Well firstly, I felt a bit tenuous about ordering Cursed Child after some of the reviews I read here....afraid I'd end up disappointed or left wanting and couldn't bear that. But then my Harry Potter mania took over and I knew I'd never be able to NOT read it! I LOVED the story premise, it gathered up loose strings I felt at the end of Deathly Hallows, wondering what might become of our three heroes, what would become of Hogwarts in a post-Voldemort world, what legacies would or would not continue.....what struggles would occur in a not-perfect world, especially that of raising children and coming to terms with one's own "unfinished or unsorted business". I started reading, wondering why on Earth JKR would consent to this story only being presented in script/screenplay form......but then as I got into the Acts, could clearly see why! And it supports her statement - (Taken from Wikipedia) In response to queries regarding the choice of a play rather than a new novel, Rowling has stated that she "is confident that when audiences see the play they will agree that it is the only proper medium for the story". I "get it" and won't put a spoiler here. It's richer to discover the reason yourself and feel the honor in it! As with all the Potter books, subtexts and valuable life lessons and messages are not far beneath the surface. I did GREATLY miss what I believe book-form "could have" been with JKR's delicious narrative and descriptions, but I'm a writer and could fill-in with my imagination, was resigned before I opened the first page that I had to embrace that this was a SCRIPT, not a JKR BOOK! So many seem to be rating and judging the story on it's format despite being warned...so to each their own on that point. My imagination and familiarity with the saga was able to *go there* and fill in the empty spaces. A book could be (maybe already *IS* written ::fingers crossed) but would then demand another expected movie, and there was absolutely no way this movie could be made and possess the same level of magic & *authenticity*. You'll see why when you read it. I recommend Cursed Child, *if* you are able to recognize and digest that this is a script, don't expect a tasty JKR tome. And JK, if you're reading? Your version of the full book would be so perfect, thank you! I hope it happens, even if the movie can't. ;) And now for spoilers.......... SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! You've BEEN WARNED! Some of the major JUMP-OUTS to me as far as criticisms of the book..... It seemed NOT like Harry's personality, especially given all he'd been through as a child himself, to ever, Ever, EVER tell Albus that he sometimes didn't want to be his father...that just seemed totally out-of-character. I get it that it's intrinsic to the story *conflict*....but seriously? You NEVER say anything like that to your kid unless you're a pretty horrible person or parent, .....and Harry isn't. I also found it difficult to swallow that with as honorable a guy as Cedric was when he was alive, that being humiliated during the tournament-time-revisit would be "enough" to piss him off or depress him so much that he'd go into a tailspin and become a deatheater.....um, nuh. Not Cedric. Not *my* Cedric...heh heh. Just didn't jive. It seemed like cruel and unusual dredging-up to make Harry have to witness his parents being killed, as an adult. That's like inflicting a whole new horrible wound and mental scar to never get over. Or maybe that was the point? Forever make Harry feel and be reminded of how many deaths he's associated with, guilt-him-to-death? And was it just me, or did you sense an undercurrent on a few occasions/situations where it almost seemed like Albus and Scorpius might be discovering their gay selves?!?!?! Seemed like it was veering that way. This isn't a criticism of that. But it almost seemed like Albus and Scorpius had more almost romantic *truly connected* moments than Scorpius and Rose, which then made the Scorpius and Rose so-called attraction seem disingenuous, or just some forced after-thought to include (?) The relationship between Albus and Scorpius was effectively SHOWN, not told. The relationship between Scorpius and Rose was TOLD, not shown. That bit of poor writing seemed like NOT-JKR-writing. And when did Bellatrix have sex with Voldemort to produce Delphi? Guessing that must have been hinted-at at the Deatheaters meeting in Deathly Hallows? Of course that could only be insinuated and keep a PG rating in the movie anyway. And then these questions can't help but make me wonder "Who's ideas were these, ANYWAY?" If it was just one author, no question. But with three contributors, you wonder (if) who influenced who and why? Motives can become slightly suspect. I don't like that feeling,. I wish *just* JKR had written it. I believe she felt Cursed Child was a gift to her hungry loyal Potter fans, to tie up loose ends.....and done under the only circumstances it could have been given. Afterall, with no Snape, any substitute would seem sacrilegious. STILL, a BOOK COULD BE WRITTEN!!! (Even if the movie couldn't happen.) But overall....I was still glad for the story and the possibility it presented of their world continuing..... Despite my criticisms, I still gave it a 5-star rating because I'm willing to accept it as the gift I *think* it was supposed to/intended to be, and also because I felt equipped and able to fill-in-the-descriptive-and-historical-blanks that a script format left vacant. However I would caution JKR to never let anyone else ever hold or help raise her babies again. Read with an open mind & heart. Reviews of the play seem SO favorable, I have a feeling that much is lost in only *reading* the script vs. seeing the play, which I very much look forward to seeing, either the actual play, or a DVD of it! The play sounds to be booked already well into 2017, so hopes for a DVD may be a long ways off.....

