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Mirror Magic
The town of Wyse, set precisely on the border of England and Wales, is remarkable for one it is the only remaining human town where magic works.
When twelve-year-old Ava and her brother return to their birthplace of Wyse, they discover that their once magical town has been losing its charms under the control of Lord Skinner. Uncovering a working magic mirror, Ava opens an unauthorized link to the twinned town of Unwyse, where she meets Howell, one of the unlucky Fair Folk who is being pursued by the terrifying Mr Bones.
Discovering that they are the joint guardians of a grumpy old book that can tell the future, the new friends are unexpectedly launched headlong into an adventure to uncover the mysterious link between Mr Bones and Lord Skinner, and to find out what's happening to the waning magic that connects their two worlds.
From Claire Fayers, the critically acclaimed author of The Accidental Pirates series , comes Mirror Magic a magical adventure like no other!
When twelve-year-old Ava and her brother return to their birthplace of Wyse, they discover that their once magical town has been losing its charms under the control of Lord Skinner. Uncovering a working magic mirror, Ava opens an unauthorized link to the twinned town of Unwyse, where she meets Howell, one of the unlucky Fair Folk who is being pursued by the terrifying Mr Bones.
Discovering that they are the joint guardians of a grumpy old book that can tell the future, the new friends are unexpectedly launched headlong into an adventure to uncover the mysterious link between Mr Bones and Lord Skinner, and to find out what's happening to the waning magic that connects their two worlds.
From Claire Fayers, the critically acclaimed author of The Accidental Pirates series , comes Mirror Magic a magical adventure like no other!
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2018
5 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Claire Fayers
10 books89 followersPlease note: I don't often visit Goodreads so I don't accept friend requests and I'm unlikely to see questions posted here. If you'd like to get in touch, please send me a message through my website.
Claire Fayers writes comic fantasy featuring swashbuckling pirates, evil magicians, heroic librarians and man-eating penguins. She grew up in South Wales, studied English in Canterbury, and is now back in Wales where she spends a lot of her free time tramping around castles in the rain, looking for dragons.
Claire Fayers writes comic fantasy featuring swashbuckling pirates, evil magicians, heroic librarians and man-eating penguins. She grew up in South Wales, studied English in Canterbury, and is now back in Wales where she spends a lot of her free time tramping around castles in the rain, looking for dragons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 31, 2017
Clever, creepy, and gorgeously magical, with a heroine I utterly adored and really fabulous world-building. Set in a town on the edge of Victorian England and Wales - *and* the Unworld of Faerie - Unwise Magic has some of the fabulously magical Victorian atmosphere that I loved in Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, but the story itself is really original. It's wonderfully suspenseful, lean and fast-paced and full of intrigue, with characters I loved - a perfect MG fantasy novel, in other words. I was lucky enough to get an early copy, but the first time I tried to read it, I had to give up because I was so desperately jealous that I hadn't written it myself! I'm still jealous, honestly, but I went back to it anyway because it's so delicious, I couldn't resist reading it after all.
I thought Claire Fayers's first two books were both really fun, but in this book, she's lifted her writing up to a whole new level. I absolutely loved it.
I thought Claire Fayers's first two books were both really fun, but in this book, she's lifted her writing up to a whole new level. I absolutely loved it.
November 27, 2022
This was a really lovely book and I really enjoyed reading it. I love books about magic and this one was extra good as it was full of twists and adventures. I really liked the characters in this book and I felt like I really joined in with their journeys. I have told all of my friends about this book and now they want to read it too because it was very good.
January 9, 2018
A lovely, exciting and very mysterious magical adventure, this is a real treat of a book. It's set in a world where mirrors lead to Fairyland, and it reads like Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell for 8+ - it's light, charming, funny and extremely entertaining!
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
June 17, 2018
Mirror Magic is simply brilliant.
A truly magical and captivating adventure that will have young readers itching to jump through mirrors to visit the otherworld. I love books that take every day objects and make them magical because I think that’s what truly captures our imagination: the “what if?” of whether or not there are Fair folk on the other side waiting for our orders.
