Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two

The Details
Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Parts One and Two
Author: J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 343 pages
Release Date: July 31, 2016
Medium: Hard Cover Play
Rating: 4/5
Pace: Fast
Stand Alone or Series: Book 8 in Harry Potter Series (Play)


“Those we love never truly leave us, Harry. There are things that death cannot touch.”

The Goodreads Synopsis
Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.

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.

The Review
First, if you’re reading this before you read the play, please don’t go into it as the eighth installment of the Harry Potter series. It’s more like a fan fiction spin off.

Now, onto the review. The play write itself was very entertaining. I enjoyed the small glimpses into the past Harry Potter novels. Although, I felt as though some of the script discredited the original stories.

The take on the original Harry Potter character’s kids was very entertaining. I enjoy time travel using the time turner, so I enjoyed the major plots of the play. If you don’t enjoy or believe that the time turner should be used, this play write isn’t for you.

The Characters
The original Harry Potter characters are only briefly seen throughout the play write.
Harry’s son, Albus, and Draco’s son, Scorpius, are the main characters in this play write. I enjoyed both characters and loved the unexpected relationships between characters.

The Style
First and foremost, this is a play script. It’s not a novel. It was fun to read as a script versus a novel and it made me want to see the play in person. The scenes went quicker than I wanted, as most plays do. I wanted to savor some of the interactions. It was a very fast read for me and is relatively short considering the format of the writing.

The Recommendation
I recommend this to all lovers of Harry Potter and the wizarding world, keeping in mind it’s not the 8th installment. Even if, as a reader, you don’t like reading plays, it’s worth the time if you love the wizarding world that J.K. Rowling created.

I don’t recommend this to anyone new to the wizarding world and Harry Potter. Some references won’t be understood if you haven’t read or seen the movies of the seven Harry Potter novels. 


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