Publisher - Little Brown UK
Format - Hardcover
Synopsis - 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.
Aside from being incredibly lazy, i've been putting off this review for what feels like forever to be honest. Much like all of you, HP has been in my life for a LONG time and in my heart I always knew that whatever came after, would never be good enough. So why am I still so disappointed with Cursed Child?First off, I am 100% aware that it's a script and not a book. I knew what I was getting myself into and that really has no effect on my enjoyment of the book. I enjoy reading plays/scripts and my wildly active imagination works well with stage directions. Secondly, the writing style in general was actually pretty great. Considering JK didn't write this book, it still felt like part of the HP world. Harry still felt like Harry, at least most of the time.
My FAVOURITE aspect of Cursed Child was and always will be Scorpius Malfoy. I'm pretty sure if someone handed me a 12 book series that just focused on Scorpius living his every day life, I would still read it and still love it with a fury like you wouldn't believe. However, there's just a LOT that I want to burn from my memory. Kayley Hyde's review (Kayley's Goodreads) of Cursed Child on Goodreads said the following:
'It sits beside my beloved Harry Potter books, but not with them.'
To give some context, Kayley wrote this positively but I have to disagree. Cursed Child is now and forevermore part of the HP Universe but for me, it's a really really far off connection. Like, next to the quiz books and fact books and not sharing the same space as 1-7. That being said, i'll move on.
*SPOILERS FROM HERE*
The absolute first thing I HAVE to talk about - Delphi. What the $%^&? This is batshit crazy and I'm looking for someone to correct me on the timeline of events. Right before the Battle of Hogwarts, Bellatrix Lestrange gave birth to a daughter. Voldemort's daughter. In Malfoy Manor. Are you kidding me? How was Bellatrix fully capable of running around chasing down the trio whilst HEAVILY pregnant? If Hermione used Polyjuice to mirror Bellatrix to get into the vault -would she not have also been mirroring Bellatrix's pregnant? Would Hermione reeeeeally not notice being pregnant? It just doesn't make sense to me at all.
Despite Ron and Hermione being in love no matter what timeline they're kicked into, it appears that the only love that was ever really meant to be, was that of Draco and Astoria. Albus and Scorpius mess with time SO MUCH that at one point, Albus never even exists. Rose doesn't exist. Scorpius though? There's just no stopping him it would seem.
Who even IS the Cursed Child? Is it Delphi? Is she cursed as she's Voldemort's daughter and is destined to take the path that she does? Is it Scorpius, who has spent 11+ years being constantly scorned by the wizarding world? Is his existence the curse? Is it Albus? Forever cursed for being Harry Potter's least spectacular child? The only Potter to become a Slytherin? Or, is it still Harry himself? Still facing his dramatic past even as an adult? I know a lot of people really enjoy the mystery (Half Blood Prince, anyone?) but honestly, it pisses me off. This whole 'Nineteen Years Later' thing was supposed to end the questions, not open up the whole damn universe again.
I just.... I just don't get it. I am happy to admit that whilst actually reading the book, it was a weird happy nostalgia. I turned pages, I read words and it was fine. The long lasting after effects though are hanging around. Moving on to the most frustrating part of the whole thing....
'It's supposed to be SEEN, it's a PLAY!'
If that is what you're thinking, then you may as well click off the page now. I started this post saying that I am aware it's a play. But you know what? If you can only appreciate The Cursed Child by seeing it on the stage - don't print the damn script for the world to read. If the only way a Harry Potter fan can experience the Cursed Child as intended is to watch the play, DON'T PRINT THE DAMN SCRIPT. Harry Potter was written for a young audience, despite the massive impact it had on adults around the world. JK Rowling was benefit receiving mother with mental health problems when she wrote Harry Potter. So please explain to me why Harry Potter and The Cursed Child tickets go up to £140 PER TICKET, not including travel and hotel expenses for the millions of people who don't live in London. It's completely infuriating to me. I'm sorry that despite having a great job that pays well, I can't afford to go and see it but that doesn't mean that my feelings on the script are not worthwhile. Every opinion is worthwhile.
Well, I think that's probably all I need to say. The Cursed Child is out in the world and regardless of opinions, I'm glad that the HP community is still alive and that Hogwarts will always connect us, one way or another!
1 comment:
I agree on the question point, after the main series I had very few questions or very few questions that bothered me anyway, but after this it's opened up more questions that I *want* the answers to.
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