Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Jack Thorne Little Brown | 343 pages

It’s been five years since I was last immersed in J.K. Rowling’s masterful world of Harry Potter, so I was looking forward to reading any addition to the story. This book is a play based on an original new story by Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, and it’s set 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Harry now has three kids with Ginny Weasley – Albus, James and Lily – and is a rather overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic. The plotline focuses on Harry’s youngest son, Albus, who struggles with the weight of his father’s legacy.

One of the main things to get used to is the play format. I liked the fact that you can follow the action from multiple perspectives, rather than just Harry’s, like in the books; however, I did miss the “storytelling” element that Rowling became so sophisticated at, especially towards the end of the novel series. That said, I still felt the authentic personalities of each character came through in the dialogue, and there are some comical parts that genuinely made me laugh.

Without giving the full plot away, the play has a very different vibe from the novel. It’s more mature and more character-driven, and it feels less magical. Much of it centres on the conflicted relationship between Harry and Albus, an aspect that has definitely left some fans disappointed and feeling that something is lacking – a quick search of reviews across the web will show you evidence of this.

Personally, I felt it was a nice, quick read (I devoured it in two hours) and it’s a welcome addition to the beautiful world Rowling has created. It also carries a very modern, human message – about accepting our darker sides, and struggling with our past when it collides with our present.