For the adults that grew up reading the Harry Potter books this new addition has been much anticipated. It allows us a peek back inside the world we knew so well and a chance to see how the characters have grown up, how their past has affected them and what they have become.
Of course this is a very different book. It is a play script rather than a novel and whilst some might find that difficult to get into I actually really enjoyed it. The stage directions and scene descriptions meant than I pictured the whole thing on stage, with an audience.
The play covers a lot of ground and brings back all our old favourite characters, Hagrid, Madame Hooch, Professor McGonagal and even Dumbledore. It also introduces us to the new generation of witches and wizards made up of the children of the key protagonists from the original series. They are just as interesting to read about and get into as much trouble and it is from them that the new story develops.
I don’t want to give too much away but I do think you need to be familiar with the original series (books or films) to really understand this play. It combines the past with the present, old and new characters. It’s really rather clever and like the original series, completely immersive as you find yourself transported to a different world.