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The Other Side of Magic
A revolution is brewing.
Everyone within the realms of Epidalio and Zafiria is born with magic. However, it is also true that for every spell each and every magic-user casts, their innate abilities begin to slowly wane until their power is feeble and depleted.
True, that is, for almost everyone.
Princess Gaiane Asares of Zafiria is the result of a nearly perfect genetic union. Harnessing royal and magical lineage in her conception, the princess was born infinitely powerful and with no limits upon her magic. Sequestered in a lonesome tower as her strength is used against her will to conquer the land of Epidalio, she must find a way to fight against her captors.
Elsewhere within the realms, Leo—a commoner—was born with no magic at all. Except for her brain, wits, and her own anger, she must confront the circumstances thrown at her without the magical gifts that so many take for granted.
THE OTHER SIDE OF MAGIC is a diverse fantasy filled with action and adventure that is sure to pull you in and hold you fast through each twist and turn!
Everyone within the realms of Epidalio and Zafiria is born with magic. However, it is also true that for every spell each and every magic-user casts, their innate abilities begin to slowly wane until their power is feeble and depleted.
True, that is, for almost everyone.
Princess Gaiane Asares of Zafiria is the result of a nearly perfect genetic union. Harnessing royal and magical lineage in her conception, the princess was born infinitely powerful and with no limits upon her magic. Sequestered in a lonesome tower as her strength is used against her will to conquer the land of Epidalio, she must find a way to fight against her captors.
Elsewhere within the realms, Leo—a commoner—was born with no magic at all. Except for her brain, wits, and her own anger, she must confront the circumstances thrown at her without the magical gifts that so many take for granted.
THE OTHER SIDE OF MAGIC is a diverse fantasy filled with action and adventure that is sure to pull you in and hold you fast through each twist and turn!
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First published April 6, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 7, 2021
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought it had an interesting plot and magic system. There were some parts that I didn’t like but there were also others I really enjoyed. The moment I started the book, I was intrigued. The first chapter was an amazing way to hook readers. I wanted to keep reading as soon as I started. The romance was cute and I think it is worth a read.
I didn’t really love any of the characters. Gaiane annoyed me most of the time. She was very naive and kind of spoiled. I do think she had pretty good character development through the book. Ampelio was okay but I also found him annoying a lot. I did like Leo. I think she was an interesting character. I also really liked Evandro. He is probably my favorite character. My biggest problem character wise is that they all seemed a lot younger than they actually are, especially Gaiane and Leo. When I realized they were actually older, I didn’t feel like it fit.
I thought the magic system was interesting. However, I wish there had been more details about it and how it worked. I was hoping to get more details about it. I feel like a little more world building overall could have done the story good. The pacing also seemed a bit off at times. There were parts that were a little slow and then others seemed really rushed. I also would have liked for some plot points to be elaborated on further.
I did enjoy the book overall. I thought it was a nice story, and I liked reading it.
*Thank you to Netgalley and The Parliament House for this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts in this review are my honest opinions.*
I didn’t really love any of the characters. Gaiane annoyed me most of the time. She was very naive and kind of spoiled. I do think she had pretty good character development through the book. Ampelio was okay but I also found him annoying a lot. I did like Leo. I think she was an interesting character. I also really liked Evandro. He is probably my favorite character. My biggest problem character wise is that they all seemed a lot younger than they actually are, especially Gaiane and Leo. When I realized they were actually older, I didn’t feel like it fit.
I thought the magic system was interesting. However, I wish there had been more details about it and how it worked. I was hoping to get more details about it. I feel like a little more world building overall could have done the story good. The pacing also seemed a bit off at times. There were parts that were a little slow and then others seemed really rushed. I also would have liked for some plot points to be elaborated on further.
I did enjoy the book overall. I thought it was a nice story, and I liked reading it.
*Thank you to Netgalley and The Parliament House for this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts in this review are my honest opinions.*
May 5, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and The Parliament House to give me this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is about a girl that was born to be the most powerful weapon of the whole empire and another one that was born without any power, which is really rare. When the war becomes to threaten the empire again, both will get together and their loyalty will be questioned.
Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me as I expected it would. This is mostly because of the main character. She is supposed to have a power that gave her the power to see all damage that the war made for the population, feel all their pain (emotional and physical pain), know everything about the empire. But when she runs away, all she cares is about her expensive dress and thinks none of her responsibilities will have consequences. Although she was all knowledge of the war, when she runs from her abusive mother, she thinks a noble will take care of her because she is a princess.
For me, this is actually a pretty childish behavior for someone who should know everything.
I’ll give this book two stars because the idea is actually pretty good, but the way it was executed wasn’t great.
This book is about a girl that was born to be the most powerful weapon of the whole empire and another one that was born without any power, which is really rare. When the war becomes to threaten the empire again, both will get together and their loyalty will be questioned.
Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me as I expected it would. This is mostly because of the main character. She is supposed to have a power that gave her the power to see all damage that the war made for the population, feel all their pain (emotional and physical pain), know everything about the empire. But when she runs away, all she cares is about her expensive dress and thinks none of her responsibilities will have consequences. Although she was all knowledge of the war, when she runs from her abusive mother, she thinks a noble will take care of her because she is a princess.
For me, this is actually a pretty childish behavior for someone who should know everything.
I’ll give this book two stars because the idea is actually pretty good, but the way it was executed wasn’t great.
April 6, 2021
ARC provided by Parliament House Press and Ester Manzini. All opinions are mine and freely given.
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04-05: 'The Other Side of Magic' by Ester Manzini is a mixture of magical realism and fantasy inspired by 16th century Italy. The story is told in a shifting narrative between Gaiane Asares, a magically gifted princess from Zafiria and Leo, a magicless commoner from Epidalio.
Everyone in both realms is traditionally born with magic, but with every use.. it slowly depletes. Marked by a dark halo which wraps around their foreheads, as their power wanes, so does the color of the mark.
Gaiane is the result of a very deliberate pairing chosen by her mother, the Queen. A child by design, born infinitely powerful.. her magic doesn't deplete like others upon use. Kept as a prisoner, collared and held in a tower to be used as a weapon to conquer Epidalio.. she ultimately wants only two things. Love and freedom.
Leo, having been born without magic, is a rarity. Having lost her home and family in the attacks, she hasn't forgiven or forgotten those from Zafiria are to blame.
I feel like this story is incredibly ambitious.. yet still falls a bit flat for me. The magic system is very creative, but the world building is almost a second thought. There's a fair bit of just coasting on the concepts, there's plot progression.. but development is limited.
Honestly, I found all of the characters kind of annoying. Some of them, like the princess.. are just whiny.. and while to a degree I kind of get that, it also doesn't really fit the situation in which she was kept. The inner-monologues felt like a shortcut to letting us witness their experiences and the dialogue was often overly angsty.
There's a consistent theme of manipulation and abuse that transcends beyond the parental relationship. While I'm not opposed to dramatic storytelling, I do want to see things like that occur with intent to further plot if they're going to be leveraged. In the case of this story, they feel as if they exist solely for the purpose of existing. In fact, there's some potentially problematic representation here with predatory imagery as well.
As the author is Italian, it's certainly possible that the themes and storytelling style just didn't translate well for me. If it sounds interesting to you, give it a shot.. maybe you'll connect with it differently.. but I found it mediocre at best.
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April 24, 2021
I received “The Other Side of Magic” by Ester Manzini from the publisher as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I was really excited to read this book since I greatly enjoy YA Fantasy books and the book had a great premise and promised a brilliant magic system, but while I enjoyed some parts of it, others parts did not work as well for me.
Reading the first few pages, I was hooked and I was not disappointed by the magic. The introduction of Gaiane was really fun and enjoyable and it was able to paint this vivid picture in my mind of what her magic was able to do – the beauty on one hand, and, on the other, the destruction. Not only was I intrigued by this magic and the magic system which has a clear limit (the more magic you use, the less power you have), but I wanted to see more of that magic and the consequences. I think part of the reason why I was disappointed in the book was the fact that I loved the magic aspect so much that when it was gone and magic didn’t really show up again, I was left disappointed because I kept waiting for it to resurface, but it didn’t. I felt like this made the promise of the book fall flat and was ultimately unrealized.
However, it’s important to note that while the author does a pretty good job with the ability to create these vivid images with her writing without doing too much (you could easily see the world and the characters in your mind’s eye), there were a lot of things that made this hard for me to keep reading. The biggest problem was probably the fact that I found many characters to be frustrating and annoying, especially Gaiane who complained a lot and ultimately made me unsympathetic to her ordeal. This meant that I was not invested in the characters of this novel and didn't feel agency or a connection to them when things happened (good or bad). They also felt younger than they actually were. I imaged them to be more around their early teens – maybe thirteen or fifteen? – looking at their dialogue and interactions, but in fact they were eighteen. I think the bickering back and forth just felt ultimately unrealistic for girls of their given ages and didn't feel quite appropriate for them. Also with the characters, there wasn’t much character development or great relationship building, even between the two main females who were to fall in love – Leo and Gaiane. With this lacking, you unfortunately didn’t see character growth. This meant that from some scenes to others, it felt like changes were happening within a character for no reason and could also regress for no apparent reason which was confusing and really took me out of the story.
Ultimately, I didn’t hate the story and finished it, but it wasn’t at all what I expected going into it so I gave it 2/5 stars.
I was really excited to read this book since I greatly enjoy YA Fantasy books and the book had a great premise and promised a brilliant magic system, but while I enjoyed some parts of it, others parts did not work as well for me.
Reading the first few pages, I was hooked and I was not disappointed by the magic. The introduction of Gaiane was really fun and enjoyable and it was able to paint this vivid picture in my mind of what her magic was able to do – the beauty on one hand, and, on the other, the destruction. Not only was I intrigued by this magic and the magic system which has a clear limit (the more magic you use, the less power you have), but I wanted to see more of that magic and the consequences. I think part of the reason why I was disappointed in the book was the fact that I loved the magic aspect so much that when it was gone and magic didn’t really show up again, I was left disappointed because I kept waiting for it to resurface, but it didn’t. I felt like this made the promise of the book fall flat and was ultimately unrealized.
However, it’s important to note that while the author does a pretty good job with the ability to create these vivid images with her writing without doing too much (you could easily see the world and the characters in your mind’s eye), there were a lot of things that made this hard for me to keep reading. The biggest problem was probably the fact that I found many characters to be frustrating and annoying, especially Gaiane who complained a lot and ultimately made me unsympathetic to her ordeal. This meant that I was not invested in the characters of this novel and didn't feel agency or a connection to them when things happened (good or bad). They also felt younger than they actually were. I imaged them to be more around their early teens – maybe thirteen or fifteen? – looking at their dialogue and interactions, but in fact they were eighteen. I think the bickering back and forth just felt ultimately unrealistic for girls of their given ages and didn't feel quite appropriate for them. Also with the characters, there wasn’t much character development or great relationship building, even between the two main females who were to fall in love – Leo and Gaiane. With this lacking, you unfortunately didn’t see character growth. This meant that from some scenes to others, it felt like changes were happening within a character for no reason and could also regress for no apparent reason which was confusing and really took me out of the story.
Ultimately, I didn’t hate the story and finished it, but it wasn’t at all what I expected going into it so I gave it 2/5 stars.
May 26, 2021
I love interesting magic systems, and this book didn't disappoint in that regard. The premise of having a finite amount of magic in your body before you're empty is really interesting, and something I've never come across before.
The characters of the book are well written, and even though I had some issues with the pacing (it jumps a bit weirdly, without explaining these jumps enough for the reader), it didn't make me like the book any less. It's action packed and a very fun read. To be recommended!
The characters of the book are well written, and even though I had some issues with the pacing (it jumps a bit weirdly, without explaining these jumps enough for the reader), it didn't make me like the book any less. It's action packed and a very fun read. To be recommended!
May 29, 2021
The Other Side of Magic, Ester Manzini, The Parliament House (2021, ebook)
Reviewed by: Patricia M. Muhammad
Originally published on LibraryThing: https://www.librarything.com/work/257...
NOTE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
The Other Side of Magic is book of fiction which falls within the magical realism genre. There are points within the story in which the reader may assume that this is fantasy novel as most names are created by the author. However, as the reader continues through the storyline, you will notice that Manzini uses references to earthly objects such as 'elderberries', 'granny', and 'country' which implies it is a modern tale which takes place in our world. Yet a part of this world is comprised of two fictionalized kingdoms. The book heavily relies on dialogue and action without providing much continuity through narrative as to the geographic regions or even an outline of world-building. Nevertheless, courting death by heroics during war permeates throughout the plot.
A young Princess Gaiane is heir to the throne in which her mother, Queen Cibele Asares currently reigns. Her devious mother attempts to live vicariously through her daughter's gifts, training her, stifling her and horrendously using her to achieve her own wicked ends. Gaiane remembers her lessons at a pivotal moment when she lays devastation to a country that her kingdom invades. She wields esoteric forces against her kingdom's enemy without physically leaving the castle. Her aim of magical defenses destroys the other, one in which King Eliodoro relies on his trusted knight to secure his wife as he stands with honour to defend his country. Queen Ligeia is pregnant and shares other children with the king. The knight is a family close friend by the name of Evandro, also known as Dawn Star, a warrior who also has special gifts. They, along with the king's mother, Queen Althea, attempt to escape through stone archways but a blasts separates them. Evandro believes he has failed. He knows that the king is dead, and now what remains of their country's monarch are presumed deceased. He mourns and loses a part of himself. The only portion of him which remains intact is that which seeks revenge upon the invader of their kingdom.
For the first portion of the novel, Gaiane is nothing but a prisoner, one of her deceptive mother and another of self-doubt of her own powers. There is a tri-fold chain that her mother has kept her under her clutches. The most obvious is an iron collar, which the author subtly implies is a shackle, which in the annals of western history is used to bind and control slaves. When she frees herself of the confines of the castle, the portion of which she was specifically held—the tower, her sojourn from the castle grounds frees her from her mother's mental hold on her. Gaiane realizes after some years that power still lies within her, if she could only remember how to conjure them. It is only after some years and after meeting a few figures in her trek that she begins to realize the devastation she has caused. Though Princess Gaiane becomes filled with remorse, she understands fully that her wicked mother's connivance was beyond using her daughter's powers for her gain, but also that Gaiane's defense of her kingdom during the war was based on her mother's lie. As Gaiane shares her plight with rebels and those whom her powers unwittingly harmed; she explains that her mother inculcated a tale that they were only retrieving land that originally belonged to her kingdom. This is one of the blurred lines in historical accuracy that many Western readers can draw regarding the current reparations debate in the United States. Several whom she encounters wishes her dead. Others seek to obtain a handsome reward as her mother and father only seek for her to return to the castle and remain, undoubtedly to use her for her gifts again. She along with others are finally brought into the presence of Queen Ligeia, ruler of another land, where Queen Gaiane believes she is to immediately die. The novel has a rare poignant moment in which the deceased King Eliodoro's wife states: “A child kept in chains and conditioned by her family. I think she deserves a chance.” Here, Gaiane sees only a dialogue between two queens. Ligeia is not attached to her royal title, but is more proud of her role as the king's wife and that of being a mother. She looks upon Gaiane as one who was wrongfully conditioned by her mother from such a young age that despite the harm her powers caused, that Gaiane was not to blame. Gaiane had already relayed her intentions to right her wrongs and join the rebellion which entails more than rogue persons of dissatisfaction, but to use her magic to assist the rightful kingdom of which she was not directly born into. The pace picks up with not only more action, but magic that Princess Gaiane confidently wields to correct her past mistakes, to protect her newfound friends and to safeguard the remnants of a people that her mother commanded for her to destroy. In yet another moment of self-actualization, Gaiane states: “I will find my way to Zafiria. I will fight my family if needed, because I will never let them use me again, and then…”
In a final confrontation between Princess Gaiane and her powers and her mother Queen Cibele, the latter becomes mortally wounded. The princess still idealistic had even implored that the subjects of this kingdom retrieve her from the battlefield and unrealistically "forgives" her mother. They fulfill her request. The author pens this scene displaying Queen Cibele's ultimate manipulation as she lays dying. She encourages her daughter to take her place as ruler of Zafira and throughout their conversation her smiles are intermittent with grimaces. Though the reader can easily assume her inconsistent expressions are due to the pain of her injury; it is likely that Queen Cibele feigns concern for her daughter one last time in an attempt to obtain what she had always wanted—control of her daughter. It is only when the queen of Zafira dies that Princess Gaiane has obtained her true freedom.
