Authors: Jack Thorne, with J.K. Rowling and John Tiffany
Publisher: Little Brown
Date published: 2016
Rating: 4.5/5
Spoiler warning: Moderate
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.
- From Goodreads.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child feels quite weird and bonkers to read, but then Harry Potter has always been that way and I am glad it has managed to keep its sense of humour and fun. Additionally, I think it felt a little strange to read because in the past when I have read Harry Potter it has mainly been from Harry's perspective, with insight into his mind. So, this being a play, meaning the structure is a little different to how it would be with a book, and with Harry not being as much at the centre of it as he used to be, makes it a little more distanced and leaves you with a different feeling, but that is not a bad thing, it is just different.
In terms of characters, first I have to say that Scorpius Malfoy was a surprise but definitely a good one as he was so brilliant. There was also, of course, the surprise of the trolley witch, which was actually quite fantastic. The part with Hagrid broke my heart, it was only the smallest moment but it was so emotional and true to Hagrid's character. I think it was the part of the play that got to me the most. I have to admit that I found the idea that Bellatrix and Voldemort had a daughter a little strange, but then I suppose you could not call either of them normal, and if J.K Rowling thought it was plausible then I should think it was, seeing as she came up with the characters in the first place.
I felt like the original characters were portrayed well and it was true to how they would be, except perhaps Harry's character felt a little off at times, although I suspect he was meant to be that way as he was supposed to be under a lot of stress in the story. I am glad Ginny was written the way she was, because she has always been a favourite of mine, and the play managed to show that while at times she may be quick to temper and say the wrong things, she makes up for it in her strength, understanding and intelligence. I also liked the moments between Ron and Hermione for the same reason, that I felt it was true to them and showed the strength in their relationship. As well as that, I am glad that Draco and Harry had a chance to come to some sort of understanding, because after everything that happened, especially in the last book, I always thought that they would.
Overall, while I would not say that it was absolutely perfect, I would say that I still very much enjoyed reading it, and now I want to watch it on stage even more than I did before, especially since I want to see how they staged all the magic and how all the sets work because it definitely sounds amazing!
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