Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Beyond the Wand: The Magic & Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard

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Beyond the Wand: The Magic & Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton

39 reviews

jessspeake's review

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook version of this memoir. Tom reads it himself, and it really feels like sitting down with him over a cup of tea and listening while he tells his story.

It was everything I wanted in terms of Harry Potter content, plus so much more in terms of Tom’s life and experiences outside of Potter.

He speaks about everyone in his with a reverence that is really special and kindhearted. It was a joy to listen to!

I really respect how openly he speaks about addiction and mental illness in the book.

This book far surpassed any expectations I had of it, and left me hoping to read more from Tom in the future!

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sierrabowers's review

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

Wow wow wow. Never have I ever thought that I would enjoy a memoir so much. Not only did Tom share nostalgic memories of his Harry Potter days, but also important memories from before in his childhood and later in adulthood. He stressed the importance of not stigmatizing mental health, therapy, and rehab. I was in awe of how he was able to write his story, making me laugh with subtle Potter puns, think deeply when he is talking about his own mental struggles, and smile when remembering the scenes he talks about in the Potter films. I recommend to EVERYONE who loves HP as much as I do. Wow.

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rosamaria's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

2.5

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itsdeenlee's review

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.25

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booksandmarvel's review against another edition

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fast-paced

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weepy_iskwew's review against another edition

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funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.0

I really appreciate the way Tom discusses his childhood. How he constantly emphasizes the idea that he fell into his circumstances by being one lucky kid plucked out of hundreds that could have done the same job just as well. I also never thought about how his life might be very different from the main trio of Harry Potter so that was a new learning for me.

The writing style was a little cheesy - in part due to the various Harry Potter references shoe-horned in there. I can see why some wouldn't like it, but to me it felt cheesy in a comforting way. Like when you're talking to a friend that always uses the same catchphrases or filler words.

I did leave the end of the book wishing for a little bit more. A few more details of his past experiences, a few more real insights to his feelings in certain moments, and a lot more detail about his reflections on mental health and substance use.

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