Welcome back,
In my latest installment of By the Book, I will be reviewing a
novel from the Harry Potter franchise. The book in question is “Harry Potter
and the Cursed Child”, written by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John
Tiffany.
This will be the first time I read a Harry Potter book. It’s a shocker,
I know, considering I am a fan of the movies. Having come across this hardcover
edition in a used book store, I thought it was time I gave it a try.
The story focuses on the dynamics between Harry Potter and his son,
Albus Severus Potter. Their relationship is very tenuous at the beginning, as
Albus feels he must live up to his father's reputation. Harry tries to connect
with him, but cannot seem to find common ground with Albus. The story breezes
through Albus’s first years at Hogwarts, and only really begins around his
final year, where he comes up with a plan to ‘’fix’’ an event that
transpired in the original books. In true Potter-verse fashion, the misuse of
magic is involved, causing mayhem and various unexpected side effects.
Back of the book:
The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.
Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John
Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the
eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter
story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in
London's West End on July 30, 2016.
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now
that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and
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 I learned:
- Reading a script: The first thing that jumps at you is that this is not written like a novel, but rather like a script. The only real details are descriptions of the set, everything else is left to the reader's interpretation. This was a new experience for me, and felt slightly odd to be missing so much information. However, having seen the movies helped me fill in a lot of the visual gaps, so the difference was negligible.
- Butterfly effect: Without reveal any spoilers, all I can say is that time travel plays an important part in this novel. The authors did a good job of demonstrating the many pitfalls and possibilities related to time travel, and the consequences of playing with forces you don’t fully understand.
- father/son relationship: The story also focuses on the dynamics between father and son, and how their relationship not only affects them, but the world around them. Despite the story’s fantasy setting, there was a nice life lesson to be learned.
J.K. Rowling, or Joanne Rowling, was born on 31st July 1965 in England. She is an award winning author, best known for the Harry Potter books, as well as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. For those interested in reading more books from J.K. Rowling, please check out her website at the following address: https://www.jkrowling.com/Jack Thorne is an English screenwriter and playwright. Born on December 6th, 1978 in Bristol, England, he has written for radio, theatre and film, TV shows and feature film. For more information on Jack Thorne, please check out these following websites:
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John Tiffany (born c. 1971) is an English theatre director. He directed the internationally successful productions Black Watch and Once. He has won a Tony Award, an Olivier Award, a Drama Desk Award and an Obie Award. For more information on John Tiffany, please check out these following websites:
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In closing, I would like to thank you all for dropping by and following my blog. Your encouragement is always appreciated. Don’t forget to hit the like/follow buttons!Until next time!Cheers,Patrick Osborne
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