Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Disclaimer: Due to the latest Wix update the existing blog system has been replaced and therefore all existing posts needed to be republished. These are not new blog posts. The original publication date of this post was 13.09.2016

"The eighth story, nineteen years later."

It has been nine years since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final instalment of J.K. Rowling's collection and the end of an era for those who had followed the story of the boy who lived. The success of the series with such humble origins is obvious, having sold over 450 million copies worldwide and being translated into 73 different languages.

Therefore it comes as no surprise that an eighth book was met with both excitement and trepidation. Whilst fans were eager to return to the magical world of Harry Potter, many questioned whether the ninth book would stray too far away from the original series and story and that it might ruin the memories of the original series.

Upon its release the book (or more accurately, the script) seemed to prove just as popular as its predecessors, with people queuing outside bookshops for the midnight release for the first time since the Deathly Hallows. On the whole the book, written by Jack Thorne, has been met with positive acclaim, with many deeming it a worthy successor of the original series. However some have been more scathing in their reviews, particularly criticising the way in which the original characters have been portrayed.

"The eight story, nineteen years later."

The book on the whole was an enjoyable read. Whilst it did not necessarily exude the magic of the original series, which was largely down to it being a script rather than a book, the plot line was enthralling and the dialogue and relationships between the characters very well written. Though the characters did not wholly portray that of J.K. Rowling's original work, it would have questioned the credibility of the story had the personalities and the interactions of the characters not changed in nineteen years. The premise of the script itself ties neatly in with the former series without treading too heavily on the same ground. Before reading the book and knowing very little about the plot line, it was difficult to imagine the book being anything other than a stand alone tale, merely using J.K. Rowling's characters but putting them in an entirely different context that in no way followed the original storyline. However, it became clear from the beginning that old details were intricately woven within the script, whilst placing an emphasis on the two new characters of Albus Potter and Scorpious Malfoy, instead of the original trio. The inclusion of the old characters but in more minor roles gave the story an edge to ensure that it differed enough from the original books.

In short, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a welcome addition to the Harry Potter collection, with a well formulated storyline and strong characters. Rowling's involvement is the creation of the plot is evident and, whilst Rowling is not the author, the script is well-written and follows a similar pattern to that of the original series.

​This instalment is definitely worth a read. 8/10.