Book Review: Harry Potter & the Cursed Child

Does this really count as a "book" review if it's actually a play?

 

Either way, I picked up my copy the day before we left on our honeymoon and had the entire book read by the time we landed in the Dominican Republic. Oops?

 

& then I read it again on the beach on my Kindle.

Because yes, both the hardback and Kindle versions were absolutely necessary to own.

 

Harry Potter & the Cursed Child

From the inside cover: 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.

 

I grew up with Harry Potter. I picked up the first book when I was eleven, immediately read books 2 & 3, and was at the midnight release of books 4-7. I probably would have been at the midnight release for this one, too, if it didn't happen 45 min after our wedding reception ended.

 

This series is one that I've read a hundred times over. Easy. The movies? I can quote them all to you and Patrick has threatened to turn them off more than once if I don't stop quoting while watching with him.

 

So I had high expectations for this latest installment.

 

And like all of the other books, the story was taken in a direction that I would have never in a million years guessed. Well, other than who Albus' first friend would be and which house he would be sorted into. Both of those were very predictable and two things that I thought were fantastic about the book. Other than that? What happened in the book is not what I would have expected at all but as per usual, the story told was great.

 

I loved the play format and if it were possible to, I would book a trip to London and go see this in person. Reading a play ended up being a lot easier than I anticipated, but I missed all of the thorough descriptions provided throughout the series. I would have really liked more of that somehow.

 

Of course, I want more of the story. Harry Potter & the Cursed Child covers a lot of ground but it would be so great to know more... all the little things that happened through the years rather than just the major points. Some things that happened weren't 100% believable and if there had been more behind what happened, I'm sure some things would have made a bit more sense. I think that's why I really would like to see this play in person. Maybe it makes more sense in that format?

 

Overall, I would give this 4 out of 5 stars. It isn't my favorite HP book ever {that's a tie between the 3rd & 4th books, and the entire battle scene of the 7th book because that really could have been a book of it's own} but it's up there with one that I'll read over and over again.

 

Have you read it?? What did you think?