Summary: !!THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!
Review: i'VE ONLY READ THE FIRST BOOK OF HARRY POTTER BUT IT WAS AWESOME AND I'M PLANNING ON READING ALL OF THEM! WHO EVER SAYS THESE BOOKS ARE 4 9-12 YEARS OLD IS CRAZY THIS BOOK SHOULD BE 4 ALL AGES! AND POEPLE OF ALL AGES ARE READING THEM AND I'M GLAD THESE BOOKS SHOULD BE READ ALL OVER THE WORLD.
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Summary: Childhood Revisited.
Review: I've purchased the entire series to-date (and await with great anticipation the next release) from Amazon.com for my nephew but I have to admit I gave them a read before I sent them along to him. :o) I was magically transported back to my own childhood and the realms of possibilty, laughter, fun and adventure. It's inspired me to reclaim anything I left behind in my haste to become an adult. My sister loves the covers on the books provided by Amazon.com, they were unlike any she had seen in her area... I can see her now in the store when she was a kid, feeling the fur coats, dresses...very tactile... and I can see her now stroking the covers with that same smile of pleasure. She also gave the thumbs up on content suitable for her child to read! So now I know I'm not the only one who just had to give it a read ;-) Enjoy
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Summary: Absolutly Fabulous
Review: I've read all of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and they kept me hooked on them for DAYS! Each was better than the last! I hope that she will keep writing. The Harry Potter series is great for any age. KEEP WRITING MS. ROWLING!
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Summary: Getting better and better each time!
Review: I've read all the series... I can't say which one ish da best... dere all GREAT... dis ish a fun book for all ages really! NOT only for little kids.. hehe... I hab to say.. i'm 17... yes too old to read Harry Potter books... but books like this is tooo good only for kids! haha... This book brings out the little kids inside all of us.. this book and the other 3 books r great... it really does get better and better each time... i can't wait for another book to come out! ^_^
Rating:
Summary: Good but not Great
Review: I've read all three books but Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets didn't seem as good as Harry Potter and the Sorcer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
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