Reviews for A bitter magic
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
After Cisley's mother disappears into the shards of a black mirror during her illusion act, the 12-year-old must discover her own powers to learn whether her mother is alive and how to find her. Cisley lives with cold and mercenary Uncle Asa in the Crystal Castle, a maze of ever changing glass and mirrors that trap and confuse Cisley. Friendless, fatherless, and largely having been ignored by her beautiful and talented mother, lonely Cisley has only her pet lobster, Elwyn, as a companion until she meets Cole, a boy from the village. As she becomes acquainted with Cole, she also becomes aware of her uncle's unjust treatment of the Roma who also live nearby. Cisley's mother has left a clue to her return: the scent of a pure black rose. As Uncle Asa, lacking true magic and fiercely envious of his sister's magical abilities, frantically works in his lab to create this essence, Cisley fears for her life. The twists and turns of the plot and some dangling ends slow the pace, which speeds up considerably in the gruesome and melodramatic climax as the castle shatters, leaving shard-impaled dead bodies strewn about. Equally abrupt is the happily-ever-after ending that quickly follows this darkness, but this comes as a welcome release after the moodiness of the book. Plenty of magic, a touch of romance, an appealing heroine, and a talking lobster lighten Townley's tale of deadly sibling jealousy. (Fantasy. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Gr 4-6-Cisley watches her mother vanish completely during an illusion act involving a magic mirror, which leaves the 12-year-old alone in a parallel universe with her scheming uncle. Cisley is determined to find her mother and discover what kinds of magic are pure illusion and what kinds are real. Along the way, Cisley uncovers powers of her own. Unfortunately, she's stuck in Uncle Asa's Crystal Castle, a bizarre mansion (and tourist destination) filled with shifting mazes. Her loneliness and isolation aren't helped by her uncle's elitist attitude toward the servants and residents of the local community. Cisley's only friends are Elwyn, her pet lobster, and her tutor, Miss Porlock. By gradually becoming friends with Cole, a village boy, and getting to know the Roma who live in a local encampment, Cisley finds the strength needed to solve the mystery of her mother's disappearance. The world Townley creates is mostly realistic, making the carefully crafted magical elements all the more frightening. The plot will be predictable for many readers, and the characters veer close to cliché, but Townley stays just this side of the line by offering an absorbing mystery and unusual fantastical elements. There are a few humorous aspects, such as when Cisley takes her pet lobster for a walk-which requires bringing a pail filled with water and stopping for repeated dunkings. The ending, both gripping and satisfying, features some darkly violent situations that may leave sensitive readers wide-eyed. VERDICT A magical adventure with a few intriguing clues, a fascinating setting, and some chills that will please most middle graders looking for spooky fantasy.-Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Cisley's uncle Asa may be a famous illusionist, but that doesn't mean magic runs in the family. During one fateful show, Cisley's beautiful mother, his assistant (and secretly the true magician of the siblings), disappears, leaving behind several confounding clues. Asa, cold and distant and desperate for power, spends his days searching for real magic, while lonely Cisley walks her pet lobster by the ocean and studies with her tutor, Miss Porlock. Growing up in her family's glass castle, Cisley has been raised apart from the villagers, but after meeting local boy Cole, she slowly begins to venture outside of her own small universe, learning more about her family history and about things she never knew that make her special. This is part quirky adventure story, part dark tale of sibling rivalry, and the pieces never quite line up; at times, it feels as though Townley is writing two different stories. Still, though, the twists are solid, and Cisley is an immensely likable heroine who will attract readers.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2015 Booklist
Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Cisley's magician's-assistant mother vanishes during Uncle Asa's magic show. Asa forbids Cisley to leave their castle, forcing her to use her newfound magical abilities to create a black rose--the one thing that might bring her mother back. Disorientingly bizarre elements leave readers off-kilter for much of this idiosyncratic book, but the plot has the internal cohesion to tie up its loose ends. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
