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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (SPOILERS - fair warning!)


SpoonfulOSugar

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This is the thread to discuss the new Harry Potter.

I am leaving this post as is so even previews do not contain anything to upset anyone.

You do NOT (and should not) need to spoiler in this thread. 

Off we go! :)

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Ok, I just finished reading it today.  I went into it with out any expectations, save for knowing the fact that it is a play.  However, I was disappointed with it.

From the beginning, it just did not have the same "Harry Potter" feel that the novels have.  The characters dialogue didn't feel right, as in I couldn't picture the characters saying that.  In particular, I felt that Harry and Ron were very off base.  Why would Ron run the joke shop? Harry yelling at McGonigal? 

But I got past that by telling myself, JKR didn't write it, and maybe watching it on stage would convey different emotions than just reading the script?  And then the trolley witch scene happened, and I was like wtf?? This is so out of left field, even for Harry Potter.

Ok, so the story progressed, and unfortunately, I didn't find myself super connected to the idea of Albus and Scorpius going back to save Cedric.  I guess I didn't really buy it, that Albus wanted to spite his father so bad that he was willing to risk everything by going back in time. And then of course, we have the whole issue with the way time travel was presented.  This is NOT how time travel was in Prisoner of Azkaban.  That time travel did not result in alternate realities... but ok.  

And then the whole Delphi thing.  While I don't hate the idea, it just seems a little hokey to me.  

All in all, I am glad I read it.  However, I don't think it was necessary to the cannon at all.  The twists and turns were fun to go through, but it doesn't stand up to the series.  I'm a little disappointed that JKR said this would be canon.  I wish it could just exist as a separate story to the Harry Potter world but not be.. canon.  

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I read a bunch of spoilers going into it and was not at all thrilled about getting my book. I considered cancelling my pre-order, but didn't. I'm glad I didn't, I'm glad I read it. It wasn't great but it wasn't the worst thing ever. 

I don't think it's canon* though, despite whatever JKR says. 

*I mean, there was a line that was straight out of fandom  where they said something about "moldy voldy." 

I

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I am in the glad-I-read-it-don't-love-it-don't-hate-it camp. It was a fun few hours back in that world, and I even had a few teary moments (I don't think I love anyone in that world more than I love Hagrid). But I agree with@rabbitkm that the entire premise of Albus wanting to save Cedric didn't ring true, along with the inconsistency of the way time travel works, was hard to swallow. I liked the idea of Delphi (boy would I love to know more about her whole backstory) and actually thought her character made the most sense in an addition-to-canon way.

Definitely interested in what others thought of it, especially those who are better HP nerds than I (I haven't revisited the books in YEARS).

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  • 2 weeks later...

It wasn't amazing but it was kinda fun if you read it in the mindet that it's fanfic. And it did have one or two moments that made me really laugh.

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I started this thread and then left, because I wanted to see if I felt differently after a bit.  (And a second read through.)

First, I am not a big fan of scripts as books.  I know this - it bothered me even when we read Romeo and Juliet in high school.  But I was particularly not a fan of this script.

@RabbitKM stated very well one aspect of what bothered me - much of the dialogue for Ron and Harry didn't ring true.  I found myself often saying, "Ron wouldn't have said that!"  (For all of the changes in the movie, book Ron was very smart and not so much of a dolt.)

But *much* of the dialogue in general just didn't play well for me (the scenes at the Triwizard Cup - that went against existing canon.)

Dumbledore and Harry's scene - far too schmaltzy - almost like they took the fanship of a secret relationship (gross) and made it more probably.

In general, one of the things I like about JKR's writing is the rich detail - this feeling that the reader is immersed in her world.  Not only did I not get that feeling - I didn't feel like it was more than a caricature of her world at all.

The premise was sketchy, the dialogue uninspired, the conclusion muddled - while I read the whole series on a semi-regular basis - I probably won't treat this as the 8th book.

I'd have to put myself in the spectacularly disappointed camp.

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I thought it was just okay. I agree that some of the characters were not believable, based on how they were portrayed in the original series. For example, I had hard time believing that Harry would have been that insensitive to Albus early in the book. I also wouldn't have thought that Amos Diggory would have needed to go to assisted living yet.

Couldn't Hermione have come up with better security for the Time Turner than a few not-very-difficult riddles? And an underage wizard could open her office door with only the Alohomora spell? I did wonder why she didn't notice her office had been trashed, but maybe Delphi, Albus and Scorpius changed time too quickly.

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My Grand daughter (age 12) told me yesterday that she wants this book for Christmas. I looked and saw it was in script form since it is a play (?). Does anyone know if it will be coming out as a real book? Not play script? I hesitate to buy it now since I'm not sure how she will feel about the way it is written. Thank you. I am not a HP fan, so I really know nothing. Except I bought her the whole set of books for Christmas last year.

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25 minutes ago, Chickenbutt said:

My Grand daughter (age 12) told me yesterday that she wants this book for Christmas. I looked and saw it was in script form since it is a play (?). Does anyone know if it will be coming out as a real book? Not play script? I hesitate to buy it now since I'm not sure how she will feel about the way it is written. Thank you. I am not a HP fan, so I really know nothing. Except I bought her the whole set of books for Christmas last year.

Nope, it's a script. :(  You should probably talk to her about the format.

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