There are portions of the book which are quite engaging, other times the author relies too heavily on interpersonal dialogue rather than plot, leaving the reader to wonder at times, "what is the end goal?" The Other Side of Magic is not a novel for traditional readers. Not only for those who do not believe in or who find 'magic' offensive to their beliefs, but also because of the author's attempt to imply non-traditional relationships which never actually exist in the story, except for one towards the end. There is an instance of "cross-dressing" by a heterosexual queen who lost her husband in war and bore his children without any further explanation as she sits with her offspring in an edifice within rediscovered land. There is also an instance in which a masculine female villager, 'Leo', who initially planned to kidnap the princess for the royal ransom, supposedly has a change of heart and vows to protect her. The princess lived a sheltered life within the walls of the royal castle and she explicitly states she is unware of certain human experiences. In this disturbing scene, her 'friend' not only attempts to, but in this moment, actually takes advantage of Gaiane's innocence as if she is guiding her to an experience she could have appropriately discovered in her own time. The book trades one form of abuse, maternal, to another instance towards someone else the princess mistakenly trusts. The reader can easily question whether Leo had all along deceived Gaiane with the probable intentions to have her involuntarily returned to the very place where she was first taken advantage of. These mentions seem forced and an obvious attempt to appear contemporary or to placate members of certain groups that allege constant discrimination. It adds nothing beneficial or substantive to the plot. In other words, the novel appears to become superficially reliant on being 'politically correct' rather than providing ample narrative to connect a plethora of dialogue. The book would have benefited from additional effort to develop these semi-real worlds or countries, or even creating a code of what mages could do, not to just land and objects but against or for one another.
Reviewed by: Patricia M. Muhammad
Originally published on LibraryThing: https://www.librarything.com/work/257...
NOTE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
The Other Side of Magic is book of fiction which falls within the magical realism genre. There are points within the story in which the reader may assume that this is fantasy novel as most names are created by the author. However, as the reader continues through the storyline, you will notice that Manzini uses references to earthly objects such as 'elderberries', 'granny', and 'country' which implies it is a modern tale which takes place in our world. Yet a part of this world is comprised of two fictionalized kingdoms. The book heavily relies on dialogue and action without providing much continuity through narrative as to the geographic regions or even an outline of world-building. Nevertheless, courting death by heroics during war permeates throughout the plot.
A young Princess Gaiane is heir to the throne in which her mother, Queen Cibele Asares currently reigns. Her devious mother attempts to live vicariously through her daughter's gifts, training her, stifling her and horrendously using her to achieve her own wicked ends. Gaiane remembers her lessons at a pivotal moment when she lays devastation to a country that her kingdom invades. She wields esoteric forces against her kingdom's enemy without physically leaving the castle. Her aim of magical defenses destroys the other, one in which King Eliodoro relies on his trusted knight to secure his wife as he stands with honour to defend his country. Queen Ligeia is pregnant and shares other children with the king. The knight is a family close friend by the name of Evandro, also known as Dawn Star, a warrior who also has special gifts. They, along with the king's mother, Queen Althea, attempt to escape through stone archways but a blasts separates them. Evandro believes he has failed. He knows that the king is dead, and now what remains of their country's monarch are presumed deceased. He mourns and loses a part of himself. The only portion of him which remains intact is that which seeks revenge upon the invader of their kingdom.
For the first portion of the novel, Gaiane is nothing but a prisoner, one of her deceptive mother and another of self-doubt of her own powers. There is a tri-fold chain that her mother has kept her under her clutches. The most obvious is an iron collar, which the author subtly implies is a shackle, which in the annals of western history is used to bind and control slaves. When she frees herself of the confines of the castle, the portion of which she was specifically held—the tower, her sojourn from the castle grounds frees her from her mother's mental hold on her. Gaiane realizes after some years that power still lies within her, if she could only remember how to conjure them. It is only after some years and after meeting a few figures in her trek that she begins to realize the devastation she has caused. Though Princess Gaiane becomes filled with remorse, she understands fully that her wicked mother's connivance was beyond using her daughter's powers for her gain, but also that Gaiane's defense of her kingdom during the war was based on her mother's lie. As Gaiane shares her plight with rebels and those whom her powers unwittingly harmed; she explains that her mother inculcated a tale that they were only retrieving land that originally belonged to her kingdom. This is one of the blurred lines in historical accuracy that many Western readers can draw regarding the current reparations debate in the United States. Several whom she encounters wishes her dead. Others seek to obtain a handsome reward as her mother and father only seek for her to return to the castle and remain, undoubtedly to use her for her gifts again. She along with others are finally brought into the presence of Queen Ligeia, ruler of another land, where Queen Gaiane believes she is to immediately die. The novel has a rare poignant moment in which the deceased King Eliodoro's wife states: “A child kept in chains and conditioned by her family. I think she deserves a chance.” Here, Gaiane sees only a dialogue between two queens. Ligeia is not attached to her royal title, but is more proud of her role as the king's wife and that of being a mother. She looks upon Gaiane as one who was wrongfully conditioned by her mother from such a young age that despite the harm her powers caused, that Gaiane was not to blame. Gaiane had already relayed her intentions to right her wrongs and join the rebellion which entails more than rogue persons of dissatisfaction, but to use her magic to assist the rightful kingdom of which she was not directly born into. The pace picks up with not only more action, but magic that Princess Gaiane confidently wields to correct her past mistakes, to protect her newfound friends and to safeguard the remnants of a people that her mother commanded for her to destroy. In yet another moment of self-actualization, Gaiane states: “I will find my way to Zafiria. I will fight my family if needed, because I will never let them use me again, and then…”
In a final confrontation between Princess Gaiane and her powers and her mother Queen Cibele, the latter becomes mortally wounded. The princess still idealistic had even implored that the subjects of this kingdom retrieve her from the battlefield and unrealistically "forgives" her mother. They fulfill her request. The author pens this scene displaying Queen Cibele's ultimate manipulation as she lays dying. She encourages her daughter to take her place as ruler of Zafira and throughout their conversation her smiles are intermittent with grimaces. Though the reader can easily assume her inconsistent expressions are due to the pain of her injury; it is likely that Queen Cibele feigns concern for her daughter one last time in an attempt to obtain what she had always wanted—control of her daughter. It is only when the queen of Zafira dies that Princess Gaiane has obtained her true freedom.
There are portions of the book which are quite engaging, other times the author relies too heavily on interpersonal dialogue rather than plot, leaving the reader to wonder at times, "what is the end goal?" The Other Side of Magic is not a novel for traditional readers. Not only for those who do not believe in or who find 'magic' offensive to their beliefs, but also because of the author's attempt to imply non-traditional relationships which never actually exist in the story, except for one towards the end. There is an instance of "cross-dressing" by a heterosexual queen who lost her husband in war and bore his children without any further explanation as she sits with her offspring in an edifice within rediscovered land. There is also an instance in which a masculine female villager, 'Leo', who initially planned to kidnap the princess for the royal ransom, supposedly has a change of heart and vows to protect her. The princess lived a sheltered life within the walls of the royal castle and she explicitly states she is unware of certain human experiences. In this disturbing scene, her 'friend' not only attempts to, but in this moment, actually takes advantage of Gaiane's innocence as if she is guiding her to an experience she could have appropriately discovered in her own time. The book trades one form of abuse, maternal, to another instance towards someone else the princess mistakenly trusts. The reader can easily question whether Leo had all along deceived Gaiane with the probable intentions to have her involuntarily returned to the very place where she was first taken advantage of. These mentions seem forced and an obvious attempt to appear contemporary or to placate members of certain groups that allege constant discrimination. It adds nothing beneficial or substantive to the plot. In other words, the novel appears to become superficially reliant on being 'politically correct' rather than providing ample narrative to connect a plethora of dialogue. The book would have benefited from additional effort to develop these semi-real worlds or countries, or even creating a code of what mages could do, not to just land and objects but against or for one another.
March 19, 2021
Review:
I recieved this book from the publisher for review.
This is a pretty unique book. I really like the magic system, it's very different from anything I've read before. I liked the characters. The Princess character was pretty annoying for a lot of the book, but it makes sense that she would behave the way she did when you consider her situation. She has some good character growth. I struggled with how to pronounce some of the names.
The pacing of this book was a small issue for me. It took a while for me to really get invested in the book. Just under half the book felt like set up. I don't know if this is a standalone or not, I think the pacing might have been better if it had another book to flesh somethings out a little more. The ending felt rushed, and some of the sentences were a little clunky.
I recieved this book from the publisher for review.
This is a pretty unique book. I really like the magic system, it's very different from anything I've read before. I liked the characters. The Princess character was pretty annoying for a lot of the book, but it makes sense that she would behave the way she did when you consider her situation. She has some good character growth. I struggled with how to pronounce some of the names.
The pacing of this book was a small issue for me. It took a while for me to really get invested in the book. Just under half the book felt like set up. I don't know if this is a standalone or not, I think the pacing might have been better if it had another book to flesh somethings out a little more. The ending felt rushed, and some of the sentences were a little clunky.
May 21, 2021
Although the story was a really great idea the execution of the story just didn't work out. I felt that this one fell short of what I was hoping for and it needs a lot of work. I think that if this gets reworked and rereleased that I would totally try it out again.
April 3, 2021
Great idea, weak execution - the writing is choppy and unpolished, rushed, overly simple and blunt. Really disappointing, I was so looking forward to this one!
May 9, 2021
***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my honest assessment of the book.***
See more of my reviews here!
