I really would have preferred an actual novel, but it is still a fantastic story. ( )

There are certain things to consider when sitting down to “read” a screenplay, the first being the fact that it is not particularly intended to be read – it is meant to be seen and experienced beyond the page. Second, reading a screenplay requires understanding that the format is different than that of a novel – it is primarily dialogue and stage directions.

One of the things that I love about stage- and screenplays is the opportunity to interpret so much more than what is on the page in one’s imagination. To read about the fantastical beasts before seeing the movie meant that I got to picture all of them in my head. Beyond the magic coming to life, the characters are very well developed, the thought and care that J. K. Rowling put into Newt’s backstory is evident – I have to imagine she’d been mulling over the story since she first started writing the Harry Potter series, or at least since Prisoner of Azkaban.

I loved the setting – I’m a sucker for a good Roaring Twenties story, and I’d always wondered what the magical world of the United States was like compared to the British world in the original 7 books. I highly recommend it, for anyone who loves Harry Potter, or just magical adventures set in the recent past. ( )

As her first screenplay writing, I believe Rowling did a really good job at this book. Of course I saw the movie first so I judge by what I've seen according to what I've read and it felt like it was the same thing. I think this is a good thing since it's a screenplay and not an actual book plot, so I will say that I really liked how it turned out to be. It's simple to read and fun to imagine. I already had the images of the actors on my mind so the lack of character description didn't annoy me much. However I would have certainly preferred to have read a novel about the movie and not just a screenplay. As a last point, I'd like to mention just how much I like the characters of Newt and Queenie, judging them by their screenplay mannerisms and behavior. ( )

Tarina on hyvä, mutta koska tämä oli käsikirjoitus, koin vaikeaksi luettavaksi. ( )

My review is going to be almost the same as almost everyone else's. I saw the movie first, loved it, and wanted to read the screenplay so that I could prolong the fun for a lot longer than the length of the movie. And I accomplished it, thank you very much!
Newt Scamander and Jacob Kowalski are well crafted characters, portrayed memorably by Redmayne and Fogler in the movie. The beasts are brilliant, I loved every one of them.
I can see from the other reviews that the physical book is beautiful, I read the Kindle edition though.. ( )