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De grote vossenjacht
Magisch mysterie. Om haar familie terug te krijgen, moet Liz de illusie die de Grote Vos van haar vader heeft gestolen, zien terug te vinden. Maar er zijn meerdere kapers op de kust… Vanaf 9 jaar.
Liz mag meedoen aan De grote vossenjacht, een tv-programma waarin de deelnemers kans maken op de nalatenschap van een wereldberoemde, raadselachtige illusionist: De Grote Vos.
Maar die prijs kan Liz niets schelen. Zij doet mee met een ander doel. De Vos heeft haar familie kapotgemaakt. Hij heeft zijn succes te danken aan een truc die haar vader heeft uitgevonden, en Liz is vastbesloten de truc terug te stelen en de Vos te ontmaskeren. Koste wat kost.
De grote Vos 1 – De grote vossenjacht verschijnt in de reeks Magische mysteries.
Liz mag meedoen aan De grote vossenjacht, een tv-programma waarin de deelnemers kans maken op de nalatenschap van een wereldberoemde, raadselachtige illusionist: De Grote Vos.
Maar die prijs kan Liz niets schelen. Zij doet mee met een ander doel. De Vos heeft haar familie kapotgemaakt. Hij heeft zijn succes te danken aan een truc die haar vader heeft uitgevonden, en Liz is vastbesloten de truc terug te stelen en de Vos te ontmaskeren. Koste wat kost.
De grote Vos 1 – De grote vossenjacht verschijnt in de reeks Magische mysteries.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2022
6 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
May 22, 2022
My review is on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
The Great Fox Illusion book, is an ideal story for me as I love watching magic tricks on Britain’s Got Talent, and often wonder how that magician do that.
I loved idea that this fictional story is full of magic tricks and although this novel is set for 9 + it’s quite easily suitable for adults too. I myself thoroughly enjoyed it all with its magic and mystery.
The Great Fox Hunt was a new TV show about solving the magic tricks in a dead magician’s house. It was hosted by another magician who wanted to get his hands on his rival’s illusions.
The Great Fox and Flick Lions father had been rivals. Felix father had been a highly skilled magician that had big shows on Blackpool Pier and the Fox was performing in London. Chanel Seven visited both shows but the Chanel chose the Fox to work on their new TV show. Sadly as Felix’s father couldn’t find any work he left home.
A magic trick will be performed, then questions will be asked how the trick was done. Felix didn’t care about winning the competition. The Great Fox had destroyed her family and all she wanted to do is to get the Bell System back that her father had invented.
Felix’s dad, taught her all of his secrets, and she knew how all the tricks were done. Her father designed the most amazing trick that had ever been created and the Great Fox had stolen it, and Felix was at the magic show to get the Bell System back. Although Felix had only one leg it was the love of magic that kept her going.
A fantastic page turning experience! Congratulations to the author Justyn Edwards who has pressed all the right buttons for me, as there isn’t a book like this with magicians anywhere.
If you want to know how tricks are done then this is the book for you.
I recommend snapping up this book as everyone is talking about The Great Fox Illusion.
I would like to thank Walker books for sending me this fabulous new book by Justyn Edwards
The Great Fox Illusion book, is an ideal story for me as I love watching magic tricks on Britain’s Got Talent, and often wonder how that magician do that.
I loved idea that this fictional story is full of magic tricks and although this novel is set for 9 + it’s quite easily suitable for adults too. I myself thoroughly enjoyed it all with its magic and mystery.
The Great Fox Hunt was a new TV show about solving the magic tricks in a dead magician’s house. It was hosted by another magician who wanted to get his hands on his rival’s illusions.
The Great Fox and Flick Lions father had been rivals. Felix father had been a highly skilled magician that had big shows on Blackpool Pier and the Fox was performing in London. Chanel Seven visited both shows but the Chanel chose the Fox to work on their new TV show. Sadly as Felix’s father couldn’t find any work he left home.
A magic trick will be performed, then questions will be asked how the trick was done. Felix didn’t care about winning the competition. The Great Fox had destroyed her family and all she wanted to do is to get the Bell System back that her father had invented.
Felix’s dad, taught her all of his secrets, and she knew how all the tricks were done. Her father designed the most amazing trick that had ever been created and the Great Fox had stolen it, and Felix was at the magic show to get the Bell System back. Although Felix had only one leg it was the love of magic that kept her going.
A fantastic page turning experience! Congratulations to the author Justyn Edwards who has pressed all the right buttons for me, as there isn’t a book like this with magicians anywhere.
If you want to know how tricks are done then this is the book for you.
I recommend snapping up this book as everyone is talking about The Great Fox Illusion.
I would like to thank Walker books for sending me this fabulous new book by Justyn Edwards
November 5, 2022
I found out about this book earlier this week when it was shortlisted for the Adrien Prize, and I'm so glad I did. It's exuberantly clever, immersive, fast-paced and incredibly fun - even for readers like me who aren't particularly interested in the mechanics of stage magic. As the kids in this book race to solve various magical puzzles in a house full of mysteries (all filmed for a reality TV show - but with secret sponsors/blackmailers behind the scenes), the tension ramps higher and higher, and all of the kids, even the worst ones, end up having at least a couple of sympathetic moments.
I loved every bit of it up until the ending - where I was only slightly, personally frustrated by the fact that that ending felt more like an extended lead-up for the second book in the series than a satisfying conclusion to this book's individual story. I think this is actually a single story that will be told over at least two books rather than a series of standalone stories. And that's fine, just not what I was personally expecting! (It's also another echo of many that reminded me, in a fun way, of the Willy Wonka series - but with a FAR stronger focus here on disability justice issues and a feminist PoV).
The Adrien Prize honours commercial children's fiction that explores the disability experience in a thoughtful and respectful fashion, and I loved the way Edwards explored it through his heroine in this novel. CW for some ableist bullying along the way - but she proves herself again and again.
