Suicide Reviews: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Spoiler Free!)

 

Date Published: July 31, 2016

Published By: Arthur A. Levine Books

Number of Pages: 327

Rating: 5/5

I'll admit - I was skeptical. When it was first announced that the eighth Harry Potter story was going to be a play, I definitely had some strong reservations. Why do a play? I wondered. Why not just write it as a novel so that every Potter fan can enjoy it? 

After reading the script of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, my expectations were completely blown out of the water. I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. I was so pleased to see my beloved Wizarding World again and see my favorite Golden Trio all grown up. The story definitely has that special Harry Potter feeling - lots of action and drama mixed in with humor, a great sense of character, magic and mystery, whimsy and wonder. It does justice to the epic seven-book series that came before it.

After reading the script, I am dying to see the play. As I was reading, I tried to imagine in my head what certain moments would look like on stage. There are so many fantastical scenes in Cursed Child that I'm willing to bet it takes an extraordinary amount of stagecraft to pull off. I'm sure it's quite the spectacle. 

And herein lies the problem with the script - it is a story that is meant to be seen on stage to get the full experience of it. You know how you never quite grasp the full meaning of a Shakespeare play until you see it live (or at least on film?) The same principle applies here - I will not be able to experience the true magic of Cursed Child until I see it on stage. I understand why J.K. Rowling chose to write the eighth story as a play as opposed to a novel - I'm not sure the story would work as a traditional book. But I was left feeling slightly unfulfilled after I finished reading it - a problem I don't experience with the seven books. 

I'm not going to post any spoilers but I will say that my absolute favorite part was towards the end of Act Three, Scene Nine - people who have read the script already will probably know what I'm talking about, especially if you know who my favorite character is. I'm sure if I was to see this particular moment on stage, I'd be reduced to tears.

A Brief Note on Canon:

Some people say that the creators get to decide what is canon and what isn't. J.K. Rowling herself calls the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play part of the official Harry Potter canon. For me, canon is a personal thing. Some might disagree with me, but I decide for myself what I consider to be part of the HP canon.

So...do I consider Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to be part of the official Harry Potter canon?

Well....yes and no.

To me the epitome of Harry Potter canon is, and always will be, the seven book series. They encompass a complete story, from beginning to end, and it does not need adding on to. It is the official canon from which all others are derived. There's a distinction between Harry Potter book canon and Harry Potter movie canon. And now I would say that there is Harry Potter play canon. I consider Cursed Child to be a part of the overall HP universe but separate from book canon. A nice bonus story, but not part of the official storyline that's set down in the books. 

But this is just my own opinion, which you may completely disagree with. And that's great! I think people should make up their own minds about what they consider to be part of the canon and that it shouldn't be this thing that's dictated to us. (I'm sure Star Wars fans can relate.)

Harry Potter Reread: Deathly Hallows

  

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

Back in 2007, everyone was eagerly counting down the days until the final book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, would be unleashed upon the world. At midnight on July 21, 2007, Potter fans around the world attended midnight release parties. As for me...

....I got my copy of Deathly Hallows at a Costco.

That's not even the worst part. I didn't even get it on the day it came out AND I got my mom to pick it up for me. I wasn't even there to buy it in person! This is one of my most shameful moments in my personal history of Potter fandom. (OH THE HUMANITY!)

In my defense, Harry Potter wouldn't come to be my absolute favorite book series until I reread all 7 books in a row. Only then did I grasp the true genius of the series. But if I had a Time Turner, I'd go back and do it properly - anticipate each book eagerly as it came out, attend all of the midnight releases, and spend years in agony between each installment. Not that I didn't look forward to each Harry Potter book as they came out but still...I could've been a bit more obsessive about it, like a proper fangirl. 

Things I Noticed This Time Around

p.115- Fred says, 'When I get married...' and all I could think was 'OH NO, FRED!' J.K. Rowling, why must you be so cruel?

p. 524- In the scene in the Shrieking Shack, Snape says this to Voldemort:

" 'Let me find the boy. Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please.' "

Snape is practically begging Voldemort to let him go and find Harry but it's not because he wants to hand him over to Voldemort, IT'S BECAUSE HE WANTS TO FIND HARRY AND TELL HIM THE TRUTH!

p.607- Harry names his second son 'Albus Severus Potter.' This is a matter of great contention within the Potter fandom. Some people are outraged that Harry named one of his children after Snape and not someone else like Hagrid or Lupin. This has always annoyed me because I don't think these people understand how stories work. The story arc of Severus Snape is clearly a redemption arc. His ultimate redemption is Harry forgiving him and naming his son after him so that his sacrifice won't be forgotten. DO PEOPLE HONESTLY NOT GET THIS?

Favorite Parts/Lines

-Chapter Thirty-Three, 'The Prince's Tale' is my favorite chapter in the entire Harry Potter series. At the end of it, I'm reduced to a sobbing pile of feelings and tears. 

-p.578 'Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.'

Concluding Thoughts

Reading all seven books in the Harry Potter series always makes me feel exhausted but in the best possible way. I feel transformed at the end of Deathly Hallows, like I have been through this great trial with Harry and his friends and I emerge from it a better person, with a better understanding of what's important in life - love, friendship, hope, courage, and self-sacrifice. People who say Harry Potter is overhyped or is just a children's book series have either never read it or never read it properly. I encourage those people to give it another chance. 

I will continue to reread the Harry Potter series throughout my life - hopefully once every couple of years or so. It is a story that I will always return to, a story that will always feel like home. 

Harry Potter Reread: The Half-Blood Prince

 

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

I honestly cannot remember where I bought Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when it first came out. Was it from a bookstore or a supermarket? I know for a fact that I didn't read it right away because I remember being spoiled (yet again) about the big death at the end. 

I know this is a pretty lame origin story compared to the first few books in the series. Just wait. My Deathly Hallows origin story is even worse.

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

p.257- An 11-year old Tom Riddle expresses the belief that his mother 'cant've been magic or she wouldn't have died.' We know that Voldemort's mother was, in fact, a witch but this particular belief seems to be an early manifestation of Voldemort's obsession with immortality. Voldemort seems to think that those who succumb to death are weak. He sees himself as the most powerful sorcerer of all time and so, in his mind, he should be immune to death.  This is why he goes to such great lengths to create the Horcruxes and stay alive at all costs, even if it means ripping his soul apart.

p.418- Dumbledore tells Harry that 'we have never been able to keep a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for longer than a year since I refused the post to Voldemort.' Is it possible Voldemort placed an actual curse on Hogwarts? Maybe he was so bitter about Dumbledore refusing him that he wanted to ensure no one else would be able to keep the job for any long stretch of time. Or was this an unconscious bit of magic?

p.578- Hermione is explaining to everyone what happened after Snape killed Dumbledore:

 " 'We went into his office to see if we could help Professor Flitwick and found him unconscious on the floor...and, oh, it's so obvious now, Snape must have Stupefied Flitwick, but we didn't realise, we just let Snape go!'

     'It's not your fault,' said Lupin firmly. 'Hermione, had you not obeyed Snape and got out of the way, he would probably gave killed you and Luna.' " 

Now that we know that Snape was really a good guy all along (relatively speaking), my theory is that Snape stunned Flitwick and told Hermione and Luna to look after him so that they would be safe from the Death Eaters invading the castle.

Favorite Parts/Lines

p.113-When Harry and co. go and visit Fred and George's joke shop:

"The right-hand window was covered in a gigantic poster, purple like those of the Ministry, but emblazoned with flashing yellow letters:

Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who?

You SHOULD Be Worrying About 

U-NO-POO-

the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!

Harry started to laugh. He heard a weak sort of moan beside him and looked round to see Mrs Weasley gazing, dumbfounded, at the poster. Her lips moved, silently mouthing the name, U-No-Poo.' 

p.529-When Dumbledore and Harry are in the cave looking for the Horcrux and Harry sees the Inferi:

" 'There is nothing to be feared from a body, Harry, any more than there is anything to be feared from the darkness. Lord Voldemort, who of course secretly fears both, disagrees. But once again he reveals his own lack of wisdom. It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.' "

Concluding Thoughts

The end of Half-Blood Prince is truly mind-blowing because Snape finally reveals his true colours...or at least, we think he does. I remember when I read it for the first time, I actually thought that Snape might still be a good guy. I think I predicted that Snape only killed Dumbledore because Dumbledore told him to. Of course, I could be just conjuring up this memory in retrospect but I think I always knew, even after Half-Blood Prince, that there was a lot more to Snape than met the eye. (I know my posts are always very pro-Snape but I can't help it! He's still my favorite character! #sorrynotsorry

Harry Potter Reread: Order of the Phoenix

  

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

I am ashamed to say that I don't have a great story for when I first bought Order of the Phoenix. I didn't go to a midnight release party. Hell, I didn't even buy it at a bookstore. I bought it at...a supermarket. 

I do remember buying it the very day it came out. I think the reason I bought it at the supermarket was because it was a lot cheaper. (The retail price for the Canadian edition was $43.00!) But I don't even remember reading it right away. Maybe it was because I was rereading the other books first? I remember being spoiled about the big death at the end of the book so maybe that's why I put it off. 

I was excited for Order of the Phoenix but I think at that time I wasn't a hardcore fan of Harry Potter like I am now. (I know, I know, FOR SHAME!)

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

p.34-When Aunt Petunia blurts out that she knows about Dementors and Harry asks how she knows, she says 'I heard - that awful boy - telling her about them - years ago.' Harry (and the reader) assumes that she is talking about James but she's really talking about Snape!

p.108-When Harry and co. are cleaning out Number 12, Grimmauld Place,
J.K. Rowling craftily sneaks in a passing mention of a horcrux - Slytherin's locket. 'There was a musical box that emitted a faintly sinister, tinkling tune when wound, and they all found themselves becoming curiously weak and sleepy, until Ginny had the sense to slam it shut; a heavy locket none of them could open; a number of ancient seals; and, in a dusty box, an Order of Merlin, First Class, that had been awarded to Sirius's grandfather for 'services to the Ministry.' This is so clever on Rowling's part because the reader would not know the significance of this until they had read the end of the series. This is why the Harry Potter series demands to be reread.

p.240-Harry's detention with Umbridge is truly one of the most disturbing parts in the entire series. Here is a grown woman basically torturing a teenage boy because he is daring to contradict her and the government's version of events. Throughout the novel, we see the Ministry of Magic use intimidation and slander to discredit anyone who thinks Voldemort has returned.

p.473-During one of Snape's Occlumency lessons with Harry, they have this exchange:

'I told you to empty yourself of emotion!'

'Yeah? Well, I'm finding that hard at the moment,' Harry snarled.

'Then you will find yourself easy prey for the Dark Lord! said Snape savagely. 'Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked so easily - weak people, in other words - they stand no chance against his powers! He will penetrate your mind with absurd ease, Potter!'

Snape's speech is an indication of how much he has had to conceal from Voldemort, how hard he has to work to protect his true thoughts and feelings from the Dark Lord. This, to me, explains a lot about the psychology of Severus Snape. Imagine having to hide your memories, thoughts, and feelings from someone skilled at penetrating minds. Snape would constantly have to be on his guard. He would have to essentially hide who he is. Now, Snape is one of my favorite characters of all time but I would never excuse his cruel and bullying nature. But I have a hunch that this is the thing that messed him up - never allowing himself to feel anything for anybody (with the exception of Lily), taking on a life of solitude, having no one to confide in, being used by people on both sides of the war - is it any wonder why he turned out the way he did?

Favorite Parts/Lines

p.149-When Mrs. Weasley finds out that Ron was made a prefect:

'I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!'

'What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?' said George indignantly.

p.597-After Fred and George make their spectacular exit from Hogwarts, I love how Peeves becomes anarchy incarnate in their honor: 'But not even the users of the Snackboxes could compete with that master of chaos, Peeves, who seemed to have taken Fred's parting words deeply to heart. Cackling madly, he soared through the school, upending tables, bursting out of blackboards, toppling statues and vases; twice he shut Mrs Norris inside a suit of armor, from which she was rescued, yowling loudly, by the furious caretaker. Peeves smashed lanterns and snuffed out candles, juggled burning torches over the heads of screaming students, caused neatly stacked piles of parchment to topple into fires or out of windows; flooded the second floor when he pulled off all the taps in the bathrooms, dropped a bag of tarantulas in the middle of the Great Hall during breakfast and, whenever he fancied a break, spent hours at a time floating along after Umbridge and blowing loud raspberrries every time she spoke.'

p.743-'There is a room in the Department of Mysteries,' interrupted Dumbledore, 'that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all. That power took you to save Sirius tonight. That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of a force he detests. In the end, it mattered not that you could not close your mind. It was your heart that saved you.'

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the force Dumbledore is talking about is love. I wonder what the room dedicated to the study of love looks like?

Concluding Thoughts

Order of the Phoenix sometimes gets flack from HP fans for being too long, too angsty, and too depressing. Yes, it can be depressing and yes, it is a bit of a slog to get through sometimes. And in some scenes you're dying for Harry to just, like, chill already. But after rereading Order of the Phoenix, it strikes me how brilliant the novel is. There are so many plot threads to keep track of, but Rowling ties them all together brilliantly. Harry might be a tad angry in this installment but he's far from boring. And while the book has a reputation for being depressing, it also has some of the best humor in the entire series. (Humor that is sadly missing from the film adaptation.)  

Harry Potter Reread: Goblet of Fire

 

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

I remember my experience with Goblet of Fire really well because it is the only book in the series that I stood in line for. I think after the third book was released that the mania surrounding Harry Potter really started to take off. It was everywhere. 

I preordered the book at my local bookstore (back before the whole concept of preordering books was still foreign to me.) On the day of release, my mom and I got to the bookstore about five minutes before it opened. There was a small roped-off area in front of the store where there was a line starting to form already. I think we were the second or third ones in line. A couple of minutes before the store opened, one of the staff members came out and went down the line, asking for our names and making sure we were listed as having a copy reserved. I remember being nervous about my name somehow being omitted from the list and not getting my long-awaited copy. But of course, my name was on there, and when the store opened the friendly woman behind the counter handed me my very own copy of Goblet of Fire.

'God, it's huge!' That was my first reaction. I wasn't daunted though. When it comes to books, the bigger, the better in my opinion. And I absolutely loved the picture of the dragon on the cover.

I started reading it in the car on the way home. It didn't take me too long to finish it, a few days, maybe a week. And, of course, I loved it. 

Things I Noticed This Time Around

-At the beginning of the book, Wormtail seems reluctant to go after Harry and tries to persuade Voldemort to use another wizard. I believe this is because Harry spared Wormtail's life in PoA and so he feels he is in Harry's debt

-There are so many hints that Mad-Eye Moody is really Barty Crouch Jr. but J.K. Rowling is so clever at hiding it and planting so many other red herrings along the way that I don't think anyone could have guessed the ending when they first read it. However, if you reread it, you notice so many different clues. Here are a few:

• p.182-when Moody says Snape is 'another old friend' when he is disciplining Malfoy, he's really speaking as a former Death Eater and not as an ex-Auror
• p.228-Moody is looking at Karkaroff with 'intense dislike.' During the first read-through, we think it's because Moody is an ex-Auror and hates Dark wizards. But it's really Barty Crouch looking at him with dislike because Karkaroff turned against Voldemort and his fellow Death Eaters by naming names to try to get out of Azkaban. He sees Karkaroff as a traitor
• p.414-Moody says 'If there's one thing I hate it's a Death Eater who walked free.' Again, we think it's due to Moody's hatred of Dark wizards, but it's really Barty Crouch Jr. speaking. He sees people like Karkaroff and Snape as traitors to Lord Voldemort

-It is revealed in GoF that Hagrid is half-giant. His father was a wizard and his mother is a giantess. Now, I'm being a little nit-picky here and Hagrid is one of my favorite characters but I just realized something while rereading it - how on earth does a regular size person have sex with a giantess? What exactly are the logistics of that? Obviously, as a novel targeted towards a younger audience, the mechanics are never explained and when I was younger it was something I never wondered about. All I can say is I'm wondering now....

-p.380 -During the Care of Magical Creatures class with Professor Grubbly-Plank she says 'They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns.' All I could think was 'I bet they do, the horny bastards.' HAHAHAHAHAHA (This section could also be titled 'Things You Only Notice About the Harry Potter Books as an Adult)

-p.511 -'You must understand,' said Karkaroff hurriedly, 'that He Who Must Not Be Named operated always in the greatest of secrecy...he preferred that we - I mean to say, his supporters - ...we never knew the names of every one of our fellows  - he alone knew exactly who we all were.' I count this as evidence that Snape did not know that Peter Pettigrew was the Potter's Secret Keeper

-p.565- The missing Death Eaters. 'And here we have six missing Death Eaters...three dead in my service. One, two cowardly to return ...he will pay. One, who I believe has left me for ever...he will be killed of course...and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already re-entered my service.' I'm not sure who the dead Death Eaters are but I've figured out the other three. The coward is Karkaroff. The one who he thinks has left him for ever is Snape. And his most faithful servant is Barty Crouch Jr.

Favorite Parts/Lines

-p.77-the part at the Quidditch World Cup when Harry, Ron, and Hermione encounter Archie, a wizard wearing a long, flowery nightdress. Another wizard is trying to make him wear trousers instead. 'I'm not putting them on,' said old Archie in indignation. 'I like a healthy breeze round my privates, thanks.' Classic Archie. 

-p.178-'''Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?' said Ron.'' There are so many dirty jokes in this book!

-Of course I love the part with the dragons. I kind of feel sorry for them though, being used for sport like that. It's kind of cruel. 

-p.628-'Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right, and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory.' Makes me cry every time.

Concluding Thoughts

Goblet of Fire definitely has a darker feel to it than the previous books in the series. The part where Voldemort rises from the cauldron is definitely nightmare-inducing stuff. I know that there are parents who won't let their children read the Harry Potter books because the books feature things like death and torture and violence - but the books never glamorize these things. If Harry Potter taught me anything, it was how to be a good and kind person in a world that can be cruel and cold. When I reread the Harry Potter books, I am reminded of the kind of person I want to be.  

Harry Potter Reread: Prisoner of Azkaban

  

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

I received Prisoner of Azkaban as a Christmas gift probably in the year of 1999. I know for sure I had it before the fourth book came out. I had seen the third book in a department store, displayed along with Chamber of Secrets and I begged my mom to buy them for me. She refused, eventually telling me that she had already bought the books for me for Christmas. She gave me the second book early so I would stop pestering her for them but I had to wait until Christmas to finally read Prisoner of Azkaban. (It never once occurred to me to take the books out of the library. But it was definitely worth the wait.) Finally, Christmas morning came and I got to unwrap Prisoner of Azkaban. I had told my mother I would act super-surprised and being a kid, I went a bit over the top. I jumped around, squealing like a pig on ecstasy and hugged my mom while whispering in her ear, 'See? I told you I would act surprised.' I thought I was so smooth. And thinking back on it now, why did I think it was necessary to act surprised? I'm sure none of my other family members cared whether I knew about the book ahead of time. Man, I was a dumb kid. But I loved the book when I read it for the first time. 

