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_cecilie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
While the second instalment of this trilogy was set right after the two couples (Cecelia/James and Kate/Thomas) were married, this novel takes place ten years after the fact and shows the heroines and their respective husbands in married bliss with a gaggle of children. Honestly, I have no idea how many exactly there are or which children belong to whom since they’re at the same place doing not that much for the bulk of the story. But they were sweet, I guess.
The last sentence is probably the driving thought I had while reading this novel. It’s sweet, I guess. It’s much a lot better than the second one because the text is made up purely from letters again and there’s not much double narration of the same occurrence. Also I thought it was nice that they included some letters from the husbands as well, showing their friendship with each other apart from their wives. The plot was fine, I enjoyed the inclusion of locomotives which are able to shift lay lines, that was quite fun, as was the wizards being turned into dogs – different breeds that fit their personality. That felt like a distinct Wrede plot point. The rest of the writing style lacked some distinctiveness however and I sometimes was not entirely sure whether we were following Kate or Cecelia at the moment. There also remained some world building issues which annoyed me but which aren’t exclusive to this third book. Firstly, if men and women had the same possibility of mastering magic, why are the gender roles as rigid and restrictive as in our world? Why is the British Empire basically unchanged as is the beginning industrial revolution and the class system? I know that this trilogy doesn’t concern itself with these questions, but they bother me all the same and make the setting appear as a kind of pretty but superficial drapery.
Also what’s with the over the top racism regarding the Irish? I get that they wanted to be ‘historically accurate’ but was that really necessary?
The last sentence is probably the driving thought I had while reading this novel. It’s sweet, I guess. It’s much a lot better than the second one because the text is made up purely from letters again and there’s not much double narration of the same occurrence. Also I thought it was nice that they included some letters from the husbands as well, showing their friendship with each other apart from their wives. The plot was fine, I enjoyed the inclusion of locomotives which are able to shift lay lines, that was quite fun, as was the wizards being turned into dogs – different breeds that fit their personality. That felt like a distinct Wrede plot point. The rest of the writing style lacked some distinctiveness however and I sometimes was not entirely sure whether we were following Kate or Cecelia at the moment. There also remained some world building issues which annoyed me but which aren’t exclusive to this third book. Firstly, if men and women had the same possibility of mastering magic, why are the gender roles as rigid and restrictive as in our world? Why is the British Empire basically unchanged as is the beginning industrial revolution and the class system? I know that this trilogy doesn’t concern itself with these questions, but they bother me all the same and make the setting appear as a kind of pretty but superficial drapery.
Also what’s with the over the top racism regarding the Irish? I get that they wanted to be ‘historically accurate’ but was that really necessary?
erintowner's review against another edition
4.0
Great nostalgia and distracting reading during the pandemic. There were some glaring plot holes but I still enjoyed it.
crimsoncor's review against another edition
3.0
A fine conclusion to the series, but it definitely runs out of gas before the end of the novel. The constraints placed on plotting and suspense by the epistolary format really shows here. The first novel coasts on bubbly charm and the dual-threat of magical discovery and romance. With neither of those engines in play here, the story drags along. And with the limited POV, secondary characters are hardly developed at all. None of this makes the novel bad, but it isn't a resounding success like the first book was.
shareen17's review against another edition
3.0
I still like the first book by far the best, but I definitely enjoyed the writing style and characters a lot more in this sequel than the second.
badseedgirl's review
3.0
The Mislaid Magician: or Ten Years After (Cecelia and Kate #3) by Patricia C. Wrede, Caroline Stevermer is much much better than their last novel The Grand Tour. It was better for the reader that they went back to the ideas of a novel by correspondence. Although it had been a while since I had read the first and second books and I had to make a family tree so I could keep track of who belonged to whom.
As suggested by the title, it has been 10 years since the Honeymoon Grand Tour, and both Cecelia and Kate have settled into 19th century connubial bliss, family and dogs included. I enjoyed reading about the exploits of Kate and Cecilia’s children. I also found the mystery to be more engaging this time.
This being the third and (up to this point) final novel in the series, I can say with certainty that the first novel is definitely the best of the series. That said I very much enjoyed the writing style of Ms. Wrede and Ms. Stevermer and will someday get to their other novels sitting on my bookshelf.
As suggested by the title, it has been 10 years since the Honeymoon Grand Tour, and both Cecelia and Kate have settled into 19th century connubial bliss, family and dogs included. I enjoyed reading about the exploits of Kate and Cecilia’s children. I also found the mystery to be more engaging this time.
This being the third and (up to this point) final novel in the series, I can say with certainty that the first novel is definitely the best of the series. That said I very much enjoyed the writing style of Ms. Wrede and Ms. Stevermer and will someday get to their other novels sitting on my bookshelf.
kberry513's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this one better than the second one, probably because it was a little shorter, but I think the first one is the best. The second one changed from the letter format of the original, as Kate and Cecy were together through pretty much all of it, and instead was composed of diary entries and a deposition. This one was back to the original format and I think I preferred it. I liked the glimpse of Kate and Cecy as mothers and the sort of shenanigans their children got up to. I enjoyed the addition of the steam engine and its affect on magic - very interesting idea.
I guess it just didn't suck me in the way the first book did. I suppose it could also have to do with my mood - if I reread it later, maybe I'll like it even more.
That being said, it was a solid story.
I guess it just didn't suck me in the way the first book did. I suppose it could also have to do with my mood - if I reread it later, maybe I'll like it even more.
That being said, it was a solid story.
teresaod's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
thecolouryes's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kivt's review against another edition
3.0
Pacing was better than the second book in the series, but it still wasn't very interesting, honestly. Entertaining enough but not particularly recommendable.
maryconnors6's review against another edition
4.0
A fun conclusion! I wish Kate’s character was less washed out, but I enjoyed visiting the characters 10 years later!
Age Considerations: 13+
Age Considerations: 13+