Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two: The Official Playscript of the Original West End Production
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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
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
*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
I was so happy to be transported back into the magical world of Harry Potter one more time. I never thought that would happen again and for that I am grateful. Overall, I'm glad I read the screenplay. I had heard many not-so-good reviews of the book and decided to go into it as blindly as possible. I was able to avoid any spoilers and was very aware that this was a screenplay and not a book and that it wouldn't be the same as a Harry Potter book, and that helped me to enjoy it more and just take it for what it is: another new Harry Potter experience. HP8 is not perfect. The writing is often quite flat and SO FAR from J.K. Rowling's voice that at times the characters don't even feel like themselves (I'm looking at you, Ron...). It is largely plot and action based, and I'm sure the actors would bring so much more life into the script when performed, but to read it certainly felt unauthentic at times. Where the old characters fall a bit flat, the new ones shine. Albus and Scorpius have an enviable friendship. It was interesting to see the children of two arch-enemies become best friends, completely disregarding their fathers' opinions of the other family. It was also interesting to see Hogwarts through the eyes of an unpopular boy who wasn't particularly good at magic or Quidditch. Albus' experience at school was the complete opposite of Harry's and, in my opinion, made Hogwarts feel a little bit more realistic. I loved the theme of family in this book. It was so satisfying to see our trio happy with families of their own and jobs that were actually perfect for them. Regardless of how I felt about the actual choice of storyline, the writing style, or anything else, I still loved the book because it was another chance to be immersed in the wizarding world without knowing what happens next, and that is a rare thing that I haven't had the privilege of experiencing for many years. Harry Potter is and always will be my first true love when it comes to books. The original Harry Potter books inspired and engrossed me like nothing has since, and have proved themselves to endure as phenomenal works for nearly my whole life. I remember being six or seven years old and my mom purchased Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to read aloud to me at night before bed. As they came out, I checked out the next books at the library and devoured them. I became obsessed with the series -- I had SO MUCH HP merch back in the day. Shirts, a backpack, decorations for my room, a clock, video games, literally everything. I had my mom pre-order the new books for me and waited at the front door for UPS to show up. I attended midnight releases of the books and movies as I got older. I literally grew up alongside Harry Potter and I am so grateful for those wonderful experiences, and I will continue to be grateful for any little extension of that world that I might get. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK, I RECOMMEND STOPPING HERE. It was absolutely heartbreaking to read about Albus' trials during the first part of the book. I felt so sad for him to feel so lonely and useless at Hogwarts. I hated that he felt like a disappointment to Harry for being sorted into Slytherin. I wanted to help Albus and Harry to connect with each other and for Harry to be able to help Albus with his demons. I was terrified during the portion of the time travel when Albus and Scorpius discover the alternate reality where Voldemort is ruler. I had never considered that alternative -- that Voldemort was victorious during the Battle of Hogwarts, that he killed Harry and prevailed to lead the wizarding world into darkness. I'm glad it was a short piece of the book because it was so horrible, but it was interesting to consider and also put into perspective a bit more that weight of Harry's greatness that Albus felt he had to live up to. The back and forth time travel got a bit tiresome at times, but I did not see the twist with Delphi coming AT ALL. I love when I can be surprised by a twist or turn in a book and certainly was here, although thinking about Voldemort's and Bellatrix's daughter is pretty disgusting. It's very interesting that J.K. Rowling decided to make that canon. One last thing -- THANK YOU to J.K. Rowling for making Hermione Minister of Magic! I could not believe what I had read when that was revealed and was SO PROUD of my frizzy-haired girl for coming so far. Hermione was the first character I remember ever truly LOVING and identifying with and it was so wonderful to see her turn out to be everything she deserved.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2016 by Danielle | First Class Books 📚
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
Yikes. I'm honestly not quite sure how to digest this one. Let me preface by saying that I was fortunate enough to see the Cursed Child play on London's West End last week and it was magnificent! Sam Clemmett, Alex Price, and particularly Anthony Boyle did a fantastic job portraying Albus, Draco, and Scorpius respectively. If you get the chance to see the play, you will not regret it. The actors wonderfully bring what is an otherwise bland script to life and make it one of the more enjoyable and engaging live productions that I've seen. With that said- make no mistake about it, this play was quite clearly not written by JK Rowling or even in the tone that she set throughout the seven books. Harry, Hermione, and Ron (especially Ron!) almost seemed foreign to me. Ron's character is written in such a pathetic manner that it almost makes it unbelievable that someone like Hermione would be married to him. The play leaves you thinking that he has become a man of little to no substance as his character is inserted minimally and primarily as a source of comic relief. [MAJOR SPOILER ALERT] Aside from the