The premise of this book sounded so fascinating. The magic system had me intrigued and the story of a princess designed as a weapon who escapes and turns on her captors, who also happen to be her parents, seemed really cool. But I did NOT like this book. It actually put me in somewhat of a reading slump because I dreaded having to read more of it. I hate DNFing books, but the only reason I finished this one is I wanted to give feedback via NetGalley to help improve my percentage there. If I had gotten this book from anywhere else, I would not have finished it.
As mentioned earlier, the idea for the story is a really good one, and the first chapter was gripping and set the stage well for a good novel. I did like the magic system, and the author described the use of the magic really well. However, one of the main problems with the book was the limited prevalence of magic throughout and a lack of depth regarding how magic functioned in this world. I really wanted more info about it and to see it used more often throughout the book. The story also took a quick downhill turn after the first chapter. The plot was rather predictable and not very interesting. Perhaps the most frustrating part for me is that even after reading I still don't know why they created the super-powerful princess other than the nebulous need for more power and domination, which fell flat to me as a rationale.
The characters were also pretty flat, and some of them were so bad they made me want to quit reading. The princess, in particular, was annoying and whiny throughout the book. She was entitled and cried at the drop of a hat, which I wasn't expecting since she was supposedly the most powerful person in the kingdom and a captive her entire life. Her character became marginally less awful as the book progressed but not much. I found the relationship between her and the other girl, Leo, to be rushed and not very believable. I love queer representation in books, but I like it to be done well. That being said, I did like the diversity in queer representation in this book; I just wish their relationship had been more believable. My favorite character in this book was Evandro. He was the most well-rounded and exhibited the most character development. I enjoyed his redemption story from fallen knight to hero, and his budding relationship with the fun Ampelio was also a highlight.
The story really had an opportunity to explore some very powerful themes, especially grief, the aftermath of trauma, and taking back power after being manipulated and abused. However, none of this was covered very well, with the exception of Evandro's part of the story.
The worst thing about this book was the writing. It was choppy and clunky. The ARC I received is also the worst-edited copy of a book I have read in my life. It seemed like there were grammar or spelling errors in almost every other sentence. These problems made the book very difficult to read and repeatedly pulled me out of the story to try to figure out what the author was trying to say. I hope the final version of the book received several more rounds of edits beyond the copy I received because it desperately needed it.
Overall, this book was not an enjoyable experience. The unique magic system, diverse queer rep, and Evandro are the only things that keep it from being a one star book for me. Therefore, I rate it 2 out of 5 stars.
See more of my reviews here!
The premise of this book sounded so fascinating. The magic system had me intrigued and the story of a princess designed as a weapon who escapes and turns on her captors, who also happen to be her parents, seemed really cool. But I did NOT like this book. It actually put me in somewhat of a reading slump because I dreaded having to read more of it. I hate DNFing books, but the only reason I finished this one is I wanted to give feedback via NetGalley to help improve my percentage there. If I had gotten this book from anywhere else, I would not have finished it.
As mentioned earlier, the idea for the story is a really good one, and the first chapter was gripping and set the stage well for a good novel. I did like the magic system, and the author described the use of the magic really well. However, one of the main problems with the book was the limited prevalence of magic throughout and a lack of depth regarding how magic functioned in this world. I really wanted more info about it and to see it used more often throughout the book. The story also took a quick downhill turn after the first chapter. The plot was rather predictable and not very interesting. Perhaps the most frustrating part for me is that even after reading I still don't know why they created the super-powerful princess other than the nebulous need for more power and domination, which fell flat to me as a rationale.
The characters were also pretty flat, and some of them were so bad they made me want to quit reading. The princess, in particular, was annoying and whiny throughout the book. She was entitled and cried at the drop of a hat, which I wasn't expecting since she was supposedly the most powerful person in the kingdom and a captive her entire life. Her character became marginally less awful as the book progressed but not much. I found the relationship between her and the other girl, Leo, to be rushed and not very believable. I love queer representation in books, but I like it to be done well. That being said, I did like the diversity in queer representation in this book; I just wish their relationship had been more believable. My favorite character in this book was Evandro. He was the most well-rounded and exhibited the most character development. I enjoyed his redemption story from fallen knight to hero, and his budding relationship with the fun Ampelio was also a highlight.
The story really had an opportunity to explore some very powerful themes, especially grief, the aftermath of trauma, and taking back power after being manipulated and abused. However, none of this was covered very well, with the exception of Evandro's part of the story.
The worst thing about this book was the writing. It was choppy and clunky. The ARC I received is also the worst-edited copy of a book I have read in my life. It seemed like there were grammar or spelling errors in almost every other sentence. These problems made the book very difficult to read and repeatedly pulled me out of the story to try to figure out what the author was trying to say. I hope the final version of the book received several more rounds of edits beyond the copy I received because it desperately needed it.
Overall, this book was not an enjoyable experience. The unique magic system, diverse queer rep, and Evandro are the only things that keep it from being a one star book for me. Therefore, I rate it 2 out of 5 stars.
April 23, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and The Parliament House for this digital copy. All thoughts are my own.
This was such a difficult book to get through. 2/5 stars.
Eight years ago, the ruling Asares family of Zafiria launched an all out attack on Epidalio, crushing their country and absorbing them into their own. They did this using 10 year old Gaiane, the all powerful princess with infinite magic who had no idea that she was being used for war. Currently, Epidalio is still in shambles. Leo is from Epidalio and she has no powers to speak of. One day, she discovers that Gaiane is missing and a reward is out for her. Leo decides to search for this princess in hopes that she can reap the rewards to save her impoverished family/sick father. At the same time, a fallen knight of Epidalio discovers Gaiane is missing as well, and searches for her to avenge his fallen prince.
I had such a hard time reading this book. It was just so boring and none of the characters were very well written. Things moved too quickly for any characterization to truly occur. It didn't help that the dialogue was wooden and flat either. When Gaiane and Leo meet for the first time, I was expecting a delicious enemies to lovers romance, but instead I have to read about two 18 year old girls acting like 10 year olds. They bicker for a day, share a single story each, and then suddenly they're incredibly loyal to one another and can only feel safe with each other???????? Apparently yes, because the characters in this world like to change their minds at the drop of a hat. I get that certain plot conveniences need to be made in order for the story to move along, but in this particular story, it happened more often than I'd like. And because it happened so often, it never felt like the characters ever truly had agency. They were just carried along from one moment to the next with no true purpose.
Another reason why this book was so boring is because I was never surprised by anything. The author laid out the story for me, and then all the pieces fell into place. The climax of the story was even explained to the reader in detail and the plan goes off without a hitch. There's no tension, no suspense. It just made for a very tedious reading experience.
I also never understood the motivations of Cibele, the queen of Zafiria. She's supposed to be this ruthless war hungry queen that locked her daughter in a tower for decades all to control Gaiane's powers for herself. But then at the very end the author decides to portray her as someone who's conflicted and motherly?? As if she were that way the entire book?? And maybe there was supposed to be some complexity with her character but considering how none of the other characters were well fleshed out it just felt so out of place?
This story was just. not great. No world building, flat characters with zero development, lack of tension or suspense, and too many conveniences for the sake of plot. I didn't outright hate it so that's the only reason why it's not a 1 star.
This was such a difficult book to get through. 2/5 stars.
Eight years ago, the ruling Asares family of Zafiria launched an all out attack on Epidalio, crushing their country and absorbing them into their own. They did this using 10 year old Gaiane, the all powerful princess with infinite magic who had no idea that she was being used for war. Currently, Epidalio is still in shambles. Leo is from Epidalio and she has no powers to speak of. One day, she discovers that Gaiane is missing and a reward is out for her. Leo decides to search for this princess in hopes that she can reap the rewards to save her impoverished family/sick father. At the same time, a fallen knight of Epidalio discovers Gaiane is missing as well, and searches for her to avenge his fallen prince.
I had such a hard time reading this book. It was just so boring and none of the characters were very well written. Things moved too quickly for any characterization to truly occur. It didn't help that the dialogue was wooden and flat either. When Gaiane and Leo meet for the first time, I was expecting a delicious enemies to lovers romance, but instead I have to read about two 18 year old girls acting like 10 year olds. They bicker for a day, share a single story each, and then suddenly they're incredibly loyal to one another and can only feel safe with each other???????? Apparently yes, because the characters in this world like to change their minds at the drop of a hat. I get that certain plot conveniences need to be made in order for the story to move along, but in this particular story, it happened more often than I'd like. And because it happened so often, it never felt like the characters ever truly had agency. They were just carried along from one moment to the next with no true purpose.
Another reason why this book was so boring is because I was never surprised by anything. The author laid out the story for me, and then all the pieces fell into place. The climax of the story was even explained to the reader in detail and the plan goes off without a hitch. There's no tension, no suspense. It just made for a very tedious reading experience.
