The magic continues as J.K. Rowling’s eighth installment of the Harry Potter series has officially been released. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two is a script book for Rowling’s new play that picks up right where the last novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, leaves off: nineteen years later.

Rowling’s script book, which was released July 31, on the birthday of both she and Harry Potter himself, was written with two others: Jack Thorne and John Tiffany. The three released the book just a day after the play was brought to life on stage at the Palace Theatre in London.

It is separated into two parts. This is because the play is longer than many traditional plays and would not have been able to fit into the time slot generally allotted for the production of a play. The book is 308 pages long—not long for a Rowling book. However, the play, in both parts, runs 5 hours and 55 minutes, including two 20 minute intermissions.

When the writers revealed that there would be a continuation of the story in play form and began casting actors, they were met with mixed responses. It began with the casting decision for the character of Hermione Granger; many were up-in-arms that the woman cast for the role was African American.

Rowling responded to the upset with support of the choice, stating that Granger’s race was never specified. Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger in the film series, took to the internet about the casting choice saying, “Can’t wait to see Noma Dumenzweni as Hermione on stage this year,” with thirteen heart emojis following the statement. The actress’s words seemed to calm some of the upset surrounding this casting decision.

Sadly, this book did not have as much success as the others. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh book in the series sold 8.3 million copies in the United States in the first 24 hours alone. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two sold 2 million in the first 48 hours in both the United States and Canada. That only averages to 500,000 copies sold in the United States in the first 24 hours—a bit of a disappointment considering the success of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Many readers have observed that this installment is nothing better than fan fiction. Perhaps it is because of the contributing writers or because it is drama is a different medium than the novels to which Harry Potter fans are accustomed. Jack Thorne took J.K. Rowling’s story and turned it into a play with the help of John Tiffany.

Critics have noted that certain parts of the play appear very poorly written. For example, some names that are used are not original to this story. Some have been taken from other works of fiction, more specifically movies, while other names seem to come from reality, using names from the American political world.

When reading this eighth installment, we must remember that it has been some time since the last book was released: 9 years. We have spent time devouring these books and enjoying these movies, loving them more and more each time. It is hard to meet everyone’s expectations and fulfill each and every reader’s hopes when writing anything. J.K. Rowling, assisted by Jack Thorne and John Tiffany brings Harry Potter to life once more in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two.