The Boy Who Lived: When Magic and Reality Collide: my story

by David Holmes, Daniel Radcliffe (Foreword)

THE INSPIRATIONAL MEMOIR FROM HARRY POTTER STUNTMAN DAVID HOLMES, WITH A FOREWORD BY DANIEL PERFECT FOR HARRY POTTER FANS

As stunt double to Daniel Radcliffe in the Harry Potter film franchise, stuntman David Holmes helped to move J.K. Rowling's era-defining story from the page to the big screen. His work as a real-life Fall Guy enabled him to create some of the most memorable action sequences in the Wizarding World, as he became the first person ever to play Quidditch. In living his own hero's journey, David was also one of only a handful of people to have worn the iconic wizard's cape, glasses and scar in front of the cameras.

That is, until an accident changed his life forever.

During the making of Harry Potter and the Deathly Part 1, David broke his neck in a stunt rehearsal and was instantly paralysed. From talented junior gymnast and stunt prodigy to fully qualified Hollywood stuntman, his story is a brutally honest portrait of a man who lost everything but found different ways to reimagine new possibilities with love, friendship and optimism - and he later co-created a BAFTA-nominated documentary about his life. David's behind-the-scenes look at one of the biggest film series of all time is both jaw-dropping and hilarious.

Powerful and emotional, his is a story of hope and vulnerability and paints a picture of what it truly takes to rebuild a life and become The Boy Who Lived.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography, Harry Potter, Autobiography, Disability

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2024

Reviews

[Niamh Ennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are no words for this book and how amazing its writer is. There is no imagining his suffering or how hard this must have been to write. But in its raw honesty, it's unflinching look at everything that happened, everything that deteriorated and continues to do so. The author doesn't want people to pity him but to be inspired by his "adventure",gain perspective and gratitude from it and the book succeeds in this. David doesn't hold back in showing every side of himself, the ways he didn't cope, the dark days, the excess and the ways in which he finds beauty in art, the world and his recently found message to be present and focus on what you can do.

[Alyssa Katsion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everytime I read a memoir I’m reminded that they are the greatest gift, and that strangers from all over the world have taken the time to tell their very personal stories in hopes that they could make one persons life a little easier. This book blew me away, from the fly on wall perspective of being on the set of the Harry Potter franchise of films, to the honest struggle with addiction and grief, and to finding peace and contentment in life even when things are not going well, The Boy Who Lived has it all. I will be thinking about this one for a long time. Do yourself a favor and pick it up, especially if you happen to be having a hard time.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched the documentary a few days ago and immediately had to buy the book to read David’s story. I genuinely couldn’t put this down. Such a powerful and emotional book, I can’t stop thinking about it 🥺

[Brendan Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

In January 2009, stunt performer David Holmes’ life changed forever. A talented gymnast and hedonistic daredevil, he crashed his way into the stunt community and landed in the ‘Harry Potter’ films, until a wire-stunt went wrong. Holmes broke two vertebrae in his neck, and a man who previously felt impervious to harm was left severely paralysed.

‘The Boy Who Lived’ is a searingly honest and endearingly flawed memoir, splitting Holmes’ life into two parts. The first deals largely with life on-set, offering intriguing glimpses into the devil-may-care stunt-team, and how that attitude spills into life away from the film set. The second part, in the wake of his catastrophic accident, brutally details Holmes’ treatment, his raucous self-medication and eventual enlightenment.

Holmes’ voice is earnest and funny, his wisdom hard-earned and admirable. This is a life lived nose-first, with plenty of sex, drugs and drop-and-roll. There are fan-pleasing insights into the ‘Harry Potter’ world, and an inspirational message about seeking the light when all around you is dark. But the editor could have been more precise; there’s an awful lot of repetition, and the writing is often stilted.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️
It takes a lot of bravery to talk about a live-changing, traumatic accident that never should have happened so I applaud David for being so vulnerable and telling his story.
I enjoyed the first 40% but then it took a bit of a turn and I didn’t agree with some of the views suggested. Felt like ‘lads’ mentality and didn’t like the lack of accountability.

[Mike Mertens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normaal niet mijn genre maar blij dat ik het gelezen heb. Ongeziene anekdotes over de HP-cast. Een kijk in het leven van een stuntman en vooral een kijk in het leven en de gedachtegang van een quadripleeg.

Iemand die zo zich identificeert met het fysieke. Om dan dit kwijt te raken en zijn leven een nieuwe wending te geven, een aanrader om te lezen. Zeker aangezien het niet zo een depressief huil verhaal is over enkel de beperking. Een groot deel van het boek speelt zich zelfs af voòr het ongeval.

Aanrader voor harry potter fans, mensen in de zorg, voor iedereen eigenlijk.

[Clementine Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very impactful. It was fascinating to learn about his life as a stuntman, then the terrible experience of his accident and losing everything he knew. It was heartwarming to read about his mental recovery and improved positive outlook on life. A very inspirational man.

[Tan Markovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gorgeous spirit this man has.

