Harry Potter: Cursed Child Discussion

[xboxtravis7992]

Hello I just speed read the book in two hours last night and I was wondering if anyone else here has read it (or even seen the play?). I noticed there really wasn't a discussion for it so I figured I might as well start one. Please remember to use Spoiler tags where appropriate.

Edited August 11, 2016 by xboxtravis7992

[Forresto]

I have been on the fence about reading it. Is it good? I was pretty satisfied with the ending of Deathly Hallows and how everything is going to work out in their future, does this mess that rose tinted view up?

[xboxtravis7992]

I have been on the fence about reading it. Is it good? I was pretty satisfied with the ending of Deathly Hallows and how everything is going to work out in their future, does this mess that rose tinted view up?

Honestly I will let you decide when you read it. It was a fun two hour read to return to Harry Potter land, but it lacked the gravitas of the original seven books. Everything goes to crap pretty fast in Cursed Child and then resolves in a nice little bow just as quickly.

[Master_Data]

I read a short synopsis, and it was all over the place. Decided to avoid it (unless more people here have positive reviews).

[legobagel]

Loved it. As a long time Harry Potter fan, I didn't expect to like it, but the plot was so well written, and it had many good moments. Now I'm mad because the play is only in London, not the US...

Megabloks.

[SandMirror38]

God I hated it, every single thing about it.

[rodiziorobs]

I haven't really had a desire to read any HP since finishing the 7th book...on its release date...but if someone I knew had a copy I think I would ask to borrow it.

(The only HP reading I have done lately was HP and the Methods of Rationality (online fanfic), which is often clever and in some ways superior to the original, although it does sag heavily in some places.)

Thanks for the recommendation xboxtravis, I'll put it on my list.

Edited August 15, 2016 by rodiziorobs

[Tariq j]

I too, have not had the chance to read it yet, but will definitely get round to doing so.

In other news, Rowling had announced she's writing three short Harry Potter stories. I really like the idea of her doing more "anthology" type stories based of different characters in the series... In a similar way Disney are making more films based on certain characters in Star Wars.

[BrickJagger]

Overall, I liked it, though it was entirely unnecessary. Most of the characters were pretty well-developed, although there were a few exceptions, and the plot was decent.

The middle part of the book was especially interesting, and I wish Rowling/The other authors had more time to explore those scenarios.

I too, have not had the chance to read it yet, but will definitely get round to doing so.

In other news, Rowling had announced she's writing three short Harry Potter stories. I really like the idea of her doing more "anthology" type stories based of different characters in the series... In a similar way Disney are making more films based on certain characters in Star Wars.

Not on board with this. It's pretty clear now that she's simply lining her pockets at this point. After Harry Potter 7, she said she was done. After the Cursed Child, she said she was done. Now this. Nevertheless, I'll probably read them anyways.

Edited August 17, 2016 by BrickJagger

[Vindicare]

I loved it. I thought the story was great & the glimpses of the past were a nice bit of nostalgia. I didn't think I'd like the script layout of the book, but it wasn't bad at all. Kind of a refreshing change of pace from the usual.

[Columbus019]

I enjoyed most of the book

but, if Harry had been a good parent and shown Albus Back to the Future, none of it would have happened.

Columbus

Edited August 23, 2016 by Columbus019

[xboxtravis7992]

Remove the 's' from the word "spoilers". Should work then.

[The Brigante]

I enjoyed most of the book

but, if Harry had been a good parent and shown Albus Back to the Future, none of it would have happened.

Why would Harry show him a muggle movie? And what with the Dursleys, who's to say he even knows of it?

Finished it this morning. HATED it! Time travel and alternate dimensions? Felt like a fan-fic not something meant to 'canon'. I shall stick with my own version of Albus' Hogwarts adventures thanks.

Edited August 19, 2016 by The Brigante

[Vindicare]

Overall, I liked it, though it was entirely unnecessary. Most of the characters were pretty well-developed, although there were a few exceptions, and the plot was decent.

The middle part of the book was especially interesting, and I wish Rowling/The other authors had more time to explore those scenarios.

Not on board with this. It's pretty clear now that she's simply lining her pockets at this point. After Harry Potter 7, she said she was done. After the Cursed Child, she said she was done. Now this. Nevertheless, I'll probably read them anyways.

As any business person, making money is high on the list. So, making more only makes sense. I'm not even sure you can entirely credit her woth "Cursed Child" as she was only one of three. I know she said she was done, but there could've been any number of things, besides money, that changed her mind.

With that said, had the works she put out utter garbage & a rush job, I'd agree with it being a cash grab. I haven't read these short stories, so I can't give an opinion on them. As long as the story is good & entertaining, I'd prefer the books continue, I could never get enough of this universe.

