Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two: The Official Playscript of the Original West End Production
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At a glance
- Condition
- New
- Dimensions
- 5.5 x 1.25 x 7.75 in
- Weight
- 8.3 oz
- Publisher
- Arthur A. Levine Books
- Publication date
- July 25, 2017
- Language
- English
- Print length
- 336 pages
Description
The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later. Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne, a play by Jack Thorne.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 playscript for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was originally released as a "special rehearsal edition" alongside the opening of Jack Thorne’s play in London’s West End in summer 2016. Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne, the play opened to rapturous reviews from theatergoers and critics alike, while the official playscript became an immediate global bestseller. Read more
Specs 10
| Publisher | Arthur A. Levine Books |
|---|---|
| Publication date | July 25, 2017 |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 336 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 133821666X |
| ISBN-13 | 60 |
| Item Weight | 8.3 ounces |
| Reading age | 10+ years, from customers |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 1.25 x 7.75 inches |
| Grade level | 5 - 6 |
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Top Amazon Reviews
Knew it was written *as a script*, and love it anyway!
Well firstly, I felt a bit tenuous about ordering Cursed Child after some of the reviews I read here....afraid I'd end up disappointed or left wanting and couldn't bear that. But then my Harry Potter mania took over and I knew I'd never be able to NOT read it! I LOVED the story premise, it gathered up loose strings I felt at the end of Deathly Hallows, wondering what might become of our three heroes, what would become of Hogwarts in a post-Voldemort world, what legacies would or would not continue.....what struggles would occur in a not-perfect world, especially that of raising children and coming to terms with one's own "unfinished or unsorted business". I started reading, wondering why on Earth JKR would consent to this story only being presented in script/screenplay form......but then as I got into the Acts, could clearly see why! And it supports her statement - (Taken from Wikipedia) In response to queries regarding the choice of a play rather than a new novel, Rowling has stated that she "is confident that when audiences see the play they will agree that it is the only proper medium for the story". I "get it" and won't put a spoiler here. It's richer to discover the reason yourself and feel the honor in it! As with all the Potter books, subtexts and valuable life lessons and messages are not far beneath the surface. I did GREATLY miss what I believe book-form "could have" been with JKR's delicious narrative and descriptions, but I'm a writer and could fill-in with my imagination, was resigned before I opened the first page that I had to embrace that this was a SCRIPT, not a JKR BOOK! So many seem to be rating and judging the story on it's format despite being warned...so to each their own on that point. My imagination and familiarity with the saga was able to *go there* and fill in the empty spaces. A book could be (maybe already *IS* written ::fingers crossed) but would then demand another expected movie, and there was absolutely no way this movie could be made and possess the same level of magic & *authenticity*. You'll see why when you read it. I recommend Cursed Child, *if* you are able to recognize and digest that this is a script, don't expect a tasty JKR tome. And JK, if you're reading? Your version of the full book would be so perfect, thank you! I hope it happens, even if the movie can't. ;) And now for spoilers.......... SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! You've BEEN WARNED! Some of the major JUMP-OUTS to me as far as criticisms of the book..... It seemed NOT like Harry's personality, especially given all he'd been through as a child himself, to ever, Ever, EVER tell Albus that he sometimes didn't want to be his father...that just seemed totally out-of-character. I get it that it's intrinsic to the story *conflict*....but seriously? You NEVER say anything like that to your kid unless you're a pretty horrible person or parent, .....and Harry isn't. I also found it difficult to swallow that with as honorable a guy as Cedric was when he was alive, that being humiliated during the tournament-time-revisit would be "enough" to piss him off or depress him so much that he'd go into a tailspin and become a deatheater.....um, nuh. Not Cedric. Not *my* Cedric...heh heh. Just didn't jive. It seemed like cruel and unusual dredging-up to make Harry have to witness his parents being killed, as an adult. That's like