I'm looking forward to Book 2!
I loved every bit of it up until the ending - where I was only slightly, personally frustrated by the fact that that ending felt more like an extended lead-up for the second book in the series than a satisfying conclusion to this book's individual story. I think this is actually a single story that will be told over at least two books rather than a series of standalone stories. And that's fine, just not what I was personally expecting! (It's also another echo of many that reminded me, in a fun way, of the Willy Wonka series - but with a FAR stronger focus here on disability justice issues and a feminist PoV).
The Adrien Prize honours commercial children's fiction that explores the disability experience in a thoughtful and respectful fashion, and I loved the way Edwards explored it through his heroine in this novel. CW for some ableist bullying along the way - but she proves herself again and again.
I'm looking forward to Book 2!
May 20, 2022
Een vlot geschreven boek over vriendschap en verlies, boordevol goochel trucs. Ik wil nu ook een goochelaar zijn!!! Het boek las super makkelijk weg en ik wil NU! deel twee lezen.
Het boek heeft een feministische ondertoon, en een hoofd personage met een disability. Ze is haar been verloren in een auto ongeluk, maar niks zal haar stoppen om de wedstrijd te winnen en haar vader terug te krijgen. De Grote Vos heeft een wedstrijd georganiseerd voor kinderen jonger dan 14 jaar. Twee groepen van twee kinderen moeten tegen elkaar strijden om de Grote Vos zijn nalatenschap te erven. Maar het is uiteindelijk gevaarlijker dan je zou denken...
Het boek heeft een feministische ondertoon, en een hoofd personage met een disability. Ze is haar been verloren in een auto ongeluk, maar niks zal haar stoppen om de wedstrijd te winnen en haar vader terug te krijgen. De Grote Vos heeft een wedstrijd georganiseerd voor kinderen jonger dan 14 jaar. Twee groepen van twee kinderen moeten tegen elkaar strijden om de Grote Vos zijn nalatenschap te erven. Maar het is uiteindelijk gevaarlijker dan je zou denken...
December 31, 2021
Loved this! Fast paced, short chapters, not overloaded with detail but still great world building. Friendship, families, passions, adventure - this book has it all!
April 16, 2022
A fun read and one I have no doubt young readers will love but I personally felt it somewhat lacked originality.
April 8, 2022
I’ve always been fascinated by magicians and I can never work out how they do their illusions, I just enjoy the wonder and magic. This MG debut has fuelled my interest and I absolutely loved it! There’s a strong girl power message (why are there so few female magicians anyway?!) and a feisty, disabled main protagonist who just won’t be beaten by her body’s limitations. I rarely do this , but this one I’m going to re read - I enjoyed it that much. The story is fast paced and exciting and I just didn’t want to put it down. And did I work out the mystery that is left unsolved……..no, of course I didn’t!
June 7, 2023
Très très chouette ! Je veux la suite ! Qui n'est pas sortie, je sais.... un super mélange entre prestidigitation et ambiance très Charlie et la Chocolaterie ou Ready Player One. Oui le mélange paraît bizarre, mais c'est vraiment ça !
May 11, 2025
Persoonlijk vind ik dit een perfect boek. Die gene die het voorlas is echt goed! (het luisterboek was op storytel) Het was op sommige momenten spannend, en sommige trucs begreep ik gewoon niet. Maar dat ligt aan mij. Het was zeker spannend toen het belsysteem viel. Ik dacht echt: daar gaat het belsysteem! Gelukkig niet, anders was het verhaal snel afgelopen. Het was leuk dat Liz (of Velicity) gehandicapt was, dat heb je niet vaak bij zulke boeken. Liz is erg slim wat haar erg helpt. Charlie is erg aardig en heeft veel geduld, al is wel hij een kletskous. Maar dat is wel leuk, en hij stopt gelijk wanneer Liz zegt dat hij moet stoppen. Die tegenstanders waren wel erg gemeen, maar dat maakte het juist zo spannend! Zij gaven hun ook uitdagingen. Ze hadden er al genoeg, maar hé, als luisteraar maakt dat het leuk. Gewoon lekker stil zijn en naar het luisterboek luisteren. Als je aan mij vraagt of dit een aanrader is zeg ik: Zeker!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2025
Ik geef dit boek een 4,5.
Ik vind dit een superleuk boek vol met geheimen, mysterie en avontuur!
Dit is het eerste boek in een serie en er is al een deel twee.
Ik heb dit boek gelezen op de app Storytel en ik had het binnen no time uit en ik heb het gelezen met veel plezier.
Het is zeker een aanrader!
Ik vind dit een superleuk boek vol met geheimen, mysterie en avontuur!
Dit is het eerste boek in een serie en er is al een deel twee.
Ik heb dit boek gelezen op de app Storytel en ik had het binnen no time uit en ik heb het gelezen met veel plezier.
Het is zeker een aanrader!
May 21, 2022
What can I tell you about The Great Fox Illusion without breaking the readers’ code and giving it all away? … Well, I can start by saying that I simply could not put this book down. At first it was the voice – the main character, Flick being relentlessly entertaining with her wry commentary and obvious side-eye to the reader. And then it was the magic. I don’t even know how the author is allowed to do this – give away magic secrets – because he does. He throws them like decks of cards, and I found myself hungry to know more. He even explained how a guy on Britain’s Got Talent did a trick that has baffled me forever… But back to the story:
It's about a televised competition to discover the secret of Fox Den, the home of the famous, deceased Great Fox, a magician whose secrets are coveted and locked within the estate. The winner gets it all – the magic tricks, the fame, a series on tv… The network is taking a gamble with this show, but there is hot competition to get on it. Plenty of hopefuls queue to take the initiation test. It’s intimidating, but Flick, whose missing father is a lesser known magician, has been around magic tricks since she was little and knows the basics: slight of hand, apparatus, misdirection. But Fox Den isn’t an easy trick to solve, and getting into the televised competition is only the first step. After that, she needs to solve tricks, search the library for clues, evade the other more aggressive contestants and learn how to be part of a team.
This book is jammed with incredible scenery. There are tunnels, moving walls, talking lifts, virtual reality encounters. And just when you think it’s all over, there’s one last flourish – a brilliant twist.
While I am now wiser to some of those magic tricks that once had me completely foxed, the real magic of this book is the characters, from the awful showbiz presenters to the bitter, grabby rival magicians. The main character is Flick, who has goal, an ambition and a deep loyalty to her father. She also has a prosthetic leg, which isn’t so much under the spotlight rather just part of life; it’s something that needs to be considered when moving around a big old house or balancing on a roof (oops, sorry, readers’ code). While she likes to work alone, she’s thrown together with chatterbox Charlie, and when they team up, they are a masterclass in comedy. There are hilarious secondary characters, like the mother of a contestant called Harry, who is relentlessly disparaging. My favourite line is when Harry asks her on a call how his father is, and her response is that he still hasn’t finished painting the fence. Okay, so it’s not funny when I write it, but wrapped in the atmosphere and build-up of the story, it had me snorting out loud.
Justyn Edwards is a fun and funny writer, and he won't be gone in a puff of smoke - I can assure you there will be more from this showman. In fact, having read this in one sitting, I’m beginning to think Edwards may well be a conjuror, himself. As it says in the chapter titled, ‘The art of a trick’: if you tell the right story, your audience will be hooked, and the rest is all about the performance.
Abracadabrilliant.
It's about a televised competition to discover the secret of Fox Den, the home of the famous, deceased Great Fox, a magician whose secrets are coveted and locked within the estate. The winner gets it all – the magic tricks, the fame, a series on tv… The network is taking a gamble with this show, but there is hot competition to get on it. Plenty of hopefuls queue to take the initiation test. It’s intimidating, but Flick, whose missing father is a lesser known magician, has been around magic tricks since she was little and knows the basics: slight of hand, apparatus, misdirection. But Fox Den isn’t an easy trick to solve, and getting into the televised competition is only the first step. After that, she needs to solve tricks, search the library for clues, evade the other more aggressive contestants and learn how to be part of a team.
This book is jammed with incredible scenery. There are tunnels, moving walls, talking lifts, virtual reality encounters. And just when you think it’s all over, there’s one last flourish – a brilliant twist.
While I am now wiser to some of those magic tricks that once had me completely foxed, the real magic of this book is the characters, from the awful showbiz presenters to the bitter, grabby rival magicians. The main character is Flick, who has goal, an ambition and a deep loyalty to her father. She also has a prosthetic leg, which isn’t so much under the spotlight rather just part of life; it’s something that needs to be considered when moving around a big old house or balancing on a roof (oops, sorry, readers’ code). While she likes to work alone, she’s thrown together with chatterbox Charlie, and when they team up, they are a masterclass in comedy. There are hilarious secondary characters, like the mother of a contestant called Harry, who is relentlessly disparaging. My favourite line is when Harry asks her on a call how his father is, and her response is that he still hasn’t finished painting the fence. Okay, so it’s not funny when I write it, but wrapped in the atmosphere and build-up of the story, it had me snorting out loud.
Justyn Edwards is a fun and funny writer, and he won't be gone in a puff of smoke - I can assure you there will be more from this showman. In fact, having read this in one sitting, I’m beginning to think Edwards may well be a conjuror, himself. As it says in the chapter titled, ‘The art of a trick’: if you tell the right story, your audience will be hooked, and the rest is all about the performance.
Abracadabrilliant.
May 2, 2022
Many recent middle-grade books have included elements of fantasy and magic, though not all have been successful. The Great Fox Illusion by Justyn Edwards is a refreshing change from the ordinary “magical” formula simply because it is magical in an entirely different way. That’s right; step right up, readers young and young of heart, to see the greatest magical illusion the world has ever seen!
The Great Fox Illusion is written as one grand magic trick – we know this because it’s right there in the foreward.
“This book is a trick. Please don’t sit back and enjoy it. In fact, don’t take your eyes off it for a second.”
As with all great magic tricks, the audience (or the reader in this case) is so distracted by the flair, the sleight of hand and the misdirection that we forget to keep our guard up. So, what’s the trick?
One of the world’s greatest magicians, The Great Fox, has died. He has no heirs, so his legacy is to be bestowed upon the winner of a TV show contest, which fans are competing to enter. Flick Lions is one of them, and she will do anything to win.
But she doesn’t care about his legacy. The Great Fox ruined her life when he stole her father’s greatest trick, and Flick is determined to get it back.
What follows is a delicious, mystical romp through the great magician’s mansion where danger looms, and dark secrets are revealed.
The Great Fox Illusion is the debut novel of author Justyn Edwards, a modern-minded writer who has clearly been listening to what parents and teachers have been crying out for – more diverse characters! He portrays Flick’s struggles with her disability – her amputated leg – realistically. Flick’s prosthetic leg does slow her down sometimes and causes her pain from time to time, but it is not her defining characteristic. That characteristic is her no-nonsense determination, and she displays it wonderfully.
Middle-grade readers will fall in love with Flick and the world within our own that she inhabits throughout this story, for The Great Fox Illusion would be nothing without its setting. Much like Hogwarts and The Deucalion Hotel, The Great Fox’s mansion is as much a character as is Flick or The Great Fox himself. The book would be a completely different tale without the talking lift, movable walls and the Fox Files digital library.
This brilliant debut novel will leave readers scratching their heads trying to figure out what just happened. The Great Fox Illusion is a magical story brimming with adventure, illusion and friendship, perfect for those who loved the magic and wonder of Alice in Wonderland or the mystery and adventure of Skulduggery Pleasant. Luckily, the second book in the series is currently being edited, and rumours of a third are brewing!
The Great Fox Illusion is written as one grand magic trick – we know this because it’s right there in the foreward.
“This book is a trick. Please don’t sit back and enjoy it. In fact, don’t take your eyes off it for a second.”
As with all great magic tricks, the audience (or the reader in this case) is so distracted by the flair, the sleight of hand and the misdirection that we forget to keep our guard up. So, what’s the trick?
One of the world’s greatest magicians, The Great Fox, has died. He has no heirs, so his legacy is to be bestowed upon the winner of a TV show contest, which fans are competing to enter. Flick Lions is one of them, and she will do anything to win.
But she doesn’t care about his legacy. The Great Fox ruined her life when he stole her father’s greatest trick, and Flick is determined to get it back.
What follows is a delicious, mystical romp through the great magician’s mansion where danger looms, and dark secrets are revealed.
The Great Fox Illusion is the debut novel of author Justyn Edwards, a modern-minded writer who has clearly been listening to what parents and teachers have been crying out for – more diverse characters! He portrays Flick’s struggles with her disability – her amputated leg – realistically. Flick’s prosthetic leg does slow her down sometimes and causes her pain from time to time, but it is not her defining characteristic. That characteristic is her no-nonsense determination, and she displays it wonderfully.
Middle-grade readers will fall in love with Flick and the world within our own that she inhabits throughout this story, for The Great Fox Illusion would be nothing without its setting. Much like Hogwarts and The Deucalion Hotel, The Great Fox’s mansion is as much a character as is Flick or The Great Fox himself. The book would be a completely different tale without the talking lift, movable walls and the Fox Files digital library.
This brilliant debut novel will leave readers scratching their heads trying to figure out what just happened. The Great Fox Illusion is a magical story brimming with adventure, illusion and friendship, perfect for those who loved the magic and wonder of Alice in Wonderland or the mystery and adventure of Skulduggery Pleasant. Luckily, the second book in the series is currently being edited, and rumours of a third are brewing!
January 24, 2022
The Great Fox Illusion is the first in an enthralling new series from debut author Justyn Edwards and illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino. Readers are challenged to help to solve the riddles posed by each magic trick, including that of the climactic finale.
Author Justyn Edwards successfully weaves a life-long love of magic through a story of heartbreak and slices of exciting action. The narrative continues to involve the reader throughout, not just emotionally (who wouldn’t want to help Flick and her teammate Charlie as their own struggles are revealed?) but also by drawing out the suspense of the big reveal for each illusion. Combine this with the fantasy backdrop of the Great Fox estate and you finish the book wanting more, while being tempted to start right at the beginning and read it again, just in case you missed any clues!
Great as a class read, this book could also start discussions about inclusion, teamwork, choice of language to portray a character, the subject of right and wrong (is there ever a right time to do a wrong thing?) and even an alternative research topic – the history of magic and illusion.
Thank you to the publisher for sending us an early review copy. Our review features on our Spring 2022 Ones to Watch list: https://www.booksfortopics.com/post/o....
Author Justyn Edwards successfully weaves a life-long love of magic through a story of heartbreak and slices of exciting action. The narrative continues to involve the reader throughout, not just emotionally (who wouldn’t want to help Flick and her teammate Charlie as their own struggles are revealed?) but also by drawing out the suspense of the big reveal for each illusion. Combine this with the fantasy backdrop of the Great Fox estate and you finish the book wanting more, while being tempted to start right at the beginning and read it again, just in case you missed any clues!
Great as a class read, this book could also start discussions about inclusion, teamwork, choice of language to portray a character, the subject of right and wrong (is there ever a right time to do a wrong thing?) and even an alternative research topic – the history of magic and illusion.
Thank you to the publisher for sending us an early review copy. Our review features on our Spring 2022 Ones to Watch list: https://www.booksfortopics.com/post/o....
April 24, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and definitely see it appealing to children (and adults).
I love that it has so much representation for children elements that make the characters who they are but don’t limit or define them.
Flick is a determined person who doesn’t let her prosthetic leg stop her (although the book doesn’t sugar coat her situation and shows the painful side and the challenges she faces).
Charlie is equally determined and his story touches on sibling illness.
I found the challenges they faced in solving the mysteries of each trick fascinating. I have to say I didn’t actually figure out any of them on my own. I flew through the book though I wanted to keep reading on because each element added to the excitement. It was a fast moving story and I also liked that the chapters were short. They were only as long as they needed to be and this helped keep the pace of the story.
I am intrigued to know what is coming next especially how things will pan out with Flick and her family.
I love that it has so much representation for children elements that make the characters who they are but don’t limit or define them.
Flick is a determined person who doesn’t let her prosthetic leg stop her (although the book doesn’t sugar coat her situation and shows the painful side and the challenges she faces).
Charlie is equally determined and his story touches on sibling illness.
I found the challenges they faced in solving the mysteries of each trick fascinating. I have to say I didn’t actually figure out any of them on my own. I flew through the book though I wanted to keep reading on because each element added to the excitement. It was a fast moving story and I also liked that the chapters were short. They were only as long as they needed to be and this helped keep the pace of the story.
I am intrigued to know what is coming next especially how things will pan out with Flick and her family.
May 31, 2022
LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! Just amazing from start to finish. A constant stream of twists and turns that I just never saw coming!
April 22, 2022
This book is so much fun. If you have even the slightest inclination towards magic, or the curiosity to explore it alongside children then you will just adore this. There is something so classically British about the dry, deliberate humour that I really appreciated (although I am British so I would say that) and there's a fun, adult slant to the tone too which makes what is ostensibly a middle-grade book feel totally accessible to an adult market too.
