Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
by J. K. Rowling
★ Most-read book of 1998 · #1 on Best Books of 1998
After a summer of ominous warnings from a house-elf named Dobby, Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his second year. Strange whispers echo through the corridors, and when students start turning to stone, Dobby's warnings seem to be coming true.
Best for: Fans of school-set wizarding adventures with a creepy, mysterious edge
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is #1 on BookWard's Best Books of 1998, out of 36 1998 books that cleared our data bar.
What Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is about
Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his second year, though a house-elf named Dobby has already warned him not to go. The school has a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, the celebrity author Gilderoy Lockhart, and soon a message appears on a wall saying the Chamber of Secrets has been opened and the enemies of the heir should beware. Rumour says a monster in the Chamber attacks Muggle-born students, and Harry discovers he can speak the language of snakes, which makes people look at him differently.
With Ron and Hermione, Harry starts to investigate, and a strange diary belonging to Tom Riddle turns up in a bathroom. J. K. Rowling mixes mystery and humour with real questions about prejudice and how our choices shape who we become. The book won high praise and awards from critics, young readers, and the book industry, although some critics thought the story was perhaps too frightening for younger children.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on the Best Books of 1998
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets came out in 1998. Of the 36 books first published in 1998 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #1 on our Best Books of 1998 list.
Why it made the list: 6,725 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (461 ratings); 456 are reading it right now. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
It earns Most-read of 1998 and reader favorite and being read right now.
Nearby on the 1998 list
- Holes Louis Sachar, #2
- A Clash of Kings George R. R. Martin, #3
See all Best Books of 1998 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 1997 Best Books of 1999.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 5,322 want to read it, 456 are reading it now and 946 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.2 out of 5 from 461 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 100 | 55% |
| Reader love | 92 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 100 | 20% |
Questions about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
When was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets published?
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling was first published in 1998.
Was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets one of the best books of 1998?
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is #1 on BookWard's Best Books of 1998, out of 36 1998 books that cleared our data bar. 6,725 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (461 ratings); 456 are reading it right now.
Why is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on the Best Books of 1998 list?
6,725 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (461 ratings); 456 are reading it right now.
More of the best books of 1998
- Holes Louis Sachar, #2
- A Clash of Kings George R. R. Martin, #3
- Bag of Bones Stephen King, #4
- Among the Hidden Margaret Peterson Haddix, #5
- Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson, #6
- No, David! David Shannon, #7
See the full Best Books of 1998, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
Find your own best books
Add what you have read, rate it, and BookWard will recommend what to read next.
Free while in beta. No credit card needed.