Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two (Special Rehearsal Edition) by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two (Special Rehearsal Edition)

by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne, 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 30th July 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.

Reviewed by ammaarah on

2 of 5 stars

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"The world changes and we change with it. I am better off in this world. But the world is not better. And I don't want that." (Scorpius Malfoy)

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the official eight Harry Potter book, but it doesn't even feel or read like canon. The plot doesn't feature anything new and exciting and the characters that I've come to know and love aren't the same.

I didn't enjoy the plot of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. After the happy ending in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I expected Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to come up with something different and original. Instead, we end up reading about the same issues, the same villian from the original series and time travelling. Everything is just LESS MAGICAL. Harry's scar starts hurting again. There's a threat of Voldemort coming back. And the worst part, Voldemort has a daughter with Bellatrix LeStrange. WHAT IN THE WORLD?!?!

It's also weird to see characters that I know and love acting completely different or being pushed aside and becoming cardboard cut-outs. Harry Potter becomes a narrow-minded man with poor parenting skills, Hermione loses almost all of her "punch", Ron is reduced to being the comic relief character and (surprise, surprise) Draco is featured in a brighter light than The Boy Who Lived. However, what I do like about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is that it's very character-driven. I especially enjoyed reading about the conflict that Harry Potter is having with his son and seeing how their relationship progresses. My favourite character is Scorpius. Who would have guessed that Draco Malfoy would have such a precious cinnamon roll for a son.

I wish I could watch the play just to experience the Harry Potter and Cursed Child magic. Reading a script that has the potential to derail every single nostalgic thought that I have of one of one of my favourite childhood series is quite a scary thing. The good news, I didn't hate Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The bad news, I didn't love it either.
"Be honest to those you love, show your pain. To suffer is as human as to breathe." (Professor Dumbledore)

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  • Started reading
  • 11 July, 2017: Finished reading
  • 11 July, 2017: Reviewed