In this book as changeable as the walls within, we see a famous illusionist, The Great Fox, die and open up a world of possibility. Now, as TV is wont to do, there's a competition for the next big magician. Flick, our protagonist, is in the running and whilst you might think, "oh here we go, another trope infested competition where the protagonist of course wins", you'd be wrong. Sort of. It is trope-infested, make no mistake, but Flick is no ordinary character. Flick is vengeful and her agenda for winning is certainly more than it seems.
The book has bags of personality, inclusivity, fun and a world of imagination. Have you seen it before? Sure, some of it. Does it matter? Hardly at all; only a tiny bit.
ARC provided from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
In this book as changeable as the walls within, we see a famous illusionist, The Great Fox, die and open up a world of possibility. Now, as TV is wont to do, there's a competition for the next big magician. Flick, our protagonist, is in the running and whilst you might think, "oh here we go, another trope infested competition where the protagonist of course wins", you'd be wrong. Sort of. It is trope-infested, make no mistake, but Flick is no ordinary character. Flick is vengeful and her agenda for winning is certainly more than it seems.
The book has bags of personality, inclusivity, fun and a world of imagination. Have you seen it before? Sure, some of it. Does it matter? Hardly at all; only a tiny bit.
ARC provided from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2022
I used to love Paul Daniels, back in the day, but I never really spent a lot of time wondering how anything was done, and I haven't kept up with magic - I don't know who the famous magicians are now. I wasn't sure how well I'd like this, since I don't know a lot about magic and how it works.
Answer: I liked it a lot. Justyn is clearly a magic fan, if not a magician himself, but since all the main characters are children, everything is explained at a level they can follow. The concept itself is fantastic - I love the moving walls! - and the characters are brilliant. Flick is a totally matter of fact amputee, which is important for children to see and gain experience of. Charles is fantastic; we all know a Charles, I think, and if we don't we should, he makes everything better. I didn't figure out any of the answers, but someone who knows magic might do better than I did.
I'm looking forward to reading more about these characters - because there has to be more, right, Justyn? That wasn't just a hook with no reward at the end? There'll be another?
Answer: I liked it a lot. Justyn is clearly a magic fan, if not a magician himself, but since all the main characters are children, everything is explained at a level they can follow. The concept itself is fantastic - I love the moving walls! - and the characters are brilliant. Flick is a totally matter of fact amputee, which is important for children to see and gain experience of. Charles is fantastic; we all know a Charles, I think, and if we don't we should, he makes everything better. I didn't figure out any of the answers, but someone who knows magic might do better than I did.
I'm looking forward to reading more about these characters - because there has to be more, right, Justyn? That wasn't just a hook with no reward at the end? There'll be another?
July 18, 2022
4.25
i’ve always been curious about how magicians pulled of their tricks so easily so it was really cool to learn more about the techniques!! i haven’t really encountered that many books about magicians and magic tricks so i found it rather unique :) i love how flick doesn’t let being one-legged limit her and just keeps going on. i liked how the book had short chapters, it made me want to keep on reading until i’d finished the book :D i hope the sequel comes out soon because i really need what happens next!
i’ve always been curious about how magicians pulled of their tricks so easily so it was really cool to learn more about the techniques!! i haven’t really encountered that many books about magicians and magic tricks so i found it rather unique :) i love how flick doesn’t let being one-legged limit her and just keeps going on. i liked how the book had short chapters, it made me want to keep on reading until i’d finished the book :D i hope the sequel comes out soon because i really need what happens next!
March 2, 2022
This is a really great read that I couldnt put down. It had everything that I love in fiction, magic, mystery, friendships and above all else characters that I took to my heart. I am so happy this is the first in the series and I cannot wait to getmy hands on the nest installment. I loved it.
March 24, 2022
Great fun with exciting twists and turns! Flick is great, determined young heroine that many young readers will love.
April 23, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed this story - the ending had me gripped!! Cant wait to see what happens with Flick & Charlie in the next book!!
April 27, 2022
Entertaining and colorful, but lacking in depth and a very rushed ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2022
The Great Fox Illusion is replete with mystery, a very strong (differently-abled) female protagonist, heinous villains and a beautifully restored English castle, full of space-age secret chambers and trapdoors. What’s not to love?
Brilliantly written with classic British dry wit, the book also contains lots of action and a tender heart. It traces the journey of Felicity (Flick) Lions as she hopes to beat other aspiring magicians to win the television show contest so that she can bring her father home.
I especially loved Justyn Edward’s “About” blurb at the end of the book: “He realised that what elevates the trick a magician performs is the story that he tells his audience. And in turn, stories themselves are a kind of magic trick, with the author choosing when to reveal his secrets to the reader.” Indeed.
Brilliantly written with classic British dry wit, the book also contains lots of action and a tender heart. It traces the journey of Felicity (Flick) Lions as she hopes to beat other aspiring magicians to win the television show contest so that she can bring her father home.
I especially loved Justyn Edward’s “About” blurb at the end of the book: “He realised that what elevates the trick a magician performs is the story that he tells his audience. And in turn, stories themselves are a kind of magic trick, with the author choosing when to reveal his secrets to the reader.” Indeed.
May 20, 2022
The Great Fox Illusion
By Justyn Edwards
Published by Walker Books UK
What a treat to read a story full of magic and illusion centred around one truly gritty & strong willed female character!
Meet thirteen-year-old Flick Lions, who having won a TV competition competes with three other youngsters to win the legacy of the Great Fox.
But all is not what it seems in this fast paced tale, where the author teases us with behind-the-scenes glimpses into the world of illusionists' tricks and methods.
Because Flick NEEDS something more than the end prize.
This is also the tale of a young girl's bravery and courage in the face of disability, and of the value of friendship in the face of adversity.
Thanks go to Justyn Edwards for pushing boundaries, creating heroines and giving girls (and boys) like Flick the platform to say “I can do anything!”
With the creative flare of words and tricks formed in your mind you are in for a treat of a read like no other.
