The Paper Magician

The Paper Magician The Paper Magician series #1 Charlie N. Holmberg 47North, September 2014 226 pages, ebook, paperback, audiobook, MP3 CD Fantasy, Magical Romance ✮✮✮✮✮ The cover is really appealing and definitely relates to the story and the magic of the world within. The story was quite interesting. I really enjoyed the world building and the magic created for this world. The characters are revealed over the course of the story for who they are. The pace builds to rather fast and the tension keeps you at fever pitch towards the end especially as it all becomes a race against evil, or death. And here the reveal begins… I loved this book and am certainly looking forward to having some time to read the others in this series. The magic system allows each magician to bond to one element with which to work magic and only one for his entire life. So, if you bond to glass, and keep breaking things, you can’t switch to wood. You are stuck with glass, no pun intended. They can only bond to man-made mediums such as paper, glass, rubber, iron, and plastic, which was very new. Ceony Twill was really hoping to be able to bond to iron. She envisioned iron girders and massive structures. A mysterious donor had provided her tuition for the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined and she had worked very hard and done well. You didn’t get to choose what element you worked with, you were assigned. Magician Patrice Aviosky, the administrator for the school, was the one who delivered her to mentor’s home to start her internship. She was very secretive about who her mentor was until they got to the house. Everything was made of paper, folded paper. She was being apprenticed to a folder. She was being bonded to paper for the rest of her life. She had dreamed of iron and been given paper. She tried to argue her case with Mg. Aviosky, but to no avail. The die was cast and this was where she was needed and where she was requested. Yes, requested. Her mentor had requested her. Once inside the house, Ceony meets Jonto, a paper skeleton who doesn’t seem to trust her. Could he be a butler of sorts? She sees birds flying up by the ceiling. She sees an entire garden of paper flowers. Finally, she meets Magician Emery Thane, Folder. He seems to understand about her wanting to be bonded to another element but tries to make her understand paper a bit better. After her bonding ceremony, once she has actually bonded to paper, she seems to put most of that behind her and focus on paper since there are no options anymore. You cannot change once bonded. She works with Mg. Thane on learning some of the basic folds and what they can do, how they can be used to build complex things. They take a close look at Jonto, the skeleton and how some of his folds work together. She learns the commands to animate and deactivate him. She looks at birds to see how they work and how to make one. She learns about different types of paper and what each type can be used for. She learns what’s right and what’s wrong. She also notices Ethan’s bright green eyes that always have so much expression in them. They talk about her schooling and things she learned and didn’t learn and should have learned. They talk about her family and her dog she misses. She even had it at school. Ethan makes her one out of paper to keep her company and she’s delighted with it. Ceony and Ethan get to be quite close. She sees things in his eyes that she thinks he isn’t saying. Every time he might be about to say something, he draws away. Lira, a young woman from Ethan’s past appears and steals his heart, literally. She uses an illegal form of magic, excision magic, to remove his heart. She puts it in a fortuity box which will preserve it for four days. Ceony has these 4 days to retrieve his heart and put it back in place or Ethan will die. She spends 2 days making paper hearts and gathering the right type of paper. She takes Ethan’s birds and climbs to the third floor of his house where he has kept secret a paper glider big enough for her. She grabs her dog and gathered supplies, jumps into the glider, and is off. Jonto won’t be left behind, and he’s hanging on. What ensues is a journey through the four chambers of Ethan’s heart where Ceony will see the hopes and hurts of his young life, the dreams and disappoints of his young adult life, the love and betrayal of Lira, and his ongoing fight against those who are trying to blacken the magical community, as well as his growing feelings for Ceony herself. Ceony only has two days to make it through all four chambers and fight off Lira without damaging the heart each time. In the end, it is Ceony’s use of words on paper in her own blood that saves the day and she and Ethan both. Ethan is able to mend the damaged dog and the loyal Junto now that everyone is safe at home again. Highly entertaining. Recommended. Next book #2 The Glass Magician

