by J.K. Rowling
320 pages
So, here we are -- eight months, 41 books, and thousands of pages later -- the final book of this year's challenge. Full disclosure here: I totally waited, wishing and hoping, that because this is Harry Potter, that all the stores would put it at the front of their shops. All of that wishing and hoping paid off. I'm sure you have all seen the book. When it was first released it was at the front of Barnes and Noble, the front of the Target book section, even out front of the stores in the airports (we were traveling at that time). So, here it is.
I love Harry Potter (the character and the series). The news that this book was being released had me excited for months. I'm sure many of you felt the same way. When the book was first released, some people were outraged. I even saw an article quoting people addressing J.K. Rowling with, "You owe us a book!" This idea is ridiculous. First of all, people were upset because they weren't aware that it was written in the form of a play. Honestly, it's kind of their fault. It was all over the news and internet (the play had already been cast) that this was a play. Second, it is absurd to think and claim that an author "owes" you anything. It is their creative work they are presenting, you don't have to like it, but they don't owe you a story you do like.
That being said, I'll get to the book. I have mixed feelings about the play form. I love plays. I see them and read them often. I think that this format made the story move along very quickly and made it very easy to read. There is not a large number of characters, so it isn't difficult to keep track. The only drawback I saw here, is that there wasn't enough detail. I mean, obviously there are stage directions but that isn't the same as the detail we are used to in the rest of the series.
The story itself, I enjoyed. There are many familiar faces. The book takes place years after Voldemort has been defeated. Harry and Ginny are married with three kids. Hermione and Ron are married with two kids. The story is really focused on Harry's son Albus. Albus is a student at Hogwarts and he doesn't feel he is living up to the Potter name and is even sorted into Slytherin. At Hogwarts, Albus befriends an unlikely boy -- Scorpius, the only son of Draco Malfoy.
There is definitely adventure going on. Albus and Scorpius get into trouble and Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Draco team up to save them -- and the world. I don't want to go into too much detail about what they need to do. I don't want to risk spoiling it for anyone because I would have been upset if someone ruined Harry Potter for me. What I will talk about is the relationship between parent and child. This book dealt a lot with this dynamic. Harry and Albus have a stressful relationship. Albus thinks he is inadequate and sometimes he rebels just because he doesn't want to try to be perfect. Harry thinks that his son hates him and even though he tries to reach him, is usually met with disdain. We also have the relationship between Draco and Scorpius. While they don't seem particularly close, it is made very clear that they need each other and that they would do anything for each other. These two relationships are really what the story is about. You see heartache and yearning but mostly there is unconditional love and the realization of that love. It is really quite touching.
The other thing that this book is about is friendship. The idea that with true friendship you are never really alone is brought back here. We see that friendship element throughout the original series. It is apparent not only with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but also with Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix. People working together to stand up for what is right.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed the original series more. However, this play provides a great adventure for those of us who thirsted for more. It gives us a little update on how things are going. And for many, like me, who have grown up and had kids since the first book, it allowed us to see the magic continue. Maybe that magic has changed from wands and spells to family and friendships. The relationships we have built are what is worth fighting for.
So yes, I absolutely recommend this installment. If you haven't read the original series, I don't know what you're waiting for, but you should definitely start there before reading this one.
4 stars (only because I'd have liked more detail which isn't really possible in a script)