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blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this. I checked at one point if it was YA or not, in some ways it reads young because not only is the main character Biddy only about 16 years old, she grew up in an unconventional way and is an interesting mix of intelligent and naive. The adult characters are seen through her perspective, but as an adult reader I had the experience of understanding them more quickly than Biddy did. I thought the writing was fantastic, both in terms of the prose and in terms of the plotting. I would be wishing for something to go a certain way, and then when it didn't I would realize that what had happened was inevitable based on the prior setup in the story. It was narratively satisfying. The audiobook was very pleasant to listen to and really suited the tone of the story, with subtle distinctions and accents to make it clear who was speaking. I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in a coming-of-age historical fantasy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Torture, Violence, Body horror, and Confinement
Minor: Kidnapping, Sexism, and Misogyny
tlskayte's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Confinement, Torture, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death
yvo_about_books's review
5.0
Finished reading: August 20th 2023
"That, Rowan had told her once, was what magic meant. A chance of something better."
I had a fantastic first experience with The Unlikely Escape Of Uriah Heep back in 2020, and I've been looking forward to read more of H.G. Parry's work ever since. I'm not sure why it took me this long, but this newest story couldn't have come at a better time... I adored every single minute I spent with The Magician's Daughter, and I couldn't give it any less than the full 5 stars it deserved. While completely different than her debut, I fell in love with this historical fantasy story straight away. The Magician's Daughter almost has that magical realism feel, which can go both ways for me, but in this case it hit the nail on the head. I loved the idea and descriptions of both Hy-Brasil and the magic itself, and the historical references are well incorporated. This wasn't the only thing I loved though... This book also stood out for me both due its impeccable writing and the development of the main characters. There was something enchanting about the writing style, and I found myself glued to the pages and unable to stop reading. Biddy makes for such a fantastic main character, and I loved learning more about the world through her eyes... Especially when she starts seeing the 'real' world for the first time in her life. The rest of the cast all added a little something special to the plot as well, although I think I loved Hutch the most of all of them. The plot is well structured, and there are plenty of twists and moments of danger along the way... Biddy's mission almost has that quest vibe, and I loved both how the plot evolved and how everything was wrapped up in the end. There is no doubt that The Magician's Daughter will appear on my list of 2023 favorites!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Violence, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Blood, and Abandonment
Moderate: Classism, Confinement, Sexism, and Death of parent
ijustreallyliketrees's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this one. It reminded me of the books I loved reading growing up and it invoked a strong feeling of nostalgia (especially the cosy/domestic scenes on Hy-Brasil). I loved the characters, and the way magic was written about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Kidnapping, and Torture
Minor: Death of parent and Sexism
eatingfiction's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A wonderfully whimsical and magical adventure! A bit of Barbie Rapunzel (yes specifically the Barbie version for some reason) x Howl's Moving Castle. But of course, wholly unique.
Beautifully written. I could spend forever enfolded in H.G. Parry's words...
Beautifully written. I could spend forever enfolded in H.G. Parry's words...
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Torture, and Violence
kat1105's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Torture
clarabooksit's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Animal death, Murder, Grief, Sexism, Confinement, Blood, and Child abuse
Minor: Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
miraclesnow's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Any book that gets me to openly sob gets 5 stars.
This is what magic should feel like: fantastical, dangerous, and thrilling in equal measure. And this is exactly the feelings and experiences this book gave me, so much so I couldn’t help but to relate it to Howl’s Moving Castle. They both now take up a special place in my heart, because they both make me feel magical. ✨
This is what magic should feel like: fantastical, dangerous, and thrilling in equal measure. And this is exactly the feelings and experiences this book gave me, so much so I couldn’t help but to relate it to Howl’s Moving Castle. They both now take up a special place in my heart, because they both make me feel magical. ✨
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Sexism, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Classism, Confinement, Animal death, and Murder
angela005's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Violence, Torture, Body horror, Death, and Abandonment
Minor: Classism and Misogyny
srivalli's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
3.8 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining if you read it as a YA book
1912, Hy-Basil & London
Orphaned Biddy grows up on Hy-Basil Island with Rowan and Hutch as guardians. Magic is a part of her life, though she doesn’t have it. As Biddy grows older, she has too many questions about things that were never explained to her. And then, one day, Rowan is hurt, and Biddy comes to know a little about his enemies and stuff from outside of Hy-Basil.
However, there isn’t time for her to learn. Biddy is thrust right into the middle of a power clash. It seems that she holds the key to save magic and restore it from being lost forever. Of course, it comes with grave consequences, and Biddy has to decide what she would do.
Can Biddy save magic as well as her and her guardians’ lives, or will she have to sacrifice one for another?
The story comes in Biddy’s limited-third person POV.
My Thoughts:
The writing is descriptive and paints a vivid picture of the settings, be it the wild island or the castle dungeons. It is easy to visualize the story and the characters.
Once I realized this would be more of a YA book, I adjusted my expectations and enjoyed it a lot more. The book has some dark elements and scenes, but it should work easily for older teens. Since Biddy is 16 or 17, readers of the same age group might relate to her. Adult readers note that Biddy can be annoying and dramatic sometimes.
The beginning is a little slow, as expected. Once the basic premise is established, the story picks up pace. The scenes in the poorhouses of Whitechapel somehow didn’t fully blend in. I understand Biddy’s conflicting emotions and vulnerabilities and how the place ties up with the rest of the plot, but it somehow feels less effective than it should have been.
The other main characters are well-etched. I like how Rowan is caring and affectionate when it comes to Biddy but can resort to violence to handle his opponents. He has his faults, some of which are the reason for this trouble in their heads. Though he is one of those characters the readers may or may not like.
Hutch is Rowan’s familiar rabbit, and it is fun having a rabbit instead of a cat. This could be the author’s partiality (she has pet rabbits), but I like this change. A soft and furry rabbit with strong opinions makes for an entertaining read. (Please don’t tell me rabbits aren’t new to magic books. I want to continue living under my little rock.)
Morgana is another interesting character. Is she good or evil? Does she want to help Rowan or Vaughan? Vaughan is pretty much the charming bad guy with evil in his heart and more than enough manipulative powers to get what he wants.
The second half is much more engaging than the first, mainly because we see Biddy grow and make her own decisions. These come with consequences but set the stage for her to become independent instead of being the sheltered bookish kid she was when the story begins.
The writing is a little long-winded at times. You can speed-read at such places. There are a couple of long conversations, too, so gets a bit tiring. The ‘magic’ part is well-established, and I like the concept behind it.
The ending is apt for the book. It ties up the ends while also leaving enough opportunities for a sequel. I wouldn’t mind one if it is set in Hy-Basil and explores the magical island in greater detail.
To summarize, The Magician’s Daughter is an entertaining read with good world-building and a strong second half. I think it would be more appropriate to tag it as YA (darkish) fantasy. The content is clean.
Thank you, NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and Orbit, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#TheMagiciansDaughter #NetGalley
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence