Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Sunday, July 31, 2016
19 years after the battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter takes his second son Albus to Platform 9 3/4s to go to Hogwarts for the first time. Albus says he is merely nervous that he will be sorted into Slytherin, but in fact he fears living up to the name of his father. When he is indeed sorted into Slytherin as he feared, he finds solace in his friendship with Scorpius Malfoy. Hogwarts is not the safe haven that it was for Harry, for Albus it is a constant and painful reminder how he differs from his father and how he could not possibly live up to his legacy. Years pass and Albus’ resentment towards his father grows and expresses itself in a terrible fight. After overhearing a private conversation between his father and Amos Diggory, Albus decides to go back in time and rescue Cedric. But messing with time is a dangerous thing and Albus and Scorpius unwittingly change the course of history and need to return and fix what they had changed, and perhaps it will fix their relationships with their fathers as well.
This story is just lovely. It draws heavily on events from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with elements of the other books added in. The story itself is not a book but a script for the play currently running in London, and it is evident that it was not written by J K Rowling herself. The cover says it is based on a story by Rowling but the play is by Jack Thorne. Thorne’s voice is different than Rowlings in many ways but it is just as delightful, and just as magical as hers. His use of Rowlings' characters and her world is a thrilling ride that reminds me very much of Back to the Future. I loved it.
My only complaint is that Ron has, once again, been reduced to a figure for comic relief. Also I am having trouble believing that Voldemort was capable of producing a child. J K Rowling has always said he has no understanding of love and I just can't see him engaging in a physical relationship, he always seemed asexual to me. But then again, I have evidence of a story I wrote when I was 11 of Voldemort's daughter going to Hogwarts and falling in love with Harry, as embarrassing as that may be!
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