I also never understood the motivations of Cibele, the queen of Zafiria. She's supposed to be this ruthless war hungry queen that locked her daughter in a tower for decades all to control Gaiane's powers for herself. But then at the very end the author decides to portray her as someone who's conflicted and motherly?? As if she were that way the entire book?? And maybe there was supposed to be some complexity with her character but considering how none of the other characters were well fleshed out it just felt so out of place?
This story was just. not great. No world building, flat characters with zero development, lack of tension or suspense, and too many conveniences for the sake of plot. I didn't outright hate it so that's the only reason why it's not a 1 star.
May 11, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and The Parliament House for this digital copy. All thoughts are my own.
I was really excited to read this story. It has a very interesting premise and the synopsis had me hooked. I loved the idea of a magic system where people had a finite source of their power and then it ran out - except for the one and only Princess Gaiane. This is such a brilliant idea for a magic system and something I wish had been a bigger feature in the plot as a whole.
Especially when you throw in the second protagonist, Leo, who wasn't born with magic. There's so much you could do with this dynamic and I was so excited to see where it would lead.
Unfortunately for me, it just all fell rather flat.
The first 10% of the book (I read it on my Kindle so I'm not sure how many pages that would be...) was a lot. I didn't outright dislike it, but there were so many characters and different narratives thrown at the reader, it was too much to take in at once. I wish we'd had a bit more time to get to know the characters before all the action went down.
We then skip forward 8 years, which is fine but felt slightly jarring for me. Here is where the plot really starts with Gaiane escaping from her tower (prison) where she has spent her entire life up until this point. Now, I love a good escape story. I love reading about characters who find their way out of something and have the chance to explore and learn about themselves and the world around them. But Gaiane was just not great.
She was possibly my least favourite part of this book. In fact, I think if her character had been changed then this book would have been a lot more enjoyable. As it is, after 18 years trapped in a tower, she then spends her first day in the outside world complaining non-stop about petty inconveniences - her dress gets wet and it's SO hard to wash satin and she touches and slug and it's slimy. I know we need to see her character to develop but did she have to be so whiny at the start?
One character I did quite like was Leo, the blacksmith. She had an interesting backstory, strong motivations for her actions and was overall a pretty well-rounded character. The only downside was a lot of her dialogue sounded as though it was said by someone much younger than she was meant to be (she was 18 for the main chunk of the book and I felt as though I was reading about a 13 year old). It was a shame because I thought her character was good other than that.
The writing wasn't awful. There was a bit of over-explaining and the dialogue in general felt very forced and contained quite a lot of info-dumping. But I think some of the descriptions were really nice and I had no trouble picturing the characters or settings. Plus, I think the magic was set up rather seamlessly which can be a difficult thing to do.
Overall, this book just wasn't for me. It's such a shame because I was really looking forward to it but I think maybe younger readers would enjoy this.
I was really excited to read this story. It has a very interesting premise and the synopsis had me hooked. I loved the idea of a magic system where people had a finite source of their power and then it ran out - except for the one and only Princess Gaiane. This is such a brilliant idea for a magic system and something I wish had been a bigger feature in the plot as a whole.
Especially when you throw in the second protagonist, Leo, who wasn't born with magic. There's so much you could do with this dynamic and I was so excited to see where it would lead.
Unfortunately for me, it just all fell rather flat.
The first 10% of the book (I read it on my Kindle so I'm not sure how many pages that would be...) was a lot. I didn't outright dislike it, but there were so many characters and different narratives thrown at the reader, it was too much to take in at once. I wish we'd had a bit more time to get to know the characters before all the action went down.
We then skip forward 8 years, which is fine but felt slightly jarring for me. Here is where the plot really starts with Gaiane escaping from her tower (prison) where she has spent her entire life up until this point. Now, I love a good escape story. I love reading about characters who find their way out of something and have the chance to explore and learn about themselves and the world around them. But Gaiane was just not great.
She was possibly my least favourite part of this book. In fact, I think if her character had been changed then this book would have been a lot more enjoyable. As it is, after 18 years trapped in a tower, she then spends her first day in the outside world complaining non-stop about petty inconveniences - her dress gets wet and it's SO hard to wash satin and she touches and slug and it's slimy. I know we need to see her character to develop but did she have to be so whiny at the start?
One character I did quite like was Leo, the blacksmith. She had an interesting backstory, strong motivations for her actions and was overall a pretty well-rounded character. The only downside was a lot of her dialogue sounded as though it was said by someone much younger than she was meant to be (she was 18 for the main chunk of the book and I felt as though I was reading about a 13 year old). It was a shame because I thought her character was good other than that.
The writing wasn't awful. There was a bit of over-explaining and the dialogue in general felt very forced and contained quite a lot of info-dumping. But I think some of the descriptions were really nice and I had no trouble picturing the characters or settings. Plus, I think the magic was set up rather seamlessly which can be a difficult thing to do.
Overall, this book just wasn't for me. It's such a shame because I was really looking forward to it but I think maybe younger readers would enjoy this.
April 24, 2021
I've received an ARC copy from NetGalley.
Honestly, I do not know why so many people disliked this book so much. I really enjoyed it. Yes, it wasn't polished, there were few grammar and style mistakes left behind. I just hope it was given for a final edit before being published!
So now lets talk about the story within the book. Guess I found another book that had a different view on magic. I really enjoyed the whole crystal thingy, which would eventually run out with power. And there she was, the princess, with unlimited power source! The beginning was hard to read, I must admit. One young girl saw her mother killed by soldiers on their horses and the second was behind winning the war and killing the royal family and their people.
There are four main stories in one book. The story of a princess who escaped her tower and sought freedom. Of a fallen knight who lost everything and hid for eight years. A young blacksmith, who did everything she could to help her father. And the final battle between two royalties.
I do agree that the writing was not the best. Over explanation and just chunks of text was hard for my eyes but I still managed to read it quite quickly because I really needed to ease my anticipation is the queen alive, did she survive the fall of her castle?
Gaiane, the princess? Omg.. There was so much crying it struck a nerve at one point. I do get it that she was hidden for eighteen years in her tower, safe from the reality but c'mon girl. You need to get your sh*t together! Her only answer for most of the book was to cry her eyes out. She did regain her balance at the end, when she stood against her family and killed them all.
But Leo! I loved her character! She was such a strong female in this book, giving up everything just to safe her father, her little village. I would get along with a person with the same personality as Leo's. Even though she was shorter as others, she never stood down her grown and was the first in line to defend and help those she loved.
And there is the love between the princess and her capture. I had a feeling from the beginning that it might happen and I guess I was right? But what happened after?! A quick spoiler, princess couldn't use her magic while being near Leo. So what happened after Gaiane became a queen? Did she not use her magic at all? Are Leo is still her girlfriend? I need answers!
I don't want to bore you with my thoughts on this piece much longer but all I can say don't be too harsh. The book is an easy read, despite the chunks of plain text. There is a story in there and it is a good one! Yes, it needs some polish but it is there.
Honestly, I do not know why so many people disliked this book so much. I really enjoyed it. Yes, it wasn't polished, there were few grammar and style mistakes left behind. I just hope it was given for a final edit before being published!
So now lets talk about the story within the book. Guess I found another book that had a different view on magic. I really enjoyed the whole crystal thingy, which would eventually run out with power. And there she was, the princess, with unlimited power source! The beginning was hard to read, I must admit. One young girl saw her mother killed by soldiers on their horses and the second was behind winning the war and killing the royal family and their people.
There are four main stories in one book. The story of a princess who escaped her tower and sought freedom. Of a fallen knight who lost everything and hid for eight years. A young blacksmith, who did everything she could to help her father. And the final battle between two royalties.
I do agree that the writing was not the best. Over explanation and just chunks of text was hard for my eyes but I still managed to read it quite quickly because I really needed to ease my anticipation is the queen alive, did she survive the fall of her castle?
Gaiane, the princess? Omg.. There was so much crying it struck a nerve at one point. I do get it that she was hidden for eighteen years in her tower, safe from the reality but c'mon girl. You need to get your sh*t together! Her only answer for most of the book was to cry her eyes out. She did regain her balance at the end, when she stood against her family and killed them all.
But Leo! I loved her character! She was such a strong female in this book, giving up everything just to safe her father, her little village. I would get along with a person with the same personality as Leo's. Even though she was shorter as others, she never stood down her grown and was the first in line to defend and help those she loved.
And there is the love between the princess and her capture. I had a feeling from the beginning that it might happen and I guess I was right? But what happened after?! A quick spoiler, princess couldn't use her magic while being near Leo. So what happened after Gaiane became a queen? Did she not use her magic at all? Are Leo is still her girlfriend? I need answers!
