The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later. 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 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.
Review of 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Part of it might have been the play format, but the story didn't grab me like the other books. Took a while to really get into, and the protagonist's inner conflict wasn't really a big enough deal to me to feel connected to the story. Also didn't at all feel like a natural transition from the last Harry Potter stories. After a while the story got more interesting, and it did at least hold my attention but I wouldn't recommend it.
Review of 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I just finished the book and I am not sure what to feel. It was great to be back in the Harry Potter world again, to meet his children and see them all grown up. On the other hand: the story was really lame. Capulet and Montague befriend each other - an evil person appears and they fight it the simplest way. There was no suspense. It was too easy. Maybe the whole thing didn't got me as the books because it was written as a play and not a novel. The feelings weren't the same as with the first seven Harry Potter books.. Rating is a 3-4, but as it is Harry Potter, it's getting a 4 star rating here.
Review of 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I think this book may be better titled "Harry Potter is a Terrible Dad," but that would break the grammar of the titles, I suppose.
That being said, this was the right book for this time in my life and my current relationship with Harry Potter. I'm a little younger/older than Harry -- Harry himself was born two years before I was, but the series didn't become widely available in the US until I was 17, so 6 years older than Harry. Nonetheless, I mostly felt about the same age and facing the same trials and tribulations -- I read about OWLS and NEWTS in between college finals, and rooted for Ron and Hermione around my own engagement. And as a teen, the exploratory world-building was right up my alley.
And on the flipside, a book focused on an older, more harried, Harry is right for me right now. The …
I think this book may be better titled "Harry Potter is a Terrible Dad," but that would break the grammar of the titles, I suppose.
That being said, this was the right book for this time in my life and my current relationship with Harry Potter. I'm a little younger/older than Harry -- Harry himself was born two years before I was, but the series didn't become widely available in the US until I was 17, so 6 years older than Harry. Nonetheless, I mostly felt about the same age and facing the same trials and tribulations -- I read about OWLS and NEWTS in between college finals, and rooted for Ron and Hermione around my own engagement. And as a teen, the exploratory world-building was right up my alley.
And on the flipside, a book focused on an older, more harried, Harry is right for me right now. The more introspective tone about setting priorities and how much to force people to live the life you wish they would was also right for me right now. Yes, I wanted the nostalgia of a real Harry Potter book, but this was good.
I felt less certain about the return of the time-turners -- Rowling herself has said their inclusion was a mistake in the initial series and was quite adamant that they were all destroyed. On the other hand, if they had to come back this was the right time and the right purpose. I liked that the use of the time-turner helped highlight all of the additional possible futures in the face of years of internet speculation of what the future of the potterverse may hold.
Review of 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Read the whole thing in a sitting this evening and loved being back with these people and the additions made. I do wish it had been another Rowling novel, but I'm rating this for what it is
Review of 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
This was good for a beach read. Took me about a day. It's not horrible but it could have been so much better. It felt like cold rehash. Also I assumed that because it was a play it would be written to an adult audience but this reads like grade school level. Well you know what happens when you assume.
Review of 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I never thought I would still be interested in Hogwarts and Harry Potter, now that I have grown. But then reading this defied my logic and reasoning and took me back to my school days where I was filled with awe about Harry Potter and Hogwarts. Perhaps there are books that no matter at what age you read, there will always be something good in there for you and this book is one such.