I loved that there was such a big mystery involved in this story and I had fun along the way trying to guess what was going to happen next and who the bad and good guys were. It was full of suspense and intrigue from beginning to end and I was a big fan of how it all panned out.
The worlds of Wyse and Unwyse are captivating and I loved how closely they resembled one another. Using a setting of the border between Wales and England for the town of Wyse was really clever because it yet again feeds into the feeling of “if this was going to happen, that’s the kind of place where it would” and I think that will have young readers minds buzzing with excitement. The possibility that this could all be real!
I adored the characters in this book. Ava was an immediate favourite and so was Howell. They both go on quite the journey throughout this book and it was nice to see how their friendship changed and developed over time. The baddies in this book were slightly terrifying especially Mr Bones! He may even have caused me nightmares as a young reader!
Overall, Mirror Magic is an entertaining, funny and intriguing read that will keep readers of all ages guessing along. But would you want to go through the mirror? I’m not sure I would!
A big thanks to Karen and Claire for sending me a copy of the book in exchange of a fair and honest review.
A truly magical and captivating adventure that will have young readers itching to jump through mirrors to visit the otherworld. I love books that take every day objects and make them magical because I think that’s what truly captures our imagination: the “what if?” of whether or not there are Fair folk on the other side waiting for our orders.
I loved that there was such a big mystery involved in this story and I had fun along the way trying to guess what was going to happen next and who the bad and good guys were. It was full of suspense and intrigue from beginning to end and I was a big fan of how it all panned out.
The worlds of Wyse and Unwyse are captivating and I loved how closely they resembled one another. Using a setting of the border between Wales and England for the town of Wyse was really clever because it yet again feeds into the feeling of “if this was going to happen, that’s the kind of place where it would” and I think that will have young readers minds buzzing with excitement. The possibility that this could all be real!
I adored the characters in this book. Ava was an immediate favourite and so was Howell. They both go on quite the journey throughout this book and it was nice to see how their friendship changed and developed over time. The baddies in this book were slightly terrifying especially Mr Bones! He may even have caused me nightmares as a young reader!
Overall, Mirror Magic is an entertaining, funny and intriguing read that will keep readers of all ages guessing along. But would you want to go through the mirror? I’m not sure I would!
A big thanks to Karen and Claire for sending me a copy of the book in exchange of a fair and honest review.
July 17, 2018
I found this book a little difficult to get into at first, but after a few chapters I was drawn into the curious oddities of this story and found myself speeding through it to see what happened next.
Ava and her brother Matthew move back to Wyse after the death of their parents, a small town on the border between England and Wales, the only place left where magic still exists. Conjurors demand magical items from the fairy world on the other side of their magic mirrors because of a magical contract made long ago between the fairy and human worlds. The people of Wyse are strange and nosy, Ava and Matthew's only family frosty towards them, and everywhere are cheap enchantments that make the place feel like a tacky tourist spot. Ava dislikes it, but she's determined to make the best of her situation and prove her worth. When a boy she meets causes her to start suspecting that their benefactor, Mr Skinner, is not the fine gentleman he seems, and she sees the face of a green-haired boy in a long-dead magic mirror, an adventure begins!
Mirror Magic is a compelling and fast paced read, packed with lots of crazy fun and magic, and I was at no point bored, but mostly I've found myself wishing there was more to it all. The plot was pretty basic in its structure with not much in the way of subplots. Fayers creates an intriguing world beyond the mirrors but we don't really get to see much of it, and the history around the two worlds and the mirrors felt underdeveloped, leaving me with a lottt of unanaswered questions. Wyse, especially once magic got involved, was delightfully mad and whimsical, but Unwyse still felt too unknown and I longed to see and know more about it. I did love how each chapter was also headed by a passage by The Book. The wry humour and sarcastic melodrama about what might be happening/happening next kept me on my toes and unable to stop reading at chapter breaks. These were also places where I felt Fayer's writing really stood out, getting really into the voice and humour of The Book's personality in a way that didn't really happen with either of the main characters.
