You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
Listened on audio and loved to hear him tell his story.
Fun listen and to get some behind the scenes info about Harry Potter. Liked his message about focusing on others helps you heal yourself. I just didn’t love the fake laugh that he inserted way too often in the narration.
Great for Harry Potter film fans and filled with Tom's perspective on making eight films while trying to be a "normal kid." This book covers a lot of ground; at times I wished for there to be more depth. Most of the book is about Tom's early life and filming the series; the last chapters are about his struggle with alcohol. Tom's genuineness shines here and at times he seems to minimize his experiences because he isn't part of the famous trio (Dan, Rupert, and Emma).
Fast-paced and overall satisfying, the biggest Potterheads will likely wish there were more.
Fast-paced and overall satisfying, the biggest Potterheads will likely wish there were more.
My review of Tom Felton's autobiography beyond the wand. So you might know that Tom Felton plays Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series. It was really nice to get his backstory as a child and how he became like working on the Harry Potter films. Harry Potter wasn't his first sort of films. He was also in some other, like, TV shows and, adverts.
So it was nice to sort of hear his story around that, because Harry Potter was the first film for, like, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. So it was nice for, like, those contrasts. And then it was also nice to see, like, his actions with them because, obviously, they're like a trio. They're always together whereas he's said he always felt, like, a little bit on the outside. And he was also older.
I think the others were, like, 10, 11, whereas he was 14. So it was sort of, like, really interesting to see that perspective as well. It was also really interesting to see, like, how he got into acting, but how he learned about acting from, like, other famous actors. So it talks about, the actors that he worked with in the past and how they gave him tips and advice and how he used this and then also, like, the influence of his family. It's just really nice to get that sort of backstory.
I am a Harry Potter fan so it was nice to, like, hear, like, little snippets of things that they did and how, like, he was doing, like, special effects training, things like that. There's also a section in the middle of the book that has, like, behind the scenes photos so it was quite funny, like, to see them just, like, chilling in their outfits and their costumes but, like, doing normal everyday things. Like, there's, like, an anecdote he says about how he, like, rode a skateboard around the set and stuff even though he wasn't supposed to. And the sort of second half of the book is about how he is older and sort of adjusting to life after Harry Potter. So, obviously, Harry Potter, when it first came out, was quite, like, niche.
And then as it got bigger and, like, more popular, the last few films were, like, super popular. And he said he couldn't really go many places without people, like, recognising him. But then they also seemed to think he was, like, other people, which he thought was interesting. But he moved to LA as like a fresh 21 year old but with a lot of money and he's he talks about like how he like struggled with this balance of like being young and naive but having all of this money. And then the book sort of moves on to like his mental health struggles.
So, obviously, mental health is and, like, health is quite different in America so immediately he was sent to, like, quite an upscale rehab facility which he really struggled with because it was quite, like he said that he just struggled with, like, a bit of alcohol abuse and, like, smoking whereas people there were doing, like, hardcore drugs so he ended up, like, running away. And it was, like, this story of how he, like, trekked for, like, three days and, like, how three different people helped him and how he was really thankful for that. And then the book kind of ends on a sad note because it talks about how he was like hospitalised in The UK but he is feeling a lot more positive now. Mental health is something that he thinks he's got like a handle on. He talks to like a therapist So it's really interesting to see like how he manages that and it was really good to like get his opinion because it male mental health is something that's not really spoken about very much.
I do feel like the book kind of ended on a bit of a sad note because it was all quite positive up until like that bit. Like I would have liked for him to be like, oh, now I'm feeling better. I've got, like, a really nice girlfriend. But I I guess it's his life, and that is like, maybe in the future, he'll write, like, another one. But at the minute, it was just sort of his lead up until like now and how he is struggling with his mental health at the moment.
He also talks about how he met his girlfriend on the set of Harry Potter and how she actually plays, narcissist, like his wife in, like, the final scene. But ultimately, like, they grew apart from each other, which I thought was quite sad. I don't know if he's got a girlfriend at the moment, but he seems to be have quite a good support network in The UK, and he likes his dogs. So I'm I'm hoping that, like, things get a little bit better for him. I think he's been doing, like, some West End shows and things like that.
But, yeah, I do kind of feel like the book kind of ended on a sad note, and I did feel really sorry for him. Overall, like, I really enjoyed it. I thought it was really good to get, like, the behind the scenes, like, photos and, like, hear about his time as a child. It was really interesting to, like, how he managed to get into acting and how, like, it was his drama teacher that told him to do it. So So I would recommend but as I said it does kind of end on a bit of a like a a lower note I think.
So it's just something to be mindful of. But I'm hoping that he starts to feel a bit more positive in the future. I thought it was really good how he also spoke about how he knew he needed help to get that help and I think it's a lot of people a lot of time like people don't admit that. So hopefully maybe if you're struggling that is like something that could push you to get the help. But on the whole the book is quite humorous which I think like it it helps with that light heartedness contrast of like the darker themes.
