Book Review: Harry Potter and the Mediocre Fan Fiction

I love me some Harry Potter, so when Harry Potter and the Cursed Child came out, I was excited to read it.  I have to say, though, that I was disappointed in many ways.  If you haven't read it and desire to do so, take warning of spoilers and snark ahead.

There were some things I liked.  I liked Scorpius.  I liked that we had two Slitherin children who were basically decent people.  I enjoyed seeing beloved and not-so-beloved characters as adults.  I especially liked seeing Snape again in one of the alternate timelines.  That's about where the liking stops.

Let's talk Hermione.  In one alternate timeline the boys create with the time turner, Hermione and Ron never got together, and we're supposed to believe that without the power of their majestic love, Hermione winds up bitter and mean and miserable, teaching at Hogwarts. 

Seriously?  Ron's love is her salvation, and no one else in the world would have made her a happy and well adjusted adult?  Ron?  That Ron?  The redhead? 

Their getting together was already like those sitcoms where the idiot husbands have impossibly awesome wives, but I was willing to let that go at the end of Book 7 for the sake of sentiment.  I just find it obnoxious to imply that there were no other paths to happiness available to the most important female character in the whole series.  In addition, Hermione was a kind person throughout the series.  Are we supposed to think the lack of a suitable husband changed her basic personality? Don't break up with your high school boyfriend, kids, or you'll wind up like mean Hermione.  If you miss your chance at one true love when you're 17, you might as well pack it in. 

Shoot, at least in the other, more dystopian, timeline where they aren't together, she's a badass rebel instead of Professor Umbridge 2.0. 

I just really felt this choice was tone deaf, showing a lack of understanding of the character's basic qualities as well as sending an ugly social message.  There were plenty of other things I took issue with, but this was the one that really got under my skin.  What did you think of the Harry Potter play?  Let me know in the comments.