I didn't think this book did its other characters enough justice, though, and that is partly possibly because there were too many of them with not enough role in the story. Lunette is fun when she's first introduced but she serves her purpose pretty quickly and then doesn't seem to have much to do. Charles felt like a mirror to Lunette in some ways (heh), being less useful for the first half of the book and more useful at the end. Matthew felt like a damsel-in-distress most of the time, with no real point or purpose to him. From the beginning, Ava's anxiety about her relationship with her brother is important to her sense of self, and I'd hoped its prominence throughout the story would lead to some meaningful development between them. Instead, there's just one line where Matthew says he'd be alone without her (while reaching for love-interest's hand, so technically he wouldn't be?). It felt too little and too careless for me, and I'm not sure why that was enough to convince Ava he really cared about her. I wanted more for her.
I also saw Mr Skinner's secret coming from about chapter 4, so the twist wasn't much of a surprise for me, but I enjoyed the pace and smaller details of the plot that built up to the reveal, all the magic and danger. Fayers' description is wonderfully visual, making everything easy to imagine. The exploration of Mr Skinner's character felt very well done, in contrast to the other characters, and his final scenes were some of my favourites in the whole book. I'm worried this sounds like a negative review, but I think that while there was a lot I could pick at in this book that I think could have been improved, this story was still wonderful fun, really compelling, and I enjoyed it anyway.
Ava and her brother Matthew move back to Wyse after the death of their parents, a small town on the border between England and Wales, the only place left where magic still exists. Conjurors demand magical items from the fairy world on the other side of their magic mirrors because of a magical contract made long ago between the fairy and human worlds. The people of Wyse are strange and nosy, Ava and Matthew's only family frosty towards them, and everywhere are cheap enchantments that make the place feel like a tacky tourist spot. Ava dislikes it, but she's determined to make the best of her situation and prove her worth. When a boy she meets causes her to start suspecting that their benefactor, Mr Skinner, is not the fine gentleman he seems, and she sees the face of a green-haired boy in a long-dead magic mirror, an adventure begins!
Mirror Magic is a compelling and fast paced read, packed with lots of crazy fun and magic, and I was at no point bored, but mostly I've found myself wishing there was more to it all. The plot was pretty basic in its structure with not much in the way of subplots. Fayers creates an intriguing world beyond the mirrors but we don't really get to see much of it, and the history around the two worlds and the mirrors felt underdeveloped, leaving me with a lottt of unanaswered questions. Wyse, especially once magic got involved, was delightfully mad and whimsical, but Unwyse still felt too unknown and I longed to see and know more about it. I did love how each chapter was also headed by a passage by The Book. The wry humour and sarcastic melodrama about what might be happening/happening next kept me on my toes and unable to stop reading at chapter breaks. These were also places where I felt Fayer's writing really stood out, getting really into the voice and humour of The Book's personality in a way that didn't really happen with either of the main characters.
I didn't think this book did its other characters enough justice, though, and that is partly possibly because there were too many of them with not enough role in the story. Lunette is fun when she's first introduced but she serves her purpose pretty quickly and then doesn't seem to have much to do. Charles felt like a mirror to Lunette in some ways (heh), being less useful for the first half of the book and more useful at the end. Matthew felt like a damsel-in-distress most of the time, with no real point or purpose to him. From the beginning, Ava's anxiety about her relationship with her brother is important to her sense of self, and I'd hoped its prominence throughout the story would lead to some meaningful development between them. Instead, there's just one line where Matthew says he'd be alone without her (while reaching for love-interest's hand, so technically he wouldn't be?). It felt too little and too careless for me, and I'm not sure why that was enough to convince Ava he really cared about her. I wanted more for her.
