Day 07 – Most underrated book

Alright, ask any Harry Potter fan what their least favorite of the seven is and most likely s/he’ll respond with The Chamber of Secrets.  It’s my least favorite too, but I don’t...hate it.  When I read it I don’t feel any sort of negativity towards the book, but when I think about HP as a whole, this book just doesn't stand out.  

It’s crazy though because it's actually a fairly important book in the HP world.  It might not be the stand out book of the Harry Potters, but it doesn't deserve the hatred that it seems to get from most readers.  It doesn't make "The List," which is fairly rude because  even Twilight made it.   

The Chamber of Secrets really shouldn’t get the shaft (p.s. whole bunch of spoilers coming ahead, I guess).  The first horcrux is destroyed here, guys.  That's kind of a big deal.  Not only does 1/7 of Voldy’s soul go to pieces, but Harry’s destroying Riddle’s diary with the basilisk fang clues in the trio on how they can destroy the remaining six (or at least five of the remaining six).  

Peeves breaks the Vanishing Cabinet that ends up being an intricate plot point in The Half-Blood Prince, bringing the Death Eaters into Hogwarts from Borgin & Burke.   

The Chamber of Secrets also serves as an introduction to the dark world that exists within HP.  The first book really only contains a small introduction to Voldemort and the knowledge that he had/has followers, but in The Chamber of Secrets, Harry's accidental landing in Knockturn Alley really cements the fact that this dark world still exists.  Plus, while he's there he sees the Hand of Glory Malfoy uses while carrying out his plans and the necklace that almost kills Katie Bell in The Half-Blood Prince.  Aaaah foreshadowing.  

So yeah, this book serves to set up a lot that happens towards the end of the HP series.  And yet, it gets no love.   Maybe because it's followed by the book most fans consider their favorite (yay Sirius), I don't know, but it's an important book and shouldn't be discussed with such disdain.