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A review by juliesinstaricelife
The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a low stakes, predictable story, with heavy magical realism and a bit of whimsy. . Things rolled along and there wasn't a lot of investment for me, like, I never got anxious or nervous or truly involved in the characters. There was a lot, I mean, A LOT, of description, about how people looked and where they were, I think I know more about the house than the personalities of the main characters.
When I got to the author's note at the end and she said this was originally a short story that she had to stretch to a 90,000 word book I kind of understood why there was so much description and so much repetition.
Every time Maddie had a thought, it was essentially the same one. For as much introspection as the book had, these characters were really shallow. She cared only about not staying in Ivy Ridge even though she had no plan or direction in her life. She didn't want to make connections with people but then GASP her life got better when she did.
And then there is our equally vapid main man Johnathon, who wouldn't go home because he didn't want people to ask about his injury that prevented him from becoming a professional baseball player? Okay, what a cool way to tell us there is nothing to your life except your failed sports dream.
This book was slow, as in, the stuff on the synopsis (the will reading, the tasks she must do) don't come up until 40% into the book. The book was mostly about Maddie finding her way but her Aunt Penelope also had a main plot line that was decently interesting.
I liked how it came together towards the end but then the the third act breakup and obvious unnecessary stalling for the happy ending annoyed the crap out of me.
In short, low stakes, whimsical, easy listen, good narration, slow but steady.
When I got to the author's note at the end and she said this was originally a short story that she had to stretch to a 90,000 word book I kind of understood why there was so much description and so much repetition.
Every time Maddie had a thought, it was essentially the same one. For as much introspection as the book had, these characters were really shallow. She cared only about not staying in Ivy Ridge even though she had no plan or direction in her life. She didn't want to make connections with people but then GASP her life got better when she did.
And then there is our equally vapid main man Johnathon, who wouldn't go home because he didn't want people to ask about his injury that prevented him from becoming a professional baseball player? Okay, what a cool way to tell us there is nothing to your life except your failed sports dream.
This book was slow, as in, the stuff on the synopsis (the will reading, the tasks she must do) don't come up until 40% into the book. The book was mostly about Maddie finding her way but her Aunt Penelope also had a main plot line that was decently interesting.
I liked how it came together towards the end but then the the third act breakup and obvious unnecessary stalling for the happy ending annoyed the crap out of me.
In short, low stakes, whimsical, easy listen, good narration, slow but steady.