Harry Potter & The Cursed Child: An Underwhelming Sequel
SYNOPSIS
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. 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.
Author: J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne
Page Count: 343 pages
Genre: Fiction // Young Adult
Rating: 2 stars
Publisher: Little, Brown
Release Date: July 31, 2016
Buy It: Chapters Indigo // Book Depository
MILANA'S REVIEW
Like most 90s kids my heart truly belongs to the world of Witches & Wizards, chocolate frogs, time turners and magic. When I heard news of Harry Potter & The Cursed Child play I knew it would be amazing. A play! About Harry Potter and the gang! TAKE ALL MY MONEY. Except of course it didn’t make its way to Canada or anywhere outside of England. I accepted it. I accepted my losses and moved on, still hoping someday we’d have a chance of watching it.
A few months later I had this nagging feeling the corporation would print the script. I really hoped they wouldn’t but where there’s money to be made of course they did. Shortly after in a flurry, similar to the scene where Harry receives so many Hogwarts letters at Privett Drive, The Cursed Child hit the shelves. Books were everywhere I looked. I told myself not to pick it up and just to pretend it doesn’t exist. It worked. For about 2 weeks. I caved walking through Wal Mart of all places! I grabbed a copy and set all my worries and biases aside and sat down to read.
Unfortunately for me it was as I thought. A strange mish mash of characters and very little transition from scene to scene. I really hope it works better as a play because I felt like I was reading poor fan fiction. I will say that I enjoyed being immersed in the world again. I found it unsettling that there was very little creativity, probably because it wasn’t written by JK Rowling. All the spells were the same, the characters were poor ghosts of who we fell in love with, and there was no new substance added.
What I loved about the 7 books was that every book had something new! I’ll just go back to pretending the series ended at book 7 and everything is as it should be. I will say I am excited for Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them! Only 2 weeks to go until it’s out in theatres! JK Rowling did write the screenplay for this one, which of course is being released. Here’s to hoping it’ll bring back the magic!