inflicting a whole new horrible wound and mental scar to never get over. Or maybe that was the point? Forever make Harry feel and be reminded of how many deaths he's associated with, guilt-him-to-death? And was it just me, or did you sense an undercurrent on a few occasions/situations where it almost seemed like Albus and Scorpius might be discovering their gay selves?!?!?! Seemed like it was veering that way. This isn't a criticism of that. But it almost seemed like Albus and Scorpius had more almost romantic *truly connected* moments than Scorpius and Rose, which then made the Scorpius and Rose so-called attraction seem disingenuous, or just some forced after-thought to include (?) The relationship between Albus and Scorpius was effectively SHOWN, not told. The relationship between Scorpius and Rose was TOLD, not shown. That bit of poor writing seemed like NOT-JKR-writing. And when did Bellatrix have sex with Voldemort to produce Delphi? Guessing that must have been hinted-at at the Deatheaters meeting in Deathly Hallows? Of course that could only be insinuated and keep a PG rating in the movie anyway. And then these questions can't help but make me wonder "Who's ideas were these, ANYWAY?" If it was just one author, no question. But with three contributors, you wonder (if) who influenced who and why? Motives can become slightly suspect. I don't like that feeling,. I wish *just* JKR had written it. I believe she felt Cursed Child was a gift to her hungry loyal Potter fans, to tie up loose ends.....and done under the only circumstances it could have been given. Afterall, with no Snape, any substitute would seem sacrilegious. STILL, a BOOK COULD BE WRITTEN!!! (Even if the movie couldn't happen.) But overall....I was still glad for the story and the possibility it presented of their world continuing..... Despite my criticisms, I still gave it a 5-star rating because I'm willing to accept it as the gift I *think* it was supposed to/intended to be, and also because I felt equipped and able to fill-in-the-descriptive-and-historical-blanks that a script format left vacant. However I would caution JKR to never let anyone else ever hold or help raise her babies again. Read with an open mind & heart. Reviews of the play seem SO favorable, I have a feeling that much is lost in only *reading* the script vs. seeing the play, which I very much look forward to seeing, either the actual play, or a DVD of it! The play sounds to be booked already well into 2017, so hopes for a DVD may be a long ways off.....
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Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2016 by Carol
If you are curious about the script then read it, your want and opinion is what matters.
No worries, there are NO SPOILERS in this review, just a heartfelt opinion =) Being that said I didn't read it when it first came out as there were SO MANY bad reviews. At the end at the start of this year I found myself in a deep Harry Potter groove, it was childhood all over again for me so I decided that I was going to read The Cursed Child as I was growing more curious about it, specially after reading that the play won so many awards. Now, is this the best plot I've read in my life? No, definitely not and the "shocking" plot twist I saw it coming a mile away, I was more shocked for being so obvious and unoriginal that any other reason, I actually broke down laughing on how silly I found it. I read the book at least a month ago and I had mixed feelings about it, so much that I actually started reading fanfiction of The Cursed Child and I found a GREAT one that continues on with the world The Curse Child introduces us to, the plot is MUCH better and the characters are very well portrayed so it took out a little of my frustrations with the play, BUT as time passed I kept coming back on how The Curse Child made me FEEL. From the start it wasn't so much about the plot, but more about the emotional journey of the characters and that is something I quite love and enjoy. A lot of people complain about Harry being a bit "dark" (which sounds so much to the Star Wars fans saying that Luke is too "hopeless" in The Last Jedi) but that's life people!! In our own lives we experience hardships and bad moments, sometimes we grow to be a better person, others we do not, but either way the only way we grow is by being challenged and THAT is the core of Albus's story with his dad; their relationship is a challenge for both of them, not just to one another, but to also in an introspective way. We see how their lives have evolved, changed them and mold them. We have the Potters, and in the other hand we have the Malfoys and the difference is so great! We see how the hero (Harry) and the antihero (Draco) learned and grew out of the different experiences they had to live, how that shaped the relationship with their sons and how that affects EVERYTHING around