I also saw Mr Skinner's secret coming from about chapter 4, so the twist wasn't much of a surprise for me, but I enjoyed the pace and smaller details of the plot that built up to the reveal, all the magic and danger. Fayers' description is wonderfully visual, making everything easy to imagine. The exploration of Mr Skinner's character felt very well done, in contrast to the other characters, and his final scenes were some of my favourites in the whole book. I'm worried this sounds like a negative review, but I think that while there was a lot I could pick at in this book that I think could have been improved, this story was still wonderful fun, really compelling, and I enjoyed it anyway.
June 12, 2021
3.5****
Spejlenes By er en fantastisk underholdende bog om mysterier og magi. Jeg blev virkeligt positivt overrasket over den lidt anderledes historie, der både mindede mig om Nevermoor og Magiske Møgunger😃👏
12-årige Ava bor i menneskebyen Wyse, der er magisk forbundet via spejle med tvillingebyen Unwyse, hvor De Fagre bor.
Menneskene og De Fagre indgået en pagt og gennem mange år har mennesket forsynet sig med magiske ting fra De Fagre gennem spejlene. Men en efter en er spejlene holdt op med at virke. Magien er ved at slippe op og kun seks fungerende spejle er tilbage.
En dag møder Ava drengen Howell via et af de overnaturlige spejle. Howell bor i Unwyse og er en af De Fagre og sammen finder de hurtigt ud af, at noget er ravruskende galt i de to byer.
De to byers overhoveder, Lord Skinner i Wyse og Mr. Bones i Unwyse, er sært interesserede i Ava og Howell og der er noget vældig lusket og mystisk ved dem begge.
Spejlenes By er en vaskeægte pageturner af en børnebog og jeg var særligt vild med Bogen - der med en humoristisk fortællerstemme, taler direkte til læseren i starten af hvert kapitel😃👍
Det er en bog, der fanger på første side og både Ava og Howell er nogle skønne karakterer. Stemningen er helt fantastisk - særligt med den magiske tåge der indhyller begge byer med specielle dufte.
Med Spejlenes By er der dømt mængder af alfemagi, mysterier og lidt småcreepy stunder😊👏
📚Læseeksemplar lånt fra mit arbejde📚
Spejlenes By er en fantastisk underholdende bog om mysterier og magi. Jeg blev virkeligt positivt overrasket over den lidt anderledes historie, der både mindede mig om Nevermoor og Magiske Møgunger😃👏
12-årige Ava bor i menneskebyen Wyse, der er magisk forbundet via spejle med tvillingebyen Unwyse, hvor De Fagre bor.
Menneskene og De Fagre indgået en pagt og gennem mange år har mennesket forsynet sig med magiske ting fra De Fagre gennem spejlene. Men en efter en er spejlene holdt op med at virke. Magien er ved at slippe op og kun seks fungerende spejle er tilbage.
En dag møder Ava drengen Howell via et af de overnaturlige spejle. Howell bor i Unwyse og er en af De Fagre og sammen finder de hurtigt ud af, at noget er ravruskende galt i de to byer.
De to byers overhoveder, Lord Skinner i Wyse og Mr. Bones i Unwyse, er sært interesserede i Ava og Howell og der er noget vældig lusket og mystisk ved dem begge.
Spejlenes By er en vaskeægte pageturner af en børnebog og jeg var særligt vild med Bogen - der med en humoristisk fortællerstemme, taler direkte til læseren i starten af hvert kapitel😃👍
Det er en bog, der fanger på første side og både Ava og Howell er nogle skønne karakterer. Stemningen er helt fantastisk - særligt med den magiske tåge der indhyller begge byer med specielle dufte.
Med Spejlenes By er der dømt mængder af alfemagi, mysterier og lidt småcreepy stunder😊👏
📚Læseeksemplar lånt fra mit arbejde📚
August 27, 2018
This had a lot of elements I love: Victorian era, multiple points of view, magic, humor from a sentient book, and group efforts. I’m proud to say I’ve read each of Claire Fayers’s published children’s books now, and look forward to all that she brings to her stories!
September 5, 2018
Such fun! I loved the magical Victorian setting, the characters and most of all The Book.
