The release of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child playscript at midnight tonight is set to be the biggest book launch since the release of the seventh Harry Potter title, The Deathly Hallows, almost a decade ago.
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People across the country are dusting off their wands and cloaks as they prepare for the newest Harry Potter release this weekend.
The bookstores are staying up late on Saturday, July 30, in preparation for the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which is actually a script of the play by the same name. Since Flex drivers don’t work any later 12:30am, Amazon had to send out an email earlier in the month calling on drivers to be available for the special shift.
“Potter fans have always had each other’s backs”.
US bookseller Barnes & Noble, which is also hosting parties, said the Potter books still top their best-selling lists.
A self-confessed superfan, he had read all the Harry Potter books by the age of eight and is able to recite all the spells used in the stories.
Described as more script than book, with J.K. Rowling one of three people involved with its writing, the new story means tremendous excitement for Muggles (the Potterverse term for nonmagical humans), and local businesses are celebrating.
Now, readers will have a full play to explore that universe-and that isn’t all that’s coming to Harry Potter fans this year.
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ” is a new London-based play by Jack Thorne and an original story by Thorne, John Tiffany and J.K. Rowling.
The wizarding shindig starts at 11pm in preparation for the book going on sale at midnight.
Billstone said security is tight and books will not be shipped until shortly before the event, or sold before midnight.
A fancy dress competition which is being held between 11am and midday – where you can come dressed as your favourite Harry Potter character and all photo’s will be published in the Echo as part of a competition.
Still, Scholastic expects the release on July 31, which coincides with Rowling’s birthday, to be the biggest publishing event of the summer. “I have mixed feelings about it”, she said, allowing that “it’s exciting to do Harry Potter things again”.
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Plus: Four-hour Potter Party begins at 9 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble at NMSU Bookstore & Café, 1400 E. University Ave., with reading, lightning bolt tattoos and video clips.
