A Piece of Fanfiction

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two

Where, oh, where do I begin? Since my thoughts on this book are so scattered, I'm going to try to put them down in an orderly, start-to-finish fashion. Let's hope I don't get sidetracked.

Ok, first. THIS BOOK IS NOT WRITTEN BY JOANNE NO-MIDDLE-NAME-BUT-THE- EDITORS-DIDN'T-THINK-BOYS-WOULD-READ-A-WOMAN'S-WRITING ROWLING. That's not entirely true. The people who wrote this lifted entire scenes from the real Harry Potter series, so that dialogue is consistent with the characters we know and love. The rest of the story- not even close. It's like they took the original stereotypes we had about them all, added 20 years, and never bothered to let them grow beyond Year One. Except Harry, who has turned into The Man, not the one you buy shots for- the one who keeps you down.

Back to that middle name thing- how in the world, did someone at a publisher, probably several someones, read The Philosopher's Stone, realize that it had great potential and not realize that it had Universal Appeal? I realize that boys are not encouraged to read about girls while girls are expected to read about boys and girls, but really? The first is filled with female characters that girls should get closer to- Macgonagall, Molly, HERMIONE. The whole idea that Rowling was forced to cloak her identity to protect poor little boys who might accidentally enjoy fiction by a woman just sets my feminism bone a-buzzin'.

Parts One and Two- this is not only unnecessary, it's false. I hate to be the Dwight Shrute here, but one could not read just Part One and have a complete story. They are dependent on each other to tell a whole story arc. There's a semicolon at the end of Part One, not a full stop. Also, none of the children are actually cursed, so the title is inconsistent with the rest of the stories.

Now into the actual pages. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how this is a stage production. The scenes are so short and shift setting so often, you'd have to have the best set people in the world, possibly a rotating stage or a huge one. The huge one is probably how it happened because the characters don't move around while they are together or talking. So one huge background, lit the right, very focused way, could bounce around all over the magical world. I imagine it a very complicated production. In addition to the logistical nightmare, most of the scenes are so short there would have to be a lot of scrambling about on stage. One scene is a single page and doesn't contain a word of dialogue. And don't get me started on the actual magic that would have to occur. On stage. There's polyjuice, people.

The characters- what have they done to the characters we know? Macgonagall has lost her soft spot for Harry and the Gang. Headmistress must be a tough job if it crushes her spirit. Remember, she was a strict teacher, but she had a quiet, impish fire inside her. How did the woman who gave Harry his Nimbus 2000 come to merely tolerate him now that he's Head of Magical Law Enforcement? Was Ron lobotomized? Why doesn't Neville ever show up on stage? What has become of Teddy? WHERE IS HAGRID?

One of my favorite things to ponder is how the original stories would be different if Harry had accepted Draco's offer of friendship on the Hogwart's Express. Would Harry have become a Slytherin? (oh my goodness! it looks like this might be about that. Oh, wait, no.) What different path would he have taken to defeat Voldemort? Would the prophecy been about Neville instead? Would Ron and Hermione gotten together? Oh, the possibilities are endless! I got excited at the beginning of this book thinking that someone else had put pen to paper and drawn up one possible scenario, just one generation off. It starts with that premise a little bit- Albus is a Slytherin and friends with Scorpius, son of Draco- but that's about as far as that goes.

The story is unbelievable even when you suspend disbelief enough to accept magic. There are gaping holes. Is The Augury a bird, a child, or a place where they roast muggles? It is never referenced in the original novels, just in video games and later companion books. Now that Draco is out from under his father's thumb, why is he still a dickweed? Did he and Harry really not figure a way to be friendly in the twenty years since The Battle of Hogwarts? I could've sworn that a major theme of the series was redemption and forgiveness, I expect the hero to apply that to others, too. Why was Cedric's death so much more influential than any other person who died for The Cause? Did the writers fancy RPatz and wish him to not be sparkly?  And why hasn't Harry's scar been bothering him this whole time Voldemort's Child has been alive? Because it hurt him from the moment Moldy Voldy started sucking on unicorn blood in the first one. It wasn't that he was taking power and making efforts to destroy anyone, his mere existence was enough.

