Reviews

Deep Wizardry by Diane Duane

nobody7734's review against another edition

5.0

This is a fucking kids book? I touched on this with the first one but holy shit I wouldn't have expected these themes and actual teaching of magic to children

babymac's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

dylan_tomorrow's review against another edition

4.0

That one was dark. And left me disappointed at how awfully organised the wizards are. Also – as, annoyingly, in most fantasy works ... – they never seem to use magic to de-stress or deal with their emotions in general or improve their mental clarity and decision-making, which would really have avoided some of their ill luck and bad decisions.
Still love the characters and world-building and, still most of all, of course the evocations of the Speech and the magic. The last pages are the strongest of the book and where the magic really does come out with force.

badseedgirl's review against another edition

3.0

This is the second of Diane Duane's "Young Wizards" series. I did not think I would read this novel. I had mixed feelings about the first one and wasn't sure if I would want to read more. But ultimately I did because book 6 was nominated for a Locus YA award and I want to read those awards. I think I figured out why I am having such a hard time with these novels. It's the cover art. They look like they are going to be fun light reads am I right?



The thing is they are full of dark images and concepts. Now that I know that is the case, I enjoyed this novel so much more. Deep Wizardry has Nita and Kit at the ocean dealing with another crisis and the new world of "ocean magic". Our characters deal with real physical threats to their lives and witness the true power of self sacrifice. I found this novel much more enjoyable. It gives me hope for the next novels, which I will read ... eventually.

lizthelizars's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

kitsuneheart's review against another edition

5.0

A poetic return to the Young Wizards series. Kit and Nita lend their power to the whales, entering into the Song of the Twelve, a re-enactment of the Lone Power's temptation of the ocean. If they succeed, he will be trapped once more and the Earth will have peace and prosperity for many years. If they fail...well, the last failure was what destroyed Atlantis. And New York is a lot closer to the water than the old ancient city....

The audiobook of this really made things better, for me. I'd read this about ten years ago, and it was still good, but hearing the Song of Twelve recited, rather than simply reading it, was a great experience. So, if you like audiobooks and can get a copy easily, go ahead.

The book quality in general matches the first book in the series, though I was relieved to see far less focus on the theme of bullying. After all, Nita and Kit are powerful, now. It's a bit of a nonsense theme. Instead, the book focused on sacrifice and the importance of oaths. Kit and Nita display wisdom beyond their years but, to be fair, they ARE wizards.

A wonderful sequel to an already well-begun series. Definitely worth your time.

lbatch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Love this one. Not as formative/perfect as the first, but still incredible and great character development for Nita and Kit even as such a fast-follow for #1. 

sarahl13's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No

4.0

booksong's review against another edition

5.0

Probably one of my favorite of this series, "Deep Wizardry" does go deep, both literally and emotionally.

Nita and Kit, recovering from their harrowing Ordeal, are called upon to serve again, this time by a group of whale and dolphin wizards off Long Island Sound. They are ready to reenact the Song of the Twelve, the ritual that will bind the Lone Power's incarnation to the seafloor. It sounds simple, but nothing ever is for these two young wizards.

They will be drawn deep into an ancient force comprised of revenge, loyalty, friendship, light, sacrifice, and the true meaning of heroism. Again, the characters you will encounter are unforgettable; real enough to make you laugh and cry for them.

And unless you are either very strong or very apathetic, by the end, you will most certainly be moved to tears by this powerful installment.

garnetofeden's review against another edition

4.0

It's been a couple of months since Nita's and Kit's adventures in So You Want to Be a Wizard, but now they're being called upon again. The wonderful world that was built in the first book continues to expand with the introduction of some fantastically developed marine characters. One of my favorite things about this series is that magic has to follow scientific and mathematical rules. In this case, the blank check sorcery that Nita and Kit used in the previous volume is now up for payment, and the way the two children rise up to deal with a very grown-up situation is heartrendingly commendable. Although the geology is a little wonky, that's forgivable in a fantasy novel, and I’m eager to continue my reread with the next installment in the series.

Note: This cover doesn't match the copy I read even though it is the same ISBN.

Rating reviewed 1/20/2023.