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

-This is more of an observation, but I wholeheartedly believe that the Dursleys would support Donald Trump

-In one of the newspaper articles about the hunt for Sirius Black, the International Federation of Warlocks is mentioned, hinting at a global wizarding world. Is this a sort of wizard United Nations?

-One of the more stark contrasts between Harry and the Dursleys is how they relate to material things. The Dursleys are obsessed with material things and status symbols and always want to have the newest and the best. Harry, while sometimes tempted by material things, like the Firebolt, is rational about his purchases and spends his money wisely. He decides not to buy the Firebolt because he has a perfectly good broom already. It reminds me how most people are obsessed with having the newest and best technology, like the latest smartphone or a big television. Personally, I think Harry's approach is the best one. 

-I've never appreciated Ron's character as much before this read through. I think Ron gets a lot of flak but I think it's because people think of movie-Ron and not book-Ron. In the books, Ron is supportive of his friends, has moments of incredible insight, and is hilarious. In the movies, he mostly serves as the comic relief as some sort of clueless fall guy and all of the great ideas he has in the books get transferred to Hermione in the films. This makes me sort of angry because Ron is actually an amazing character who experiences his own character arc and isn't just there to be Harry Potter's best friend. 

-Okay, Snape is a real dick in the third book. I've never been quite sure if he knew that it was Peter Pettigrew and not Sirius Black who was the Potters' Secret Keeper. I don't think he did because even Dumbledore didn't know until Harry, Ron, and Hermione revealed the truth to him. And if Snape did know that Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper, wouldn't he have told Dumbledore? So my conclusion is that Snape only knew that the Potters were in danger but he didn't know who the spy was. It would be a good strategy for Voldemort to not have his spies know about each other. So when it was revealed that Sirius 'betrayed' the Potters, Snape believed that Sirius was partly responsible for Lily's death and that's why he has this incredible hostility to both Black and Lupin, because he believes Lupin is in league with Black and has been helping him into the castle. 

Favorite Parts/Lines

-When Ron attempts to use the 'fellytone' at the beginning of the book and he and Uncle Vernon end up screaming at each other over the phone

-the scene in Flourish and Blotts with the cage full of The Monster Book of Monsters. So creative and really funny

-Sir Cadogan leading Harry, Ron, and Hermione to the Divination classroom

-the description of Honeydukes (pg. 147) is to die for. My mouth starts watering every time I read it!

Final Thoughts

Prisoner of Azkaban marks a turning point in the Harry Potter series. It's darker, more mature and really sets the tone for the rest of the series. Some of my favorite characters are introduced in this book, including Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. (And Crookshanks, of course.) I appreciate that J.K. Rowling took some risks with this book like working time travel into the plot. Prisoner of Azkaban feels really unique in the series and I always enjoy revisiting it. 

Harry Potter Reread: Chamber of Secrets

 

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

I first saw Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in a department store, displayed along with copies of Prisoner of Azkaban. I can't remember if I was aware that there were sequels to Philosopher's Stone before then but when I saw the display of Harry Potter books, I freaked out. I begged my mom to buy them for me as we made our way through the store. Oddly enough, she refused. (My mom has always been very generous when it comes to supporting my book addiction. She's a bit of an enabler, really.) I kept pestering her until finally she revealed the truth: she had already bought the books for me but was saving them to give to me for Christmas. I was both elated and devastated by this news. If I remember correctly, Christmas was still a few months away. In the end, she agreed to give me Chamber of Secrets early and save Prisoner of Azkaban for Christmas. (I really do have the greatest mom in the world.) 

I think I started reading it as soon as she gave it to me. I remember Mrs. Morgan, my third grade teacher, also read Chamber of Secrets to our class but I'm pretty certain I started reading the book on my own first. I finished it in a few days and began counting down the days until Christmas, when I would finally get my hands on the third book and continue the series.

