Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Parts 1 & 2)
Author: John Tiffany, Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling
Published: July 2016 by Little Brown
Genre: Fantasy play
How I got the book: I bought it
Summary:
The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.
While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.
My Review:
I don’t have much of an introduction for this one. It’s Harry Potter, so of course, I’m going to read it.
When this was first released, I thought this was going to be more about Harry’s child being in Slytherin House and his Hogwarts years going through that (because we all know he doesn’t want to be in that house). So, I was surprised when this had a much more in depth plot.
Albus makes a new friend in Draco Malfoy’s son and when they get put into Slytherin house together, Albus is upset. He tries to prove himself better than the average Slytherin by attempting to stop a death that happened when his father attended Hogwarts. That means going back in time.
And we all know what happens when anyone, not just wizards, meddles with time.
The plot was definitely very interesting and unique. I was gripped from the moment it started and I thought it was a great throwback to the original series.
I didn’t know what to make of our old friends, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I felt Harry and Ron were a little out of character at times, but then again, it’s 19 years later, they’re much older and they’re parents. Still, I felt as though Ron was “dumbed down” and was simply there for comic relief while Hermione and Harry tried to figure everything out that was going on with their children.
Albus, Harry’s son, got himself into repeated trouble, just like his father. With the help of his best friend, Scorpius Malfoy, they try to change the past in an attempt to make things better for themselves.
I did enjoy the dynamic between Harry and Draco as they tried to help their sons, but that was only after Harry realized how stupid he was being. He didn’t have a good relationship with Albus in the story, which caused everything to happen. He even tried to separate Albus and his only friend mostly because he was Draco’s son. But Harry’s better than that.
Yes, this is fan fiction, but it was still bothersome. The characters definitely could have used some work.
I enjoyed that this was a play. It was easy to read and fun to follow along. It was refreshing to read such a different format other than the average novel.
Still, as much as I enjoyed it, I do wish it was longer. I definitely could have kept reading more.
This was a refreshing read. I love revisiting these characters. The plot was fun, though I wish there were more to it. We barely saw Hogwarts and I would have loved to see more of Albus getting along with his classmates and his general classes. Not to mention, Harry and Ron should have been more in character. Still, I enjoyed it.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling gets…
4 out of 5 stars
Favorite Quote:
“The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.” –J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
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