He’s back! And this time we’re not talking about Voldemort.
Nine years ago, Harry Potter fans read what they thought was the final book of J.K. Rowling’s bewitching series. The seventh book ended with a glimpse of Harry’s life 19 years later, in a place where many of Harry’s adventures began— platform 9 ¾. He had a wife, children and his best friends, Ron and Hermione, still by his side.
On July 31, 2016 (Harry’s birthday) readers were gifted another look into the wizarding world, picking up where the seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, left off. Rather than a book, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a play written by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany.
Although this book is considered the eighth book in the Harry Potter series, it certainly needs to be set apart from the original seven books because of how far in the future it takes place. The play focuses on the relationship of Harry and his second son, Albus— who carries a large burden of upholding the Potter legacy. But don’t worry—time traveling, adventures, spells and He Who Must Not Be Named still come into play, despite being many years later.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child conveys many of the same messages as the first seven books, in particular the importance of friendship. Harry’s son, Albus, befriends an unexpected student at Hogwarts, but you’ll have to read the play to find out!
The book is a little over 300 pages, but reads fairly quickly because of its play format— and because Harry Potter readers have been waiting almost a decade to find out what happened next. Whether you were satisfied with the seventh book or were thirsting for more, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child certainly lives up to the prestige of Rowling’s other works.
