The trailer for the movie looks promising, but as this is a "What We're Reading" post, I will leave you to check out the movie information for yourself.
I confess, I had reservations about reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. First, it is technically a screenplay, which isn't my favorite genre of reading material. I prefer paragraphs of description to quick scene changes. Second, the use of the word "Cursed" in the title filled me with a sense of foreboding. I like happy endings, and I didn't want this new installment to ruin the original series for me. Third, I had heard somewhere or other that, in recent years, J.K. Rowling has rethought who Harry should marry, and I was concerned she might use this book to "fix" the situation. However, my curiosity overruled my reservations and I spent a lovely Saturday morning a few weeks ago reading the book.
Although the screenplay format doesn't allow for as much description as I usually like, having read all seven books in the original series multiple times, I found myself perfectly capable of imagining the characters and settings, even without the extra wording. Also, as a screenplay, the book reads very quickly. Does anyone else remember staying up way too late, trying to get to a good stopping point while reading the later books in the series? Book Five, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is nearly nine hundred pages! Reading a screenplay of just over three hundred pages is a much more manageable commitment.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the content of the book. Being both a daughter and a parent, myself, I can relate to Harry, the busy father of three, and his children. Rowling, along with co-authors John Tiffany and Jack Thorne, wrote a believable grown-up version of Harry, and thought through some of the challenges sure to accompany being the son of someone famous. The plot twists and turns are classic Rowling--clever, yet believable--and they lead to a satisfying resolution.
If you, like me last month, have been putting off reading the book, but also have been trying hard to avoid plot spoilers, may I suggest you clear your schedule, grab a treat and a cup of tea, and curl up with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?
Let me know what you think when you finish!
