Magic Lessons, by Justine Larbalestier
Aug. 11th, 2007 12:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
keilexandraMagic Lessons
by Justine Larbalestier
275 pages (hardcover)
Genre; Fiction/Fantasy/YA
A quick and breezy read. Reason, Jay-Tee, and Tom finally get magic lessons from Mere, while Jason Blake remains a looming menace and several plot revelations occur. This is book two of three, and it shows in the many loose threads left dangling by the end. The chapter endings were also often cliffhangers, teasing and slightly patronizing (although that might just be me overreading the subtext). There is more character development here than in Magic or Madness, enough that I'll probably read Magic's Child for the sake of completion (and because it won't take long). The metatext device of switching between Australian and American language is clever, but Larbalestier doesn't have a full grip on it. I found the Australian sections much more interesting--and would Danny, a native New Yorker, really say "littler"?
But still, this is a solid YA novel--kids will be engrossed in the story, and it only tends a little to the fluff side for adults. The love triangle, for one, is fascinating, and I love how Larbalestier doesn't shy away from mature issues that develop naturally from the plot. Recommended if it sounds like your thing, though read Magic or Madness first because there isn't much catch-up explanation here.
by Justine Larbalestier
275 pages (hardcover)
Genre; Fiction/Fantasy/YA
A quick and breezy read. Reason, Jay-Tee, and Tom finally get magic lessons from Mere, while Jason Blake remains a looming menace and several plot revelations occur. This is book two of three, and it shows in the many loose threads left dangling by the end. The chapter endings were also often cliffhangers, teasing and slightly patronizing (although that might just be me overreading the subtext). There is more character development here than in Magic or Madness, enough that I'll probably read Magic's Child for the sake of completion (and because it won't take long). The metatext device of switching between Australian and American language is clever, but Larbalestier doesn't have a full grip on it. I found the Australian sections much more interesting--and would Danny, a native New Yorker, really say "littler"?
But still, this is a solid YA novel--kids will be engrossed in the story, and it only tends a little to the fluff side for adults. The love triangle, for one, is fascinating, and I love how Larbalestier doesn't shy away from mature issues that develop naturally from the plot. Recommended if it sounds like your thing, though read Magic or Madness first because there isn't much catch-up explanation here.