integrity of the characters being compromised, the play also leaves some glaring plot holes; the most prominent one being Bellatrix Lestrange's pregnancy. The playwrights expect us to accept that Bellatrix Lestrange gave birth to Voldemort's child at Malfoy Manor prior to the Battle of Hogwarts. Wouldn't Rowling have left some hint of Lestrange's pregnancy in Book 7? If the child was born before the Battle of Hogwarts, wouldn't Voldemort have found some way to use the child to his advantage; especially because at this point he knew Harry was on a quest to destroy his horcruxes? Wouldn't Voldemort have done something desperate with the child knowing almost certainly there was no way that Harry Potter could ever destroy a baby, and thus never destroy him? I don't know-- it just seems too far out from the original story line for me. Voldemort's character in the books was desperate for immortality and power. Based on what we know of him, all signs point to the idea that he would have used that child in an act of desperation or selfishness to quench his thirst for these two things. Marring what was a marvelously crafted fiction series with baby drama seemed rather unnecessary to me. There are so many different directions they could have gone with for a sequel and this "who's your daddy" option was a little too soap opera-y for me. Although the premise of the play was Albus' struggles with living in his father's shadow and how that affected their relationship, there were too many inconsistencies throughout the play that distracted from this theme. However, Scorpius both on stage and in text was a delight! I would say that his character was probably one of the highlights of the play. Overall, I thought it was a weak follow-up to an epic series. If you read and accept it as something that was intended for the stage and somewhat disconnect yourself from the 7 books, then it's OK. As someone that has been enamored with the HP series since it was first released, I found the play to be underdeveloped and somewhat disappointing. It is definitely worth seeing on stage, but reading it as a standalone makes me wish Rowling would release an eighth book to clear up some of the inconsistencies and reestablish the magical world that we all grew up with and loved. Of course I would recommend reading it, but do so with an open mind.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2016 by LJ
Originally posted on my blog at https://rantandraveaboutbooks.com/2016/08/26/rave-review-of-harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child/ I pre-ordered this book a few weeks before its release date and held on to it for the past few weeks until the hype died down. I read very few reviews for this book, knowing only a few basic facts before I went into it. I didn’t even read the synopsis when I ordered it on Amazon because I didn’t want to risk any spoilers. Luckily, the synopsis didn’t give away the story. I’ve read some mixed reviews about this book, and I can honestly say that the hardcore Harry Potter fans will have issues with how time travel is handled. I went into this as a new adventure, happy to have another Harry Potter story. That’s it. I didn’t analyze every book in the series or make too many comparisons because I wanted to enjoy this story as if it were the lost novel J.K. Rowling stashed away in some drawer. I don’t care about the loopholes or the inconsistencies or the fact certain characters are missing from the story. Okay, I care a little bit, but I did not let it disrupt my enjoyment of this book. If you’re expecting this book to be a continuation of Harry Potter, you will be disappointed. But if you’re like me and you’re thrilled just to get another glimpse into this world, then you’ll probably rave over it. Another thing to consider is that this is a play adapted to a script book. With plays, the time is limited, and they had to cram a fair amount of information into a short time frame. There are almost always some minor inconsistencies in plays. It’s just how it is and it’s something I’ve come to accept after over twenty years of going to the theater. If you’ve never seen a live production and you’re expecting a full length book with all the questions answered, again you will be disappointed. What I Love About This Book… I forgot how much I missed Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione. I think I missed Ron most of all. I loved him from the second I read about him in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. He’s such a goofball and it was really nice to see him again. He had a few lines that made me laugh and go aww, Ron, I love you. Harry is still Harry just older and sort of grouchy. Even though the books were about Harry, I was more of a fan of the secondary characters. My opinion didn’t change after reading this book, and I was glad the focus of this book is on Albus Severus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. I really like the dynamic between Albus and Scorpius. From the start, everyone is hating on Scorpius and he was my favorite character from this book. Each scene with him only made me like him more. He could’ve chosen to be the bad guy at certain parts but the underlying story, just like the original books, comes down to friendship. That’s what I always liked about this series and that part remained intact. We get to see Snape again!!! I forgot how much I missed him, too. He was down to help the kiddies and I loved that he was willing to take one for the team once more. We see a little bit of Dumbledore, and there’s a really cute exchange between Harry and him where they discuss their relationship. Harry is very annoying in this book, which is why I was glad he wasn’t the focus. But I liked how his conversation with Dumbledore’s painting helped him to see what was wrong in his relationship with Albus. They constantly butt heads because they think they’re so different but it’s because they’re so much alike. My favorite book in the series is Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, and for that reason, I was really happy with the plot of this book. I loved being able to revisit parts of my favorite