Moments after the curtain dropped on the opening of the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the script went on sale as a book and received the kind of reception typically reserved for blockbuster movies. Legions of fans waited in line for hours, many dressed in costume, to get their copy. The whole event turned into a proper worldwide Potter party.
Line up, Potterheads! Harry Potter fans around the world lined up at their local bookstores to celebrate the midnight release of the beloved series’ eighth book, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, on Sunday, July 31.
The new story, which is set 19 years after the events of seventh novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, follows an adult Potter and his son Albus Severus. The book is the rehearsal script of the two-part West End stage play of the same name, which premiered in London on Saturday, July 30.
The release of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child screenplay — which was written by original author J.K. Rowling with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany — is timed perfectly, as Sunday is both Potter and Rowling’s birthday.
Eager fans took to social media as they purchased the eighth installment overnight in Europe, Australia and more.
“ITS SO PRETTY #HPScriptBook #CursedChild,” one user captioned a Twitter photo of the Cursed Child books stacked up at his local bookshop.
Another user shared a photo of fellow Potterheads — clad in Hogwarts clothing, of course — lined up, waiting to purchase their copies. “And the people just keep on coming,” she wrote.
Thousands. Thousands of people waited to pick up the book. That makes me so happy. Wouldn’t it be great if more book releases generated this kind of response? I have never lined up for a midnight movie release but I have lined up for book exchanges. Some of the best literary conversations I have ever had have been in those lines.
J.K. Rowling, who worked with Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany on the script, attended the gala opening at the Palace Theater. After asking fans who had seen the play to #KeepTheSecrets, she thanked them for not revealing spoilers, although she suspected they wouldn’t. She told reporters, “It’s the most extraordinary fandom, so I’m not surprised… they didn’t want to spoil it for each other.” (Here are links to non-spoilers facts for Cursed Child and spoilers.)
As for the show, it is living up to expectations. Emma Watson gushed about the preview performance she attended. Daniel Radcliffe told Stephen Colbert (4:50 mark) that he is really intrigued to see the show but not right now. His reasoning is that he doesn’t think it would be very relaxing for HP fans to watch the future of Harry Potter while sitting next to him, which is kind of sweet. Last tidbit, when J.K. joined the cast for their final bow, she said that this was it, “Harry is done now.” Of course, we kind of thought that after the Deathly Hollows so we’ll see.
It was SO lovely to meet you @MissDumezweni. #Hermiones pic.twitter.com/xkh0PQyZEr
— Emma Watson (@EmWatson) July 7, 2016
J.K.’s shoes for the opening:
Photo credit: WENN Photos, Twitter and Getty Images
J.K. Rowling is my Queen and my Hero
she is soooo fascinating, i like her very much
I picked it up yesterday but fell asleep before I could start reading last night. I was kind of kicking myself because we were out until after 11 on Saturday night – I could have grabbed it at the midnight selling. But I didn’t realize our small town was doing one. So then I had to wait for the mall to open at noon the next day to grab it from the book store. I’m just waiting to get home from work so I can dive in.
From what I’ve heard – it’s a bit confusing at times since it’s written as the play (obviously), not a typical book. That doesn’t personally worry me, though I could see it being a bit off putting for some people.
TBH I wasn’t crazy about it, and not because it’s a script instead of a novel. Without getting into it too much I didn’t really like the plot overall, and some of it came off as a bit “fanfic” to me. I guess it’s best told on-stage, because the reviews of the play have been stellar.
Same. Some of the plot points were great. Others were cringe inducing bad. I think those parts ARE probably better on stage
So many people are bitching because it’s a script and not a book, it’s nice to read some enthusiasm.
I got my copy yesterday. I have so many words, great words (Ha!) to say about it, but I won’t spoil it for everyone.
Not even a little?
That picture of the two Hermiones 😙
I’m working in the middle of nowhere and the book I ordered isn’t arriving until 5pm today, and I am so damn impatient! Gimme!
This is so wonderful and I’m so happy about all of it.
One of the great things about teaching is seeing kids get into these books for the first time! One of my students is midway through the series and couldn’t believe that my hubs and I went as Tonks and Lupin when the last book came out. I like earning cool teacher points for being my naturally nerdy self.
Having read many a play, the script format didn’t bother me. I can tell it must look really cool on stage. I could have done without the plot. I loved some of the details, so I am glad to pick and choose what stays canon in my head and ignore the rest.
Seeing as it’s a book post, can I make a cheeky reminder to Britisher Celebitches?
