[Books] J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Illustrated Edition

You can find my review of the first illustrated edition here!

About the book

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Author: J. K. Rowling | 
Illustrations: Jim Kay | Publisher: Bloomsbury | 

Price: £30 | Genre: Fantasy | Type: Hardback | Pages: 259 | 

ISBN: 978-1-4088-4565-3 | Publication date: October 2016 |

Buy as English Book or German Book

"When the shabby little house-elf Dobby pops up in Privet Drive insisting Harry Potter must not return to Hogwarts, Harry suspects his arch-rival, Draco Malfoy, may be behind it. Rescued from the dire Dursleys by Ron Weasley - in an enchanted flying car - Harry spends the rest of the summer at The Burrow. Life with the Weasleys is so full of magical distractions, Harry soon forgets Dobby´s frantic warnings. But back at school a sinister message found daubed in a dark corridor echoes Dobby´s predicitons that terrible things are about to happen..." 

First sentence

"Not for the fiirst time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive." 

Author

"J. K. Rowling is the author of the record-breaking, multi-award-winning Harry Potter novels. Loved by fans around the world, the series has sold over 450 million copies, been translated into 79 languages and made into eight blockbuster films. She has written three companion volumes in aid of charity: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (in aid of Comic Relief), and The Tales of Beedle the Bard (in aid of Lumos), as well as a screenplay inspired by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. She has also collaborated on a stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two, which opened in London´s West End in the summer of 2016."

Illustrations

"Jim Kay won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2012 for his illustrations in A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. He studied illustratin at the University of Westminster, and worked in the Library & Archives of Tate Britain and then as an assistant curator of botsnical illustrations at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew before returning to producing art full-time."

After the phenomenal illustrations in Harry Potter and the Philosophers´s Stone I preordered Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as soon as possible. I know the story by heart, but with those beautiful illustrations it is kind of a new adventure to join. Full of little details - you can discover something new everytime you look at the pictures! The illustrations are gorgeous and I´m really happy that Jim Kay will illustrate all seven books. 

My Thoughts

Harry Potter can´t wait to go back to Hogwarts. But something is going on there. First there is this strange house-elf named Dobby at Dursley´s house saying he must not return to his school, then he has to go back to Hogwarts by a flying car and last but not least there is something in the old castle, attacking muggleborns! What is going on? Is Harry able to protect his best friend - and muggleborn - Hermione? 

„I´ll be in my room, making no noise and pretending I´m not there."
S. 5

The illustrations show us a whole new world. They match perfectly with the story and it´s somehow like reading it once again for the very first time. You can discover something new whenever looking at the illustrations. The sizes of the illustrations are small and big and sometimes two pages. It´s perfect! 

„It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
S. 253

I love Harry Potter and I surely can´t imagine live without it. This edition is so beautiful you simply can´t miss it! It´s for us adults, grewing up with Harry Potter a great addition to our collection and for everyone, discovering Harry Potter for the very first time it´s great as well. I just imagine showing my kids - if I ever will have some - this beautiful books and show them the world I grew up with... 

„When in doubt, go to the library."

S. 193

Result

The story is perfect - with or without illustrations. But the illustrations make the story somehow new and this is great! I never regret buying this book and I can´t wait for October 2017 and the third illustrated edition.