Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two (Harry Potter, #8) in Around the Year in 52 Books

Jan 12, 2017 Beth Given rated it it was ok

I guess I'm one of those people who thinks that you shouldn't mess with a good thing. The original Harry Potter series is magnificent -- an epic saga of good and evil that's rightly claiming it's place as a classic in children's literature. This "eighth installment" (can you see those air quotes??) felt like glorified fan fiction. It was kind of a fun story, but I didn't like the play format (the dialogue felt SO jilted in some places -- maybe if this had just stayed on the stage in London I wou ...more

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Feb 25, 2017 Maggie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, play, adventure, coming-of-age, british

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Harry is now in his forties, and his second son Albus is starting school on Hogwarts. But Albus is nothing like Harry. He is sorted to Slytherin, he's lousy at Quidditch, and he has no friends except Draco Malfoy's son Scorpius, who, incidentally, is also nothing like his father, being a kind-hearted geek. Harry is the head of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry, Hermione is the Minister for Magic, and Ron runs the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Their daughter, Rose Granger-Weasley, was best frie Harry is now in his forties, and his second son Albus is starting school on Hogwarts. But Albus is nothing like Harry. He is sorted to Slytherin, he's lousy at Quidditch, and he has no friends except Draco Malfoy's son Scorpius, who, incidentally, is also nothing like his father, being a kind-hearted geek. Harry is the head of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry, Hermione is the Minister for Magic, and Ron runs the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Their daughter, Rose Granger-Weasley, was best friends with Albus, but abandons him when he chooses to befriend Scorpius. One day, just before starting his fourth year, Albus overhears Amos Diggory pleading with Harry to use a time-turner to bring back Cedric. Harry says no. Albus decides that he will do something heroic for once. He will bring back Cedric. Scorpius tells him of an illegal time-turner that the Ministry have confiscated, and the two boys, with Amos' niece and nurse Delphi, sneak into Hermione's officer using polyjuice potion and steal the time turner after solving riddles set by books in a body-swallowing bookshelf. They go back to the first and second Triwizard Tournament tasks, foiling Cedric's attempts. But the present-day world changes. It is now ruled by Voldemort, Harry is dead, and Albus doesn't even exist. Scorpius finds Snape, Ron and Hermione, who are now undercover rebels, and with their help goes back to the first two tasks and undoes what they have done. They are rebuked by Headmistress Professor McGonagall and their parents, but at least the world is a safer place. Or is it? Because they suddenly get kidnapped by Delphi, who turns out to be Voldemort's daughter. She brings them back to the third task, to prevent Cedric from winning, but the boys refuse to cooperate. She then brings them back to the day of Harry's birth, to warn Voldemort not to attack Harry, and at the same time destroys the time turner. The boys find a way to send a message back to the present day through an old blanket. Using a time turner that Lucius had, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco go back in time, and together with the boys, they defeat Delphi, and the two boys and their fathers learn to love and understand each other.

This book is actually the script of a play, and it certainly felt like it was meant to be watched, not read. The scriptwriters did add a bit of explanation to guide readers along, but there was none of that description or good writing that defines J.K. Rowling's writing. The magic was not in the words, as it is in the novels, but rather, in the sets, the special effects, the acting, the whole experience of sitting in a dark auditorium while the cold wind blows and Voldemort hisses Harrrryyyy Potteeerrrrr all around you. You had to picture all the magic in your head, and that is not the same as seeing the magic actually play out before you.

Not that this was a bad book. Although J.K. Rowling didn't write it, it had all the basic elements of the Harry Potter world — magic, love, humour, fantastic beasts, flying, Hogwarts, everything. But as others have said, it felt like fanfiction. There were parts I hated, like Ron being degraded into a bumbling fool, or Voldemort having a daughter, or the introduction of the trolley witch as a failed attempt at humour. And while the writers tried to mimic J.K. Rowling in adding in wise, meaningful sayings, these sayings often came up short, lacking any wisdom or meaning or originality or applicability, and this was especially disappointing when they proceeded from Dumbledore's lips.

I'm sure the play is amazing, but without the magic of special effects, this script is merely mediocre. ...more

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Dec 18, 2016 Michelle Gragg rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 08, 2016 Jesse rated it it was amazing

I didn't expect how much this would read like the original books. All the same adventure, escapades, and best intentions gone wrong, with the younger generation leading the charge. Fantastic! ...more

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Aug 12, 2016 Abbi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

loved it....now i need to see the play (i wish)

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Jun 28, 2016 Judy rated it liked it

Shelves: library-book

Quick read since it's a script. Better know your Harry Potter books, as otherwise this will make no sense to you. Good book, but I'm not WOW over it. Can see this eventually going to movie form. After all, they already have a script. ...more

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Sep 16, 2016 Shannan rated it really liked it

What a treat to be back in the world of magic. I loved visiting the characters again and seeing what they're up to and the plot was certainly interesting. Being a play, it lacks much of the depth and nuance of the books but I still really liked it. ...more

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