In the world of V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy, in which this is the first book, there are parallel worlds. There used to be gateways between them, but now only the magical Antari (identified by having one normal and one fully black eyeball) are able to travel through to the various worlds, using their blood and magical ability. Young Kell, fostered with the royal family in Red London is one of these Antari. In each of the four worlds, there is a London, the geographical […]
More Harry Magic
I read the first in Jim Butcher’s new series and kinda liked it, so I figured I’d check out his other stuff. I read the first Dresden novel, and though it was only ok. Then I saw that multiple people were saying that the Dresden series only gets good after about book 4. My local library does not have the entire series thus far, and the branch near me does not have all of the book in the order I might want them (chronologically). So […]
We are not all heroes
I was inspired to write this review by this tweet. YA is an interesting genre. Nix’s previous books (which I adore) have given us a very typical YA heroines. They are morally clear, they have self doubt which they work through, and they are generally good. In Clariel – which a lot of Nix fans didn’t like – we don’t get that. Clariel is a prequel to Sabriel – Nix’s first “Old Kingdom” book. It’s set a couple of hundred years in the past. Clariel […]
You Mean All This Time, We Could’ve Been Friends?
The Prestige tells the story of a lifelong feud between two magicians in turn-of-the-century England. You’ve probably seen or at least heard of the movie, which starred Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman (and David Bowie as Nicola Tesla! Whee!). The Prestige is the story of Alfred Borden and Rupert Angier, two magicians who rise to fame somewhat simultaneously, and whose lives are marred by a deadly feud that started when Borden exposed Angier as a fraud at a seance. That is. . . one weird […]