Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love the worlds created by T. Kingfisher. Stories where art has power, everyone has a little magic in them, and where things work out in the end - just what I’ve been needing lately.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed the misfit family known as the Mandolinis, a family of artists who paint illuminations, or pieces of artwork embedded with spell work. Each family member had a unique and diverse personalities with intriguing backgrounds. Rosa is the youngest, and finds herself drawn to an old illumination that ends up releasing a cursed creature upon her family. They come together to help save their own business and family, finding a new way to work together and allow their power and family to flourish.
This book was a lot of fun just like the other books I've read that she's written kind of in this same vein, Wizard's Guide and Minor Mage. I think that this one is my least favorite but that's not saying much because I still really enjoyed it and had a great time.
One thing that I really liked about it is that the scope was much more contained than Wizard's Guide and Minor Mage. There are stakes, saving the Mandolini's reputation, but they were not so high like in the other books in the way that the characters and their town/city were in immediate peril. The closest this book got to that level of danger was So when it broke pattern I was pleasantly surprised! It made for a much more relaxed reading experience.
I liked the friendship between Rosa and Serena as well. It felt very authentic for a childhood friendship with their little jealousies and how they could immediately fall back into their imagined scenarios even if they were fighting. Payne was also a fun character, but I think that the armadillo from Minor Mage is still my favorite companion out of the three books.
Also, I know that Wizard's Guide, Minor Mage, and this book are not technically a series, but I lump them together in my brain because of the matching covers and the very similar vibes which is why I keep comparing them here.
One thing that I really liked about it is that the scope was much more contained than Wizard's Guide and Minor Mage. There are stakes, saving the Mandolini's reputation, but they were not so high like in the other books in the way that the characters and their town/city were in immediate peril. The closest this book got to that level of danger was
Spoiler
the Scarling might have gone for the Illuminations that protected the houses around the studio against fire and caused a huge fire, which honestly I was half expecting. That or for it to go for the Illuminations that had just gone up to filter the water in the canals. I really expected that one to happen because it would have been much more in-line with the other two books.I liked the friendship between Rosa and Serena as well. It felt very authentic for a childhood friendship with their little jealousies and how they could immediately fall back into their imagined scenarios even if they were fighting. Payne was also a fun character, but I think that the armadillo from Minor Mage is still my favorite companion out of the three books.
Also, I know that Wizard's Guide, Minor Mage, and this book are not technically a series, but I lump them together in my brain because of the matching covers and the very similar vibes which is why I keep comparing them here.
I think this is for a younger audience than I to be fair. Still a fun little story