Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling, and John Tiffany

Pages: 308

Intended Audience: Tweens and up

Genre: Fantasy / Play

Notes for Parents: The content is similar to other Harry Potter stories. It includes some frightening scenes.

The Inside Cover

Nineteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts…

It was always difficult being Harry Potter, and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Minister of Magic, a husband, and a 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.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a special rehearsal edition of a script of the first Harry Potter story to be presented on stage.

What’s good?

It was wonderful to see some of the characters we all know and love from the Harry Potter series. It was like seeing old friends when Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were at the platform seeing their kids off to Hogwarts. This story centers around Harry’s and Ginny’s oldest son, Albus, and Draco Malfoy’s son, Scorpius. The two boys have an adventure that almost changes history. The plot is simple, with a few twists and turns to make it interesting. There’s adventure and danger, and plenty of bad decisions to get the boys into trouble. The story also explores how difficult it is to be the son of a famous wizard.

Best Part: Scorpius Malfoy

What isn’t good?

Diehard fans will not like the inconsistencies, and if you look hard, there are many. The story is written in script format, which I found easy to read, but others may find it takes away from the feel of the original stories. A few characters, namely Draco and Ron, didn’t feel genuine, while several, especially Neville and Hagrid, were noticeably absent from the story.

Worst part: Draco and Ron

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (3/5)

I enjoyed it. Despite the many inconsistencies I’ve seen reported in other reviews, I didn’t really notice. There were a few odd scenes that had me rolling my eyes, but nothing really bothered me too much. The script format definitely gave the story a different vibe, but considering it focused on mostly new characters, I wasn’t put off by it. It was fun, engaging, and a quick and easy read. Recommended.

Thorne, Jack, J. K. Rowling, and John Tiffany. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. New York: Arthur A. Levine, 2016. (Hardcover)