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erebus53's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Amari is starting back at school after having passed her first junior challenge, and all of a sudden there is a new person in charge of the magical world. At a meeting of the ruling council, something or someone has stopped time. Now limited to the room on which the disturbance was centred, the only people halted are the people who were in charge, leaving a power vacuum that is filled by the Deputy Prime Minister and his chief spindoctor.
The person who has taken over has some extreme bigoted views and starts deporting the Unwanted - anyone whose ancestors were on the wrong side of the centuries old war against the Night Brothers. The talking points, and the fact that he himself is technically considered one of those Unwanted, bring to mind a certain dark haired little man with a toothbrush moustache. As the media and the politicians sow a climate of fear, he gains more and more popularity and power, and one of the types of people that he is prejudiced against is Magicians, like Amari. As she proves unwilling to be a pawn in his publicity stunts, the powers that be try to separate her more and more from her friends, She is forced to wear a badge that singles her out as dangerous. (All rather familiar - but an interesting way of encountering these ideas if you are a younger reader and don't recognise them.)
Just as all this is happening, Amari's once friend come nemesis, Dylan, escapes from his prison, and as the only two people who are the Born Magicians of their generation they are pitted against each other to vie for Vladimir's Crown, the symbol and vessel of power that would allow them to rule over he League of Magicians... and it looks like they are gearing up for a war.
This is the second book of the series and I'll admit that I had forgotten much of the plot of the first one before I got back into it. As far as audiobooks go, it's recorded a little slower than regular speaking pace so it can probably bear being listened to on a faster speed.
One thing I do love about this series is that the cast is racially diverse. It wasn't until the dedication at the end of the book that I realised the author was a man (one of those things about having a main character who is a girl, and having the audiobook narrated by a woman) and a Christian, which may be one reason why there isn't any form of romance in the story. This does make it an ideal choice for many looking for a good middle-school read. The age-group for these books (using the rule of thumb "main character's age minus 3 years") is probably 10+
The trials and puzzles in this and the mystery that the friends investigate make this quite a fun read, even for older people. There are a couple of cute sidekick/pets and some flashy powers and things to keep younger audiences interested and a couple of prophetic visions and big reveals that are really satisfying.
All in all it's good.. not super great.. but entertaining. I hear there's a third book?
The person who has taken over has some extreme bigoted views and starts deporting the Unwanted - anyone whose ancestors were on the wrong side of the centuries old war against the Night Brothers. The talking points, and the fact that he himself is technically considered one of those Unwanted, bring to mind a certain dark haired little man with a toothbrush moustache. As the media and the politicians sow a climate of fear, he gains more and more popularity and power, and one of the types of people that he is prejudiced against is Magicians, like Amari. As she proves unwilling to be a pawn in his publicity stunts, the powers that be try to separate her more and more from her friends, She is forced to wear a badge that singles her out as dangerous. (All rather familiar - but an interesting way of encountering these ideas if you are a younger reader and don't recognise them.)
Just as all this is happening, Amari's once friend come nemesis, Dylan, escapes from his prison, and as the only two people who are the Born Magicians of their generation they are pitted against each other to vie for Vladimir's Crown, the symbol and vessel of power that would allow them to rule over he League of Magicians... and it looks like they are gearing up for a war.
This is the second book of the series and I'll admit that I had forgotten much of the plot of the first one before I got back into it. As far as audiobooks go, it's recorded a little slower than regular speaking pace so it can probably bear being listened to on a faster speed.
One thing I do love about this series is that the cast is racially diverse. It wasn't until the dedication at the end of the book that I realised the author was a man (one of those things about having a main character who is a girl, and having the audiobook narrated by a woman) and a Christian, which may be one reason why there isn't any form of romance in the story. This does make it an ideal choice for many looking for a good middle-school read. The age-group for these books (using the rule of thumb "main character's age minus 3 years") is probably 10+
The trials and puzzles in this and the mystery that the friends investigate make this quite a fun read, even for older people. There are a couple of cute sidekick/pets and some flashy powers and things to keep younger audiences interested and a couple of prophetic visions and big reveals that are really satisfying.
All in all it's good.. not super great.. but entertaining. I hear there's a third book?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deportation, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Racism, and Violence
theirgracegrace's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
An explosive second book that promises an even more powerful third! With the Supernatural Congress frozen in an act of apparent terrorism, Amari blamed and suspected of the attack, and the threat of the League of Magicians going to war if Amari doesn't win the Great Game, the Good Magician has her plate full. An amazing sequel where I can never predict what happens next and where I can find something to admire about every character (yes, even Dylan and his struggle with choosing evil when he enjoys being good ). Excited for the finale!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Death, Xenophobia, War, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Racism, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Stalking, Terminal illness, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Medical content, Child abuse, Confinement, and Torture
Minor: Genocide and Gun violence
The book does (through allegory) talk at length about white supremacy, white terrorism and related bigotry, including an event that is revealed to
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