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

-I appreciate Gilderoy Lockhart's character more each time I reread Chamber of Secrets. He's ridiculous to the point of caricature but he is a perfect parody of our celebrity-obsessed culture. Plus, J.K. Rowling has said in several interviews that he was based on a real person!

-I've seen this theory floating around already but am now convinced that Tom Riddle helped Ginny write that love poem for Harry because of the line 'I wish he was mine, he's really divine/The hero that conquered the Dark Lord.' Only Death Eaters would refer to Voldemort as the 'Dark Lord.' 

-there are so many hints throughout the book that Ron and Hermione are developing feelings for each other, particularly on Ron's side. Ron exhibits a particular disgust for Lockhart that I think can be attributed to feelings of jealousy because Hermione has a crush on him; Ron attacks Malfoy when he calls Hermione 'Mudblood'; Ron seems particularly upset when Hermione is petrified. I don't think Ron is yet fully aware that he is developing a crush on Hermione but I think those feelings definitely start taking shape in Chamber of Secrets

-I spotted so many connections to book six - Aragog, the diary (revealed later to be a horcrux), the relationship between Harry/Ginny, Tom Riddle, Borgin and Burkes, the vanishing cabinet, the Hand of Glory, Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, etc. 

Favorite Parts/Lines

-Peeves' 'Oh Potter, you rotter' song is one of the best parts in the book. It makes me laugh every time.

-there aren't a lot of Snape moments in this book (which is a shame) but one of my favorite ones is when he blasts Lockhart off his feet in the Dueling Club. I think even when I read it for the first time, I was rooting for Snape to kick Lockhart's ass

-I still love the scene with the giant spiders. Aragog is one of my favorite creatures in the series

-'Harry was just thinking that all he needed was for Dumbledore's pet bird to die while he was alone in the office with it, when the bird burst into flames.' pg. 155

-'It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.' pg. 245

Final Thoughts

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is often said to be the weakest in the series but I think this is an unfair assessment. It is just as good as Philosopher's Stone and tells an exciting, complex story. Full of danger, mystery, and adventure, I will always take pleasure in revisiting Chamber of Secrets. 

Harry Potter Reread: Philosopher's Stone

 

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

A lot of people credit the Harry Potter series as the reason they fell in love with books and became avid readers. However, I was already a book nerd long before Harry Potter came along. But when I first read it, I knew it was special. I had never fell so completely in love with a fictional world before. Reading Harry Potter for the first time was like finding something I had always been searching for. And now whenever I reread the series, it feels like coming home. I first read Harry Potter when I was about 10 or 11. Now I'm in my mid-20s and the books still give me feels. 

I was first introduced to Harry Potter by my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Morgan. She read out loud to us a little bit every day. Before she read it, I had never heard of Harry Potter. The first time, she only read about one or two chapters but that was enough for me. I immediately went to my local book store and bought my own copy. (Or, rather, my mom bought it for me. Thanks Mom!) 

I devoured the first book, so when my teacher read it to us, I already knew what was going to happen. Mrs. Morgan was a great reader, though, so I still enjoyed it. Even after all these years, when I reread the book, I can still remember her tone and inflection during certain parts. I am forever so thankful to her for introducing me to Harry Potter. 

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

-Harry is remarkably well-adjusted for a child who has been abused and neglected for nearly eleven years. So I had a thought: Harry's mother died to save him, an act of love so powerful that it gave him protection against Voldemort, and later, Professor Quirrell (working for Voldemort.) But did her sacrifice give him psychological protection as well? Was Harry subconsciously aware that he was loved? Did that make it somewhat easier to deal with the abuse? 

-The Dursleys have four bedrooms in their house and yet they make Harry sleep in the cupboard under the stairs for over a decade. I never really noticed how cruel and selfish that was. It's a really small detail but once I noticed it, it just made me hate the Dursleys even more. 