[BrickBob Studpants]

I can't really judge either the play or the script, but after skimming the summary, the story does seem rather fan-fictiony I'm also annoyed by the time travel plot device cause the time turner clearly didn't work that way in the PoA In that story, the time turner couldn't actually change the past, the events in the past were caused by the time travel instead of being altered (pretty much creating a self-fulfiling prophecy). Usually I prefer time-travel stories that use alternate timelines à la Back to the Future (since the other approach creates weird problems with the notion of free will), but not in this case, you can't just have both in the same continuity In my book, only Doctor Who is allowed to do that for that show is primarily about time (and space) travel

Edited August 20, 2016 by Lego-Freak

[xboxtravis7992]

There is a brief dialogue line that explains why the alternate universes happened why it didn't occur in PoA:

Apparently the reason Time Turner's such as Hermione's in PoA are limited to hour time is because magic laws dictate "traveling 5-hours into the past" has no harm to the time line and creates a self fulfilling prophecy (such as in PoA). Beyond that time slot though things just get weird...

Maybe the time travel plot was a response to the HISHE Harry Potter video? :)

Edited August 21, 2016 by xboxtravis7992

[Forresto]

I just dont know if im down with Voldemort getting down.

in the films hes so awkward especially when hes hugging draco. Look the actual act can happen easily but still...thats like how Isard is Palpatines lover in SW. I guess technically possible but theyre so evil in a non intimate way plus caught in the middle of their conquest for more power that I just cant see it happening.

[BrickBob Studpants]

There is a brief dialogue line that explains why the alternate universes happened why it didn't occur in PoA:

Apparently the reason Time Turner's such as Hermione's in PoA are limited to hour time is because magic laws dictate "traveling 5-hours into the past" has no harm to the time line and creates a self fulfilling prophecy (such as in PoA). Beyond that time slot though things just get weird...

Maybe the time travel plot was a response to the HISHE Harry Potter video? :)

Thanks for that bit of information, I didn't know they actually have an explanation for that issue Maybe I should have given the author (Jack Thorne) more credit It still kinda feels like fan-fiction (and it probably sort of is), but at least that problem is resolved

Yeah, I couldn't help but think of the HISHE video as well

[Columbus019]

Why would Harry show him a muggle movie? And what with the Dursleys, who's to say he even knows of it?

Well, I can't imagine any of the wizarding world making movies, can you? Moving pictures are one thing, but making a film is entirely different. Also, with the level of technology that they can use as it is (basic), all their films would be grainy and black and white.

Columbus

Edited September 3, 2016 by Columbus019

[Robert8]

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD MAY BECOME A TRILOGY

Source

Edited September 3, 2016 by Robert8

[xboxtravis7992]

Source

We need to wait ten more years so Daniel, Rupert, and Emma can age a bit more.

And so we can perfect a CGI Alan Rickman...

[Robert8]

We need to wait ten more years so Daniel, Rupert, and Emma can age a bit more.

And so we can perfect a CGI Alan Rickman...

If they wait 10 years then they will have to cgi McGonagall, Dumbledore, Amos Diggory, etc...

[xboxtravis7992]

If they wait 10 years then they will have to cgi McGonagall, Dumbledore, Amos Diggory, etc...

So true! Bwhahahaha! :)

[Robert8]

I can't really judge either the play or the script, but after skimming the summary, the story does seem rather fan-fictiony I'm also annoyed by the time travel plot device cause the time turner clearly didn't work that way in the PoA In that story, the time turner couldn't actually change the past, the events in the past were caused by the time travel instead of being altered (pretty much creating a self-fulfiling prophecy). Usually I prefer time-travel stories that use alternate timelines à la Back to the Future (since the other approach creates weird problems with the notion of free will), but not in this case, you can't just have both in the same continuity In my book, only Doctor Who is allowed to do that for that show is primarily about time (and space) travel

Agree.

Even the epilogue in Deathly Hallows had a fan fiction vibe, but Cursed Child takes it up to eleven.

Using time travel is always tricky and I think Cursed Child failed.

If Scorpius and Albus went back in time and changed the past, how could they know things changed when they returned to the present? The original timeline never happened.

I mean, after they changed the past, the original events never happened, so how could they even remember Rose after the first time travel? She never existed.

And don't let me get started with Cedric Diggory being a Death Eater. For god's sake!

Edited September 4, 2016 by Robert8

[PicnicBasketSam]

I have placed a hold at my local library for this. I'm not expecting it to be any good... it does sound like a glorified fanfic by someone who is deliberately ignores the original thing in favor of their own interpretation. :/ And a trilogy of movies sounds like a terrible idea... come on guys, didn't you learn anything from The Hobbit? If you care enough about your fans to actually go and write another book, you could pay attention to literally everyone when they said that a trilogy out of the Hobbit was a bad idea. This book, unlike the Hobbit, doesn't even seem to be good enough to bother making ONE movie out of, much less 3.