Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

I was still to reread Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows before Cursed Child came out. I had reread 1-6 and I enjoyed reading every word of it again immensely, but I couldn’t want to finish number seven before I read the new play that came out on July 31st.

My nine year old read all the 7 books last year and she was also excited to get her hands on book 8, so on July 30th, we set out to Barnes and Noble for the HP Cursed Child release party. We had a GREAT time!

I had decided from the start not to buy the physical book, but the kindle version, so even when we went to B&N early, we didn’t need to stay until midnight for the release. We left at around 10 P.M. and went to bed before midnight… the next morning, the eight book would be waiting for us on my Kindle.

And I read it. I read it all the way through Sunday morning. It took me about three to four hours to finish it all.

I admit it would have been better if I could have seen the play… or at least a more detail description of events, but if I imagined the actors from the promo shots they had revealed from the play and the sets, I think I did a pretty good job of imagining how the play would create all the effects.

I guess if you think about it like a movie, the story has a lot missing, but as a play it was fantastic. The new characters were just as lovable as the first (I especially loved Scorpius) and the dynamic between Harry, Ron and Hermione were priceless.

I confess I cried three times as I read the story and seeing Snape again and his “What if…” was a treat. I know Rowling has said several times that she now regrets having Ron and Hermione end up together, but the way the play tells it they are still meant to be together and I was glad. I have always supported them as a couple, because… well, couples shouldn’t be perfect, they should just be right for each other and I think Hermione and Ron are. Ron brings Hermione the freedom of irresponsibility to her life and I think she needs that. And Ron, well…. he needs someone to ground him sometimes.

And then there was the relationship with Draco and Harry. I so loved watching Draco still be Draco and yet, still be a human and intelligent grown man who has all this baggage he will never get rid of and yet still trying to be happy.

If I ever do get to see the play it would be a dream come true. I have read there are many people who say you are better off not reading the final chapter, but I think it was a good ending to the end. Sure, there are plot holes, but every time-travelling story has them… so, no biggie. Just use your imagination and enjoy.