Barb's Book Reviews: Review of "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Review of "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay" by J.K. Rowling

This is a sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay, and picks up where that story ends - with the arrest of Gellert Grindelwald in New York City. Grindelwald is a dark wizard who wants magic folk to rule the world.....and is actively trying to foment a war to make that happen.

*****

As Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay opens, the dark wizard is about to be extradited to London to stand trial, escorted by an array of powerful aurors.

Grindelwald is being sent to London

Grindelwald is a wily fellow though, and engineers a clever escape.

Skip ahead a few months and Grindelwald is in Paris, searching for Credence Barebone, a young, uniquely gifted dark wizard. Grindelwald plans to use Credence to usurp power for wizard-kind, after which muggles will be eliminated or enslaved.

Grindelwald in Paris

Credence Barebone

England's Ministry of Magic wants to kill Credence before he joins forces with Grindelwald, and asks Newt Scamander to help his brother Theseus (an auror) do the job. Newt - who abhors violence - declines, so the Ministry sends other aurors, including Tina Goldstein. Once she's in Paris, Tina learns that a man named Yusuf Kama is also after Credence, and the two hunters join forces.....for different reasons.

Newt Scamander

Theseus Scamander

Tina Goldstein

Yusuf Kama

Meanwhile Albus Dumbledore sends Newt to Paris (against Ministry orders) to try to 'turn' Credence to the light. Newt is joined by his compadre from the first screenplay, Jacob Kowalski (the muggle baker)….who's in a relationship with Queenie Goldstein (Tina Goldstein's sister). To add to the fun Newt and Tina might be on the cusp of romance, but they're now on opposite sides of the Credence dilemma.

Young Albus Dumbledore

Jacob Kowalski

Queenie Goldstein

Newt with Tina Goldstein

Dumbledore is repeatedly asked to kill Grindelwald himself, but always says he can't do it. (Potter fans know Grindelwald and Dumbledore were close friends as teens, so this isn't a complete shock.)

All manner of shenanigans follow, including: a huge wild beast running around Paris; romantic misunderstandings; use of the Avada Kedavra curse; flashbacks to Hogwarts decades ago; visits to the French Ministry of Magic; secrets being exposed; etc.

Additional characters that make an appearance include Leta Lestrange - who's engaged to Theseus Scamander; (OMG!! Marrying a Lestrange); Nagini - who happens to be a circus freak at this time; and various dark wizards who are enthralled with Grindelwald.

Leta Lestrange

Nagini

This is a rather slight story with a cliffhanger ending, clearly meant to set the stage for future screenplays (and movies) in the series. This book is not as good as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay.....but it takes place in the Potterverse, so it's worth reading if you're a fan.

Rating: 3.5 stars

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Barb's Book Reviews

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Review of "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay" by J.K. Rowling

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