them. The lovely thing about The Cursed Child is not the main plot which I find dull, but the journey the characters are embarked on emotionally speaking, and how at the core of it all is the desire for family, to be seen and understood (even for the most unexpected characters); which is something we can all relate to. We have all being teenagers, we all KNOW how it feels when your parents don't see you, or you don't feel loved or understood by them, Albus's suffering is legit, despite being a little self-centered (like all kids at that age) and we see how Scorpius too deals with growing (and quite heart-wrenching) pains, but at the same time we see how they differ from one another and the different perspective both take on life. Also I have to add that the "big problem" in The Cursed Child and that much people don't get is that this is NOT a book. A book, a novel is meant to be complete and whole on itself, it doesn't need anything else to be added. A script on the other hand is not, it is complete only when it is performed and showcased in front of an audience with its actors, scenery and music. I've been hearing the soundtrack created by Imogen Heap for The Cursed Child play and is BRILLIANT! If you love her credit song for Narnia: The Witch, the Lion and the Wardrobe you will love the music she created for the play. Is mystical and magical, it takes you somewhere deep within you and into the story; I can totally see the different scenes matched up to her music and it just FITS. So maybe as a written experience The Cursed Child might not be much, but I feel that as a play is something else entirely, although I haven't seen the play, but just by hearing the soundtrack Imogen Heap created I have a deep desire to see it, as it truly transports you to the story, hopefully they will in time bring it so south america, 'cause it would be awesome to be able to be transported to that world, as I find the emotional journey of the characters VERY compelling so being able to see it on stage must be wonderful. So my advice it this, if you like this type of stories with emotional load and character development, read it, I believe you will enjoy it. If you dislike that type of story and you want those BIG plot twist with an amazing story maybe it will not be of your taste, although everyone has their own definition of what an "amazing story" is, but comparing to the other Harry Potter books I say this pot is rather dull, but the emotional road is intense and I quite enjoy that; love character development in stories and Albus relationship with Scorpius is rather truthful and conflicted sometimes too, I feel it is very honest in the way it treats father and son relationships, family relationships, friend relationships, the relationship with yourself and your own darkness as well. Also, if you have Spotify (or on Youtube) do look up Imogen Heap's soundtrack for the play, I bet that reading the script while hearing the music would be a profound experience, even if we can't see the actors performs, we can well see the characters perform in our minds. Hope this review can help you all and as said in the title, if you are curious it doesn't matter what anyone else says, go and read it and is your choice if you enjoy it or not, you have the right to both.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2019 by Carolina
A Must for Harry Potter Fans
My birthday is one day after Harry Potter's, and getting this book was definitely an early birthday present. I read it from beginning to end in one sitting--nearly 4 hours, and the time flew by. I don't want to spoil any of the story for those who are going to read it, but it is, in my opinion, an amazing feat. I am not usually a fan of "revisionist writers" -- going back and making things too tidy, too self-contained--because life is full of serendipity and messiness. In this case, though, there's just enough of the "old" Harry Potter story to build the story, and there is a lot of really good thought that went into this. There is excellent adventure, fast pace, mistakes, regrets, challenges, growing up... There are a lot of similar themes to the original Harry Potter books, as well as some expounded and clarified themes. There are many "old friends" -- Moaning Myrtle, Severus Snape, Cedric Diggory, Hagrid, Bane, Draco Malfoy, Professor McGonnagle, Madam Hooch, Aunt Petunia, ... There are a number of twists that kept me reading it from beginning to end. The twists and turns, the breathtaking audacity and philosophical discussions about regret, responsibility, power, heritage, friendship, family, are pure J. K. Rowling. There are some great quotes, powerful insights, and it was so good to "visit" the Harry Potter world again. Well worth the read. EDIT: There are a lot of mixed reviews being posted, and I can see some of the points that are raised. I will address a few of these, hopefully without being unnecessarily critical of the points raised. 