My birthday is one day after Harry Potter's, and getting this book was definitely an early birthday present. I read it from beginning to end in one sitting--nearly 4 hours, and the time flew by. I don't want to spoil any of the story for those who are going to read it, but it is, in my opinion, an amazing feat. I am not usually a fan of "revisionist writers" -- going back and making things too tidy, too self-contained--because life is full of serendipity and messiness. In this case, though, there's just enough of the "old" Harry Potter story to build the story, and there is a lot of really good thought that went into this. There is excellent adventure, fast pace, mistakes, regrets, challenges, growing up... There are a lot of similar themes to the original Harry Potter books, as well as some expounded and clarified themes. There are many "old friends" -- Moaning Myrtle, Severus Snape, Cedric Diggory, Hagrid, Bane, Draco Malfoy, Professor McGonnagle, Madam Hooch, Aunt Petunia, ... There are a number of twists that kept me reading it from beginning to end. The twists and turns, the breathtaking audacity and philosophical discussions about regret, responsibility, power, heritage, friendship, family, are pure J. K. Rowling. There are some great quotes, powerful insights, and it was so good to "visit" the Harry Potter world again. Well worth the read. EDIT: There are a lot of mixed reviews being posted, and I can see some of the points that are raised. I will address a few of these, hopefully without being unnecessarily critical of the points raised. 1. This is a play. This isn't a 400-to-800-plus page book. There isn't going to be the lengthy plot and character development that goes with a J. K. Rowling book. 2. This is a play. There are necessarily constraints on the "special effects" that can happen. Similarly there are really few plots that are possible (person faces external hardship and overcomes, or doesn't; person faces intrapersonal conflict and resolves it, or doesn't). 3. This play has some major components addressing how we in Western society always want what we can't have, and how we think "if only this had (or hadn't) happened, then my life would have been so much better", and how completely incorrect that can be. Spoiler alert! Stop here if you don't want to know any key elements of the story. 4. Time-turners: Yes, the supply of time-turners was completely destroyed in HP5. It's also been 20+ years since then. The Ministry of Magic never banned them being created, and even if they had, the Wizarding community is pretty fast and loose with rules. The rule about not going back more than 5 hours isn't a physical law, but one that indicates the catastrophic effects that can happen if one does go further back...as evidenced by this story. 4a. Time-turners: The wealthy are able to procure things that the average person can't, and can get a "pass" because they are privileged. 5. Delphi: I can completely believe Bellatrix would want to be the mother of Voldemort's child. I have a harder time picturing Voldemort being ok with having a child, because s/he would be a potential rival, and he has no natural affection for anyone. (mentally I was like-- thishas to be artificial insemination!) I find Delphi's overwhelming desire to please her father an interesting juxtaposition to Albus's desire to annoy his. 6. Cedrick would never have been a death-eater: You can only be misused, the deck stacked unjustly, and be faced with unreasonable expectations for so long before you chuck fairness into the bin. Cedrick could have become a Death Eater just to spite HP. 7. Harry was really out of character: Harry was never the fabulous hero that too many fans made him out to be... he was a rule-breaker, a liar, a thief, not good at homework, frequently vengeful and unreasonable when it came to people he disliked. He's a frustrated, overworked Ministry official who sometimes gets it wrong (as he's done in the past), who is over-protective and has personal prejudices. If you've never said something you shouldn't have to a child, especially in the heat of the moment of frustration or anger, then chances are pretty good you're not a parent. 8. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, whomever isn't much of a character anymore: no, this is a story about Harry, Albus and Scorpios. Accept that and move on. 9. How could they all stand there and watch October 31, 1981 happen again? This is the whole point... changing one thing changes everything, and who you are is a result of all you have experienced. If we are fortunate, we will be able to look back on those devastatingly difficult times, and see how they brought us to the present moment to those we love, and it will have been worth the price.