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.