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A review by alyson7
Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton
5.0
I was a massive Harry Potter fan growing up. I was one of those people who ate, breathed and slept Harry Potter. I memorized most of the lines from the first, second and third movie. I compulsively read the books. And I knew, in a shocking (albeit creepy) amount of detail, the likes and dislikes of the major cast members of Harry Potter. Needless to say, I was obsessed.
I am a bit older now with a bit more to occupy my mind and time, but Harry Potter still holds a special place in my heart. It is a link to my childhood, and it brings back good memories.
Tom Felton played Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter's famous blond-haired rival. Even those who vaguely knew of Harry Potter, knew of Malfoy as "the bad kid." In real life, Tom Felton was a bit of a rebel, but with a heart of gold. Through his memoirs, he explains what it was like to be a child actor amongst the great actors of British cinema. He reveals his personal struggles of substance abuse and a few stints in rehab and counselling. He also dives into his relationships with his various co-stars and his family.
Some memoirs purposely are written vaguely. And it makes sense, not everyone wants to be open with the world. It is hard enough to be vulnerable with the people closest to you, it is quite another to immortalize your words in a book for the world to read. For that reason, I admire Tom Felton and how he chose to write about his struggles. He does not do so in a way that capitalizes on his fame, in fact, he chooses a self-deprecating approach. While reading this book, I felt as if the mystique that often accompanies an actor (especially one like Tom Felton who starred in Harry Potter) had been stripped away to reveal a young man who had to learn to deal with fame too early in life.
Growing up is difficult for anyone. For a young actor, it appears to be an odd experience because you suddenly have everything at your fingertips except genuine connection. It is no wonder that young actors turn to substance abuse to fill the void in their lives.
It was also interesting to see the Harry Potter films from another point of view.
For me, they were bits of magic on the screen. They inspired awe and wonder in me. When I saw the actors on the screen, I readily bought into the illusion and did not think about the fact that this was a film that had special effects and hair and makeup. I also can remember hanging up posters in my room and gushing with my cousin on my crush on Daniel Radcliffe and hers on Tom Felton.
But, for Tom Felton, it (obviously) did not have the same effect. He got to know his fellow actors and share cigarettes with "Dumbledore" (Sir Michael Gambon) between takes. He got to be scared of Alan Rickman because he kept treading on his cloak. He also got to make genuine friendships with the cast including Emma Watson. I was unaware of their friendship, and it was really beautiful to read about.
All in all, I really loved this memoir. This is a must-read for any fan of the Harry Potter movies.
I am a bit older now with a bit more to occupy my mind and time, but Harry Potter still holds a special place in my heart. It is a link to my childhood, and it brings back good memories.
Tom Felton played Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter's famous blond-haired rival. Even those who vaguely knew of Harry Potter, knew of Malfoy as "the bad kid." In real life, Tom Felton was a bit of a rebel, but with a heart of gold. Through his memoirs, he explains what it was like to be a child actor amongst the great actors of British cinema. He reveals his personal struggles of substance abuse and a few stints in rehab and counselling. He also dives into his relationships with his various co-stars and his family.
Some memoirs purposely are written vaguely. And it makes sense, not everyone wants to be open with the world. It is hard enough to be vulnerable with the people closest to you, it is quite another to immortalize your words in a book for the world to read. For that reason, I admire Tom Felton and how he chose to write about his struggles. He does not do so in a way that capitalizes on his fame, in fact, he chooses a self-deprecating approach. While reading this book, I felt as if the mystique that often accompanies an actor (especially one like Tom Felton who starred in Harry Potter) had been stripped away to reveal a young man who had to learn to deal with fame too early in life.
Growing up is difficult for anyone. For a young actor, it appears to be an odd experience because you suddenly have everything at your fingertips except genuine connection. It is no wonder that young actors turn to substance abuse to fill the void in their lives.
It was also interesting to see the Harry Potter films from another point of view.
For me, they were bits of magic on the screen. They inspired awe and wonder in me. When I saw the actors on the screen, I readily bought into the illusion and did not think about the fact that this was a film that had special effects and hair and makeup. I also can remember hanging up posters in my room and gushing with my cousin on my crush on Daniel Radcliffe and hers on Tom Felton.
But, for Tom Felton, it (obviously) did not have the same effect. He got to know his fellow actors and share cigarettes with "Dumbledore" (Sir Michael Gambon) between takes. He got to be scared of Alan Rickman because he kept treading on his cloak. He also got to make genuine friendships with the cast including Emma Watson. I was unaware of their friendship, and it was really beautiful to read about.
All in all, I really loved this memoir. This is a must-read for any fan of the Harry Potter movies.