September 27, 2020
This was sooo good!!
June 22, 2018
Cripes, I loved this book! In fact I think its a total triumph - I literally couldn't put it down. the premise of two worlds connected by mirrors is just so wonderfully imagined. I loved the ramblings of 'The Book' that start each chapter - a brilliant character in its own right, and there is just the right amount of spookiness throughout too. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to adults and children alike. It is one of my most favourite reads of the year. Ace.
December 23, 2018
This book is about Ava, as she and her brother return to the town they were born in, Wyse, which happens to be the only place left in Britain that still has magic, which in this world is through the usage of mirrors that connect them to the Unworld, where the Fair Folk live. However, the mirrors there are also slowly ceasing to function, and when Ava and Howell see each other through a mirror they become embroiled in solving the mystery of why this is happening. Ava is a brilliant, brave heroine and her friends Howell and Charles were also excellent characters, and the combination of all three made for a fantastic investigative team. My favourite character, though, was undoubtedly the Book, who can see the future and is rather all knowing. We see extracts from the Book at the beginning of each chapter and then later meet it when it shows up in the story, and it made me chuckle constantly with its hilarious remarks. It reminded me of the Skull from Lockwood and Co, who I was incredibly fond of, and I think fans of that series would quite likely enjoy this too for that reason. The world was so interesting, with a unique magic system and concept, and I also thought the pacing was really well done. The mystery had me intrigued me from the beginning, and the tension builds and builds as the book progresses, to the point where the climax was so fast paced and thrilling I couldn`t put the book down during that section. I`m excited to get my hands on Storm Hound already! 4.5/5
January 24, 2019
What a delightful novel! The story of two villages: the magical Unwyse, and its mirror, Wyse, who have entered into a covenant for the sharing of magic and enchantments via magic mirrors. But the vast majority of magic mirrors are failing and no one knows why. When newly orphaned Ava and her brother Matthew arrive in Unwyse to take up positions offered them by the mysterious Lord Skinner, Ava discovers that she is the object of gossip thanks to the crescent moon mark on her cheek. Meanwhile, a young non-magical book named Howell lives in Wyse and wishes that life was a little more interesting, a wish he regrets as soon as the terrifying Mr. Bones offers him a position. When Ava and Howell connect through a mirror long thought dead, an entire world of possibilities and treacheries await! Beautifully written and the world-building is top-notch. Have I mentioned the magic book? I should have. It is wonderful. A must-read!
July 22, 2020
After the death of their parents, Ava and Matthew Harcourt are surprised by an offer of employment from Lord Ephraim Skinner in the town of Wyse. Since the youngsters are struggling financially, they decide to move to the town and start over. But there is something decidedly wrong about their benefactor and something odd about some of the mirrors in the town. As the plot unfolded, I came to like Ava and Matthew and appreciate the comments from The Book that were included at the start of each chapter. While I often find such intrusions annoying and distracting, that wasn't the case here as those snippets offered clues or warnings about what was going on and made it seem as though the book I held in my hands was alive. This novel was well-crafted and held my attention all the way through as I read quickly to discover the town's secret. While this sort of plot was been used before, it still worked for me and would engage many a middle grader who likes this sort of thing.
August 15, 2018
A lovely middle grade adventure story set during Victorian times when all the magic has gone from our world, apart from the village of Wyse which straddles not only the border between England and Wales, but also the border between our world and that of the Fair Folk. Mirrors form portals between the worlds but only six remain. When Ava and her brother Matthew arrive in Wyse, they realise quite quickly that things aren't as they seem, but what exactly does Mr Skinner want?
This is a fast-paced mystery and adventure with lovable characters and some surprisingly dark moments. Highly recommended for age 8-10+, especially those who may previously have enjoyed A Place Called Perfect or The Uncommoners series.
This is a fast-paced mystery and adventure with lovable characters and some surprisingly dark moments. Highly recommended for age 8-10+, especially those who may previously have enjoyed A Place Called Perfect or The Uncommoners series.