So despite all these complaints, I still liked the book. I was, once again, whisked away to a fantastic world where anything is possible, where good will triumph over evil, where people drink butterbeer. I think the writers, publishers, and producers were banking on that nostalgia to sell a truckload of books. We Potterheads will buy anything remotely related to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. We're still talking about the stories nine years after the last one was published. They are enchanting and magical themselves. After all these years? Always.

Being connected to the originals is enough to earn this one three Marias. I know many will argue I'm being sentimental, and I'm ok with that.

Chapter 37: A Book Set in the Future

The Giver, Lois Lowry

Newberry winner, turned into a movie, people name their child after one of the characters- maybe my expectations were high for this one. After that insomnia-destroying violin book, I thought this might be a tense enough story to keep me awake. Mostly it did, but was it worth it?

First, let me state for the record that Child #3 did not get his middle name because of this story. I won't ever pretend at some point in the future that it had any influence on the choice. But when I read the author's introduction in which she claims many fans have sent her letters saying they have named their child for one in the novel, well, I expected something original, thought-provoking, and amazing. What I got was ... meh.

The premise of the story has potential- after generations, a community has achieved sameness. Sameness is probably not even the right word, though. People have different abilities and interests, but almost every person has the same life-trajectory. Born > placed with a family unit until adulthood > productive member of society > retirement to the home for old persons > release. Anything other than that is an anomaly and people avoid discussing it because being polite is really, really important. Sounds like things could get pretty interesting, right? You'd think.

Enter Jonas. At Level 12, he gets skipped over in the ceremony that announces what his future job will be. After his peer group gets their assignments, Jonas is called to the center of the room and told he has been chosen for a high honor. He will be Receiver of Memory. His training begins the next day and we are assured it will be painful. Ok, let's see where this is going.

Oh, nevermind. There's snow and a sled and the Civil War and then boom! it's been a year and Jonas is almost done with his training. One of the special things he can do, that no one else can do because it isn't polite, is ask prying questions. Jonas learns what release really involves (I won't spoil it, but it's no surprise. At all.) and decides to run away with the collective memories from generations past. And he takes a baby with him.

Ah! So the journey is going to be a big part of the plot! We're going to see Jonas and Gabriel bond and experience new things now? Nope. It's going to take a single chapter to get through what is a very long journey (I assume). And that's the end. No revolution. No conflict wherein the Elders try to change Jonas' mind. No word at all of what becomes of the Community members Jonas once cared for- his parents, sister, and friends. Just ... The End.

I just can't believe with this much material, this is all we get. And that people love it so much. It's not terrible. It's written well enough. It just lacks so much- character development, continuity, conflict. I guess I could be generous and call it a Revolution of One, but without more information I can't even do that. This story is like a Slim Fast shake instead of one of those insane buffets in Vegas. Overall, I'm underwhelmed. I won't read it again or expect my kids to (but they can if they want). The Giver gets a disappointing 2.5 Marias.

Chapter 17: A Book That Scares You

The Sparrow, Mary Doria Russell
A couple of years ago, I was reading the Outlander series and just had to take a break from it. I told my best friend that I just couldn't read about another rape. So I had picked up the Millennium Trilogy for a change of pace. I must give her credit for keeping a straight face, as I did not yet know that it also includes graphic rape scenes. She later recommended The Sparrow with the warning that it contains my "favorite topic." So I knew it was coming. And I knew a Jesuit was involved. And that made me a little scared to read it.

The first hundred pages or so seemed to drag on for me. It was all the buildup to the actual mission of first contact with a distant planet. There was, of course, some character development that had to happen here, but I just couldn't read more than a few pages before falling asleep. Once the ball started rolling, I became more interested, but it still took me more than two weeks to finish 400 pages. (Here I will point out that I often have difficulty beginning a new book after one that I really enjoy. So, this one suffered from my Stephen King Hangover.)

One thing I really liked about this book was the treatment of priests. I feel that oftentimes lay believers endow them with superhuman characteristics and non-believers find them easy to vilify. So I enjoyed the frank discussions of the humanity of the priests- their daily struggles with everyday life. I did not necessarily agree with the conclusions of some of the characters as to the best solution for those struggles, but I'm also not going to get into a dogmatic argument with a fictional person.

There were some things I found unsatisfying, too. The deaths of Sandoz' crewmates were anti-climactic. They were vicious and surprising, but they were all lumped together into two events, essentially. I think the tension would build better if the crew was picked off one-by-one. The pace is already hampered by the disjointed chronology, all leading up to The Big Reveal that is not surprising.