book with the help of a Time-Turner. And without going into detail, that also means you get to see some of the characters from back then, which was really exciting. I have always liked Draco Malfoy, and I guess if I had to choose a house I would’ve been sorted into Slytherin. I never gave much thought to this, mostly because I always thought with my personality this would make sense. I love characters like Snape and Draco. Who cares what house they’re in, right? That’s my thinking. I also liked the development of Harry and Draco’s characters as family men, and even though they’re not going to hug it out and have a sleepover, I did like that they had come to sort of understanding by the end of the book. There’s a secret about Draco that humanizes him a bit by the end, which I think had a lot to do with Harry’s change of heart. The Parts That Made My Heart Hurt… Although Hagrid was not a character in this book, we did see him through Harry’s dreams. For me, Hagrid was the reason I was sucked into the first book in the series. Well, that and the fact the Dursleys were child abusers and I was so angry about it that I kept reading to make sure Harry got away from them. Sorry for the short rant but I really hate the Dursleys. Anyway, hands-down Hagrid is one of my favorite characters in any book. There is a serious tear-jerker moment where we get to see the past, and when Hagrid sees baby Harry, oh my God, my heart melted. It reminded me why I love Hagrid so much. He’s such a sweetie. I just wanted to hug him. There are a few scenes at Godric’s Hollow, and if you’ve read the books, you’ll know what I’m talking about. I don’t want to get into the specifics, but my heart literally hurt for Harry. I was hating on him most of the book until this one particular moment. Harry and Albus’ relationship was painful at times, but I was really happy with their overall character development. Some of the exchanges between them made it feel like they were strangers and not father and son. It was sort of depressing to see Albus feel somewhat like Harry did as a kid when he had a father right there. I thought it made sense to some extent, considering Harry did not grow up with a father. It was also very sad to read about. There wasn’t much I disliked about the book, which is why I gave it 5 Stars on Goodreads. I think I was just too excited to have another Harry Potter book that I was willing to overlook some minor issues with things that J.K. Rowling attempted to fix throughout the series, only for them to reappear in this book. Just writing this review made me miss it even more so I decided to start watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I own all the movies through Amazon, so I couldn’t resist throwing it on just so I could see some of my favorite characters on-screen. And now I need to do a reread of this series, most likely some time closer to winter. I really tried to limit this review to character development, and I didn’t give any spoilers, not unless you count who made a reappearance, even though I didn’t mention all of them, but other than that, I didn’t reveal any of the plot. You’re in for hopefully a pleasant surprise if you haven’t read the book yet.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2016 by Jillian Quinn
i think at this point in life, after so many years with Harry Potter, i would like ANYTHING with harry and the gang in it. lol I didn't know much about the plot when i started reading the book, and one of my biggest fears about any new stuff in the HP world, would not have Harry in it. i was sooooo happy to see that was not the case in this book. this is not the kind of harry potter book we are used to. it isn' really written as a book. it's a play. sort of like reading a script, which makes it super fast to read. it does have a nostalgic feel and i have to say this, when i read the Epilogue on Deathly Hallows i couldn't stop crying. Harry and the gang, all grown up, taking their kids to platform 93/4 to take the hogwarts express... harry married ginny. hermione married ron... after folowing their adventures that ending just made me so happy i couldn't stop crying. we get so involved with these fictitious characters, dont we? yeah so i couldn't stop crying throughout the whole epilogue, didn't matter how many times i read it. even years later. i cried on the movie too. and every single time i watched it after that. silly i know. but then... what happened was that i couldn't stop crying while i was reading this book. lol no spoilers but it starts EXACTLY at the Epilogue in DH. i started reading it sunday night after i finished watching the last movie and i had to stop. i was sobbing!!! lol it was amazing travelling back into harry's life. it was great to see them as adults and dealing with life after everything that happened to them. especially harry. and draco. im happy they were all there and the story was a good balance between the new kids and the old. it left me wanting more tho. not even more stories, it does have a finality to it in my opinion. a sense that yeah... NOW the story is over. but it left me wanting so much more of this particular story. it's a play... it's short compared to all the other books. it doesn't have all the reach details of a story written in a book. it really concentrates solely on the main characters and the main story... where a book can branch out a bit more, florish around, and give way more details! i missed more stuff about james (son, not father) and Lily (daughter) Hugo is barely mentioned. I really want to know more about Draco's wife and their own story. Little scorpion... how not to love that little man??? a book could spend so much more time with him and Albus. the cursed child as is is a GREAT story... i highly recommend. i finished yesterday and i need to read it again. that's how awesome it is. But i hope and wish with all my heart JK Rowling writes a REAL HUGE BOOK and then that it becomes a movie.... with all the actors back.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2016 by Doodles21
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
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