March 1, 2021
Solid 3 stars - cute story, but kind of lacking. I actually would have been happy to have a few extra pages throughout the book to have some more connection to the characters. They were all endearing to a degree but felt a bit two-dimensional. There was some emotion, but it felt stifled. I think the story could have benefitted from delving just a little more exploration of the characters' inner workings. Maybe I just need a prequel?
August 27, 2018
I loved this book. I was initially drawn to it by the cover, but was then intrigued by the idea of 2 worlds connected by mirrors. It's magical, adventurous and has a good mix of goodies and baddies and some thoroughly charming characters and I loved the start of each chapter having comments from 'The Book'
October 9, 2018
Fantastic enjoyable book sprinkled with magic, humour and adventure.
Ava and her brother move to Wyse which is the last human town where magic works. Why is this? And how do the only 2 working magic mirrors link with magical twinned town of Unwyse.
Some great parallel world, careful what you wish for shenanigans going on. And the magic book - brilliant.
Ava and her brother move to Wyse which is the last human town where magic works. Why is this? And how do the only 2 working magic mirrors link with magical twinned town of Unwyse.
Some great parallel world, careful what you wish for shenanigans going on. And the magic book - brilliant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2019
This book is entertaining! I like Fayers' idea of how the mirrors work although I was confused about Mr.Bones identity (I thought he was a skeleton) and there was a minor dialogue mistake at the end of the book. Overall, I like the characters, dialogue and setting in this book very much.
December 22, 2019
This book was so cute and would do really well in a middle grade classroom. There’s adventure, friendship, action. This would be a great stepping stone on the way to Harry Potter for those not quite ready for HP.
May 3, 2018
Some serious fun - a world living in the mirror, characters who are likeable and baddies who are equal parts terrifying and haunting. A great MG book that I know will go down a storm!
June 30, 2018
Fun, sparkly and magical. A great read!
January 19, 2020
This was an entertaining book, great for a read aloud.
March 23, 2020
a very good read! don't stop and start, read this in one sitting!! good for ages 12-14
September 16, 2020
fun and entertaining and a jolly good read :)
December 20, 2020
It was a ok book
June 24, 2021
I love the plot twist in the ending
February 19, 2022
Syntes den var meget god, men nogengange nogen lidt svære ord.
June 10, 2024
This book was originally a four star but I bumped it down a little, mostly because I can barely remember what happened. From what I can remember however, it was very adventurous, whimsical and fun.
November 26, 2018
Claire Fayers latest fantasy adventure is set in the misty and magical world of Victorian England, where the Fair Folk have gone into the UnWorld—specifically a placed called UnWyse. Humans have been left with only a few magic mirrors as portals between the two worlds. In the real world, eleven-year-old Ava Harcourt—whose parents have recently died—and her older brother Matthew find themselves alone and in dire straits. Their father had been a conjurer at one time, but for some unknown reason sold his mirror and quit magicing. Ava and her brother were warned by their father to avoid Lord Skinner, the mysterious yet all-controlling leader of Wyse, the last human town where magic works. But with nowhere else to go, Ava and Matthew return to Wyse, forced to trust Lord Skinner for the jobs and lodging he offers them.
In the UnWorld, apprentice Howell Fletcher works at the House of Forgotten Mirrors. Howell is a Fair Folk without any magic, but he soon finds himself approached by the intimidating and all-powerful Mr. Bones. The mission thrust upon Howell only leads to more confusion. It introduces him to a strange new magical friend who may easily lead him astray.
And so begins their journey into danger, intrigue, and surprising disclosures as the protagonists of THE BOOK OF UNWYSE MAGIC are thrust into the clash between the two worlds. Ava and Howell must rely on her own initiatives and bravery, as well as the help of a few new friends, to discover the truths that will set things right in the World and the UnWorld.
