Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg returns to the enchanting world of The Paper Magician.
Alvie Brechenmacher has arrived in London to begin her training in Polymaking—the magical discipline of bespelling plastic. Polymaking is the newest form of magic, and in a field where there is so much left to learn, every Polymaker dreams of making the next big discovery.
Even … the next big discovery.
Even though she is only an apprentice, Alvie is an inventor at heart, and she is determined to make as many discoveries—in as short a time frame—as she can. Luckily for her, she’s studying under the world-renowned magician Marion Praff, who is just as dedicated as Alvie is.
Alvie’s enthusiasm reinvigorates her mentor’s work, and together they create a device that could forever change Polymaking—and the world. But when a rival learns of their plans, he conspires to steal their invention and take the credit for it himself.
To thwart him, Alvie will need to think one step ahead. For in the high-stakes world of magical discovery, not everyone plays fair…
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Read this series!
So good. I do admit that in the beginning I was disappointed that this wasn’t about Magicians’ Thane. But once I got to know Alvie I became as invested.
I liked the cameos of previous characters. Though I did figure out about Emma long before I believe we were supposed to. I guess I just found it suspicious when she tried to talk Alvie out of going to the Polymery that night.
As a fan of Downton Abbey, I couldn’t help but draw parallels to Mr Hemsley, (Mr Carson), Emma, (Anna Smith/Bates). I look forward to continuing with the series.
Great story from a fantastic writer with a smart–actually quite nerdy– female hero, her journey to become a magician who specializes in plastics, the British boy who falls in love with her, and magical engineering innovation. Charlie Holmberg is an imaginative worldbuilder. A magician, perhaps…
I really enjoy Charlie Holmberg’s writing and this particular series. I think it is a fun, engaging take on magic. I like that she keeps the stories sweet and more realistic to what I know. I like the setting and all the twists.
I would recommend this series. I would also listen to other stories done by Sarah Zimmerman
Maybe it was because I was comparing it to the Paper Magician trilogy, but this plot seemed less rich and the sense of urgency was not as great. Still a fun read though. First of a new series in the same world – some of the characters from the first series do cameos.
I’ve been a fan since the Paper Magician and I devoured this book. Great characters and writing.
If you’ve searched for a heroine who is brilliant and speaks her mind, while also being completely uncoordinated, search no more. And if you would like her to live in a world where magic is real, and she is magical, then this is the book for you. Expect mystery, suspense, and bitter rivalries between magicians.
Great light read
In style of previous books. Engaging characters with interesting premise , story well told,
.5 Stars.
Another enjoyable book by Charlie Holmberg, probably my favorite so far. This book is the fourth in the series, but features a different main character, named Alfie. Although, some characters from the previous books make cameo appearances. Alfie is from the United States, but goes to England for her apprenticeship as a polymaker. As in the other books, there is magic, trouble, a mystery, and a little romance.
I thought the mysterious “bad person” and helper may have been a little too obvious, but it was still a good book.
I was also disappointed that from an LDS author it wasn’t as clean as it could have been. There is some bad language (American and English), heavy kissing, sexual innuendos, discussion of her body with large breast, and alluding to a possible rape.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy given to me by the publisher through Net Gallery for my honest review and opinion.