Joanne B - Year 3 teacher of littlies, lover of books.
#Netgallery
#WalkerBooksUK
By Justyn Edwards
Published by Walker Books UK
What a treat to read a story full of magic and illusion centred around one truly gritty & strong willed female character!
Meet thirteen-year-old Flick Lions, who having won a TV competition competes with three other youngsters to win the legacy of the Great Fox.
But all is not what it seems in this fast paced tale, where the author teases us with behind-the-scenes glimpses into the world of illusionists' tricks and methods.
Because Flick NEEDS something more than the end prize.
This is also the tale of a young girl's bravery and courage in the face of disability, and of the value of friendship in the face of adversity.
Thanks go to Justyn Edwards for pushing boundaries, creating heroines and giving girls (and boys) like Flick the platform to say “I can do anything!”
With the creative flare of words and tricks formed in your mind you are in for a treat of a read like no other.
Joanne B - Year 3 teacher of littlies, lover of books.
#Netgallery
#WalkerBooksUK
January 29, 2022
Read & reviewed for The Bookbag http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/T...
August 26, 2022
The Great Fox Illusion is an exciting, magic-filled adventure with an interesting main character and some surprising twists. The magic is not the supernatural kind, however, but the magic trick kind!
(💫 Check out my full review and books similar to The Great Fox Illusion on my website: https://newkidonthebookreviews.wordpr...)
I really enjoyed reading about all the different magic tricks described in The Great Fox Illusion! This was the highlight of the book for me. The author brought up how men have dominated the magical trade, with women only supposed to play the role of assistants. Flick, with her impressive magic skills, shows that girls can be great at magic too! However, the book could also have mentioned some important female magicians like Adelaide Hermann and Dorothy Dietrich, along with the famous male magicians whose names come up.
Flick has a prosthetic leg in the story, and I appreciated how the author took this seriously by considering how it would affect her throughout the book. I also enjoyed seeing the friendship develop between Flick and Charlie, another young magician competing to be the next “Great Fox”. Together, the pair solve clues and deal with the nasty sabotage attempts of their fellow competitors while learning to trust each other in dangerous situations.
Ruby and Christina, a magician and a magician's assistant, were less intereting to read about. Although Ruby is one of the competitors, she basically just follows the instructions of her magician brother. Christina is presented as flashy, superficial and without real knowledge of magic. I would have loved to see either Christina or Ruby show more personality and spunk. Maybe in the next book!
... (Read the rest on my website! https://newkidonthebookreviews.wordpr... )
(💫 Check out my full review and books similar to The Great Fox Illusion on my website: https://newkidonthebookreviews.wordpr...)
I really enjoyed reading about all the different magic tricks described in The Great Fox Illusion! This was the highlight of the book for me. The author brought up how men have dominated the magical trade, with women only supposed to play the role of assistants. Flick, with her impressive magic skills, shows that girls can be great at magic too! However, the book could also have mentioned some important female magicians like Adelaide Hermann and Dorothy Dietrich, along with the famous male magicians whose names come up.
Flick has a prosthetic leg in the story, and I appreciated how the author took this seriously by considering how it would affect her throughout the book. I also enjoyed seeing the friendship develop between Flick and Charlie, another young magician competing to be the next “Great Fox”. Together, the pair solve clues and deal with the nasty sabotage attempts of their fellow competitors while learning to trust each other in dangerous situations.
Ruby and Christina, a magician and a magician's assistant, were less intereting to read about. Although Ruby is one of the competitors, she basically just follows the instructions of her magician brother. Christina is presented as flashy, superficial and without real knowledge of magic. I would have loved to see either Christina or Ruby show more personality and spunk. Maybe in the next book!
... (Read the rest on my website! https://newkidonthebookreviews.wordpr... )
November 12, 2023
Kan niet wachten om het tweede deel te lezen
July 23, 2025
Un chouette roman avec de la magie, what else?
July 5, 2025
DNF 30%
This story would be so much better if the author would quit portraying women and girls as being oppressed, marginalised, exploited, and unvalued. As a woman with a disability, I find it rather patronising that a male author is telling me that I should feel like a victim. Self-pity and anger at the world don't empower young girls or boys.
He's presumably trying to 'right some wrongs', but no one wants that in a kids' book. And most of us don't want to be lectured at all, thanks. Just give the reader a story where a girl gets to do fun and exciting things, have ambition, and enjoy life even with a disability. A shift in tone is what this book needs because it starts to feel negative when it could be uplifting and positive.
You may think this an overreaction, and maybe you're right, but this slow drip feed of ideology in a book for children is aggravating. But as a child in the early 90s, I never once thought that I couldn't be a magician because I'm a girl. We had a magic set at home! Quit telling girls that the world is against them! Because if it wasn't in the 90s, it certainly isn't now.
I wish the author hadn't set up that the world is against women and girls and those with a disability. (Though, to be fair to him, the number of babies that get aborted because they have a disability or medical condition is abominable, so I guess he's right in some regard.)
But particularly with regards sexism, I just wanted more subtlety than stupid statements like 'women can't be magicians because it upsets the natural order', as well as the observation that they were all 'privileged white men' coming from a child. And the main character bemoaning the fact that the men get to do all the tricks, and the women just have to stand there looking beautiful. And her distain over the fact that so many old portraits have men at the centre of them. This was all just in the first third of the book!
I sincerely hope that no young girl has been taught to hate and resent men as much as the main character and see guilt and oppression everywhere she looks. If the author is insistent on driving this idea home that men and women have not been equal, could he not at least show how times have changed?! But I presume he doesn't think they have because the main character doesn't.
Narcissism, victimhood and anger is dominating a lot of young people's minds, and those traits are the enemy of progress, moving forward and a thankfulness of how far we've come and an appreciation of all people, including men! The incessant desire to push yourself to the foreground and be the centre of attention is not a positive trait.