1. This is a play. This isn't a 400-to-800-plus page book. There isn't going to be the lengthy plot and character development that goes with a J. K. Rowling book. 2. This is a play. There are necessarily constraints on the "special effects" that can happen. Similarly there are really few plots that are possible (person faces external hardship and overcomes, or doesn't; person faces intrapersonal conflict and resolves it, or doesn't). 3. This play has some major components addressing how we in Western society always want what we can't have, and how we think "if only this had (or hadn't) happened, then my life would have been so much better", and how completely incorrect that can be. Spoiler alert! Stop here if you don't want to know any key elements of the story. 4. Time-turners: Yes, the supply of time-turners was completely destroyed in HP5. It's also been 20+ years since then. The Ministry of Magic never banned them being created, and even if they had, the Wizarding community is pretty fast and loose with rules. The rule about not going back more than 5 hours isn't a physical law, but one that indicates the catastrophic effects that can happen if one does go further back...as evidenced by this story. 4a. Time-turners: The wealthy are able to procure things that the average person can't, and can get a "pass" because they are privileged. 5. Delphi: I can completely believe Bellatrix would want to be the mother of Voldemort's child. I have a harder time picturing Voldemort being ok with having a child, because s/he would be a potential rival, and he has no natural affection for anyone. (mentally I was like-- thishas to be artificial insemination!) I find Delphi's overwhelming desire to please her father an interesting juxtaposition to Albus's desire to annoy his. 6. Cedrick would never have been a death-eater: You can only be misused, the deck stacked unjustly, and be faced with unreasonable expectations for so long before you chuck fairness into the bin. Cedrick could have become a Death Eater just to spite HP. 7. Harry was really out of character: Harry was never the fabulous hero that too many fans made him out to be... he was a rule-breaker, a liar, a thief, not good at homework, frequently vengeful and unreasonable when it came to people he disliked. He's a frustrated, overworked Ministry official who sometimes gets it wrong (as he's done in the past), who is over-protective and has personal prejudices. If you've never said something you shouldn't have to a child, especially in the heat of the moment of frustration or anger, then chances are pretty good you're not a parent. 8. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, whomever isn't much of a character anymore: no, this is a story about Harry, Albus and Scorpios. Accept that and move on. 9. How could they all stand there and watch October 31, 1981 happen again? This is the whole point... changing one thing changes everything, and who you are is a result of all you have experienced. If we are fortunate, we will be able to look back on those devastatingly difficult times, and see how they brought us to the present moment to those we love, and it will have been worth the price.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2016 by Lee M
18 Years Later...
3.5 stars...but let me explain... Like most fans of Harry Potter, the idea and possibilities of an 8th entry into the series was always something fun to ponder and discuss. Rowling leaving us with the image of Potter's kids going off to Hogwarts, following in their famous father's footsteps also helped fuel the speculation and fan theories. However, that was one of the most perfect endings in all forms of entertainment. Aside from Breaking Bad, I honestly don't think there was ever a more perfect conclusion to a series. So when the announcement of The Cursed Child was made a while back, I, as I'm sure many other fans did, felt a sense of excitement, while, at the same time, that nagging worry that, as Hollywood has shown with horrible and unasked for sequels (here's looking at you Zoolander 2 and Dumb and Dumber To), The Cursed Child would be a huge let down. Thankfully, I can safely say that The Cursed Child in and of itself was not as bad as I feared. The format is definitely odd (we will get to that in a moment), and it's pretty damn obvious that though this is Rowling's concept(s), it is not her voice on paper (also more on that later), the story and overall feel is Harry Potter through and through. The wonder of Hogwarts still exisits, the dark magic of Voldemort and his death eaters still permeates and gives the story the dark feelings of the later entries into the series, and Albus and Scorpious aren't necessarily as strong and Harry and his friends, but together they make a good team; ones you can't help but root for, even if Albus is a huge ass brat most of the time. It's also