[Irono Yami · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. i have not seen the documentary yet.
2. this review is not about David Holmes (no life is for your entertainment, nor judgment), but about the writing, edit, finish product of a book.

first part, pre accident:
easy to read through, i like the humor.
i did not enjoy all these uncountable name droppings (always with the name of the person, name of their character and what other stunts/movie/serie they are known for). i do not approve of anything, Greg made David do, i have icks reading about their interactions and David defending them.

second part, post accident:
can't tell you what i read. somehow the writing shifted and i could no longer concentrate or be invested, even though this part was why i picked up the book in the first place.
a lot of repetition too.

[India-Rose]

listened to this! 🎧

[Annie Gummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant - a recount of a wild life. The stunt life behind Harry Potter had me shocked and in awe. David made me gasp, cry and left with me an honest and inspiring perspective. I think I’ll think of this often and read bits again, and get on with this precious life in a better way!

[Elaina Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

David’s perspective on life after his injury is inspirational. The parallels he draws between his life and Harry Potter are something to admire.

[Aimee Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH a good listen. I really enjoyed hearing David's story from his stuntman days to living in the now. Very inspiring and a great reminder to live in the now.

[S]

I highly recommend this read to any Harry Potter fan, but also to people who enjoy reading stories from people who have shown great resilience through life’s harder challenges and who are able to find the light in the darkest of times. Like most, I didn’t know of David’s story until much later in life despite being a self-proclaimed Potterhead 🧙lol! I enjoyed David’s book not only because of the cool behind the scenes stories of the HP sets and the stars David got to rub shoulders with, but also because of his vulnerability and candor. As someone who works closely with people who are similarly injured in accidents, it was a humbling experience reading David’s thoughts and perspectives on the legal battle he faced and the medical journey he is still on. Truly a great read!

[Jade Scouller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent read. In the first half of the book, David details his upbringing, how he got into the stunt industry and his time working on the first six Harry Potter films. I was gasping out loud at points, shocked at how the stunt industry operates and the lengths David went to in order to ensure that the stunts in Harry Potter that we have all come to know were believable, impactful and entertaining. The second half of the book details his spinal injury, recovery and living as a quadriplegic, which I found equally compelling, shocking and inspiring. David’s writing style was easy to follow, entertaining at points and deeply reflective.

As a side note - the foreword by Daniel Radcliffe was beautifully written (I read it several times).

[olivia]

david u could do no wrong 😔

[Bex Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing and inspiring person. I laughed, I cried, I constantly told Ju all the facts and stories so now he doesn’t need to read it (sorry Ju). A very raw and honest read, very glad I picked it up!

[Kaila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly honest and inspirational.

[Kayla Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
🎧 An honest, raw, reflective look at his life before, during, and after the tragic accident that changed his life. This book was so inspiring and heartwrenching.

[Madison Lovern · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 for any HP lovers. Makes you look at life a little differently.

[Gemma]

I'm not going to give this a rating because it just doesn't feel right to rate someone's life and trauma.

This was an incredible reflection by David about his life pre and post his accident on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. He seems like such a unique, strong, wilful, determined person. I really respect him for his character but also his brutal honesty about himself and his actions in this book. I'm sure it was hard to relive his trauma again but he also used this opportunity to shine a light on the work of stuntmen, the hard work of NHS workers and carers, and others suffering with disabilities.

I learnt a lot about the stunt scene that I never would have known or thought about and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book - even if sometimes it made me internally grimace at the bullying, pain, and toxicity that sometimes occurred. For sure, stunt people need to be credited and recognised more for their outstanding work they do for the film industry.

The main message to take away from this are to be kind, laugh, and live your life and these are certainly aspects I'll continue to aspire to.

[Cassandra Marie Darling · Rating 4 out of 5]

thanks for sharing your life. intense and immense.

from a book perspective it jumped around a bit so sometimes was disjointed.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is hard for me to rate. It's not my typical read and how do you rate someone's account of their life and experience? So take my rating with a grain of salt. This is a really interesting story though and I never got into Harry Potter (books or movies). The stunt industry seemed wildly abusive even when he said he was not a victim and was happy doing it. It feels groomed, dangerous, manipulative, abusive....all the things. My heart broke for all the minors in this industry at that time (maybe even today??). And everything he went through after with self medicating, partying, escaping reality, etc. Part of this seems due to my former comments and not having great coping skills for events but it's also such a horrible event! I hope he is on a positive path in his life and it sounds like he has matured a lot but it still has to be so difficult!

[Ella W · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really emotional read. If you’re a fan of Harry Potter I highly recommend this book.

Holmes was Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter’s) stunt double.

During the filming of the Deathly Hallows, a stunt he had rehearsed hundreds of times went wrong. His spinal cord separated, leaving him paralysed.

When his instructor realised that he couldn’t squeeze his fingers, a realisation passed between both of them - that this injury was extremely serious.

The book is a refreshing perspective on what was sacrificed behind the movies that millions of us watched, and the impact on his life forever.

