Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two

Not as deep or as expansive as the books, but it is a play, so that's just how it goes. I enjoyed it very much, and it is a worthy successor to the canonical books.

Below is the review I wrote for my library's Facebook Friday book recommendations.

This is a must-read for all fans of Harry Potter, and because of its timeless theme of conflict between a son and the father who loves him, it could be of interest to someone who has never read the Potter books or seen the movies.

I loved “Cursed Child,” but I have to admit that a lot of HP fans didn't. I think part of the reason is because they were wanting it to be something it is not. “Cursed Child” is a play, not straight fiction, and it was not written by J. K. Rowling, although she was intimately involved in its creation.

A son rebels against his father, and in the process destroys the world as everyone knows it and creates a living hell on Earth. A father, clueless and focused, has no idea what to do. Because there is magic involved, the consequences are dire; but because there is love, there is also hope.

It is a play, so you will need to enjoy it a bit differently than you do a novel. Let your imagination run wild! Picture how the action would look on stage as well as in real life. It's wild and beautiful – sometimes terrifying – but the words don't tell the whole story. That's why you need to turn your brain into a theatre with an evocative set, moody lighting, a great director and really good actors. All of that creativity has to come from your own mind. Read it, picture it, hear it and enjoy!