an incredibly fast and easy read (I read this in 2 days, while in the midst of one of the busiest and hectic weeks of 2016), which should come as no surprise since pretty much all of the Harry Potter books are that way. I just wish that Rowling and everyone else involved would have chosen to go down the normal, safe path and publish this as a novel instead of the script format. I have no problem with the idea of doing the entire thing in a play production. In fact, I think that's actually a pretty cool idea, especially now at a time when things like Hamilton are all the rage. The problem, however, is that it completely fails when translated to the page. Maybe it's because I've never been a big fan of the stage, or had any interest in being an actor, but whatever the case, trying to read Harry Potter in strictly dialogue and stage direction wasn't what I would call easy. Unlike a novel that flows together in paragraphs and sentences, a page of speaking instructions and commands to actors is jarring and takes the reader out of the story. I'm not saying it doesn't work (go read Shakespeare's Star Wars to see what I mean), I just don't think it did here. Don't get me wrong, I think this would look absoleuylt beautiful on the stage in London, but it sure doesn't look beautiful when you're trying to read it. And while it's true that Rowling's fingerprints are all over The Cursed Child, I don't think she was the one that did any of the actual writing. It was like she gave Jack Thorne and John Tiffany an outline and let them have at it. While the dialogue between characters is clever and realistic, the feel is gone. I don't know if that makes much sense, but when reading this, there never seemed to be any of Rowling's original touch. Not that I'm totally blaming her (she has the Cormoran Strike series to write, a movie to produce, and a personal life to live), but without her at the helm of the writing process, it shows. I really wanted to give The Cursed Child 4 stars, and I very nearly did. The problem is that in all honesty I couldn't. Of course it was better than expected in the story part, and the twist at the end, had I not accidentally read about it before, was one of the better ones I can remember in recent memory, however that can't be overlooked by the disinteresting format and the absence of Rowling herself. Not that my review is gonna stop sales, however. The book is already a worldwide bestseller and on track to be England's fastest selling book of all time. Not to mention tickets for the play are coming in at upwards of 1,500 bucks. So in that regard, it's still a rousing success.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2016 by Jdog7_29
A Worthy Addition
*some spoilers to follow* If I’m being honest, I never originally intended on reading this story. I adore Harry Potter, I just felt that the story was better left as is after the epilogue of the Deathly Hallows. But then my book bestie morphed into the pushiest book pusher that ever pushed and suddenly I found myself having already finished and wondering how I ever thought I could not read this. Setting aside all the vast amounts of criticism this has received (i.e. this isn’t written by Rowling, it reads like fan-fic, it’s not even a book but a screenplay) it ended up being more than I could have ever hoped for. “Hogwarts will be the making of you, Albus. I promise you, there is nothing to be frightened of there.” Taking us right back to the epilogue of the Deathly Hallows, we get to see Albus getting on his first train to Hogwarts. And his discussion with Harry regarding the possibility of him being placed in Slytherin. We’re not given the detailed account of his time spent at Hogwarts, but rather the generalized impression that Hogwarts isn’t quite the sanctuary for him that it was for his father. The comprehensive details of the world are also missing from the screenplay but for those of us who have already read the first seven books, that world is emblazoned upon our minds and no rehashing of details are necessary for us to fully comprehend each and every scene. Cursed Child manages to smoothly connect many major plot points from the original novels: the infiltration of the Ministry of Magic by Harry, Ron, and Hermione (Deathly Hallows, book 7), the Tri-Wizard tournament and Cedric’s death (Goblet of Fire, book 4), time turners (Prisoner of Azkaban, book 3), the perpetual battle between good and evil, and the important father-son relationships that have been a focal point of this series from the beginning. It also makes a less than obvious point of showing how seemingly inconsequential deaths end up having a much larger impact in the grand scheme of things. With the help of a time turner, we’re shown snippets of how the world could have been with the simplest of changes. The variation of possibilities was both shocking and horrifying. What I most enjoyed was how