A brief selection from The Book—the covenant between the worlds—begins each chapter. These cheeky lines were some of my favorites parts of the story because The Book can predict the future. For example: “By the way, you might want to close your eyes in a page or two. Things are about to get unpleasant.” The Book plays a vital role in the story’s outcome as well—but I won’t spoil the fun by revealing any more. UNWYSE MAGIC is a totally entertaining tale for middle grade readers who enjoy fantasies, quirky characters, mysteries, and satisfying endings. The story is told through the eyes of both Ava and Howell for an effective contrast—highlighting the importance of each individual’s uniqueness as something to be valued.
So beware! The next time you look into a mirror, take caution that it’s not a magical one. Or better yet, read THE BOOK OF UNWYSE MAGIC and share in all the enchanted fun!
In the UnWorld, apprentice Howell Fletcher works at the House of Forgotten Mirrors. Howell is a Fair Folk without any magic, but he soon finds himself approached by the intimidating and all-powerful Mr. Bones. The mission thrust upon Howell only leads to more confusion. It introduces him to a strange new magical friend who may easily lead him astray.
And so begins their journey into danger, intrigue, and surprising disclosures as the protagonists of THE BOOK OF UNWYSE MAGIC are thrust into the clash between the two worlds. Ava and Howell must rely on her own initiatives and bravery, as well as the help of a few new friends, to discover the truths that will set things right in the World and the UnWorld.
A brief selection from The Book—the covenant between the worlds—begins each chapter. These cheeky lines were some of my favorites parts of the story because The Book can predict the future. For example: “By the way, you might want to close your eyes in a page or two. Things are about to get unpleasant.” The Book plays a vital role in the story’s outcome as well—but I won’t spoil the fun by revealing any more. UNWYSE MAGIC is a totally entertaining tale for middle grade readers who enjoy fantasies, quirky characters, mysteries, and satisfying endings. The story is told through the eyes of both Ava and Howell for an effective contrast—highlighting the importance of each individual’s uniqueness as something to be valued.
So beware! The next time you look into a mirror, take caution that it’s not a magical one. Or better yet, read THE BOOK OF UNWYSE MAGIC and share in all the enchanted fun!
July 12, 2019
Imagine living in a time where the magic and unmagic worlds are connected. In The Book of Unwyse Magic, Wyse, a town filled with regular, non-magical folk, houses six mirrors that can contact the magical world of Unwyse. Decades ago, there used to be hundreds of magical mirrors, yet each stopped working due to unknown reasons. When two children from Wyse, Matthew and Ava, begin working for Lord Skinner, a man who everyone in the town admires, they become curious about the mirrors. Their curiosity leads them to enter the mirror into the magical world of Unwyse where they meet a Fair Folk boy by the name of Howell. Together, the three friends, along with others that they meet along the way, restore the magic and change the covenant that makes work fair for both the magical and non-magical worlds.
The Book of Unwyse Magic takes place in the Victorian era. There is a magical book that the children carry with them that provides information about the future. There is a comedic element in The Book when it states an invention from the future that is unfamiliar to the characters. For example “The light bulb will be invented in 1879 and the zip fastener in 1891.” The children are perplexed by The Book’s information. Parts of the story were confusing due to the constant change in perspective. Sometimes the chapters would alternate between the events taking place in Wyse; other times it would explain the happenings in Unwyse. A few chapters changed perspective midway. This caused some confusion regarding where the events were taking place and whose perspective the events were being told. In the end, The Book of Unwyse Magic has great fantasy elements with an interesting plot line.
The Book of Unwyse Magic takes place in the Victorian era. There is a magical book that the children carry with them that provides information about the future. There is a comedic element in The Book when it states an invention from the future that is unfamiliar to the characters. For example “The light bulb will be invented in 1879 and the zip fastener in 1891.” The children are perplexed by The Book’s information. Parts of the story were confusing due to the constant change in perspective. Sometimes the chapters would alternate between the events taking place in Wyse; other times it would explain the happenings in Unwyse. A few chapters changed perspective midway. This caused some confusion regarding where the events were taking place and whose perspective the events were being told. In the end, The Book of Unwyse Magic has great fantasy elements with an interesting plot line.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews