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vortacist's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
nishnish's review
adventurous
hopeful
fast-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? No
4.0
wrentheblurry's review
4.0
GENRE: Fiction, fantasy.
SUMMARY: When Conn, young pickpocket and sneakster extraordinaire, takes the great magician Nevery's special wizard stone from his pocket and lives, Nevery becomes intrigued. Before long he makes Conn his apprentice, though the magical magistrate will not recognize Conn as such until he finds his own special wizard stone, called a locus magicalicus. Conn has only 30 days to complete this task, and Nevery is too busy trying to determine why the supply of magic in town is depleting to help him find it. Conn has his own theory about the diminishing magic, and sets off to make things right, with or without Nevery's help.
EVALUATION: I liked this book very much. The character of Conn is opinionated, curious, practical, and honest. He was also a thief, but only so that he can survive. He puts aside that lifestyle after he joins with Nevery. The supporting characters are done equally as well as Conn, and all lend color and insight into the story. I especially enjoyed the wizard's journal entries which punctuated the end of every chapter.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: Conn isn't your typical fantasy book hero, and I think tweens will appreciate his uniqueness as I did. The storyline is interesting, and I suspect that there will be more books in this series in the future.
READER'S ANNOTATION: Conn has only 30 days to find his wizard's locus magicalicus, but that's hard to do when the entire city is being drained of magical power.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.
• Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke.
• Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.
• RuneWarriors by James Jennewein.
SUMMARY: When Conn, young pickpocket and sneakster extraordinaire, takes the great magician Nevery's special wizard stone from his pocket and lives, Nevery becomes intrigued. Before long he makes Conn his apprentice, though the magical magistrate will not recognize Conn as such until he finds his own special wizard stone, called a locus magicalicus. Conn has only 30 days to complete this task, and Nevery is too busy trying to determine why the supply of magic in town is depleting to help him find it. Conn has his own theory about the diminishing magic, and sets off to make things right, with or without Nevery's help.
EVALUATION: I liked this book very much. The character of Conn is opinionated, curious, practical, and honest. He was also a thief, but only so that he can survive. He puts aside that lifestyle after he joins with Nevery. The supporting characters are done equally as well as Conn, and all lend color and insight into the story. I especially enjoyed the wizard's journal entries which punctuated the end of every chapter.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: Conn isn't your typical fantasy book hero, and I think tweens will appreciate his uniqueness as I did. The storyline is interesting, and I suspect that there will be more books in this series in the future.
READER'S ANNOTATION: Conn has only 30 days to find his wizard's locus magicalicus, but that's hard to do when the entire city is being drained of magical power.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.
• Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke.
• Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.
• RuneWarriors by James Jennewein.
ali_enza's review
5.0
I really enjoyed reading this book a lot of fun with interesting characters. I definitely look forward to reading the next in the series and see how the characters and works evolve :)
beth_s98's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book does a lot of work establishing a world and a magic system while also getting into a really interesting story in a shorter book than it originally appears. I love the added detail of the coded messages within the letters in the book, and while I maybe loved it less than the first time I read this book in middle school, I still found it a supremely enjoyable read. I truly love the way she conceptualizes the magic in this universe, and I respect that it’s written at a middle grade level without feeling like you’re being talked down to (as an adult reader). While written slightly younger than the Percy Jackson books, it’s just written at an accessible level, and maintains a clear tone.
zabash's review
5.0
I was going to give this book four stars because I really liked it but wasn't sure if it was amazing. And then I realized, no, I would give it five stars. The concepts and the characters are delightful and the quirks of the magic society Sarah Prineas has built are fascinating and enjoyable. The writing style is a bit fast paced (plot-wise) and doesn't linger in one place for too long, which took some getting used to. However, after reading the book, I believe this to be part of its charm.
pearldpk's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
seeoheleyeen's review
2.0
One of my favorite books that I found randomly in the Elementary School Library one day. I can definitely see why I enjoyed it then, and even though it is clearly meant for younger readers, I still very much enjoyed reading it again.