Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Author: John Tiffany and Jack Thorne

Genre:  Fantasy

Published:  Arthur A. Levine Books

Pages: 328

Rating: 3/5
Read: August 2016

Blurb:

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.

SPOILERS*

Review:

Okay, so as many of you may know the Harry Potter series is my favourite series of all time.  It's a series I find myself fondly going over time and time again.

This 8th installment I felt rather let me down.  I had no need to remind myself that this piece of work was not by J.K. Rowling, but rather her world written in someone else's words.  In someone else's handwriting.  It did give me an in to finding out how the lives of the characters in Harry Potter became after the final battle of Hogwarts, but it didn't let me live and breathe it.
In the previous books, Hogwarts was home.  The boys Albus and Scorpius didn't like Hogwarts during the play and this did not resonate well with me.  I would love to be at Hogwarts, this would be the ultimate dream!  But enough about that.  My main problem was the fact that the story was written as a play.  A play that could have been watched, but should never have been put into print.  Reading it slightly opened my heart more to the Harry Potter world, but my heart and mind absolutely blossomed under J.K. Rowlings care throughout her books.

I found the series was being meddled with when things ought not to be meddled with.  It's dangerous (Hagrid would say!)  I am grateful that I fell in love with the series so long ago, it will always remind me of my childhood.  The book was based more on conflicts between family members, and conflicts and problems which rose during the book.  

The finality of the seventh book gave me all I needed.  Harry's scar hadn't hurt in 19 years, all was well.  The continuation, in my opinion, was unnecessary, and though I read it fast, I often read it to find out more about the characters.

I enjoyed how the plot was organised, but there were a few holes here and there.  I wonder if J.K. Rowling had edited it at all.  I wish she had, we may have wound up with an exceptional piece of art to read.  The Cursed Child was different, and because it was so different it unfortunately, felt like a money spinner rather than something us Potterheads really need.

I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't quite right.  Those people who have read the book already probably know what I'm talking about!  What were your thoughts on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?

Laura xo

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