From its very first pages, The Paper Magician gave you a good sense of what to expect from it. It managed to grab my imagination and took me on fun ride through a world where magicians were more than act in Las Vegas involving top hats, rabbits and cutting a woman in half. I really liked the world Charlie N. Holmberg created. It was nice blend of the familiar world of London, England with mystery and magic. The story had a nice, brisk pace in which Holmberg told so much of what was happening without such a heavy, detailed narrative. I felt like the style really suited the fun, whimsical tone of the story. Throughout the story there was always this sense of lightness, even during the drama and action sequences. It established a certain tone at the beginning and it managed to stay constant while telling an intriguing story. Furthermore, a lot of credit also goes to the main characters of Mg. Emery Thane, and his apprentice, Ceony. They really captured the whimsical and fun nature of the book. Much of these aspects came from each of their quirks and personalities. I appreciated the creativity that Holmberg employed in her story. I liked how she explained the world that Ceony and Emery Thane lived in without having it bogged down the story. It was interesting how she classified the magicians and how specific she was regarding the how the magic worked, and what defines an Excisioner and why it’s considered “forbidden” magic. Considering that this is the first book in the series, I appreciate those books that sets the foundation of the series and story well enough that it stays with you as you progress to the other books. For a debut novel, Holmberg did a great job. The book didn’t get so serious and had a light and playful tone throughout. From the very beginning, she had me intrigued about the world she has created. I enjoyed her creative take on magicians, especially one who deals with paper and the power in their folds. I look forward to reading the other books in the series and immersing myself in this unique world.

Several friends on the Amazon book forum like to discuss what we're reading and recommend books we think others would like. When one mentioned that he reads to his 11 year old daughter every night (what a great family tradition!), I added children's books to my "watch for" list. So when I saw a kindle first book promoted as "extraordinary adventure both dark and whimsical that will delight readers of all ages", I was excited to think I might have found something new to recommend. Especially something an 11 year old might enjoy that wouldn't be torture for a very literate Dad. So I went into the book primarily with the mind set of sharing with a child, not as a straight adult read. I read the book off and on throughout the day yesterday. It is fairly short (about two thirds the size of the original Harry Potter) and although the story is set in late Victorian England, the prose is modern so it wouldn't be a tough read for any one. Unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me either as an adult or as something to share with a child. It seemed to be caught between two audiences and couldn't quite satisfy either. As an adult, the premise was imaginative with an original take on "magic" and it was mildly enjoyable at times. But the characters were one dimensional and attempts to add complexity seemed forced and tacked on. The author went to great length to be descriptive, but rather than finding it evocative, I thought it became rather tedious. I really didn't need to know the details of the heroine's morning primping, what she ate and boring tasks for three consecutive days. This, like much of the description, seemed designed to add length without moving the story forward or creating atmosphere. Not too much happens in the first third or last ten percent of the book. The "adventure" is more geared to an adult than a child being more character back story than exciting adventure. I think the book might be appealing to young teen girls as it does have a strong 19 year old female protagonist. But without the abundance of magical creatures and excitement of a Harry Potter, I think it would be both too dark and too boring for younger children, including the young girl I had in mind. And while it does a faint whiff romance, without the hormone fueled romance of "Twilight" I don't think older teens would find it interesting. There isn't much in the book a parent would find objectionable. As I recall, the strongest language was the heroine thinking the word "hell" once. There is a lot of talk about blood but it is not overly gory. Some words used might be new to kids of that age, i.e., tutelage, ruminations, papyric (when the magic in the book revolves around the ability to enchant paper I guess you have to come up with some new word for "made of paper"), but it doesn't hurt to improve vocabulary. So... if I had found this book in the sixth or seventh grade I probably would have liked but not loved it. It is certainly an easier read than C.S. Lewis. But it just doesn't have the enchantment for a stronger recommendation for older readers.