This story had the bones of a great story and could have shown women and disability in a really positive and refreshing way, but the author became very preachy and prescriptive, and so any conversation about the topic became negative and critical.
CW:
-reference to making magic sexy again
-Over the top sexism introduced to make the female protagonist a victim. One character says women shouldn't be magicians because it upsets the natural order.
This is the kind of sexism that some people believe women face all the time in the West, but we really don't, so it comes off as absurd.
-going down a hall of fame of magicians, the young protagonist 'was thinking about the fact that almost every single one of these was a man, and a privileged white man at that'. Sure, because that's how kids think. Well, I guess they do if they're told to think in those terms. To assume privilege based on skin colour alone and to denote worth based on skin colour. This overshadows what is a much more natural reflection of her finding her place and value as a girl with one leg.
- mc even looks at old portraits of men with distain, saying their pets and wives look like they don't want to be there. She notices that 'a man was at the centre of every painting'.
This story would be so much better if the author would quit portraying women and girls as being oppressed, marginalised, exploited, and unvalued. As a woman with a disability, I find it rather patronising that a male author is telling me that I should feel like a victim. Self-pity and anger at the world don't empower young girls or boys.
He's presumably trying to 'right some wrongs', but no one wants that in a kids' book. And most of us don't want to be lectured at all, thanks. Just give the reader a story where a girl gets to do fun and exciting things, have ambition, and enjoy life even with a disability. A shift in tone is what this book needs because it starts to feel negative when it could be uplifting and positive.
You may think this an overreaction, and maybe you're right, but this slow drip feed of ideology in a book for children is aggravating. But as a child in the early 90s, I never once thought that I couldn't be a magician because I'm a girl. We had a magic set at home! Quit telling girls that the world is against them! Because if it wasn't in the 90s, it certainly isn't now.
I wish the author hadn't set up that the world is against women and girls and those with a disability. (Though, to be fair to him, the number of babies that get aborted because they have a disability or medical condition is abominable, so I guess he's right in some regard.)
But particularly with regards sexism, I just wanted more subtlety than stupid statements like 'women can't be magicians because it upsets the natural order', as well as the observation that they were all 'privileged white men' coming from a child. And the main character bemoaning the fact that the men get to do all the tricks, and the women just have to stand there looking beautiful. And her distain over the fact that so many old portraits have men at the centre of them. This was all just in the first third of the book!
I sincerely hope that no young girl has been taught to hate and resent men as much as the main character and see guilt and oppression everywhere she looks. If the author is insistent on driving this idea home that men and women have not been equal, could he not at least show how times have changed?! But I presume he doesn't think they have because the main character doesn't.
Narcissism, victimhood and anger is dominating a lot of young people's minds, and those traits are the enemy of progress, moving forward and a thankfulness of how far we've come and an appreciation of all people, including men! The incessant desire to push yourself to the foreground and be the centre of attention is not a positive trait.
This story had the bones of a great story and could have shown women and disability in a really positive and refreshing way, but the author became very preachy and prescriptive, and so any conversation about the topic became negative and critical.
CW:
-reference to making magic sexy again
-Over the top sexism introduced to make the female protagonist a victim. One character says women shouldn't be magicians because it upsets the natural order.
This is the kind of sexism that some people believe women face all the time in the West, but we really don't, so it comes off as absurd.
-going down a hall of fame of magicians, the young protagonist 'was thinking about the fact that almost every single one of these was a man, and a privileged white man at that'. Sure, because that's how kids think. Well, I guess they do if they're told to think in those terms. To assume privilege based on skin colour alone and to denote worth based on skin colour. This overshadows what is a much more natural reflection of her finding her place and value as a girl with one leg.
- mc even looks at old portraits of men with distain, saying their pets and wives look like they don't want to be there. She notices that 'a man was at the centre of every painting'.
May 1, 2022
Refreshingly sarcastic protagonist, loved the premise.
Some strange narrative touches here, but an exciting plot.
In a twist on the Willy Wonka story, a world-famous magician has died and left his secrets open to a successor, one who will be decided by a competition, open to young magician wannabees.
Flick Lions enters the competition with an aim in mind. Yes she wants to find the Great Fox's secrets. But only because he stole one from her recently-disappeared father.
Other children are there to start TV careers, or for fame, for money. Only a few will be chosen to enter the Great Fox's magic-laden home and search for the clues that will reveal to them his secrets and the prize for one of them.
Loved this idea, and a book about magic is so refreshing a context for a competition/adventure/mystery. Flick of course also brings us a differently-abled protagonist to root for - those who've noted the cover will see she has a prosthetic limb, and a lot of detail has gone into the story to show what life can be like with this, but how it doesn't have to hold you back.
The reader is invited into the world of magic and the Great Fox's own created one, with the contestants asked to unpick famous tricks of the past to solve clues, I hope it entices children to learn more about illusionists and tricks and look critically on TV magicians and think logically about how they can dupe you.
I did feel the plot moved too quickly to start with - Flick is auditioning and (surprise surprise) gets through, then all of a sudden the competition begins, alliances are drawn and clues are sought. Grown-ups only appear to film segments for the television broadcast of events, otherwise it's just the children, which felt somehow miscalculated. Like the Big Brother house without knowing how the outside world or producers are involved.
I felt there were a few plot holes too, though I don't want to explain for fear of giving away twists and surprises. And a few motivations I didn't understand... not sure younger readers will pick up on these though, so just ignore me.
Flick's teammate, Charlie, is earnestly adorable, and I liked the tiny glimpses we get, the only ones to the outside world, of the children communicating with their families, each with a problem they are trying to resolve by taking part in the competition.
I understand a sequel is being written, which makes sense as the ending leaves some things very open we want to pursue. And more stories about Flick would be wonderful to have out there, as well as more stories that give us insight into the world of magic and illusion.
For ages 9-13.
With thanks to Walker Books for providing a sample reading copy.