-Hagrid is so wonderful. I had always loved his character but I didn't really appreciate him that much until I noticed just how awful the Dursleys were. The very first thing that Hagrid does when he arrives to give Harry his letter is to feed him and make sure he is cared for. 

-How do the Dursleys get back to the shore if Harry and Hagrid took the boat?

-Peeves is such an asshole. I love him.

-The screaming book in the Restricted section - is it part of a spell that keeps unauthorized students from reading the restricted books? Because otherwise, why keep a book in a library that just screams at anyone who tries to read it? 

-When Snape confronts Quirrell in the forest, he says 'Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all.' Presumably, these students are Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But how does he know that they know about the Stone? Is it because of Occlumency? I'm willing to bet that it is because there are several hints throughout the book that Snape is reading Harry's mind. 

Favorite Parts/Lines

-'It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.' pg. 14

-The poem on the door of Gringotts bank. For some reason, it gives me goosebumps. Probably because it's so brilliantly written - and also because it's a little bit sinister.

-'So we've just got to try on the hat!' Ron whispered to Harry. 'I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll.' pg. 89

-When Harry sees his family for the first time in the Mirror of Erised, it makes me cry.

-Of course, one of my favorite chapters is Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback. I love dragons!

-'Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.' pg. 216 (Excuse me while I sob all over the place.)

Final Thoughts

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as one of the earlier books in the series, feels the most like a traditional children's book. But it is so much more than that. This book always manages to make me laugh, cry, and wish, for the thousandth time, that I got my very own Hogwarts letter. 

Suicide Reviews: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

  

Synopsis: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white-striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Reves, and it is open only at night. 

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Amidst the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone from the performers to the patrons hanging in the balance. 

Date Published: September 13, 2011

Published By: Anchor

Number of Pages: 512

Rating: 4/5

Fantasy and romance fans have been raving about The Night Circus ever since it was first published so I'm surprised it took me so long to pick it up. It has everything that could attract me as a reader: magic, dueling magicians, magic, a mysterious circus, magic, romance, and, oh yeah, magic!

Based on reviews I had a certain idea of what the plot would be and how the story would unfold. However, my preconceived notions were completely blown away. I had the notion that it would be a lot like The Prestige (you know, that movie where Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman try to kill each other with magic tricks) but with maybe more of a romantic flavor. Sure, both of these stories have the dueling magicians plotline in common but the similarities end there. 

First of all, Celia and Marco are hardly ever together. Celia works her magic within the circus, while Marco works from outside. So they don't get a lot of face time. Yes, they have a few stolen romantic moments, which are quite nice, but I found the love story felt sort of stifled because of the distance between the two characters. The romance simmers beneath the surface almost the entire book until it boils over in the climactic ending. So readers wanting a fast-paced, passionate romance won't find it here. Still, I think it worked in the story overall. 

Speaking of slow pacing, the entire story doesn't really get off the ground until about 200 pages in. I feel the author was taking her time fleshing out the characters and the plot to achieve a more dramatic effect at the end but there were times when I really wanted the action to pick up. I suppose I expected dueling magicians in the sense of like, wizard duels in Harry Potter but instead, Celia and Marco compete by building more and more extravagant exhibits for the circus. So, it's pretty light on action, too.

Okay, this is beginning to sound like I didn't enjoy the book at all. I actually really did like it (hence the 4/5 rating.) It was just different from what I expected.

The thing I enjoyed most about the book was the lyrical, vivid writing. Erin Morgenstern is a magician with words, weaving enchanting images that play out in the reader's mind like a movie. I could smell the popcorn, feel the canvas tents, see the incredible illusions being performed. Her imagination is truly staggering and, with descriptions like that, I don't begrudge her the 500 page count at all. 

The Night Circus is a magical reading experience and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it. Some people want there to be a sequel but I think it works perfectly as a stand-alone novel. I would kill to see a film version, though.