Plot Summary: Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she’s bonded to paper, that will be her only magic… forever. Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to be more marvelous than she could have ever imagined — animating paper creatures, bringing stories to life via ghostly images, even reading fortunes. But as she discovers these wonders, Ceony also learns of the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic. An Excisioner — a practitioner of dark, flesh magic — invades the cottage and rips Thane’s heart from his chest. To save her teacher’s life, Ceony must face the evil magician and embark on an unbelievable adventure that will take her into the chambers of Thane’s still-beating heart—and reveal the very soul of the man. This book is so wonderfully written, the plot so excellently developed, the characters, even minor ones, are three-dimensional. Even the paper dog is amusing which is saying something because I am most definitely a cat person. I loved it so much, I immediately purchased the other two books in the trilogy as well as pre-ordering a related book in that it is in the same world. I think Charlie N. Holmberg has become an auto-buy author for me. Fortunately, I don't have to wait too long for the pre-order to arrive on my kindle. It will come tomorrow. The world-building is flawless. Holmberg's England is one where magic is simply a legitimate career choice. Some might choose to be stockbrokers, musicians, others magicians. No biggie. Unlike Harry Potter's world, magic isn't a sub-strata within the culture but very mainstream. Our heroine, Ceony, has just graduated from the magic school. It is one year of intense learning and she was at the top of her class. She wanted to be a Smelting Magician and work with metals but the world of magic can't do without its Paper Magicians and she is unfortunately, in her eyes, apprenticed to Magician Emory Thane, a somewhat eccentric Paper Magician. Unbeknownst to her, he had taken an interest in her a few weeks before she began her studies at the school. She was catering at a magicians' banquet and a Dirty Old Man of a magician groped her under her skirt and she poured a pitcher of wine on him in a Most Embarrassing Spot. I leave it to the gentle reader to guess where. Her actions charmed Thane, but unfortunately for Ceony, the drenched man was also the person who decided who received the scholarship for which she applied and without which she could not pay her expenses at the school. But in the Very Nick of time, a scholarship from a different source is provided for her. She joins Thane in his home to begin her apprenticeship. She soon discovers that Paper Magic and Folding is not merely decorative but highly functional. The butler of this household, Jonters, is an animated skeleton made of paper Folded by Thane. When Thane realizes Ceony left a much beloved Jack Russel terrier behind due to his allergies, he makes an adorable paper dog for her. Much study is required from human anatomy, watercraft, aircraft, animating childrens' stories and more. I gotta tell you, the writing is so flawless I found every page enchanting. Then the plot thickens and a crazy woman bursts into Thane's home despite the wards, charms, and locks. She reaches into Thane's chest and pulls out his heart and departs. Ceony, remembering the anatomy books, Folds a new heart and inserts it into Thane's chest seconds before it magically closes. Thane regains consciousness enough to know it is a badly Folded heart due to her inexperience and he requires her to make a Vitality chain which she wraps around his torso. At that point he instructs her to call for help. Two magicians arrive, Ceony explains what has happened. Despite wanting to stay she is banished to bed. Naturally, she slips off her shoes and sneaks downstairs to eavesdrop. Not liking what she hears, especially that Thane will probably only live another two days, she decides to act when the others won't. Ina bag she packs many sheets of paper, some food, and her little dog too. In the attic where the "big magic" is, she finds a large paper glider. She and the dog hop on, and following a paper bird who had scouted the evil woman's location, she Animates the glider and they fly off. At this point, I wondered if I was about to encounter a trope I simply can't stand: the Too Stupid Too Live heroine. This is the type of woman who is determined to help regardless of her lack of skills, capabilities, or training. She does a buncha stuff with the best of intentions, only to get entangled in events she did not foresee because she did not have the skills, capabilities, and training to adequately assess the situation. In reality, it is a plot device so that the alpha hero rescues her. But no such thing. Not only is Thane not an alpha hero, Ceony is trapped by Lira, the evil woman, inside Thane's heart where she learns all his secrets, sweet and dark. After several adventures within the various chambers of his heart, which is a metaphor, she meets Thane himself. There is an important conversation and Thane personally expels her from his heart even though it will cost him, but there is no other choice if she is to restore his beating heart to his body. Ceony has to battle Lira nd in desperation uses the very first spell Thane taught her: animating words. She grabs the heart of the magic bowl that sustained it, wraps it in a Vitality chain, finds the glider and swooshes back to London. The heart is inserted, Thane lives. They return to their studies but, of course, things are changed enough between them that the very next thing I do after I finish this review is read the Glass Magician, the second volume in the trilogy.

