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 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…
Goodreads Rating: 4.14 stars with over 3500 ratings
Genre Listing: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Magic
Goodreads Challenge: 18/30
Book Review:
Oh Em. Gee. I am in love with The Plastic Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg. For those of you who don't know, The Plastic Magician is the sort-of fourth book in the Paper Magician series. It's more of a spin-off that takes place after the original series. I was pleased to see that Ceony and Mg. Thane made a cameo appearance in The Plastic Magician. Another familiar face that we see is Bennet, a folding apprentice to Mg. Bailey. I really loved the inclusion of Bennet, and his sister Ethel. Alvie and Bennet have this sweet relationship that I just utterly adored.
I initially had a love-hate relationship with the Paper Magician books. I absolutely loved the Plastic Magician. Alvie is exceptionally clever and just seems so relatable. She's a bit quirky and does random calculations in her head to alleviate her anxiety, prefers pants to the fashionable skirts of the time, and is fascinated with taking things apart and figuring them out. I didn't feel like she was the one who put herself in danger in this story, but was quick thinking enough to save herself.
I think the best part of The Plastic Magician is that where the folding (paper) magic is described as pretty magic, this is functional magic. What's even better is that it combines magic and science, and I'm so excited to see how Alvie and Mg. Praff's discovery impacts the world that Holmberg has created.
I was completely engrossed in this book and found a couple of quotes from The Plastic Magician that I particularly enjoyed, and thought I'd share them.
"There were plenty of people waiting with signs for disembarking passengers, but none of those signs read "Alvie," "Brechenmacher," or "Lost Apprentice." - page 16
"She had the nagging feeling she and the Polymaker's daughter were very different vegetables."- page 25
"I was able to attend on the fortune my father made by developing the very technology you seem to think redundant. Not everyone can afford a Gaffer light, and the light bulb can illuminate places where no magician has ever stood. That technology is the very reason I'm here."- page 44
"We don't know each other terribly well, but I see your drive. People with drive do amazing things."- page 67
"Oh, hello, Bennet. Not only did I forget about your dinner, but I'm apparently crazy for your mentor. La-di-da, something British."- page 89
"Help! This man is trying to have a conversation with me, and I don't like it!"- page 93
"My papa said that the world can take all it wants from a man, but he has to give up his integrity freely." -page 112
"Treat your magic with respect and loyalty, and it will do likewise. Leave this world a better place than it was when you entered it. The future calls to you. Now is the time to answer." - page 223
"After all, it wasn't about the magic. It was about the discovery." - page 225 (This is the very last line of the book, and I think it is a phenomenal last statement."
Overall, I absolutely loved The Plastic Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg. Alvie is a fantastic character with a lot of spunk and intelligence. She feels relatable, and the way that her magic is brought into the world is fascinating to read. I loved how her journey also showcased the differences of how magic is used differently in the U.S. compared to England. I don't really know if who was the culprit of all of that happened in the book was really a surprise, but I don't really feel like it was meant to be. I think this could probably be read without reading The Paper Magician, though there are quite a few references and comparisons to the magic. I really hope that Charlie N. Holmberg continues Alvie's story. It was great to read.
100% agreed. All the problems I had with Ceony in the Paper Magician books were completely absent in this spin off. I have to say the narrator for the audio look was great too. She had inflection in the right place, her Male voices were convincing and her non-character narrating was still attention holding.
ReplyDeleteCeony was a brat and she created most of her problems she encountered. Paper Magician also got really weird, in my opinion. This was a definite improvement!
DeleteI'm glad you liked the audio version, I was curious how that was for this book.