Title: "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child"
Author: JK Rowling, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany
Genre: Fiction, fantasy, screenplay
Synopsis: Nineteen years after the famous Battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter is working at the Ministry of Magic and is the father of three. The story follows his son Albus Sirius as he struggles to deal with his father's legacy and the darkness and tragedies of his past.
Review: First of all, I knew I wasn't going to love this the way that I love the original Harry Potter series, simply because it is a screenplay and not a novel. However, I didn't expect to be as disappointed as I was. To me, it just seems like this was an afterthought that failed to provide the intricate storyline and details that we've come to expect from Harry Potter and JK Rowling. Again, a lot of this has to do with the actual format and the fact that it is immensely shorter than previous books but, if I am completely honest, I just wish this had never come to light. I read it quickly and while I was engrossed, I found that it felt more like a fan fiction story than the work of a world-renowned author. I did appreciate the humour that was injected in the story (most notably from Ron!) but overall, the storyline was lacking. Even the climax of the novel was somehow anticlimatic. If I hadn't already read the Harry Potter books and had such high expectations, I probably would have enjoyed this more. However, while it was a light and quick read, it was overall a disappointment to me.
Rating: 3/5
Other Musings:
- I still love Ron Weasley!
- I would really like to see this play! Even though I didn't love the book, I feel like it would be an amazing experience to see it in action (I just have to disassociate it from the series).
- I would still recommend you read it if you love Harry Potter, just don't set your expectations high.
- I kept expecting Scorpius and Albus to fall for each other.. did anyone else feel that way?
I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially if you are a fellow die-hard Harry Potter fan like myself! Did you love it or hate it?
I thought scorpius and albums would get together too! Much the same feelings as you had. I enjoy reading screenplays and I would love to see this one in person, but it didn't give me the same feelings as the books. I do however feel like I got some closure knowing that all is well!
ReplyDeleteYou're right about the closure! It was nice to know that everyone was alive and well. Thanks for the comment!
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ReplyDeleteI think because I went into it with zero expectations, I really enjoyed it. I was a midnight-release-party book kid back in the day, so probably like 85% Potterhead.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed revisiting the world of Harry Potter. I did feel like it was a bit less complex than the books, and the character development wasn't as good given it was a screenplay. I also felt like it was a little childish at times, almost like 1st book stuff vs. 7th book stuff, you know? That said, I wasn't disappointed, I felt transported, and I felt like it gave me a little of the Harry Potter spirit.
I think I'm going to read the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts when it comes out, because the format for this one didn't put me off!
I definitely appreciated the Harry Potter spirit and the excitement of a new look into the world now that the books are done, however, I think I had set my expectations too high. Thanks for the comment!
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