Harry Potter passes on the wand

Rithika Ashok, Staff Writer

Nearly a decade after the end of the nationally acclaimed series “Harry Potter,” the world has again been introduced to a new adventure, this time in the shoes of Albus Potter. The book, written as a play script, follows the story of Harry and Ginny’s son and his astonishing differences from his famous father. This coming of age tale also highlights Albus’s relationship with Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Harry’s nemesis, Draco Malfoy, and follows the story of Albus as he navigates through his early years at Hogwarts.

The two-part play, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” originally opened in London, and has been published as a book which has soared to the top of the bestseller list. J.K. Rowling designed the story along with theatre director John Tiffany and the script was written by playwright Jack Thorne.

The continuation of the original series by Rowling, who gave no indication that there would be any sequels after the end of the original series, caught many fans by surprise. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” hit the shelves on July 31 and has since received mixed reactions from audiences.

Critics gave “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” five out of five stars. Ben Brantley, chief theater critic of The New York Times, feels that the new book shows a mysterious plot, life lessons and a fresh look at the problems of adolescence. Many students have read the book, however some reviews have not been as positive.

“Most of the characters are a continuation from the epilogue, It was cool to see character development because we [had] predisposed ideas of them from the first book,” sophomore Anisha Loganathan said. “The book wasn’t as good as the original ‘Harry Potter’ series, but it wasn’t terrible.”

Other students, some who even consider themselves to be “Harry Potter” enthusiasts, feel that the new book does not measure up to the original series.

“I loved [the previous “Harry Potter” series]. It was my one companion as a child. But, I think [“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”] was the stupidest thing ever,” freshman Gayatri Chintala said. “I don’t think the writing quality was the same.”

Though some students responded to the book with negative feedback, others enjoyed the new addition.

“I like the continuation of the series,” freshman Suhaas Narayan said. “The original series was better, but the new book was good too.”

The mixed reviews of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” have certainly been a topic of discussion among “Harry Potter” fans. Despite some negative feedback, the book has accomplished being the fastest-selling play script ever and the fastest-selling book since the last “Harry Potter” novel. Regardless of mixed feedback on “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” Rowling has yet again created a fantasy adventure which has broken records, made headlines and provided people from all generations with a tale for the ages.