I don't want to bore you with my thoughts on this piece much longer but all I can say don't be too harsh. The book is an easy read, despite the chunks of plain text. There is a story in there and it is a good one! Yes, it needs some polish but it is there.
April 19, 2021
I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Other Side of Magic is a delightful (and occasionally heart-wrenching) story of a young mage princess, Gaiane, on her quest to right the wrongs done by her family. She encounters a unique cast of characters (the shining stars of the book, IMO) and confronts her past along the way. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish!
The book begins very intensely, starting off with the brutal end of a war fought between two kingdoms. It's a great introductory chapter, pulling the reader in and showing them the lay of the land at the same time. The reader is introduced to the characters and gets a compelling glance into who they are. This first chapter did a good job of setting the stage for the rest of the novel and left me wanting more of the characters from the moment they're introduced. It's truly a fantastic set-up chapter.
From the first line, this book played like a movie in my mind. I felt as if I was watching it more than reading it, which I found refreshing and really special. I think it takes a special kind of talent to make me forget that I'm not actually able to see what's happening. The e-book I received was riddled with typos and probably needs one last pass through editing to fix those up before it's more widely distributed. That being said, I enjoyed the style of writing and natural storytelling more than I was bothered by the typos.
I've seen a lot of reviews mention the unique magic system, which is pretty neat, but to me, the highlights of The Other Side of Magic are its characters. Leo, Evandro, Ligeia, and Ampelio are all entirely unique characters in a well-loved and well-used genre. One of my only issues with The Other Side of Magic is the dialogue. It can feel very clunky at times, especially coming from Gaiane. This isn't to say it's all bad, and honestly dialogue isn't as big a part of the book as you may think. It certainly didn't ruin the experience for me, just pulled me out of the fantasy every so often.
A fantasy set in a kingdom that's home to a hidden away princess with magic powers may seem like nothing new, but The Other Side of Magic was a fresh and unique interpretation of that setting. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes magic, adorable queer romance, well-crafted character arcs, and doesn't mind a bit of gore.
The Other Side of Magic is a delightful (and occasionally heart-wrenching) story of a young mage princess, Gaiane, on her quest to right the wrongs done by her family. She encounters a unique cast of characters (the shining stars of the book, IMO) and confronts her past along the way. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish!
The book begins very intensely, starting off with the brutal end of a war fought between two kingdoms. It's a great introductory chapter, pulling the reader in and showing them the lay of the land at the same time. The reader is introduced to the characters and gets a compelling glance into who they are. This first chapter did a good job of setting the stage for the rest of the novel and left me wanting more of the characters from the moment they're introduced. It's truly a fantastic set-up chapter.
From the first line, this book played like a movie in my mind. I felt as if I was watching it more than reading it, which I found refreshing and really special. I think it takes a special kind of talent to make me forget that I'm not actually able to see what's happening. The e-book I received was riddled with typos and probably needs one last pass through editing to fix those up before it's more widely distributed. That being said, I enjoyed the style of writing and natural storytelling more than I was bothered by the typos.
I've seen a lot of reviews mention the unique magic system, which is pretty neat, but to me, the highlights of The Other Side of Magic are its characters. Leo, Evandro, Ligeia, and Ampelio are all entirely unique characters in a well-loved and well-used genre. One of my only issues with The Other Side of Magic is the dialogue. It can feel very clunky at times, especially coming from Gaiane. This isn't to say it's all bad, and honestly dialogue isn't as big a part of the book as you may think. It certainly didn't ruin the experience for me, just pulled me out of the fantasy every so often.
A fantasy set in a kingdom that's home to a hidden away princess with magic powers may seem like nothing new, but The Other Side of Magic was a fresh and unique interpretation of that setting. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes magic, adorable queer romance, well-crafted character arcs, and doesn't mind a bit of gore.
April 12, 2021
ARC provided by the publisher / author. All opinions are my own.
The other side of magic had a unique magic system which captured my attention. Each individual is born with a certain amount of magic which diminishes throughout their lifetime, and the amount remaining is externally visible through a symbol on the forehead, which - similar to a battery icon - fades with use. However, there were elements of this magic system which were not explored well, namely the child Gaiane whose magic never runs out, owing to some sort of magic eugenics. The explanation of this left me with more questions than answers, and was not given weight in a way that felt significant.
Queer themes were woven throughout, featuring an incredibly diverse cast of characters. However, I found that I didn't care much for the individual relationships. The rapid pacing made it difficult to form attachment to any one character, particularly towards the start of the book. There were no subtle introductions to the characters; from the beginning, you are thrust right into the heat of it, which made it very difficult to care about any of them - there was simply no connection.
There are multiple perspectives throughout each chapter of this book, and that, in itself, is an issue. The lack of signposting at each change in perspective resulted in confusion not only surrounding the whom, but also the when in relation to the previous POV. Perhaps, in part, because of this, each switch between characters was extremely jarring. It was difficult to get into the flow of each character, and just when you thought you might, the perspective changed again.
Once I was able to put my confusion aside and work out what was supposed to be going on, the plot was relatively predictable. It was not hard to see the 'plot twists' coming, and moments that should have been impactful fell flat.
Aside from that, the sentence structure often felt awkward, and the dialogue was frequently cringe-worthy. Whilst it featured an interesting magic system and featured nice queer representation, I found I couldn’t get over the pacing and perspective changes enough to really enjoy this.
The other side of magic had a unique magic system which captured my attention. Each individual is born with a certain amount of magic which diminishes throughout their lifetime, and the amount remaining is externally visible through a symbol on the forehead, which - similar to a battery icon - fades with use. However, there were elements of this magic system which were not explored well, namely the child Gaiane whose magic never runs out, owing to some sort of magic eugenics. The explanation of this left me with more questions than answers, and was not given weight in a way that felt significant.
Queer themes were woven throughout, featuring an incredibly diverse cast of characters. However, I found that I didn't care much for the individual relationships. The rapid pacing made it difficult to form attachment to any one character, particularly towards the start of the book. There were no subtle introductions to the characters; from the beginning, you are thrust right into the heat of it, which made it very difficult to care about any of them - there was simply no connection.
There are multiple perspectives throughout each chapter of this book, and that, in itself, is an issue. The lack of signposting at each change in perspective resulted in confusion not only surrounding the whom, but also the when in relation to the previous POV. Perhaps, in part, because of this, each switch between characters was extremely jarring. It was difficult to get into the flow of each character, and just when you thought you might, the perspective changed again.
Once I was able to put my confusion aside and work out what was supposed to be going on, the plot was relatively predictable. It was not hard to see the 'plot twists' coming, and moments that should have been impactful fell flat.
Aside from that, the sentence structure often felt awkward, and the dialogue was frequently cringe-worthy. Whilst it featured an interesting magic system and featured nice queer representation, I found I couldn’t get over the pacing and perspective changes enough to really enjoy this.
April 14, 2021
Thank you to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
YA fantasy books are my favorite genre, so I was so excited to get approved to review The Other Side of Magic ahead of its release date. The first line of the synopsis is: "In a world inspired by 16th century Italy, magic is a common occurrence." Once I read that, I was sold! I couldn't wait to read this historical fantasy novel.
The beginning of the book is everything I wanted. Here is an excerpt that shows Gaiane, one of the main characters, and a princess, using her powers to destroy a rival army:
"Magic flowed through her, beyond her. Down the tower and over the fields, through the trees and across the rivers. She pulled at the strings holding the world together, and her power reached the soldiers. It blended with theirs, and she felt their surprise as if it were her own...
In the time of a quickened beat of her heart, it all came back to her. She wasn't just lending her energy to the troops--she was living the battle with them. With every single soldier, and hundred, thousands of details cluttered her head. A gasp, and Gaiane staggered back."
This is the magic that I love reading about! I couldn't wait to continue reading and see what happens next. I was shocked when Gaiane loses her powers almost immediately. Even though the title of the book is The Other Side of Magic, somehow, the "magic" disappeared, and we were left with a mediocre, less-exciting story set in an alternative 16th-century Italy. After reading the synopsis and the introduction, I was so ready to love this book. Overall, The Other Side of Magic is a YA fantasy novel without the fantasy. I recommend it for fantasy readers who are sick of complicated magic systems and want something more "historical." If that sounds like you, you should check out this book, which came out last week.
YA fantasy books are my favorite genre, so I was so excited to get approved to review The Other Side of Magic ahead of its release date. The first line of the synopsis is: "In a world inspired by 16th century Italy, magic is a common occurrence." Once I read that, I was sold! I couldn't wait to read this historical fantasy novel.
