#BookReview of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

With the recent hype built on the latest release under the Harry Potter Saga, how did one loyal Potter fan feel towards the new release?

I was only six years old when I was first introduced to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the cinemas. That was the very first moment I experienced Harry Potter and I became a fan ever since.

Fifteen years later, at the age of twenty-one, I am still a huge fan of the Harry Potter saga, I think I will forever be one.

Naturally, when J.K. Rowling announced that there’s a new Harry Potter story, I was astounded and delighted. However, I was a little bit skeptical because of the format that the book would be released in (a script to a play).

Before I start my review, here are a few things you should know about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child:

1. The book that is published is a script to the stage production. It is not meant to be a novel and it is meant to be experienced in a different medium.
2. The play was not written by J.K. Rowling. The play was written by Jack Thorne and John Tiffany. Of course, J.K. Rowling had a lot of input and insights in bringing it to life, but she wasn’t the one who penned it.

On to the review:

It has been nine years since the Harry Potter series was concluded, and I find myself quoting different moments, replaying different scenes, or mourning some character deaths over and over again. The Harry Potter series is timeless and will always remain that way!

I was a little skeptical when I heard that this story was going to be published as a script. At one point, I said I wouldn’t read it. But then the book was released, an enormous hype was built up, and of course, I caved in and bought myself a copy.

This story is naturally different than the rest. The famous trio (Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley) is now on a new journey: parenting; each of them has completely different lives. Harry and Ginny are parents to Albus Severus, Lily, and James. Ron and Hermione are parents to Rose. After all, nineteen years have passed!

This story focuses on Albus. He is the main protagonist, and what makes this story so special is that the children are exploring the world on a new page, sometimes different, and sometimes very similar to their parents’ lives.

I was very fond of the relationship between Albus and Scorpius, they made a very fantastic duo, which reminds you of the beautiful relationship that the original trio had. The thing about this story is that it centralizes on nostalgia. Yes, nostalgia is the key factor that makes this story what it is. It is not the complex plot or the breathtaking revelations (although there are a few surprises that will take you off guard). You will nod your head in approval, remembering events that you are too familiar with, but with a twist.

In terms of plot, it is quite simple. This story takes elements from all the previous books and gives you a comprehensive view of what Hogwarts was, and how it continues to be that way, with a few minor changes. The writers did a fantastic job coming up with the plot elements, and I am sure J.K. Rowling is happy with the final outcome because they understand the Wizarding World clearly, and thus they carefully added new things to it.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a tribute to every single fan who stayed awake reading the books, who patiently waited for the next chapter, who cried, smiled, and laughed with the characters.

This book is a gift from J.K. Rowling to the fans, allowing their worlds to expand further, and to give them the reunion they always wanted. It put so many smiles on my face, and I must admit, I rooted for the trio’s children just as much as I rooted for Malfoy’s children.

This book is beautiful. It is J.K. Rowling’s token of appreciation to her fans. It is a message that Hogwarts is our home. Always and forever!