this wasn’t simply a new set of adventures with a new set of characters but rather recognition of the fact that the actions of the past was not a given end to that story, but that they inevitably had an effect on the future of their own children. Harry: “How do I protect my son, Dumbledore?” Dumbledore: “You ask me, of all people, how to protect a boy in terrible danger? We cannot protect the young from harm. Pain must and will come.” While we do see the original characters and what they have become 19 years later, the focal point is on their children, primarily Albus and Scorpius who become immediate friends on the Hogwarts Express. Albus has a severely strained relationship with his father, Harry, and has difficulty living up to not just the enormous importance of his father, of the great men he was named after, and because of the fact that he was in fact placed in Slytherin rather than his father’s house, Gryffindor. It’s easy to see from the original stories how understandable it would be for Harry to not be the perfect father, considering his own lack of a permanent father figure. He does what he feels is best even when it is quite clearly not best, and the scenes between the two are often painful and heartbreaking. Scorpius, son of Draco Malfoy, also suffers from a poor relationship with his father due the actions of his past as well as Draco’s own relationship with his father, Lucius. In October of this year I decided to do an impromptu re-read of the Harry Potter series on audio. I have re-read books 1-3 numerous times but I tend to run out of steam and have never been able to re-read books 4-7. Well, I finally overcame my hangups and completed my first re-read of Goblet of Fire. Due to the majority of this story centering around the storyline from The Goblet of Fire I chose to do my second re-read of the year (ha) of Cursed Child since the storyline was still so fresh in my mind. It works extremely well if you treat it as a #4.5 book as well, granted, it’s vital to know the outcome of the series as a whole in order to fully appreciate how it ties everything together and illustrates the growth of these characters. “Perfection is beyond the reach of humankind, beyond the reach of magic. In every shining moment of happiness is that drop of poison: the knowledge that pain will come again. Be honest to those you love, show your pain. To suffer is as human as to breathe.” Yes, perfection is an impossibility, and while there were many things I would have personally changed, this still managed to hit all my Harry Potter feels as perfectly as possible. Cursed Child reinforced my love of both the original stories and characters by growing them in legitimate ways, it gave me new characters to love (primarily Scorpius <3), and it removed the stereotype associated with Slytherin house by showing that not all associated are necessarily evil. #slytherinpride
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Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2016 by Bonnie
BEST BOOK TO DATE
Obsessed!!! I couldn't put my Kindle down. I've waited for this particular story for what feels like ages, and words cannot even describe for how grateful I am that it finally exists in my hands. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child continues the wondrous magical world that we all know and love. The story starts out at King's Cross with the original trio preparing their school-age children to board the train to start their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It's at this time that Harry and his son, Albus, share a nice father-son moment: “Albus: Dad . . . Do you think — what if I am — what if I’m put in Slytherin . . . Harry: And what would be wrong with that? Albus: Slytherin is the House of the snake, of Dark Magic . . . It’s not a House of brave wizards. Harry: Albus Severus, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.” (I dislike Snape, but the overall conversation made me tear up a bit.) I also really appreciated that they talked about Slytherin in a positive light. We have a few time jumps here and there, and then complications arise because Harry - Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement - seized an illegal Time-Turner from Theodore Nott and has kept it. “The once-great Harry Potter, now a stone-cold Ministry man.” Meanwhile, Albus gets sorted into Slytherin and struggles with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. Harry tries to reach out to Albus but finds that he has diffuclity understanding someone different. And their connection wobbles from year to year because of it. “Harry: Do you want a hand? Packing. I always loved packing. It meant I was leaving Privet Drive and going back to Hogwarts. Which was . . . well, I know you don’t love it but . . . Albus: For you, it’s the greatest place on earth. I know. The poor orphan, bullied by his uncle and aunt Dursley . . . Harry: Albus, please — can we just — Albus: . . . traumatized by his cousin, Dudley, saved by Hogwarts. I know it all, Dad. Blah, blah, blah. Harry: I’m not going to rise to your bait, Albus Potter. Albus: The poor orphan who went on to save us all. So may I say — on behalf of wizarding kind — how grateful we are for your heroism. Should we bow now or will a curtsy do? Harry: Albus, please — you know, I’ve never wanted gratitude. Albus: But right now I’m overflowing with it — it must be the kind gift of this moldy blanket that did it . . . Harry: Moldy blanket? Albus: What did you think would happen? We’d hug. I’d tell you I always loved you. What? What? Harry (finally losing his temper): You know what? I’m done with being made responsible for your unhappiness. At least you’ve got a dad. Because I didn’t, okay? Albus: And you think that was unlucky? I don’t. Harry: You wish me dead? Albus: No! I just wish you weren’t my dad.” Harry and Albus are trying to reach each other here, both are failing. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes darkness comes from unexpected places. The Cursed Child answered a lot of topics that had been left unanswered in my mind, and it makes my heart tighten just thinking about everything. “Harry: And I’ve locked away the map. You won’t see it again. Your mum left your room exactly as it was when you ran away — you know that? Wouldn’t let me go in — wouldn’t let anyone go in — you really scared her . . . And me. Albus: Really scared you? Harry: Yes. Albus: I thought Harry Potter wasn’t afraid of anything? Harry: Is that how I make you feel? Albus looks at his dad, trying to figure him out. ALBUS: I don’t think Scorpius said, but when we returned after failing to fix the first task, I was suddenly in Gryffindor House. Nothing was better between us then either — so — the fact that I’m in Slytherin — that’s not the reason for our problems. It’s not just about that.” I really appreciated that their relationship was developed in a very honest and raw way. And not only theirs, but the development of Draco and his son, Scorpius, was truly melting my everything. “Draco: Astoria always knew that she was not destined for old age. She wanted me to have somebody when she left, because . . . it is exceptionally lonely, being Draco Malfoy. I never realized, though, that by hiding him away from this gossiping, judgmental world, I ensured that my son would emerge shrouded in worse suspicion than I ever endured. Harry: Love blinds. We have both tried to give our sons, not what they needed, but what we needed. We’ve been so busy trying to rewrite our own pasts, we’ve blighted their present.” Watching Draco care deeply and fiercely for his child made me open up my heart. Oh, and I wanted to mention how ecstatic I was when Albus befriended a Malfoy. Their friendship was inspiring until the very last heartbreaking page.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2016 by Nicole Tiera
A Different Trip to the Harry Potter World
When I first heard that there was going to be a play sequel to the Harry Potter series, I was intrigued and hoped at some point I’d get to see it. When they announced they were going to release the rehearsal script, I was happy, but didn’t plan to buy it right away. I should know me better than that. Yep, I caved and bought Harry Potter and the Cursed Child the week it came out. If you aren’t yet familiar with the world of Harry Potter thanks to the wildly successful novels and equally wildly successful movies, then this book isn’t for you. It assumes you know the backstory to what happens here, and if you don’t, you will be positively lost. There are references to events and cameos by characters from the past books. However, if you are already a fan, you’ll love diving into the latest story. What is most notable about this book is that it is a bound copy of the rehearsal script for the play. That means it reads very differently than a novel. Essentially, it gives us dialogue and minimal stage direction and even less description. It’s a different type of read, and you need to be in the proper mindset going into the book as a result. The play actually opens with a scene we are already familiar with - the epilogue of the final novel. In it, we see an adult Harry Potter sending his middle child off to his first year at Hogwarts. From there, we see Albus Severus Potter landing in the unlikeliest house in the school and making a surprising best friend. We breeze through a few scenes before really landing on the heart of the story, which involves time travel, alternative realities, and a chance to save an innocent from dying. But when things go wrong, can Albus Potter undo what he has done? Can Harry Potter work with his son to save the day? I’ve seen some fans complain about this book being glorified fan fiction, and I can see their complaints. The plot seems a little wacky overall, not the