I have a definite preference for "hard" fiction, particular sci-fi or fantasy. I tend to prefer well-developed worlds, and I am stickler for tone and consistency. I will admit that I have limited experience reading novels with teenage girls as their protagonists, but I picked this book up as part of the Kindle First program. I don't think this something I would have ever picked up off the shelf of my local bookstore, but I'm glad I took a chance on it. I was pretty sure after just the first few pages that I was going to hate The Paper Magician. It seemed too cutesy and "soft." And some reviewers definitely found it that way. I think the criticism that maybe it is more akin to a YA title than an adult fiction is fair. As are the criticism that the character can seem one-dimensional, that the writing style often feels too modern given the Victorian-ish setting, and that the magic system, while novel, seems under developed. Yet, even mindful of those criticisms, I felt like the author still managed to write a relatively captivating story. There are no "sneaky twists," no attempts to out-clever the reader, and no heavy-handed or ham-fisted narratives. To me, the novel feels like an experiment. It feels like the author is defining the contours of a world and slowly peopling it with characters. Taken as an experiments, it definitely has it fits and starts, but I think it succeeded overall. Some of the descriptions are overly long and in other cases they are insufficient (I still do not have a satisfying mental image of the origami butler), but the overall writing style is punchy enough to keep things moving. I also understand that some people found the overall arc of the story "improbable." I personally have a little difficulty with that criticism. It seems abundantly clear that the story here is a metaphor from the transition from selfishness to the selflessness through love, and it only makes sense that the heroine would accomplish something spectacular in the climax. Expecting an "ordinary resolution" in a book about a teenager learning to magically fold paper in Victorian London seems a little unrealistic. In sum, this book has it's flaws. But I found it overall to be captivating and it certainly did not overstay it's welcome. It's an easy read for people who are open to an author who is trying different things and finding a narrative voice.

Notes of Interest: This book interested me because of its genre elements. It looked and sounded like something steampunkish in setting, but with plot emphasis on magic. It ended up being more neo-Victorian than steampunk, but it does have steampunk elements. To me, the differences are that neo-Victorian is more about an alternate history for the Victorian time period, while steampunk focuses on science fiction from a historical perspective. They are often interwoven, but fantasy prioritizes magic, whereas science fiction priorities machines. This book is the former. But the magic takes place within an scientifically invented magical system. For example, the paper glider is engineered. The excisioner must know anatomy like a doctor. Plastics, rubber, and glass are separate magics, too. And when I realized the magic of this world was set up based on man-made elements, that in itself was the selling point for me. I think it's a unique, refreshing concept to say magic comes only from man-made items, rather than natural elements. So, it's an unusual concept to think that paper or human tissue might contain magic because man creates them, but earth, water, air, and fire do not because man has no influence there. What could have made it better for me: I'm pleased to say this is one of those books I feel is perfect just the way it is. There were no technical distractions pulling me out of the story. The characters are well-developed as you get to know them. The plot is an easy-to-follow mix of alternate history, ingenuity, magic and fantasy, romance, and horror, all of which I love. What I liked about it: I've already mentioned its unique use of man-made items for the foundation of magic as its main selling point for me. Though this book focused on only two types of magic — paper and excisioner — I'm very interested to see how other magics are handled. And that alone is enough to make me want to delve into book two, never mind the characters or plots. Paper magic is basically origami combined with magic skills learned at a college. Excisioner magic is anatomical necromancy. So, I imagine the other magics mentioned could involve manipulation of machinery and technology. The imaginative details on how paper folding could be used in unexpected ways was pleasantly surprising. The author was right to choose it as a medium that the main character, Ceony, would underestimate, but then gradually become fascinated with and learn to appreciate its potential the more she masters it. So we see her grow in knowledge and skills as a magician as she advances in her craft. And it isn't a boring progression with burdensome details, like many books that detail the magics in their worlds, because of the creative ways in which the spells are learned and used. Ceony's apprenticeship intertwines with Mg. Thane's background and current troubles to provide the challenges to employ what she learned in order to save her teacher and prevent magic from being misused for harm. Her journey through Mg. Thane's heart has a lot of symbolic, nostalgic themes, but by contrast also delves into a surreal and horror-filled scope of a hunt for a magician who seeks to control and harm other people. So, while the story starts with a bit of a Mary Poppins feel, it ends up feeling more like something akin to Messrs Jekyll and Hyde. The relationship between Ceony and Mg. Thane also hints of Jane Austin a bit, though their characters are revealed to the reader, and each other, through learning to appreciate someone based on what you learn about them, rather than over a course of frequent interaction. I'm sure the second book picks up more on the interaction of the relationship. But "listening" to someone's heart to understand what makes him tick is just as important as "speaking" to it. I guess you could say Mg. Thane's heart is the figurative "clockwork" aspect of this story, and Ceony must try to figure out what happened to it before she can save it or fix it. Recommendation: If you enjoy the aforementioned genres, I think you'll like this book. It was a quick, clean read with a lot of potential for branching out in the series. I look forward to reading the second book.