The beginning of the book is everything I wanted. Here is an excerpt that shows Gaiane, one of the main characters, and a princess, using her powers to destroy a rival army:
"Magic flowed through her, beyond her. Down the tower and over the fields, through the trees and across the rivers. She pulled at the strings holding the world together, and her power reached the soldiers. It blended with theirs, and she felt their surprise as if it were her own...
In the time of a quickened beat of her heart, it all came back to her. She wasn't just lending her energy to the troops--she was living the battle with them. With every single soldier, and hundred, thousands of details cluttered her head. A gasp, and Gaiane staggered back."
This is the magic that I love reading about! I couldn't wait to continue reading and see what happens next. I was shocked when Gaiane loses her powers almost immediately. Even though the title of the book is The Other Side of Magic, somehow, the "magic" disappeared, and we were left with a mediocre, less-exciting story set in an alternative 16th-century Italy. After reading the synopsis and the introduction, I was so ready to love this book. Overall, The Other Side of Magic is a YA fantasy novel without the fantasy. I recommend it for fantasy readers who are sick of complicated magic systems and want something more "historical." If that sounds like you, you should check out this book, which came out last week.
April 19, 2021
I received "The Other Side of Magic" by Ester Manzini, published by Independent Publishers, as an ARC from NetGalley and this review is entirely my honest thoughts.
The idea behind Manzini's novel was a great premise and the book itself has a lot of potential. I like the idea of magic being a resource people are born with and it depleting as they use it. Many fantasy novels do not include the limits to magic and in this way, The Other Side of Magic, was unique and more realistic, so to speak. I like that Gaiane had limitless power and was a weapon and Leo was born without magic, showing a spectrum of people. Speaking of which, the book also gets points for diversity, as the book had LGBTQ themes. However, there were a lot of weak points for me. The book started in a rush and it was confusing jumping from one POV to the next. I think the author should have kept to the main three point of views--Gaiane, Leo, and Evandro. In my opinion, Evandro's chapters were the most well-written. I also believe these point of views should be separated by chapter instead of switching in the middle which was very confusing. Though Gaine was an important part, I found her character whiny and annoying--I suppose that was the point to show her character development but there are times I couldn't believe she would be so stupid. Also, the dialogue, especially with the girls, came across as cheesy and unrealistic. The kind of dialogue I would expect from a sitcom but doesn't translate well to the page. I do think the novel started to get more intense and gripping about halfway through, but then the ending just fell flat for me--everything was too 'neat.' To improve, I think there should at least have been limited pov's and more realistic dialogue. Again, great idea, just needed to flesh it out more!
The idea behind Manzini's novel was a great premise and the book itself has a lot of potential. I like the idea of magic being a resource people are born with and it depleting as they use it. Many fantasy novels do not include the limits to magic and in this way, The Other Side of Magic, was unique and more realistic, so to speak. I like that Gaiane had limitless power and was a weapon and Leo was born without magic, showing a spectrum of people. Speaking of which, the book also gets points for diversity, as the book had LGBTQ themes. However, there were a lot of weak points for me. The book started in a rush and it was confusing jumping from one POV to the next. I think the author should have kept to the main three point of views--Gaiane, Leo, and Evandro. In my opinion, Evandro's chapters were the most well-written. I also believe these point of views should be separated by chapter instead of switching in the middle which was very confusing. Though Gaine was an important part, I found her character whiny and annoying--I suppose that was the point to show her character development but there are times I couldn't believe she would be so stupid. Also, the dialogue, especially with the girls, came across as cheesy and unrealistic. The kind of dialogue I would expect from a sitcom but doesn't translate well to the page. I do think the novel started to get more intense and gripping about halfway through, but then the ending just fell flat for me--everything was too 'neat.' To improve, I think there should at least have been limited pov's and more realistic dialogue. Again, great idea, just needed to flesh it out more!
April 20, 2021
I wanted so badly to love this book!
The premise is right up my alley - a setting reminiscent of sixteenth century Italy, a princess born with too much power, and a commoner born with none at all. A lost knight. A fresh, interesting magic system. It actually reminded me a lot of Zoe Reed's Breaking Legacies, which I love, so I was ready to be obsessed again.
Unfortunately, for me, the book fell flat. It was weighed down by heavy, clunky dialogue and extensive explanations. We are privy to every thought the characters have, at length, the minutiae of their internal struggles displayed for all and sundry. The final climax of the book happens too fast. Even the enemies-to-lovers goodness that I would usually excuse a great deal for was rushed and unrealistic. Some of the characters, who could have been rich storytelling instruments, were instead almost cartoonish caricatures.
It's a real shame, because I absolutely believe that if some different editorial choices had been made, I would be devouring this book as a duology, or even a trilogy. The storyline is grand and has so much potential to be a fantasy epic, but unfortunately, there are too many elements against it. That said, I would be interested to see what Ester Manzini does in the future, because the plot of The Other Side of Magic is engaging and interesting, and I always welcome more LGBT+ rep in fantasy spaces!
Thank you to NetGalley and to The Parliament House publishing for providing me with this ARC.
The premise is right up my alley - a setting reminiscent of sixteenth century Italy, a princess born with too much power, and a commoner born with none at all. A lost knight. A fresh, interesting magic system. It actually reminded me a lot of Zoe Reed's Breaking Legacies, which I love, so I was ready to be obsessed again.
Unfortunately, for me, the book fell flat. It was weighed down by heavy, clunky dialogue and extensive explanations. We are privy to every thought the characters have, at length, the minutiae of their internal struggles displayed for all and sundry. The final climax of the book happens too fast. Even the enemies-to-lovers goodness that I would usually excuse a great deal for was rushed and unrealistic. Some of the characters, who could have been rich storytelling instruments, were instead almost cartoonish caricatures.
It's a real shame, because I absolutely believe that if some different editorial choices had been made, I would be devouring this book as a duology, or even a trilogy. The storyline is grand and has so much potential to be a fantasy epic, but unfortunately, there are too many elements against it. That said, I would be interested to see what Ester Manzini does in the future, because the plot of The Other Side of Magic is engaging and interesting, and I always welcome more LGBT+ rep in fantasy spaces!
Thank you to NetGalley and to The Parliament House publishing for providing me with this ARC.
May 27, 2021
Thank you Netgalley, Parliament Press and Ester Manzini for the e-arc of the book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Here are my views:
On the Plot:
An unique concept of the book with lot of action and a super monotonous plot. It had a different take on the magic but it was too simple and nothing felt out of the box, there is no suspense and the book lacked thrill on every level.
Writing & Theme
There were 4 plot-lines described in every chapter which was a bit tedious to keep track of. Multiple POVs are brilliant until the characters involved are limited. But here, there were way too many characters involved here. Certain characters were introduced just for the sake of it who had no role to play in the plot. This also made each chapters huge which was one thing I did not like.
The only thing I liked about the writing was that there was enthusiasm among the characters in the first half of the story �� where the world building was done, but it felt flat towards the end.
Characters
The characters were unique from the other warlock or witch-y novels I have read. However, they were not written very well. I enjoyed the things in the beginning where characters were a bit rebellious, and had motive, as the story proceeded they became childlike, monotonous and angst-y! The transition was supposed to be the other way round!
Overall
Good approach to the book in the beginning but annoying characters and super lengthy chapters
Here are my views:
On the Plot:
An unique concept of the book with lot of action and a super monotonous plot. It had a different take on the magic but it was too simple and nothing felt out of the box, there is no suspense and the book lacked thrill on every level.
Writing & Theme
There were 4 plot-lines described in every chapter which was a bit tedious to keep track of. Multiple POVs are brilliant until the characters involved are limited. But here, there were way too many characters involved here. Certain characters were introduced just for the sake of it who had no role to play in the plot. This also made each chapters huge which was one thing I did not like.
The only thing I liked about the writing was that there was enthusiasm among the characters in the first half of the story �� where the world building was done, but it felt flat towards the end.
Characters
The characters were unique from the other warlock or witch-y novels I have read. However, they were not written very well. I enjoyed the things in the beginning where characters were a bit rebellious, and had motive, as the story proceeded they became childlike, monotonous and angst-y! The transition was supposed to be the other way round!
Overall
Good approach to the book in the beginning but annoying characters and super lengthy chapters
April 17, 2021
Parts of the story were really enjoyable and sweet, but I didn't love others. I thought the romance was sweet, but their relationship confused me at times because it seemed like Leo was forgiving very quickly. Gaiane was infantilized throughout much of the book and as much as I wanted to like her, I found her annoying. I preferred the stories of the other side characters overall. The parental relationships were complex but sometimes bordered on just neglect. I thought the beginning was the best part of the story, and that the political plot of the last half or so was kind of frustrating to get through. I never quite understood the magic system in the story, which I had been hoping we would have explained a bit more. The story was sweet but seemed a bit unfinished overall and the plots seemed jumbled together a bit.
Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2021
I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
The Other Side of Magic has an interesting premise and an intriguing magic system (finite magic!), however, the world-building felt a bit crude, which would be completely fine for me, I don't really care if the world-building is bad or confusing or non-existent if the characters are enough to keep me interested, which, unfortunately, wasn't the case.
We have an extensive list of characters (most are introduced right at the beginning, which felt a bit rushed), and none of them managed to woo me (but maybe it's a case of "it's not you, it's me", who knows?).
I like sheltered characters who leave their cages and are a bit out of touch with the real world, so I thought Gaiane would be endearing, but she was just childish. Leo was my favorite, but she was not enough to balance how much Gaiane annoyed me.
The Other Side of Magic has an interesting premise and an intriguing magic system (finite magic!), however, the world-building felt a bit crude, which would be completely fine for me, I don't really care if the world-building is bad or confusing or non-existent if the characters are enough to keep me interested, which, unfortunately, wasn't the case.
We have an extensive list of characters (most are introduced right at the beginning, which felt a bit rushed), and none of them managed to woo me (but maybe it's a case of "it's not you, it's me", who knows?).
I like sheltered characters who leave their cages and are a bit out of touch with the real world, so I thought Gaiane would be endearing, but she was just childish. Leo was my favorite, but she was not enough to balance how much Gaiane annoyed me.
May 17, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for the ecopy of The Other Side of Magic!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book although I felt that there were some parts of the story that was lacking, it was a decent story.
The plot for me was just basic and I would've loved to read more about the magic system because it was unlike anything I've read.
The characters were decent but I felt like the only character I cared about was Evandro. I didn't care much about the two main characters as I felt somewhat disconnected from them.
The romance in the book was cute but there wasn't much chemistry between the love interests.
Overall it was a decent read with an average plot and storyline. I didn't find anything really special that stood out to me other than the magic system which was kind of barely explored but it was still fascinating.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book although I felt that there were some parts of the story that was lacking, it was a decent story.
The plot for me was just basic and I would've loved to read more about the magic system because it was unlike anything I've read.
The characters were decent but I felt like the only character I cared about was Evandro. I didn't care much about the two main characters as I felt somewhat disconnected from them.
The romance in the book was cute but there wasn't much chemistry between the love interests.
Overall it was a decent read with an average plot and storyline. I didn't find anything really special that stood out to me other than the magic system which was kind of barely explored but it was still fascinating.
April 13, 2021
(received this arc from net galley)
Reading the premise of the book, I was immediately intrigued. The magic system seemed amazing and I couldn’t wait to read it.
However, I was left a bit disappointed. The world building was lacking, leaving this fantastic magic system nowhere to be developed.
The writing style made all the characters blend in, they all seemed the same and were all equally was annoying.
The plot in itself was majorly boring and predictable. Plot twists were seen pages away before they even occurred.
And the pacing, oh lord, please. The second half of the book was better, yes, but they killed it by changing the pacing and having everything resolved in literal seconds.
Overall, this was defitnely not my thing but im sure others might enjoy it.
Reading the premise of the book, I was immediately intrigued. The magic system seemed amazing and I couldn’t wait to read it.
However, I was left a bit disappointed. The world building was lacking, leaving this fantastic magic system nowhere to be developed.
The writing style made all the characters blend in, they all seemed the same and were all equally was annoying.
The plot in itself was majorly boring and predictable. Plot twists were seen pages away before they even occurred.
And the pacing, oh lord, please. The second half of the book was better, yes, but they killed it by changing the pacing and having everything resolved in literal seconds.
Overall, this was defitnely not my thing but im sure others might enjoy it.
May 4, 2021
This book was, overall, pretty good. I enjoyed the magic system and the setting.
The pacing was a little off for me - Leo, who hates the princess and blames her for her mother's death will all of a sudden be best friends with her a couple of chapters later. This happened a couple of times where characters who despise each other are friends after 1 or 2 chapters. I think this is just because the book is on the shorter side and is standalone - the author had to fit a lot into a short amount of space. Had this not felt so rushed - I would have really liked the character growth
I'm not sure if this is because I received an e-copy from Netgalley but, there were a lot of grammatical errors in this book - I"m assuming the finished copy will be more polished?
The pacing was a little off for me - Leo, who hates the princess and blames her for her mother's death will all of a sudden be best friends with her a couple of chapters later. This happened a couple of times where characters who despise each other are friends after 1 or 2 chapters. I think this is just because the book is on the shorter side and is standalone - the author had to fit a lot into a short amount of space. Had this not felt so rushed - I would have really liked the character growth
I'm not sure if this is because I received an e-copy from Netgalley but, there were a lot of grammatical errors in this book - I"m assuming the finished copy will be more polished?
April 30, 2021
The Other Side of Magic by Ester Manzini sounded like it had a lot of potential. In fact, it started off alright and had me quite intrigued. However, after about the 10% mark it began to go downhill. The writing style and pacing began to suffer as it seems very much to need another round or two of edits. I know the novel is supposed to be YA, but it was difficult to tell that from the voices of the characters. At times they sound like the teens they're supposed to be, but then again the same characters make a great case for actually being ten year olds. Let's just say that inconsistency made it just a little tricky to follow who was speaking at any given time.
March 11, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
What a unique book. I really love interesting magic systems, and this was very different from anything I’ve read lately. The premise of having a finite amount of magic in you before you’re empty is something I’ve never came across before. It makes it sad that you can use it all up if you are not careful. The beginning of the book starts off very intense; at the end of a war fought between two kingdoms. That chapter really caught my attention. The worldbuilding was laid out but felt very plain. I was hoping for a lush 16th century Italy to be explored. The characters were alright, the MC, a Princess; was awfully immature and naive, which I could sum it up to how she was raised but man, the constant crying annoyed me. The other characters you meet along the way are good, not spectacular; they all needed a bit more fleshing out and development to really grab ahold of you.
Overall, it was a good book. A nice story but wasn’t executed in the greatest way.
What a unique book. I really love interesting magic systems, and this was very different from anything I’ve read lately. The premise of having a finite amount of magic in you before you’re empty is something I’ve never came across before. It makes it sad that you can use it all up if you are not careful. The beginning of the book starts off very intense; at the end of a war fought between two kingdoms. That chapter really caught my attention. The worldbuilding was laid out but felt very plain. I was hoping for a lush 16th century Italy to be explored. The characters were alright, the MC, a Princess; was awfully immature and naive, which I could sum it up to how she was raised but man, the constant crying annoyed me. The other characters you meet along the way are good, not spectacular; they all needed a bit more fleshing out and development to really grab ahold of you.
Overall, it was a good book. A nice story but wasn’t executed in the greatest way.
March 17, 2021
This is a nice YA book, but not great. On the plus side, its LGBTQ theme is subtle yet powerful. And the magic system is unusual. The negatives include a rushed ending; things wrap up at a much faster pace than its earlier pacing. Also, the second half of the book, in particular, is not well translated (or written) with many odd phrases and sentences that perhaps make sense in Italian. But here they stop the reader’s flow. #librarything
April 4, 2021
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spoiler free review.
This book is very unique, the magic system is clever, and the characters never commit the cardinal sin of being boring. Even if you don’t like them all you can’t say they are boring. I didn’t find pacing to be a problem, maybe because I enjoyed the detail and existing in the world. The writing is lovely. I would read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher/author for the ARC
Spoiler free review.
This book is very unique, the magic system is clever, and the characters never commit the cardinal sin of being boring. Even if you don’t like them all you can’t say they are boring. I didn’t find pacing to be a problem, maybe because I enjoyed the detail and existing in the world. The writing is lovely. I would read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher/author for the ARC
April 6, 2021
The Other Side of Magic was a fascinating delve into a unique world. I was slow to connect with the main characters, but once that finally did happen, I could not wait to see what came next. A rich colorful world surrounds a story about taking responsibility for your actions, even those actions you had no choice about making.
I received a copy of this book for free from NetGallery in exchange for my honest review.
I received a copy of this book for free from NetGallery in exchange for my honest review.
April 27, 2021
I usually don't write reviews, but I usually read books that already have tons.
This is the first book published in US by an Italian author I follow, so I was curious.
It was a solid, enjoyable book, with distinctive characters and a good storyline. I usually like my books to delve more into the ideas, to know more about the world and about the magic system, while here the focus is definitely on the characters.
Overall, it was a nice, heartwarming and positive read.
This is the first book published in US by an Italian author I follow, so I was curious.
It was a solid, enjoyable book, with distinctive characters and a good storyline. I usually like my books to delve more into the ideas, to know more about the world and about the magic system, while here the focus is definitely on the characters.
Overall, it was a nice, heartwarming and positive read.
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