carefully thought out books in the series. Yet, every time I started to feel that way, the characters pulled me back into the story and I forgot my complaints. If you know and love these characters, it’s hard to not cheer for them. I still feel like the basic premise of the story doesn’t sit completely right, but I don’t mind so much. And that’s because I love the core cast of characters, and it was great to see them again. I’m not sure I bought Ron’s personality in the story, but that’s my only real quibble with the characters. There was a surprise ally along the way, and I loved seeing that relationship develop. There were some truly touching moments as well. Many of them were predictable, but that didn’t make them any less touching. Those used to the immersive world of the Harry Potter novels will definitely miss that here. Once again, we are reading a play, which is mostly dialogue. The details of Harry’s world aren’t here because we would see that on stage. And maybe that’s part of the reason I always had a hard time getting truly into the world like I would the books. I kept picturing actors on a stage as events unfolded. And the short scenes always made me think of how the scenes would change for an audience. I tried to picture how they’d do the magic on stage as well. That was distracting, although it is a personal issue. The book is only 300 pages, so shorter than most of the novels. Couple that with lots of white space because this is a script, and you have a very fast read. Again, I think this helps explain some of the complaints from fans. While I don’t think this will ever be anyone’s favorite book in the series, I’m certainly glad I read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. If I ever get a chance to see it, I’ll jump. If you are a fan, go into it expecting a play script instead of a novel, and you’ll be just fine.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2016 by Mark Baker - Carstairs Considers
Review may contain spoilers
Format: Kindle
As a long-time fan of the Harry Potter series, I found Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to be an amazing read—an emotional and exciting way to revisit the Wizarding World. While it was a departure from the traditional novels in the series, written as a screenplay rather than a conventional prose narrative, it ultimately delivered a captivating continuation of Harry's story. One of the first challenges I encountered was adjusting to the format. A screenplay doesn’t offer the same in-depth narrative descriptions or character insights as the books, and the time jumps can initially feel disorienting. But once I settled into the rhythm of the script and its quick shifts between past, present, and future, the story began to take shape in a truly dynamic way. The pacing was fast, and the emotional beats hit hard, making it easy to get swept up in the drama despite the initial format adjustment. The story was a brilliant continuation of the Harry Potter saga, bringing familiar faces back while introducing new, equally compelling characters. The dynamic between Harry, Ron, and Hermione in their adult lives was particularly touching, showing how far they’ve come since their Hogwarts days. But the real heart of the story lies in the next generation—Harry’s son, Albus Potter, and his unlikely friendship with Scorpius Malfoy. The relationship between these two characters is rich with depth, and it felt like the natural evolution of the themes of friendship, loyalty, and redemption that the series has always explored. What stood out most for me was how The Cursed Child successfully captured the magical, whimsical, and sometimes dark qualities of the original series while introducing a new challenge that was both thrilling and heart-wrenching. The magic of time travel and the exploration of alternate realities added a fresh layer to the story that was both thought-provoking and visually striking (as I can imagine it would be on stage). But what truly shocked me was the unexpected twist at the end that confirmed a long-standing fan theory. Without giving too much away, I was floored by the revelation—it was something I’d seen speculated in fan discussions, but to see it actually come to life in the narrative took me completely by surprise. It added a whole new layer of depth to the characters and the story’s themes, and I couldn’t help but feel a mix of awe and disbelief as the final pages unfolded. While it’s not quite the same as diving into one of the original novels, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child provided a satisfying continuation of the story, filling in the gaps of what life looks like after the Battle of Hogwarts. It may not be perfect, but it is certainly a memorable and worthwhile read for anyone who’s ever fallen in love with the world of Harry Potter.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2025 by The reader