Overall, it was a good book that gave me plenty to think about regarding the stories in my head. It was accessible sci-fi, where I did not have to stretch my imagination too far to grasp the ideas. It is interesting to read it almost 20 years after publishing, too, because the radio signals that spawn the mission are discovered in 2016. I'll say this- if we do hear Singers from Rakhat next year, let's agree not to send the Jesuits. The Sparrow gets 2.5 Marias.

Chapter 13: A Book With Magic

Queen of the Tearling, Erika Johansen

This book has a lot to like- strong female lead, mystery and intrigue, political philosophy, and a healthy dose of profanity. Now, I'm not going to pretend that it comes close to competing with The Books With Magic. Kelsea is no Boy Who Lived. But this is a good book.

My biggest gripe with this book is that it is difficult to find a place to stop. Not because the action is so compelling, but because of 434 pages, there are only 14 chapters. Let me do the math for you, that averages out to some longass chapters, and they are not broken down into pieces. That's it. That's my big complaint. That and I can't decide whether it's pronounced Teerling, rhymes with peer, or Tairling, rhymes with pair.

I also got tired of reading Kelsea hiss when she was hurt. And I really didn't need reminders that Thomas is fat. Or that Kelsea is. But ... meh.

I did like that not all my questions were answered. This is a good opening to a series that has potential. I think some of the more shocking events were supposed to take me by surprise, but there was enough foreshadowing, that they just confirmed what I already suspected. So, either Ms. Johansen and I think alike, or she did an artful job of crafting peaks without then telling us

 *** HEY, HERE'S A RISE IN CONFLICT! ***







What? You don't like that, either? I might still be a little mad at Zusak.

I also really like the setup for the hero. She is naïve yet educated. Her sheltered childhood gives her an interesting position from which to examine her kingdom in a way unlike many royals. Of course she is inheriting a decimated kingdom from her gluttonous uncle, but she sweeps in to rule with a new attitude. It's interesting to watch her develop as a leader and discover more about herself along the way.

I can't talk about liking this book without also mentioning her captain, Mace. He's your standard, world-weary tough guy that no one wants to take on. He's brusque when he's not silent, but he's also lovable and admirable. His name is also Lazarus, so I expect to see something done with that in future installments.

So, this is a good one. I might even read it again if I really get into the series (a new one is out this summer). It won't be in my permanent library. And I don't daydream about all the homeschool activities we can do when the kids read it (Seriously, think about how the Harry Potter series would differ if he accepted Draco's friendship in book one. Think about it.). I give it four Marias.

Chapter 3c: A Trilogy

Allegiant, Veronica Roth

I did it! I finished this series! After forcing myself to get through the second installment, I was kind of dreading this one. Turns out, the finale was better.

Anyone who has read the series this far would be brain-dead to not suspect nefarious plots outside the fence. Fortunately, we aren't subjected to repeated shock-takes from our ragtag group of characters. They basically get the news, make their decisions, and act. No wishy-washy sparkly vampires here. And I gotta say, I really appreciate that Roth does not waste a lot of time rehashing what has already happened. A reader invested in a series does not need to spend chapter after chapter catching up on what they already know. But I have an admittedly spotty memory, so it took me a few passages to remember who a few of the newer operators were. No biggie. I can catch up.

So after suffering through the I-want-to-dies of Insurgent, we now have I-want-to-survive-and-kickass Tris. She's realizing that good and bad are not as black-and-white as the factions led her to believe. She's also realizing that she has her own moral compass and she plans to act on it. This is the hero that I enjoyed in the first book

The plot of the final story is fairly formulaic for this genre. Outsiders are doing evil things to unsuspecting victims. Experiments take place. Institutional racism prejudice, class warfare, government overreach, blah, blah, blah. Not new themes, but ones that clearly still are worthy of discussion. I'm not going to write off this series just because it doesn't bring anything new to the conversation. In fact, I value that it continues bringing these subjects up. Silence as consent and all that jazz.

Overall I liked reading Allegiant. It was fast, easy, and kept me focused. Tris is faced with a major decision and her choice is foreseeable, but also reasonable. Roth could have ended it in a variety of ways that may have left a more warm, fuzzy feeling, but this is the right ending for the story.