So yeah I would recommend. I enjoyed it. It's got some good pictures in and it's not particularly long read.
So it was nice to sort of hear his story around that, because Harry Potter was the first film for, like, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. So it was nice for, like, those contrasts. And then it was also nice to see, like, his actions with them because, obviously, they're like a trio. They're always together whereas he's said he always felt, like, a little bit on the outside. And he was also older.
I think the others were, like, 10, 11, whereas he was 14. So it was sort of, like, really interesting to see that perspective as well. It was also really interesting to see, like, how he got into acting, but how he learned about acting from, like, other famous actors. So it talks about, the actors that he worked with in the past and how they gave him tips and advice and how he used this and then also, like, the influence of his family. It's just really nice to get that sort of backstory.
I am a Harry Potter fan so it was nice to, like, hear, like, little snippets of things that they did and how, like, he was doing, like, special effects training, things like that. There's also a section in the middle of the book that has, like, behind the scenes photos so it was quite funny, like, to see them just, like, chilling in their outfits and their costumes but, like, doing normal everyday things. Like, there's, like, an anecdote he says about how he, like, rode a skateboard around the set and stuff even though he wasn't supposed to. And the sort of second half of the book is about how he is older and sort of adjusting to life after Harry Potter. So, obviously, Harry Potter, when it first came out, was quite, like, niche.
And then as it got bigger and, like, more popular, the last few films were, like, super popular. And he said he couldn't really go many places without people, like, recognising him. But then they also seemed to think he was, like, other people, which he thought was interesting. But he moved to LA as like a fresh 21 year old but with a lot of money and he's he talks about like how he like struggled with this balance of like being young and naive but having all of this money. And then the book sort of moves on to like his mental health struggles.
So, obviously, mental health is and, like, health is quite different in America so immediately he was sent to, like, quite an upscale rehab facility which he really struggled with because it was quite, like he said that he just struggled with, like, a bit of alcohol abuse and, like, smoking whereas people there were doing, like, hardcore drugs so he ended up, like, running away. And it was, like, this story of how he, like, trekked for, like, three days and, like, how three different people helped him and how he was really thankful for that. And then the book kind of ends on a sad note because it talks about how he was like hospitalised in The UK but he is feeling a lot more positive now. Mental health is something that he thinks he's got like a handle on. He talks to like a therapist So it's really interesting to see like how he manages that and it was really good to like get his opinion because it male mental health is something that's not really spoken about very much.
I do feel like the book kind of ended on a bit of a sad note because it was all quite positive up until like that bit. Like I would have liked for him to be like, oh, now I'm feeling better. I've got, like, a really nice girlfriend. But I I guess it's his life, and that is like, maybe in the future, he'll write, like, another one. But at the minute, it was just sort of his lead up until like now and how he is struggling with his mental health at the moment.
He also talks about how he met his girlfriend on the set of Harry Potter and how she actually plays, narcissist, like his wife in, like, the final scene. But ultimately, like, they grew apart from each other, which I thought was quite sad. I don't know if he's got a girlfriend at the moment, but he seems to be have quite a good support network in The UK, and he likes his dogs. So I'm I'm hoping that, like, things get a little bit better for him. I think he's been doing, like, some West End shows and things like that.
But, yeah, I do kind of feel like the book kind of ended on a sad note, and I did feel really sorry for him. Overall, like, I really enjoyed it. I thought it was really good to get, like, the behind the scenes, like, photos and, like, hear about his time as a child. It was really interesting to, like, how he managed to get into acting and how, like, it was his drama teacher that told him to do it. So So I would recommend but as I said it does kind of end on a bit of a like a a lower note I think.
So it's just something to be mindful of. But I'm hoping that he starts to feel a bit more positive in the future. I thought it was really good how he also spoke about how he knew he needed help to get that help and I think it's a lot of people a lot of time like people don't admit that. So hopefully maybe if you're struggling that is like something that could push you to get the help. But on the whole the book is quite humorous which I think like it it helps with that light heartedness contrast of like the darker themes.
So yeah I would recommend. I enjoyed it. It's got some good pictures in and it's not particularly long read.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
loved this! definitely should read if you are a harry potter fan and love draco!
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
funny
informative
medium-paced
This made my love for my fellow Slytherin even more than before. This memoir was lighthearted, funny, and realistic. I loved that you got to see a side of Tom that was not exposed during the Harry Potter fandom days.
Highly recommend for any Slytherin fan as well as any Harry Potter fans as well.
Also, the part about ducks was exactly what I wanted it to be!
Highly recommend for any Slytherin fan as well as any Harry Potter fans as well.
Also, the part about ducks was exactly what I wanted it to be!
I didn’t know what I was going to get from this book. It was something that I listened to as Tom Felton reads it himself. It was cool to hear tidbits of Harry Potter behind the scenes and his relationships with the other actors. I also learned a lot about Tom and his impact from the series.
How I Read: Audible Read
How I Read: Audible Read
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
relaxing
sad
medium-paced