Look at that cover! Naturally when I saw The Paper Magician as one of the monthly Kindle First offers, I had to have it. Turns out this was a good choice because debut author Charlie N. Holmberg did not disappoint in this YA Fantasy about paper folding, picture book holograms and a still-beating heart ripped out of a man's chest. Review Let's get my only gripe out of the way. The romance aspect of the story was way too hasty. In YA this trope is often referred to as "Insta love", where two characters will meet very briefly and suddenly realise this is their soulmate forever and ever. I wont go into any more detail other than to say that it really wasn't necessary, and could have been something that developed over the series. The challenges Ceony faced could have been accomplished out of respect or even friendship, that sometime in the future might lead to love. Heck even just because she would be s***ty if her teacher died and left her with basic knowledge of her craft. All in all this is a small criticism, and one that did not detract from the story at all. I loved the magic system in Ceony's world, and I want the next book to hurry up and release so that there is a bit more clarity on the whole thing. Some reviewers are seeing this as a negative point, but it just makes me want to read the entire series. The heart trap was an interesting element. Not one I expected but I think it worked well, especially in this first book. It was successful as a plot device to impart information about Thane and the events that have shaped him as a person today, while also serving as a motivator for Ceony to progress. Ceony herself is possessed with a brilliant mind, and an almost photographic memory. This allows her to very quickly excel at her paper magic study. By going into detail about her incredible memory power, the author avoided her being a Mary Sue as she wasn't accomplishing anything out of thin air. She just excelled at the tasks she was given. I feel like I have to address the world of The Paper Magician, since most of the negative reviews mention it. The setting / time period is not specified though, it hints at being around the time before cars and planes were invented. The language is sometimes more modern than this would allow, and the food they eat is also not really appropriate for the period or social class. I am not a stickler for details like this, and as such they never bothered me or even get much notice until I read other reviews. Final thoughts As the first in a new trilogy, I enjoyed my time with The Paper Magician, and look forward to the sequel The Glass Magician, due for release on November 4th. Keep an eye out for that review!

The premise of The Paper Magician is that magic comes from man-made materials. I found this fascinating, and I bought the book because I was curious to find out exactly how debut author Charlie N. Holmberg would make magic from paper. What I Liked 1) Ceony Twill is a complex protagonist and mostly likeable. I got into her character almost immediately, which is always a good sign. She is brave and intelligent. 2) Ceony is a great cook and her interest in food enhances the story. 3) The paper magic is fascinating and fun. The world of The Paper Magician makes some promises of being intriguing. 4) Holmberg let’s the details of the magic unfold a little at a time, so the reader learns more about the magic as the story moves along. 5) Paper Magician Emery Thane is a little mysterious, distant, but kind to Ceony. I assumed he realized becoming a paper magician was a huge disappointment to her and was trying to make her life easier. What Didn’t Strike My Fancy 1) I don’t mind a little inconsistency in a story; however, we learn that magic in this world comes from man-made materials not nature, and yet Thane is kidnapped by a blood magician, someone who uses blood to do magic. This is dark, forbidden magic, but the discrepancy was never explained. 2) Emery Thane’s character wasn’t developed enough for me to get into and care what happened to him. My investment in Ceony carried the story. 3) The pace of the story was a little jarring, and about a third into the book, the story is rushed, and character development and world building fell aside. 4) The story development is uneven and often unbelievable. In the first section, we are in a story about learning magic (Harry Potter-ish), and in the second section, we find ourselves in an adventure/love story with some funky magic going on. 5) I found it unlikely and uncharacteristic that Ceony would disregard authority, run off, and risk her life and her future for a man she barely knows. She is completely unqualified to run off and save Thane by herself. I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief. 6) The bond between Ceony and Thane wasn’t fully developed. I wasn’t invested in his character, nor did I feel he was engaging and likeable. He was almost the stereotypical brooding hero. 7) The teacher/student relationship was more firmly established, and at the point in the story when he’s kidnapped, Ceony didn’t seem to be unusually close to him. The student/teacher crush turned rather suddenly into something deeper and didn’t ring true to me. Last Thoughts Although the plot has some flaws, Ceony is an interesting character and the world of magic engaging enough for me to want to learn more about it. The flaws were almost a deal breaker for me, especially the unrealistic headlong rush into danger and the inappropriate romance. I think both these problems could have been addressed with more character development and a pace that allowed the reader to see how these developments progressed. Holmberg is a new author, and I think she has a lot of potential to develop as a storyteller. My final thought is that a young adult reader might not find the uneven pacing and the romance as flawed as I do.

