Review by daniellekat - Magma

daniellekat 's review for:

Magma by Thora Hjörleifsdóttir

4.25

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This was exceptionally well written. Dark, sad, and infuriating at times but full of wit and thoughtfulness. I loved the way the book was structured with ultra-short chapters that immediately captured the essence of the chapter title. My main drawbacks were that I wish this was a tiny bit longer, and I disliked the ending.

Something about a child being the solution or reason for escaping abuse just rubbed me the wrong way. The final sentence "You are my light out of this darkness" put a weird dependency on this child that I couldn't get behind. I know this sentiment is probably true in a lot of real life situations but it had a negative effect on the book for me.

Overall, I would recommend this (especially if you're a fan of Carmen Maria Machado's In the Dream House) but definitely review the content warnings.

Content Warnings