Now the nitpicking- As much as I hated being in Tris' mind for all of Insurgent, hopping between her and Tobias every chapter was annoying. I'm sure this was a difficult editorial decision given the actual plot, but I'm not sure it was the right one. I feel like a third person narrator could have done as well without the jarring transition from character to character. The addition of Tobias' voice is already incongruent with the previous books and it doesn't really add anything we couldn't get through other means. This is by far my biggest gripe with the book. Not bad for a wildly popular YA trilogy finale.

I've been coming around to the fact that a book doesn't have to be literary or highbrow or even wonderfully written to be valuable. If I can justify watching trashy television for the sake of entertainment, then I can apply the same to books. I'm going to make a pointed effort to be open to books I normally would ignore. If I get lost in a story for a few hours, it's worth it.

Happy reading, friends.

Chapter 3b: A Trilogy

Insurgent, Veronica Roth
I should call this discussion No Surprises. So here's a list of the Things That Did Not Surprise Me about this book:

• The second book of the trilogy is not as interesting as the first.
• The language has become repetitive. Every single time Tris gets injured, her vision goes black around the edges.
• Some of the Bad Guys are kind of Good Guys.
• Some of the Good Guys are kind of Bad Guys.
• The twists. I find it hard to believe anyone with a functioning brain stem did not see these coming. There's a fence around Chicago and you don't think there are people living outside that fence? Come on.

What did surprise me? The first person narrative of Divergent that pushed that story forward, drags this one down. 384 pages of Tris not wanting to live, wanting to die, wanting to sacrifice herself. 384 pages! And then when she has the chance to do just that, she changes her mind. One of the qualities that makes her the hero is that she stubbornly does things, even when she doesn't want to, even if it means hurting someone she cares about, if it means saving the world. As a Divergent, she has flexibility of character, but this sudden and major change is more like Sybil.

Editorially, I think this story could have been whittled down a lot. It seems that what could have been a handful of scenes has been stretched out into a whole novel. The war is beginning. Book One was enough of a buildup to the big battle. Here, we have more buildup, but without the emotional pressure and anticipation, and then the fight itself is glossed over and anti-climactic.

Part of me wants to grab Allegiant and be done with this series. Part of me needs a break from Roth. Here's hoping the final installment is better than this one.

Chapter 3a: A Trilogy

Divergent, Veronica Roth

Post-apocalyptic Chicago is now home to four factions: Abnegation, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. The fifth faction, Amity, lives on a farm outside the fence, raising food for all citizens. Children are raised within their parents' faction until age 16, when they undergo a screening process and then choose which faction to join. If they survive initiation, they officially join their faction. If they fail, they are doomed to roam factionless, homeless, and jobless.

Beatrice never feels fully comfortable in Abnegation. Her test results are inconclusive, so she shocks everyone and joins Dauntless. From here, we follow "Triss" through initiation and her discovery of a plan of violent revolt by one of the factions.

Aside from the Harry Potter series, I'm not usually a big fan of YA novels. Divergent is decent, and I am interested to see where the story leads. Even though it follows the basic coming-of-age saga formula, it's written well enough to keep me turning the pages. It's not challenging or particularly original, but I still recommend it for some good, mindless reading. It's dark, so probably not a beach read, but suitable for a snowed-in weekend. I can definitely see why it is so popular, and I do like that the hero is a girl (sorry, heroine just sounds too druggy).

So far in the trilogy, the writing is still fresh. Despite the regular reminders that Dauntless wear black and have tattoos and piercings, I didn't find myself rolling my eyes at overused phrases. At least she uses new ways to convey the same information. And while the novel itself is not challenging, it could lead to some deeper thought and discussion of virtue.

Since each faction is based on a single virtue, Roth plants at least one member in each who uses that characteristic for evil instead of good. Here one could argue that the bad guys don't truly belong to their faction. Or perhaps any virtue can be used for malicious purposes. Throw the Divergent- those who have more than one virtue- into the mix and you add many shades of gray to a black-and-white world.

My major annoyance with the novel is quite petty. I don't like the names of the factions. Why? Because they are not synchronous. I know it sounds silly, but I would like them all to be nouns or all to be adjectives. The mix of both rubs some part of my brain the wrong way.

The next post will not be Chapter 3b. I'm going to have to split the trilogy up and weave some other reading in between. So stick with me and check back to see what else I'm poring over.