Well described characters and imaginative story line. Enjoyed book 1 and the Series.

This review can also be found on my blog here: [...] I read “The Paper Magician”, the trilogy, about a month and a half back. I’m not usually a steampunk or Victorian fiction fan, but I do love fantasy and magic and I bought the eBook when the first in the series was free. My memories of the books’ events are a bit hazy now we’re six weeks or so on from when I finished it, but I loved the series. It was time and money well spent (I bought the subsequent two in the series) and I chased the story, page after page, sequel after sequel. It centres on a girl called Ceony, who graduates at the top of her magic school, only to become an unwilling apprentice in the art of paper magic due to lack of interest in the area from general magicians. Her tutor is a quirky but talented magician named Emery Thane. Her training doesn’t go as expected — just like any good story! — and we are catapulted into an exciting adventure when Emery’s ex-girlfriend (literally) rips his heart out. Contains a bit of spoiler for all three books. What I loved was Ceony’s gutsy and solid character. Her witty conversation with the rather scatty Emery was one of the highlights of the book. I had my reservation about some of her decisions (of course the apprentice has to run and chase after one of the most dangerous criminals of her time and survives) but as a young girl with a stubborn streak, my annoyance with some of her attributes mellow to cheering for her when she does learn from her lessons. Having said that, this is one of the recurring themes that I have to fault with the writing: although Ceony does superficially learn from not being so tactless and danger-seeking, she does end up doing it again and again in the sequels. By that point she’s endeared herself to me, so I carried on reading. The magic is, for want of a better word, magical. The apparently unlimited potential with paper sent my imagination whirling with the possibilities. Fennel was my favourite part of the story. Fennel, oh, Fennel. As a dog-lover, what wouldn’t I give to have something like him! (Hey, no hairs to brush, no poop to pick up, and all the love!) The pacing worked well for me. Slow bits to set up the lore in Ceony’s world. Medium-pacing areas to solidify the characters and build the romance (and my hate for Prit in the last book). Fast-paced ones to keep me thirsting for more. I’m not usually a romance fan, but I enjoyed the coupling of Ceony and Emery. I’m a sucker for unrequited love — who’d have guessed it, huh. I think one can argue the character of Emery is a bit superficial: he seems to just flick from mild and disinterested or (later on) angsty whenever Ceony throws herself into danger’s way. There doesn’t seem to be much in-between. Like I said, I’m not a steampunk/Victorian fiction fan or regular reader. But I’m sure those who are will object to the Americanisms in the book. ‘Buggy’ and ‘Mom’ springs to mind, although I didn’t notice them until I’d finished all three books. I just assumed ‘buggy’ were magical transportation, until I realised they were carriages. There was nothing in the book, unless specifically stated, that made me think it was Victorian. It was a completely alternate universe I’d built in my head when I was reading, which is also why I didn’t question the improbability of an underage, unmarried girl living alone in the household of an adult man. I guess that’s a flaw in the world-building because I don’t think the writer kept me in the Victorian world or culture at all. And I do object to how she thinks the heart has four interconnected chambers. Unless Emery has a congenital heart wall defect, I’m going to put it down to poor research. Overall, I recommend these books. Loved every page. If you’re a reader who is firm on historical accuracy and setting, these books will likely be jarring and off-putting. If you’re just looking for an easy and enjoyable read, go for this. I became highly invested in Ceony, annoying as she sometimes is. I definitely whooped when she and Emery kissed and swooned during their romantic moments. And shed a few tears when she finally became a fully-fledged magician.

Un premier volume de série fantasy intéressant, avec des personnages attachants. J'ai beaucoup aimé l'exploration de la magie liée aux matériaux, en l'occurrence ici le pliage de papier.

Set in an interesting universe, where magic is neatly linked to man-made materials, it tells the tale of an young woman reluctantly initiating apprenticeship under a magician working with... paper. Because magical origamis aren't as glamorous as enchanted steel, are they? Wrong. There are hidden depths and whole reams of resourcefulness behind a sheet of paper.

I don't quite like fantasy but this book I enjoyed! Unique and cute! Couldn't stop reading it. I enjoyed imagining the different objects.