6 and #7 of the Young Wizards series have Kit and Nita continuing their journey of How to Relate to Other People (Except With Magic). #6, A Wizard Alone, features a young wizard on the autism spectrum, and Kit and Nita’s efforts to communicate with him on his level; the concepts are a little outdated but the portrayal is sympathetic. #7, Wizard’s Holiday, has our heroes struggling to relate to alien beings with familiar problems; it’s essentially two stories in one that don’t really connect, and I feel has been the weakest of the series so far.
Tag: genre-fantasy
Brown Girl in the Ring, by Nalo Hopkinson
In a future version of Toronto, where white flight and government neglect have reduced the inner core of the city to lawless violence, a young woman with oracular sight chafes under the eye of her herbalist grandmother. This book, a matrilineal retelling of “Ti-Jean and his Brothers,” mashes together many things: figures from Caribbean folktale, sci-fi dystopia and social commentary, strong female characters, and coming of age/redemption through embracing family culture. I followed the action well enough, but the use of Creole between the characters made me feel like it would have been better as an audiobook; I think I would have gotten the flow of the conversation much more easily.
A Conspiracy of Kings, by Megan Whalen Turner
I continue to be stunned by the Queen’s Thief series, which is so good at writing politics that you care, on a deep personal level, about maneuvering between ambassadors and kings. It helps that the character at the center of this book, Sophos of Sounis, has a sweet, open-hearted, earnest nature that somehow makes him uniquely suited to face kidnapping, war, and imperial conquest. Love the interactions between the kings and queens, and how they balance their inner lives with the fact that every action they take will be evaluated for political impact. The language is deceptively simple; the plot is extremely layered and compelling.
The Edge of Worlds, by Martha Wells
4th in the Books of the Raksura. Moon having arrived in an emotionally stable space, this book is less concerned about his journey and more about the society, namely how groundlings as a whole tend to feel about flying shapeshifters like the Raksura. It also lays the groundwork for some really interesting confrontations with the Fell. Does not stand alone well, but a fun read for fans of the series, with plenty of action and sarcastic observations by Moon.
Triad Blood, by ‘Nathan Burgoine
Queer urban fantasy, m/m paranormal action set in Ottawa; totally picked this up because it had the Chateau Laurier on the cover. A nerdy wizard, a prim vampire, and a scruffy incubus (all of whom are smoking hot, obv), have joined together to create a nontraditional “triad” of power, and in doing so became a problem for the shadowy supernatural establishment ruling Ottawa. Smooth writing, snarky dialogue, good handling of suspense, lovely concept of found family; the fun details from various Ottawa neighborhoods was a bonus. Will remember to check out the sequel next time I’m looking for a fun beach read.
A Wizard Abroad and The Wizard’s Dilemma, by Diane Duane
Catching up on the Young Wizards series; I read the first three as a tween and always meant to go back. Now that the little ones are reading them, I’m joining in! #4, A Wizard Abroad, sends Nita to Ireland. The book gushes a bit over how magical everything is in the Emerald Isle, but is still a fun ride. #5, A Wizard’s Dilemma, has a much more sober theme: when Nita’s mother falls ill with cancer, she finds herself looking to her wizardry for a cure.
Siren Queen, by Nghi Vo
In the gilded age of cinema, as beautiful men and women make sacrifices to the occult powers that control Hollywood in a bid for literal stardom, a young Chinese-American girl yearns for fame… but she knows the kinds of roles that Hollywood has in mind for people who look like her, and the extra problems that face people who are queer like her, and she is determined to find her own way through. It’s old conflicts dressed up in magic, racism and sexism and the powerlessness of young women amplified by blood sacrifice and hungry monsters and the addictive, dangerous thrall of the Wild Hunt. Readers who love beautiful language and exotic magics will love this book; readers who want their magic to be logical, and their characters to be transparent about their motives, may be disappointed.
Love-in-a-Mist, by Victoria Goddard
Book 5 of the Greenwing and Dart series finds our heroes forced to take shelter from the storm in a creepy old mansion, where the family of the local lord have gathered to compete for the inheritance, excuse me, I mean demonstrate their love and respect for their aging relative. Polite, barbed discussion of class and noblesse oblige ensue, and the reader will not be surprised when a dead body appears…. but there is also magic, mischief, young love, family secrets, and a baby unicorn. There’s one more in the series (so far), and Goddard has set up plot points so beautifully that someday I will have to go back and read them all again.
The King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner
The most amazing thing about the way Turner writes about Eugenides, former Queen’s Thief and newly crowned King, is how he constantly fools everyone into underestimating him, including readers who should know better, given that this is the third book. The writing is excellent; Turner is a master of conversations that convey a lot about the characters while they are actually saying very little. I was definitely a little unsure about the overall story arc going into this book, but now I’m firmly on board. The very complex and layered relationship between the Queen and King of Attolia, as well as between the rulers and their subjects, is very unique and extremely addictive to read.
Golden Age and Other Stories, by Naomi Novik
Essentially this is Temeraire fan fiction, except it’s by the author, so it’s naturally very good and possibly even canon. I suppose you can read it without having read the Temeraire series, but you’ll likely just get confused without the background. There are several stories of varying lengths, followed by a bunch of drabbles (100-word pieces) at the end, each inspired by a piece of fanart. As with any collection, some are better than others. I loved “Dawn of Battle,” the origin story for young Jane Roland and one which gave insight into the choices faced by young female captains; “Succession,” told by Temeraire’s mother as she broods over her eggs, was also poignant. The star of the collection though was definitely “Dragons and Decorum,” a touching and hilarious take on Pride and Prejudice in which Elizabeth Bennett is the captain for her dragon Wollstonecraft. Worth it just for that one alone.