"Things always have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect." - Luna Lovegood
I want you to keep that direct quote in mind while reading this review and while, hopefully, reading the book. " Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" is an original new story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne. It's a new play by Jack Thorne and the first official "Harry Potter" story to play on stage. The eighth story in the Harry Potter series follows Harry's son, Albus Severus Potter, through his first year at Hogwarts where he will encounter new adventures and form some very surprising friendships. I was both extremely nervous and excited to read "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child", because these characters meant so much to me growing up (and who didn't dream of being a witch or wizard and living in Hogwarts?!). The stories are still such a big part of me, that I regularly have movie marathons with my sister and read the books whenever I can. I was so excited for a new book that going into this story, I knew that it wouldn't be the same as the others in terms of writing styles and I tried to keep an open mind without meticulously picking it apart.
The story starts up right from the "Nineteen Years Later" epilogue from "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", and follows Albus' journey at Hogwarts. The time goes by so fast, skipping from year to year, but still maintains a very steady rhythm. It was written like a script but took no time at all to get used to. The story line was kind of weird and there were some plot holes, but it still kept me at the edge of my seat and my eyes glued to the pages. I loved reading about everybody's kids and seeing my favorite characters all grown up and as adults, but you could definitely tell that it wasn't J.K Rowling speaking through these characters. They were each portrayed in a way that almost didn't make sense and insulted me as a fan. The whole thing felt a little off, and any fan who knows the books really well will be able to tell you the same thing. But for the most part, I really enjoyed reading it and teared up at multiple points in the story.
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" is a riveting, complex and thoroughly enjoyable story. It brought back memories of my childhood and what started my passion and love for reading. The Harry Potter stories are thrilling adventures filled with beautiful characters, imagination and the beautiful mess that is life and human relations. Though some parts were very disappointing and albeit a little ridiculous, "The Cursed Child" is no exception and is undoubtedly worthy of the Harry Potter name.
