Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One & Two (Special Rehearsal Edition Script): The Official Script Book of the Original West End Production
Reviews
@gbshe
@zairhazerdane1
@slevasse97
@woodsangel
@agandygirlHmmmm...I am left a little frazzled after this book. On the one hard there are some absolutely breathtaking scenes that left me in an emotional state of tears and on the other hand this really felt so disjointed and off from the beloved series that we have read over and over again.
So how to rate?? This is one that undoubtedly has to be broken down a bit. So let's see where this one lands...
Albus and Scorpius - 5 Stars
These sons of Malfoy and Potter are just amazingly depicted and heartbreaking to read about. I loved ever moment they were on page. Their relationship with each other and the relationships they have with their parents kinda tore me up.
Malfoy - 5 Stars
Of the original characters, I found him to be the one I most enjoyed reading about. His current life and loves and the reflections his character has on the past were a bit gut wrenching to the point my daughter asked me why I was crying and I could hardly form a sentence to explain what was happening.
Snape - 5 Stars
Yes...Snape. And I will not go into much detail but the scenes with this beloved character is reason enough to read this.
Potter - 4 Stars
Harry kinda drove me nuts at times and I am not sure we really got full closure on what the riff was with him.
The Story - 2 Stars
The whole plot was OTT and just a mess. Yes, you will need a pen and paper to keep up and honestly even that will not help. I mean, even in Back to the Future II we got a map...but nothing here even came close to being resolvable...so I guess just role with it and don't worry so much about the details.
"The Cursed Child" - 1 Star
I am not sure I even know who this was. Hmmmm. Harry, Voldemort, Albus, Scorpius, Malfoy, Diggory or another character I will not mention? I honestly have no clue.
The Writing - 3 Stars
I have to say I am torn here which is why this lands in the middle for me. There are portions of this...conversations between our characters that have absolutely nothing to do with the story at all which are shear perfection. Unbelievable passages and love which for me was so in keeping with the love I felt during the original books. And yet there are other parts which seemed disjointed and off from what I know. This is written as a play and while at times I felt so much was missing it was also quite intriging. I would love to see this played out on stage.
In the end this averages to about a 3.5...which I guess is probably where I would land.
Should you expect Book #8 of Harry Potter...no. But for the glimpses and exchanges between these beloved characters it is worth the journey for sure. I love these characters and they will forever hold a special place in my heart.
@kpecora91I struggled while reading this screen play. I was overly excited for it to come out but was very disappointed. I struggled to see this as a sequel to the original series. Simply because something has a similar topic, does not make it as good as the original. I liked the suspense and plot twists as I was reading but did not enjoy them after I finished the book. I found them hard to believe. It did not fit with the complicated characters and development from the original series and anything that has been published after the fact. I would use this book to teach authors choice as well as exploring screenplays with my students. It's a great screen play and show the progression between multiple years in such a short amount of time.
@OlliesAddictionA gift, another Harry Potter book after all these years. A moment to be shared between generations, much like the story itself, as parents can see the passion for Hogwarts spreading to their sons and daughters, just like it originated for themselves years before. There are only a few times in life that an event seems to blend time and space like I have seen with this book release. Parents seeing images of their younger selves, in the checkout line, clutching what was then copies of Goblet of Fire, blending into the current image of their children dancing with anticipation holding Cursed Child. At least that is the way that I figured it was happening for people, my son was completely oblivious to the book release, and was more interested in finding out if he could advance order the next Riordan book.
Beyond my fanboy glee at seeing another edition in the Tales of Hogwarts, I was mildly annoyed to see it maintained its scripted format versus an adapted novelization format. After 5 minutes of reading, I no longer cared as I was entranced in the story, and dreaming of what the Sorting Hat would have said about me.
The story introduces us to the Potter, Weasley, and Malfoy children picking up right at the end scene from Deathly Hallows. Similar to the originals, whenever the families got together, mischief ensues. I loved seeing the development of new friendships and first crushes. Harry Potter goes from superhero of the world to one of the bumbling adults in a character development arc that brought tears and laughter. Hermione and Ron are still awkward with each other. Ginny has taken over the role of worried mother. I would love to see more stories about them, but it seems that Rowling is done with the storyline.
It wouldn’t even be fair to rate the book. I can’t remain objective when reading about some of my most beloved characters. I wouldn’t even bother with “recommend” for this one, make it a MUST read.
@sarahsteele91Omg. I never thought I'd get to experience the glorious rush of another Harry Potter book like the series, but man, I experienced it. I would've loved a novelization, but honestly, I felt like the script allowed me to use my imagination a bit more wildly. Also, I'm just happy and grateful that J.K. Rowling graced us with this story so soon instead of me having to wait another year or two for a novelization. I'm in love!