Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two: The Official Playscript of the Original West End Production

I liked this book but I can see how people were disappointed with it. While it says that it's "book 8" it is definitely not. Rowling didn't write and it's published in play format. So the style is different in all aspects. However, the story itself was good. There were interesting twists to the story and the characters, while changed (they're adults people. expect some development), were essentially the same.

I would suggest that people begin reading it with the expectation that it will be different. It's a new story in a of itself. I think it would be better if I could see the play instead of reading the script. But overall, I enjoyed the story and the addition to the magical world.

I'm giving this a 2 purely out of loyalty to the franchise and to the spirit of Harry, which really pains me. I wanted to love this, I wanted to dive back into the world I love more dearly than perhaps any other fictional work in the world, but this was...bad. It absolutely, positively read like fan-fiction to me. The plot devices were weak, the only saving grace was that some of the characterizations were accurate (emphasis on *some*) and thus provided joyous albeit brief glimpses into what this could have been. I enjoyed the dynamic between Scorpius and Albus, I'm a sucker for the power of friendship but dang. It could not be saved. A real bummer of a disappointment. I do imagine it would be more compelling on stage, but I honestly can't get past the "big reveal" which I won't mention because of spoilers but SERIOUSLY. I eye rolled so hard my eyes nearly fell out of my skull. There are so many issues with that "revelation" and the ensuing plot holes it creates that I'm not gonna even get into it here. I love Harry and his world but this doesn't feel like an organic part of his narrative.

I was very disappointed in this book. Obviously, I had such high hopes for it. This book felt flat to me.

This was like reading a bad fan fiction...

Ahhh... Harry Potter. I grew up with Harry as much as the next person from my generation and anxiously awaited the next book installment every few years. There's something about THAT particular book series that changes who you are and how you read and gives you a feeling of wonder and excitement. Harry was that for me, as I'm sure he was for many many others. Most of my copies of the original 7 are falling apart due to the number of times they've been read.

Cursed Child definitely has a different feel than the others, mainly because we're following Albus Severus more than the original crew. The play format itself doesn't bother me, although I do think it would have been nice for Rowling to have made it more of a novel instead of the script. Still, I read every word with as much dedication as I did before and loved being back in the wizarding world.

While I know Rowling has said that Harry's story is now officially done, I would love to see more books in this world. I get that there is a fear of them becoming less "magical" (no pun intended) than the originals, but I know I cannot be alone in wanting a multiple book series on the Marauders, or picking up the story of Albus and Scorpius where Cursed Child leaves off. As far as I'm concerned, there's no reason to not expand this universe as much (if not more) than Tolkien's Middle Earth or Lewis' "Narnia" or Goodkind's "Sword of Truth" series, or shoot even to the degree that Star Trek has become. I want to know everything. Ilvermorny, schools in Africa, South America, Asia, etc... what happened to those who fled after Voldemort was defeated at the Battle of Hogwarts? What about Dumbledore and Grindlwald's legendary battle?

Please J.K. tell us everything. And then, after you've told us everything, tell us more.