One Sentence Summary
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 & 2, Special Rehearsal Edition Script is the 8th installment of the classic Harry Potter fantasy series, depicting the adventures of the titular character Harry Potter’s son Albus Severus Potter during his 5th year in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Book Genre
Fantasy
Main Topic of the Book
The main topic of the book is the adventures of Albus Severus Potter during his fifth year in Hogwarts and his struggle to deal with the family legacy he inherited from his famous father.
Key Ideas
- Friendship and Family Ties – Focuses on the bond between Albus Severus Potter and his childhood friend Scorpius Malfoy, as well as Albus’ struggles to understand his place as the son of the famed Harry Potter.
- Time Travel – Explores the consequences of using time travel for the sake of manipulating the present and future.
- Conflict – Follows the series’ ongoing themes of good vs. evil, the battle between dark and light magic, and Albus’ constant internal conflict of whether he is worthy of his father’s legacy.
Main Parts of the Book and a Short Summary
Part 1: The Cursed Child – Albus Severus Potter and his friend Scorpius Malfoy embark on a dangerous mission to save Cedric Diggory, a former Hogwarts champion, from an unknown fate. Part 1 of the book focuses on the pair’s journey and the ethical implications of time travel.
Part 2: The Cursed Child – Albus and Scorpius ultimately find themselves in a dangerous situation, involving the deadly Death Eaters and powerful dark magic. Albus must learn to rely on his father’s example of courage, hope and friendship to stand up against the darkness. Part 2 of the book focuses on Albus’s journey as he finds self-confidence and learns to believe in himself.
Key Takeaways
- Friendship and family ties are stronger than any obstacles in life
- Time travel has its risks and should be treated with caution
- Good will always triumph over evil in the end
- One should never forget to show courage, hope and friendship even in the darkest of times
- Discrimination and prejudice should never stop one from searching for one’s true identity
Author’s Background and Qualifications
J.K. Rowling is a British novelist, screenwriter, producer, and philanthropist. She is best known for creating the Harry Potter fantasy series and its supporting materials. This series has won multiple awards and sold more than 500 million copies. In addition to writing books, she has also written screenplays for television and film series as well as stage plays.
Target Audience
The book is mainly aimed at readers aged 13+ who are familiar with and enjoy the Harry Potter universe.
Publisher and First Publication Date
The book was published by Scholastic Inc. and Little Brown and Company on July 31, 2016.