Book Talk: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

fantastic beasts and where to find them - book talk - literative

Written in 2001, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is a book written by J.K. Rowling. Interestingly enough, it was written under the name Newt Scamander. It is about the magical creatures in the Harry Potter universe, and purports to be Harry’s copy of the book mentioned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

The film adaptation of this novel is out, so let’s take a peak at the book, and gauge if the film is worth seeing!

Synopsis

It is the book that resides in almost every household in the Harry Potter universe. It contains valuable information, like where the Quintaped lives and why to not leave milk out for a Knarl.

Yes, it is a book about the magical creatures in the magical universe. And it is made to look like Harry Potter’s textbook, written by magizoologist Newt Scamander, a character in the series.

It describes 85 magical species found around the world and provides information that has been collected through several observations.

Pros

J.K. Rowling outdid herself with this book. While some readers may be complaining about it (see the cons section below), everyone agrees it is a true testament of Rowling’s creativity.

And the funny notes by Harry and Ron are glorious, and ideal for all the fans. Just make sure to read the series once again, prior to reading this, as it makes it easier to pick up on the hidden meanings, and fully understand some of the jokes.

Cons

The primary concern over this book, as detailed by actual Harry Potter fans, is that unless you absolutely love Harry Potter, this book might be boring. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is filled with an interesting introduction and funny handwritten notes, but the content of the book is a little lacking. However, it’s perfect for hardcore fans.

But it may create a divide among the hardcore and the casual fans…

To explain this point a little more, this book is meant to read like a textbook. It does that well, but that’s precisely the problem. It explains creatures through descriptions, and quickly becomes a school book. It’s a little tedious, and nowhere near the original books in the series.

Summary

Harry Potter is one of those series that just can’t stop wowing readers, generation after generation. Maybe it’s Rowling’s creativity, or her ingenuity. Whatever it is, the series will never die, and will always be considered a reigning classic of British literature.

It’s no surprise that books such as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them have emerged, adding details to the series that truly elevates story details. Details of magical creatures, like what they eat and how they behave.

But as far as the movie goes, perhaps it is best to not only reread the series, but also the book, prior to going to the movie theater. Not only will it help provide a greater sense of appreciation and understanding, but it may also reignite that Harry Potter fandom that’s needed to love this book.

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