From the magical moments on set as Draco Malfoy to the challenges of growing up in the spotlight, get a backstage pass into Tom Felton's life on and off the big screen.
As Slytherin bully Draco Malfoy, Felton delivered a requisite amount of sneering during the eight-movie series’ early installments, then cast a more nuanced spell in the last few films. Such is the rhythm of the 35-year-old actor’s memoir...after offering many a rote recollection from the saga, he summons his demons and delves deeper in the final pages ... That introspection, about Felton’s more recent struggles with drugs and alcohol, elevates what otherwise would be a diverting but disposable tome of Harry Potter trivia. Still, if you don’t know a horcrux from a hippogriff, feel free to move along — Beyond the Wand should only be assigned reading for Hogwarts completists ... It’s mostly because Felton’s on-set observations feel painstakingly curated ... For a book so dominated by Harry Potter...it’s Felton’s experiences outside the Wizarding World that make Beyond the Wand worth reading ... Ultimately, the hook of Felton’s memoir is his perspective on living a one-in-a-billion experience. Yet Beyond the Wand is most insightful when Felton translates his tale into something more universal.
He is especially forthcoming about his success, which he reflects as almost accidental, and a dark period following the Harry Potter years, when he battled addiction and spent time in rehab ... An honest, at times humorous, and entertaining memoir that movie buffs, especially Harry Potter fans, will enjoy.
Felton fills much of his memoir with charmingly told behind-the-scenes stories of what it was like filming the eight movies in the Harry Potter series ... The author’s anecdotes about his co-stars, from Daniel Radcliffe to Judi Dench, are similarly sweet and self-deprecating ... Unflinchingly forthcoming ... A surprisingly deep memoir from the actor who brought a memorable villain to the big screen.
