Review: Harry Potter & The Cursed Child by J.K Rowling

Book: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, J.K Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne

Series: Harry Potter #8

Publisher: Little, Brown UK

Release Date: July 31^st, 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. 

“To suffer is as human as to breathe.”

There are a lot of mixed reviews of this book. Some love it and think it’s a great addition to Harry’s world; others refuse to accept it as canon. I was never the huge Potterhead many booknerds are today. I’m a huge fan of the movies, but I only read the books for the first time last year. (But it certainly won’t be my last!) So, while I was excited for this book to be released, I didn’t have huge expectations for it. Especially as J.K Rowling wasn’t the only one writing it.

However, I really did enjoy what I read. It’s set straight after the epilogue of Deathly Hollows, where Harry and Ginny are sending their middle son, Albus, off to his first year at Hogwarts. From there, we skip through the years, alternating between his storyline and Harry’s.

We get a sense straight away that Harry and Albus’ relationship is a strained one. Albus is baring the weight of having a family name, being the son of Harry Potter, as well as having the proud name of two past headmasters. It’s a lot to carry, and Albus doesn’t carry it well. He needs help, but Harry doesn’t know how to reach out to help him.

It’s really sad, actually, as you can tell Harry really wants to gain a good relationship with his son, but he doesn’t know how to do it. It doesn’t show whether he has a good relationship with his other children, James and Lily, as neither are given enough screen time, which is a shame.

We learn straight on that Albus is sorted into Slytherin House, the only one in his family to do so, and this makes him stand out even more as the outcast. However, this allows him to become friends with Scorpius Malfoy, Draco’s son and quite possibly the best character in this book. He’s geeky, awkward, funny, adorable, and impossible not to like. His surname and an ugly rumour stating that he’s actually the son of Voldemort make him an outcast from his classmates. So the two outcasts band together and create a unique beautiful friendship.

I didn’t really like Harry’s character in this, I'm afraid. I could tell he had the best intentions at heart and just wanted what was best for his son, but he went around it all wrong. He was rude, and harsh, and made some really questionable decisions. Hermione, as usual, was a total badass witch and made a great Minister for Magic, she completely controlled the room whenever she was on. Ron, while I love him, was basically the comic relief in this, as whenever he was on he was always joking. Still love him, but there was no depth to his character.

I won’t get too into the plot in this as it’s best to experience it blind and judge for yourself. Some people will love it, some won’t. It’s not as epic as the first seven books, but that’s okay. Harry’s main story is over. This is Albus’ tale, and he has to learn some lessons the hard way. It’s quite easy to forget that this is written in play format too, it reads really easily and I never felt that any part was missing or anything.

If you loved the Harry Potter world and don’t want it to end, then pick this up. While not the epic rollercoaster the first books were, it’s still a great addition to the Harry Potter series.