The Ruin of Magic: Longing and Belonging in Strange Times

by Kate Holden

A poetic, roaming work of creativity and intellect
Is it possible to live wondrously by fluorescent light?


In The Ruin of Magic, award-winning writer Kate Holden joins Katherine May, Maggie Nelson and Andre Aciman in crafting essays of intimate personal experience and sharply informed rumination on life in strange times.


In gorgeous prose Holden meditates on her instinctive yearning for long-ago Europe versus the natural belonging she feels to the Australian landscape, and asks, What is a home? The strongest shelter or the most lethal trap, a museum of ourselves or a showcase of fashions? What, then, does it mean to make ourselves at home in an Australia still finding its way amidst old and avoided truths? Is nostalgia a reasonable mourning of timeless lore lost or a dangerous fantasy? And what has happened to magic and beauty in the glare of modern life?


Reading Rainer Maria Rilke, Patti Smith, Walter Benjamin and D.H. Lawrence, dreamers and philosophers and poets, pagan history and new criticism, Holden writes with humour and sorrow of all the ways life today warps us under its glare – and how to find a haven in the subtle shadows.


'Elegant and whip-smart, The Ruin of Magic is a work of beauty – a sober yet joyful quest to find home and belonging.' —Susan Johnson


'Thrillingly erudite, belletristic, yet necessarily raw. Many readers will encounter this "almost private" book as the mirror they've been walking past their whole lives. The Ruin of Magic is a very lucid howl.' —Gregory Day


'A shimmering book that teases, enchants and provokes while offering balm through language and memory for our modern anguish and fear of oblivion' —Robert Dessaix

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction, Australia

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2026

About the author

Kate Holden is the author of two highly praised memoirs, In My Skin and The Romantic, and the Walkley Award–winning The Winter Road. She is a regular contributor to The Saturday Paper, The Monthly and The Age.

Reviews

[Frida · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

[Keen Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Holden has already proved how well she can write in her highly compelling memoir “In My Skin” – if you haven’t already read it – I strongly suggest you do. I found the opening essay, ill- chosen and underwhelming – I get that with discursive essays her tone is whimsical and unrushed, but what a poor way to open things up. Thankfully things really picked up with the second essay, which was so much better and Holden seemed to grow more into her talents, getting into some really rewarding areas, even if they were pretentious at times.

But then that was it the rest of these essays went absolutely nowhere and by the end this read like one of the most onanistic displays of writing I have come across in a long time. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it seemed that often she struggled to string ideas together, instead of a clean or pleasing transition she’d crowbar in yet another pretentious reference point to distract from the lack of quality in the writing.

As much as I enjoy whimsy and digression, I also need something else. I think this came across as lazy, never committing to anything of substance or depth, which for me isn’t really good enough. At some point you’ve got to move beyond whimsy and ambiguity and actually say something meaningful and come up with some actual tangible conclusions or else what’s the point?...What are you really doing?...And for me that’s maybe the difference between a poor or average essay and a strong and memorable one.

Overall I thought this lacked clarity, concision and conclusions. She seemed so desperate to tell us of how many serious books, authors, poets and philosophers she knows about instead of offering us something new of her own?...Far too often this rambled on for far too long ending up down one blind alley after another. There were many names dropped, digression made and thoughts began but there was no glue or substance to hold them altogether?...And most of all she seemed totally unable to offer any conclusions or know how to form a proper argument or essay. This was a really disappointing, self-indulgent and pretentious collection.

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Long and belonging in extraordinary times” is an excellent sub-title for these personal essays. I loved and related to these essays as an Australian and a reader. Kate Holden has always shown herself as willing to discuss personal and public issues that most writers would not even poke with a ten foot pole. This book is no exception. I particularly related to the two chapters on being “an exile at home”.

[David Harley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well written but pretentious and self-indulgent. Not a lot of substance.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I disliked this one though 3 for writing.

[Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ruin of Magic is a collection of essays about the concept of home, and as the title suggests, longing and belonging.
I loved this book! Kate Holden is so well read that I found myself taking picture's of the pages in the book to look up later. I borrowed this from the library but I feel I would like to own this book to do further research on it and highlight quote. I am not a highlighting book type of person, but this book had so much information that I wanted remember.
She prefaces her book by saying that these are her own ideas and are not meant to offend. I some things she wrote didn't really resonate with me but I appreciated her perspective on them. The writing style is lyrical and beautiful. I love how she writes and would love to read more of her books.
I would read it again.

[Keila Seaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so much I could say about this book. Yet so little. Its a sacred book. I will recommend this to everyone forever. I got it from the library and had to buy it because this book needs to be loved, written on, highlighted and reread.