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A review by theoverbookedbibliophile
The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
After the sudden death of her mother Lilith, twenty-four-year-old Mattie Russell returns to her mother’s family home in Ivy Ridge, Georgia with the intention to move on after her mother’s funeral and related formalities are over. Mattie has led an eventful life with her mother, constantly on the move and with nearly no friends or place to call home except Ivy Ridge, where she spent her childhood summers with Penelope. However, she is forced to shelve her plans temporarily after the list of seemingly strange and unrelated tasks stipulated in her mother’s will sends her on a very personal journey of self-discovery but also leads her to the answers to some very important questions about her mother and the identity of her father. Mattie also comes face to face with Jonathan, who broke her teenage heart ten years ago – the very person she had hoped to never run into again. Lilith’s sister Penelope, who stayed back in the family home after Lilith left at the age of eighteen, is heartbroken after the death of her sister. She loves Mattie and is happy to have her back home and secretly hopes that Mattie will decide to stay. Lilith’s lawyer and executor of her will is someone with whom Penelope shares history. As the story progresses, we follow Mattie, Jonathan and Penelope as they grapple with their loss, reconnect with one another and others from their respective past, learn to move on from past hurts, and bring about positive changes in their lives.
“People were complex and frayed when you least expected; they wore holes in themselves from repeated wear and tear, even though they had explicit instructions for how to care for their well-being. Their colors changed and faded over time, and you could start with one version and end up with an entirely different one years later.”
The Magic All Around by Jenifer Moorman is a heartwarming story that revolves around themes of family, love, home, community and self-discovery. The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Mattie, Jonathan and Penelope allowing us to explore these characters and their connections in depth. I really liked how the author weaves the magical realism element into the novel with each of the Russell women’s special gifts and the house who we can consider a character in this story sharing the family’s happiness and sorrow, intuitive and very opinionated, whose quirks made me laugh out loud more than once. Stories such as this one are rarely unpredictable, but what makes them engage readers are the characters and the journey to the end. The romance angle was well executed, and I loved the vivid descriptions of Russell House, the Ivy Ridge community and the endearing cast of characters. However, though the narrative is engaging and flows well, I thought it suffered from repetitiveness and inconsistent pacing, slowing down considerably in certain parts. Despite these flaws, I found this novel to be an uplifting and charming story that left me with a smile on my face and joy in my heart.
Finally, I love that cover!
Many thanks to Harper Muse for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
“People were complex and frayed when you least expected; they wore holes in themselves from repeated wear and tear, even though they had explicit instructions for how to care for their well-being. Their colors changed and faded over time, and you could start with one version and end up with an entirely different one years later.”
The Magic All Around by Jenifer Moorman is a heartwarming story that revolves around themes of family, love, home, community and self-discovery. The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Mattie, Jonathan and Penelope allowing us to explore these characters and their connections in depth. I really liked how the author weaves the magical realism element into the novel with each of the Russell women’s special gifts and the house who we can consider a character in this story sharing the family’s happiness and sorrow, intuitive and very opinionated, whose quirks made me laugh out loud more than once. Stories such as this one are rarely unpredictable, but what makes them engage readers are the characters and the journey to the end. The romance angle was well executed, and I loved the vivid descriptions of Russell House, the Ivy Ridge community and the endearing cast of characters. However, though the narrative is engaging and flows well, I thought it suffered from repetitiveness and inconsistent pacing, slowing down considerably in certain parts. Despite these flaws, I found this novel to be an uplifting and charming story that left me with a smile on my face and joy in my heart.
Finally, I love that cover!
Many thanks to Harper Muse for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.