Some strange narrative touches here, but an exciting plot.
In a twist on the Willy Wonka story, a world-famous magician has died and left his secrets open to a successor, one who will be decided by a competition, open to young magician wannabees.
Flick Lions enters the competition with an aim in mind. Yes she wants to find the Great Fox's secrets. But only because he stole one from her recently-disappeared father.
Other children are there to start TV careers, or for fame, for money. Only a few will be chosen to enter the Great Fox's magic-laden home and search for the clues that will reveal to them his secrets and the prize for one of them.
Loved this idea, and a book about magic is so refreshing a context for a competition/adventure/mystery. Flick of course also brings us a differently-abled protagonist to root for - those who've noted the cover will see she has a prosthetic limb, and a lot of detail has gone into the story to show what life can be like with this, but how it doesn't have to hold you back.
The reader is invited into the world of magic and the Great Fox's own created one, with the contestants asked to unpick famous tricks of the past to solve clues, I hope it entices children to learn more about illusionists and tricks and look critically on TV magicians and think logically about how they can dupe you.
I did feel the plot moved too quickly to start with - Flick is auditioning and (surprise surprise) gets through, then all of a sudden the competition begins, alliances are drawn and clues are sought. Grown-ups only appear to film segments for the television broadcast of events, otherwise it's just the children, which felt somehow miscalculated. Like the Big Brother house without knowing how the outside world or producers are involved.
I felt there were a few plot holes too, though I don't want to explain for fear of giving away twists and surprises. And a few motivations I didn't understand... not sure younger readers will pick up on these though, so just ignore me.
Flick's teammate, Charlie, is earnestly adorable, and I liked the tiny glimpses we get, the only ones to the outside world, of the children communicating with their families, each with a problem they are trying to resolve by taking part in the competition.
I understand a sequel is being written, which makes sense as the ending leaves some things very open we want to pursue. And more stories about Flick would be wonderful to have out there, as well as more stories that give us insight into the world of magic and illusion.
For ages 9-13.
With thanks to Walker Books for providing a sample reading copy.
May 13, 2022
This is a really fun book for children (aged 8 - 12), which delves into the world of international stage illusionists.
Thirteen-year-old Felicity (Flick) Lions makes a refreshing protagonist. She’s coming to terms with a horrific car crash in which she lost her leg, and the disappearance of her dad. The former informs her outlook during the book, and the latter drives the plot. She blames the Great Fox - a deceased master illusionist - for her father’s failed magic career and his subsequent disappearance.
The story has its roots in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The once reclusive, now dead, Great Fox has opened up his chamber of secrets for the first time to a group of children who are vying to succeed him. It also has shades of the excellent Now You See Me films.
Flick is on a quest to expose the fact that the Great Fox stole her father’s most amazing trick (the Bell System) and to reclaim it from the Fox’s mansion. To do that, she enters a reality TV show set inside the mansion, where she and her fellow contestants must figure out how certain well-known tricks were performed. She must deal with treachery, prejudice, and greed from her fellow child contestants as well as other (adult) vested interests who also want to get their hands on the Bell System.
The plotting and the pacing is excellent. This book is a page turner right to the end.
Nevertheless, the ending was (for me, as an adult reading the book) disappointing. The build up and the staging had promised much. It had been such a fun journey, so I couldn’t help feeling let down by an end which didn’t really pay off on the earlier setup.
It would be impossible to point to specifics, without giving away spoilers. I’ll simply say that I didn’t think Flick’s personal journey had a satisfying or convincing resolution, in terms of what she set out to achieve by entering the competition. Equally, the behaviour and reactions of the characters in the final chapters didn't ring true, and the story elements that were used to create an exciting denouement felt contrived.
However, just to repeat, that was an adult’s perspective. I’ve been reading the story to my daughter. She’s maybe a shade too young for the target audience, but she’s really enjoying it. I read ahead to make sure it’s all suitable and it most definitely is. She keeps reading ahead though, too, because she wants to know how it was done. I’m sure Flick would approve :-)
Thirteen-year-old Felicity (Flick) Lions makes a refreshing protagonist. She’s coming to terms with a horrific car crash in which she lost her leg, and the disappearance of her dad. The former informs her outlook during the book, and the latter drives the plot. She blames the Great Fox - a deceased master illusionist - for her father’s failed magic career and his subsequent disappearance.
The story has its roots in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The once reclusive, now dead, Great Fox has opened up his chamber of secrets for the first time to a group of children who are vying to succeed him. It also has shades of the excellent Now You See Me films.
Flick is on a quest to expose the fact that the Great Fox stole her father’s most amazing trick (the Bell System) and to reclaim it from the Fox’s mansion. To do that, she enters a reality TV show set inside the mansion, where she and her fellow contestants must figure out how certain well-known tricks were performed. She must deal with treachery, prejudice, and greed from her fellow child contestants as well as other (adult) vested interests who also want to get their hands on the Bell System.
The plotting and the pacing is excellent. This book is a page turner right to the end.
Nevertheless, the ending was (for me, as an adult reading the book) disappointing. The build up and the staging had promised much. It had been such a fun journey, so I couldn’t help feeling let down by an end which didn’t really pay off on the earlier setup.
It would be impossible to point to specifics, without giving away spoilers. I’ll simply say that I didn’t think Flick’s personal journey had a satisfying or convincing resolution, in terms of what she set out to achieve by entering the competition. Equally, the behaviour and reactions of the characters in the final chapters didn't ring true, and the story elements that were used to create an exciting denouement felt contrived.
However, just to repeat, that was an adult’s perspective. I’ve been reading the story to my daughter. She’s maybe a shade too young for the target audience, but she’s really enjoying it. I read ahead to make sure it’s all suitable and it most definitely is. She keeps reading ahead though, too, because she wants to know how it was done. I’m sure Flick would approve :-)
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