4/5 stars 🔮

[Erin Kemppainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Holmes' story is deeply troubling, yet surprisingly under-recognised, especially considering its profound connection to the Harry Potter universe. His emotions were palpable, and my heart ached as I read about the unimaginable hardships he endured. At times, however, his arrogance and persistent testing of his invincibility were frustrating, which occasionally diminished my empathy for him. That said, I think it ultimately reinforces his point—that even the most fearless individuals are, in fact, fragile.

[Karianne Giard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livre audio 🎧
Cru, honnête et sans filtre. Histoire touchante.

[Jessica Åström · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Chloe Kenney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beautiful and I can’t recommend it enough. When I started this book, I, probably like most people, assumed the title of “The Boy Who Lived” was equivalent to “David was in an awful accident and survived.” At the end of this book, I can say I was wrong. “The Boy Who Lived” is not about not dying, it’s about living life to the absolute fullest. David is many wonderful things. He is brave, wise, insightful, kind, caring, passionate, determined, committed, funny, and strong. His life as a stuntman was a real dream come true for so many. His life after stunt work continued to make an impact on others, focusing on the present, making memories and recognizing how precious life, friends, family, and our abilities are.

It’s February 2025 but I already know this is one of the best books I’ll read this year. A very easy 5 stars. I was constantly tearing up throughout the book. David truly is more than a stuntman and amazing human, he’s a wonderful artist and creator, and I really appreciate him making this book, and bringing more attention to the stunt community and the disability community.

Below are some random thoughts I added while reading:

1) I’m so glad after battling with Amazon to finally snag my copy. I follow David on Instagram and greatly enjoy listening to his stories. The man truly exudes passion and he honestly GLOWS when he talks about something important to him. He’s a fantastic speaker and I know this book must be great.

2) I don’t normally comment on books physical appearances but the colour blue of the physical book under the jacket (because I read the books without the jacket) is STUNNING.

3) I found footage of the Mini Cooper commercial and it is absolutely BADASS.

4) I always thought David was funny but his potty mouth really comes out in this book, HA!

5) David tries so hard to be both likeable and people pleasing. I don’t mean that in a negative way at all. He says himself he learned early on that he’s realized his gymnastic skills was a great way impress girls 🤣! But he’s constantly going his best to get the approval of other people, right now namely Greg and Chris and I really feel for him. He was honestly still a kid and he had a lot of pressure put on him for the Potter films from the get go.

6) He had so many responsibilities in the film beyond what we imagine as typical stunt work, I’d honestly sit and have a whole HP film marathon with David just to listen to him tell me where he’s hiding in all the Harry Potter scenes because the man seems to be a literal human Easter egg.

7) Honestly, this book is great for your general film buff. David gives great explanations on the history of stunt work in films and what gags have really made cinematic history. Such an under appreciated part of film and as a big film buff, since I’ve started following David online, I’ve really seen stunt work in films with a new set of eyes.

8) “”BUT MY PUBES” I GASPED” 🤣🤣🤣🤣

9) Alan Rickman: Getting complimented by Alan Rickman. Honestly so impressive and moved me. I had known previous to this book that Alan Rickman was the driving force responsible for securing ongoing royalty payments for the HP team. Knowing that he enabled ongoing financial security for so many people, even beyond the “big actors” from the films: so amazing. So much respect to Alan for that.

[Amanda Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this was an interesting read, but also at times a rather tough read too.

That isn't necessarily a bad thing though, this story is heartbreaking and very raw so sometimes it was a struggle to get through the sad moments of what David has been through.

I picked this up as not only am I lover of all things Harry Potter, I also then watched the Documentary - "The Boy Who Lived" and wanted to learn more/get a more in depth look at David's life.

The book started slow and felt a little dull for me which as a superfan of all things Potter, was really surprising. That part of the book was all about his time as a stunt man and the backstage goings on of the Harry Potter films so I thought I would love it but it wasn't that compelling. However the second part - after his accident was more thought provoking, a real look into the struggles facing disabled people and the many emotional stages David experienced in the years after Potter - this I found to be more noteworthy.

It is a testament to his strength and character that he has kept his sense of humor and can see the light within the dark, unique and brave considering the harsh reality he faces daily after he the notorious accident which changed his life forever.

4 stars as the beginning was a bit of a slog to get through.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

This was such a fascinating and uplifting read, particularly for fans of Harry Potter, but really for anyone who is interested in knowing about the stunt industry.

David Holmes was the stunt double for Daniel Radcliffe throughout nearly all of the Harry Potter films. In the second to last film, David had a terrible accident on set and became paralysed from the chest down, drastically changing his life and also putting a stop to his career.

David recounts his life and his career as a stuntman in a humorous yet emotional way. He is clearly an immensely strong person, who has gone through more than what most people experience in ten lifetimes.

Learning about the stunt industry was also really interesting, and David was obviously passionate about it and has no regrets over his career choice. I didn’t realise the extent of stunts that weren’t performed by the actual actors, and so I agree with David that more recognition should be paid to stuntmen and stuntwomen.

The book had a predominantly uplifting message, and it was never self-pitying in any sense. David has a brilliant sense of humour, which he accounts as a mechanism to combat bullying in his youth from his short stature.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone (Harry Potter fan or not), and I especially enjoyed the audiobook, narrated by David himself.