I am the first to admit that I do not read a lot of nonfiction unless it is required for class, but that is something I am genuinely wanting to change. To that end, I have begun to find a true appreciation for memoirs over the course of this school year (not just because of the class I have in which I have read many memoirs, though it has contributed).
Like many, I grew up with the wizarding world of Harry Potter and the magic and mischief that came with it. Like many, I am aware of the controversy now surrounding that fictional realm. Acknowledging this, I feel many agree that the actors who helped to bring the Harry Potter world to life all did a phenomenal job at the task, including Tom Felton, the man who portrayed Draco Malfoy.
I had no idea what to expect when I picked up Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton, but I was excited to learn more about this man beyond Hogwarts. When you grow up knowing an actor for one specific thing, sometimes you forget that they have a whole real life beyond their character, and the depths of struggle balanced with hilarity strung throughout Felton’s story made for a nonstop entertaining and meaningful memoir. I had not been aware of Felton’s parents’ divorce, or his and his brothers’ mental health issues, or his struggle with alcoholism. To be frank, I did not expect to be so captivated by his life behind the scenes of not only Harry Potter but everything before and after. But that’s exactly what I was—captivated.
I think it helped that I went with the audiobook since Felton read the story himself. I highly recommend this format, because he uses different voices throughout his dialogue, and there is a snippet of him singing and an extra chapter at the end. Hearing his words in his own voice made the experience of hearing his story so much more impactful. I laughed with him and cried with him. (I tend to believe that audiobooks versions of memoirs should be read by their subject as often as possible.)
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