REVIEW: Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, Parts I & II

Synopsis (by Arthur A. Levine): 

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Review:

3/5 Stars

The release of Harry Potter & the Cursed Child was exciting but worrisome. Would Rowling be able to deliver a play that was just as good as the first seven books? Overall, I thought it was okay.
***This review contains spoilers.  

The Parts I Wish I Could Avada Kedavra:
1. Harry's personality transplant: The story begins about twenty years after the Wizarding War ends. Of course, in that time I'm expecting Harry to have changed as a person. What I wasn't expecting was Harry to act completely different during certain scenes. There was a part where he forbids Albus from seeing Scorpius, his son's only friend, based on rumors about Scorpius' parentage. The Harry I read seven books about would never have done that kind of thing even if Albus had altered the events of the past. 

2. Crappy plot: Had the writers chosen to focus on a different plot, the play could've been better. I'm used to the Harry Potter books having well thought out plots.  It felt like I was reading a fanfiction especially once I read that Voldemort & Bellatrix had a child together! Then there were things that happened a little too conveniently like when there was this complex but still confusing explanation on how Albus and Scorpius left a message to Harry on his blanket.

3. Contradictions: Several plot points in the play seemed to contradict things that were in the earlier books. For example, when Harry, Hermione, and Ron sneak into the Ministry of Magic during Deathly Hallows it was dangerous and required days of prior planning. How is it that Albus, Scorpius, and Delphine easily sneak into the Ministry and obtain a Time Turner? Makes no sense.

The Highlights:
1. Scorpius Malfoy: He was hands down the best character in the whole play and I loved his friendship with Albus.

2. The sappy parts of Godric's Hollow: I wish I could see these scenes acted out on stage. Watching James & Lilly die and Hagrid come to rescue Harry was heartbreaking.

3. The Humor: Mixed in with all the teen angst and family drama, there were a few funny moments. When Albus transfigured into Ron and told Hermione he either wanted a baby or a vacation? Hilarious. 

If you're a huge fan of the series I do think Cursed Child is worth picking up!