You can take in your unwanted books for the whole of August into WH Smith. They will donate them to Marie Curie, who will either put them in treatment centres/hospices for patients to read or sell them for funding. And WH Smith will give you a 25% off books voucher, so win-win.
https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/donate/the-big-readcycle
What a fabulous idea Sixer. My family laughs at me because I refuse to get a Kindle or some such. I just love to turn the actual pages of a paper and ink, real book. I always will. I do take my read books, that I can bear to part with, into the second hand book shop that they have at our local library. The proceeds go towards the running of the library etc, and is a sterling cause I feel, although the Marie Curie Charity and Nurses do such a great job too. I worked with them in London, and they are godsends to those who are coping with cancer at home.
I have to confess that while I enjoyed the Harry Potter books, I found Jo Rowling’s writing strongly reminiscent of Enid Blyton’s style and content. Of course Jo is a master curator of her writings and the merchandising of her creation, and good luck to her, but I feel it was all done first and better by Enid, who was never really respected or given her due, albeit some of her characters are terribly un-PC these days.
You know I live in a village in the back end of beyond? Over the course of austerity Britain, our mobile library service went from a full afternoon once a week to two hours once a month. So we now have a book exchange in the village hall and everyone basically swaps! It works pretty well, actually. When we started it we put up one of those 6ft bookcases in the corner. Now we have three and a table for perusing!
But the above is a very good initiative.
(I like Potter but am not a fan of the quality of Rowling’s writing. I always get shock horrors on here for saying that! But technically speaking, it really isn’t very good.)
I adore Enid Blyton. I collect her books as an adult. And what struck me about HP from the first was how much she wrote like Enid Blyton.
I refuse to give into Kindle even if my house looks like a library….i gave books everywhere.
@antipodean @LAK – I was an avid Enid Blyton reader as a kid (only stopped just about a year before getting into Harry) and honestly, while they write in a similar vein, especially for Mallory Towers/St Clare’s, it’s not the same – the tone is different, and Rowling skews older for a target audience so her writing reflects that even from the first book. And Rowling has been pretty open about her inspirations among other authors – she’s mentioned E. Nesbit and Elizabeth Goudge, and I can definitely see the traces there.
Though Rowling and Blyton both do fantastically detailed descriptions of food!
Laura Ingalls Wilder does (did) the best ever descriptions of food in children’s literature, and I’ll never hear otherwise!
@teacakes, you are quite right about the food descriptions, you could almost taste it! The talk of sticky buns and lashings of ginger beer always made me peckish.
@Sixer, what a shame your library service was cut down so drastically, these things are always the first to go when those in charge tell us that WE should tighten our belts and do our bit for the good of the country. Ha, ha, all the while they are troughing up to the bar and buffet like nobodies’ business, no belt tightening for them! It sounds like your village has organised a good alternative, and your collection is growing, good on you all! Of course they are doing the same to the rural Post Offices too, it is a downright disgrace in my view. Grumble, grumble!
antipodean – obviously, it’s ok for most of us who have cars and regularly drive into town so can access the main library. But that’s not the point of the mobile library, is it? It’s for the oldies, the disabled and the skint mums with little kids. I think it’s sad that the austerity in all its guises has taken away this kind of stuff ALWAYS from the most vulnerable.
The good thing about living in a tiny village is that everyone is used to being forgotten or the last to get a service because you’re too small to be economical. We have a lot of self-service stuff like the book exchange because if we don’t do it, nobody will.
Sixer, you are quite right, and sometimes these adversities do bring a community together, it brings out the true meaning of “all for one” etc. It is such a shame in this instant digital world that the basic and best human values get left behind in the rush to keep up. Your village sounds like a lovely microcosm, albeit, I bet, for the pooping collies etc. I confess it puts me in mind of the Dibley community, although nothing is really that idyllic in real life of course. I wonder if the Sixlets appreciate the special ambiance and fast disappearing circumstances of their surroundings? I suppose they probably have the luxury of the carelessness of youth, for now, and so they should of course. I bet in years to come they will look back and think fondly of how lucky they were/are.
Always nice to have a chat with you, I do enjoy your pithy comments.
I’d add Brian Jacques into the list of childrens/teen writers who write amazing descriptions of food. Candied chestnuts and berry cordial anyone?
All these years and JK Rowling looks practically the same.
*happy sigh*
We waited at the bookstore with a huge crowd of HP fans until midnight for our copy of the Cursed Child. We were in it to win it…full robes, with house ties, wands and even a golden snitch. So many people in full wizard drag-it was an awesome thing to see. I spent the drive home and the next day reading it aloud to my family, so that we could all experience it together, at the same pace. Any fandom that can bring so many different people together like that is truly a wonderful thing.
Has anyone seen info on who made her golden snitch shoes?