Nope.
Placing J.K. Rowling's name big and center is very misleading considering how the story wasn't her idea. She was simply a contributor of facts concerning the wizarding world and its complex characters, which was unfortunately wasted on a watered down story of something that was perfect on its own. I still hold true to J.K. Rowling and her brilliant writing, and will continue to buy her books. I understand her carefully thought out world was handled not with the upmost care, but I'm sure they had good intentions. I just hoped for this story to go in a different direction. I wanted to follow the new students starting their first year at Hogwarts and learn more of the castle's secrets and follow their own journey in the wizarding world. But this book exists as a reminder that we don't always get what we want.
A few questions... Just a few.
1. Did Jack Thorne and John Tiffany read the books? Did they binge watch half of the movies and decide they could come up with a story as good as its predecessors? From start to finish, the script format could not disguise their lack of knowledge on the beloved characters and their cringe-worthy, cliche dialogue.
2. What the hell is up with Ron's comedic one-liners? Has Rowling's books taught us nothing? Watching Ron act as a thick-headed sidekick in the film series was enough. I don't think I can handle a book depicting him even worse. Ron, as we know from the series, is loyal and contributes much to the trio as Hermione and Harry does. He isn't helpless, he isn't a coward, he isn't a comic relief.
3. Cedric Diggory as a dementor, really? Really?
4. Why write 100+ pages of sexual tension between Albus and Scorpius only to abruptly cut it loose at the end with Scorpius asking Rose out? We all know a thing or two of platonic friendships, and that, sir, was not one.
5. Whose idea was it to turn the trolley lady into some grenade-throwing Wolverine?
6. Aside from not understanding Ron's characteristics, I'd hoped they'd know Hermione's. Predicting Hermione as a bitter, old woman due to Ron's love interest towards Padma Patil is a big slap to all of us. What part of Hermione gave the impression that her future depended solely on a boy? She's taught millions of girls to be independent and to voice their opinions.
7. You want me to believe Voldemort and Bellatrix got busy in the sheets before the Second Wizarding War? I understand they had a strange fangirl-worships-the-dark-lord relationship, but linking the new villain to Voldemort this way seemed...a lazy move. Bellatrix's love for Voldemort was never hidden, however, as Rowling herself stated in an interview, "[Voldemort] loved only power, and himself. He valued people whom he could use to advance his own objectives."
BUT I did appreciate...
1. Scorpius. He has easily become one of my favorites in the Harry Potter world.
2. As much as I hate Harry's behavior in wishing Albus was never born, his relationship with his sons seemed rather real. Lacking a father figure in one's childhood can affect one's future as a father.
3. Hermione kicking ass as the Minister of Magic and paving a path for future Muggleborns to dream bigger and higher.
4. Despite how depressing and illogical the alternate universes were, it was exciting each time to read what the next one would look like.
