Magic or Madness Trilogy by Justine Larbalestier

Publication dates: Mar 2005 - 2007
Published by: Razorbill
Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis
Reason Cansino is a 15-year-old girl who has been on the run with her mother, Serafina in the Outback, Australia most of her life.  Serafina told her from a young age that her grandmother, Esmeralda, is a wicked woman; that she believes in magic and carries out despicable acts in its name.  Reason and Serafina have remained 'off the grid', hidden from Esmeralda until Serafina suffers a breakdown and is committed to a mental institution.  Reason is taken to Sydney by the authorities where she is left in the care of Esmeralda.

Reason is determined that, as soon as possible, she will run away.  She plans her escape.  One day, when Esmeralda is at work, she searches the house looking for money and valuables to take with her.  She finds a key which she discovers opens the back door in the kitchen.  When she opens it and walks through, she leaves the warmth of Sydney in summer and finds herself in New York in Winter. Dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, the cold begins to bite. The kitchen door had shut and is locked, so she can't go back.

Reason is 'rescued' by Jay-Tee, a girl her age who takes Reason to her New York apartment.  But, it soon becomes apparent that Jay-Tee does not have Reason's best interests at heart...

My Review

First impressions:
I first discovered and read this trilogy about 10 years ago, but I didn't remember much about the books, so this was a re-visit.  

The upside:

The first book, Magic or Madness, is the strongest of the 3.  Although I got influences from many well-known and loved sci-fi/fantasy novels, this is an original story, which was refreshing, as I found it unpredictable.   Reason discovers magic the hard way - having been told most of her life by her mother that it does not exist.  I felt sympathetic towards her because, although Serafina kept her in the dark for her own protection, when she is taken in by Esmeralda, she is completely ignorant about what she is and the implications, which leaves her more vulnerable than she would have been had she known.  

The story could be seen as a lesson in the harsh realities of teenage life.  Reason, who is innocent and quite naïve, always had the safety and protection of her mother - until she didn't. Although naïve, Reason is bright.  She catches on quick and responds, accordingly. 

I found some parts of this book to be an uncomfortable read. One that does not flinch when it comes to grown up subjects.  I believe one of the influences is Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials.  Where that series is seen to be a response to ones created by religious writers that use their stories to express their beliefs (namely, The Chronicles of Narnia and more recently, The Twilight Saga), I would say this one could be seen as a response to 'sanitised' YA fiction by authors who believe that, in doing so, they are protecting teenagers from subjects considered too 'adult' for them.  (Or at least, it was back when they were published.  The internet may have changed all that.)  

Spoiler Alert from here on.

The downside:

Unfortunately, for me, the series goes downhill from book 2, Magic Lessons.  There are some interesting ideas being explored but they aren't well executed.  The main plot about magic and the dangers it imposes on those who have it, is entwined with a contemporary YA story about innocence and teenage sexual discovery, which is fine, but I don't think both stories gelled successfully.  Instead, they go in different directions and compete for dominance.  I would have enjoyed it more if the plot of the latter demonstrated a stronger relevance to the former.  There is a subtle connection - old man Cansino wants to ensure the family line is carried on - but it is so subtle I almost missed it.  This is even more problematic in book 3.

Magic's Child was a disappointment.  I really struggled to finish it, but I had invested time in the series, so I did.  Reason's grandparents behave towards her and Serafina much like Lyra's parents did towards her in His Dark Materials.  There was drama and conflict - Reason's grandfather ups the stakes by taking Serafina out of the mental institution, but the impact is diluted by the heavy focus on teenage lust, that is, the scenes with Jay-Tee and Tom exploring their physical attraction for each other.  This goes on while Reason and Esmeralda go through the door to NY and attempt to rescue Serafina, who is in mortal danger. Jay-Tee and Tom are stuck in Sydney unable to do anything to help.  So what do they do?  They hook up! The chapters alternate between these events, and I found the chapters about Jay-Tee and Tom to be an unnecessary distraction.  It was tedious and boring, and I ended up skipping some of those parts.  This brings me back to my point about the main plot and the sub-plot going in separate directions.  

For me, the main plot - the stuff about magic - was puzzling. Given the stakes, it didn't make sense to me why characters were so desperate to hold on to their magic, particularly when, with the exception of Jay-Tee, they hardly ever used it.  Jay-Tee used it mostly to conjure money to live on, and for the buzz she got on the dance floor when she went clubbing (??).  WTF?

The verdict:
To be fair, I did like Magic or Madness.  Sadly, I wasn't keen on Magic Lessons and Magic's Child was excruciating, so as a series it was a disappointment. 

I realise that I could not finish the series, and so I abandoned it 10 years ago, which is why I couldn't remember it.  Now that I have read them all it feels like time wasted that I wish I could get back!  My advice is spare yourself the agony.

Read Between the Lines by Rachel Lacey

 

Publication date: 1st December 2021
Published by: Montlake
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Romance

Synopsis

Rosie Taft is the owner of an independent bookstore in NYC, which she took over from her mother, following her death.  

Rosie is a book lover, and her favourite genre is romance.  Because of her job, she knows and works with a lot of authors.  There is one in particular that she has developed an online friendship with - her favourite author, Brie.  Brie prefers to keep a low profile and does not do book signings, so they have never met in person.  Their exchanges are flirtatious, and Rosie has developed a crush on Brie.

One day Rosie receives a letter from a representative of a property development company informing her that they own the building where her store is located, and that they are serving her notice to vacate the premises.  

Soon after, a very attractive woman, Jane Breslin, walks into Rosie's store with her young niece.  Rosie chats to the girl and offers advice on what books might be of interest to her.  Jane purchases some of Rosie's recommendations for her niece.

Rosie is finding it hard to accept that she has to move her bookstore.  She decides to invite the property owner to the store during one of the regular events she organises for customers, convinced that if only this person could see the community spirit that the book store offers, the property developers may be willing to let her stay.  The property owner receives Rosie's invitation and is reluctant to accept, knowing how awkward (and futile) the encounter is going to be, but she accepts.  When she arrives, Rosie discovers that the person who is about to evict her from her store is Jane Breslin.  

What Rosie does not know is that, in Jane's spare time, she is a published author of lesbian romance who publishes her work under the pseudonym Brie....   

My Review 

First impressions:

The first thing that became apparent on reading it is that the story is not an original one.  It is based on a 90s movie called You've Got Mail, by the great writer and film maker, Nora Ephron (who also made When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle.)  Rachel Lacey is clearly a fan as the film gets a mention in the story. 

Of course there is nothing wrong with taking a story that is out there, being inspired by it, and then seeing where your own creativity takes you.  Ephron's script for You've Got Mail was not an original one, rather it was inspired by a Hungarian play called Perfumerie.    

Caution, although there are no plot spoliers, this review reveals a lot about the main characters

The upside: 
I really liked the character development of both protagonists. 

Jane is an introvert who would be happy to stay at home and write (and read books).  She does not have friends but is close to her sister (who is also her best friend).  You get the impression she would hardly ever leave her apartment, given the chance, but she cannot do that.  She has a senior executive position in her family's property development business.  Jane is someone who is living the life that is expected of her, rather than the life she wants for herself.  She dreams of quitting her day job and becoming a full time author, but can't because her book sales (and the royalties she earns from them) aren't sufficient to allow her to do so.  She would love to share with her parents and others that she is a published author, but she senses that, because she writes romance, she would be mocked, criticised and probably not be taken seriously, which is why she is so secretive about her writing, only revealing her identity to a few people.  

Many, if not most, authors can probably relate to her as a character, and her story.    It was enjoyable seeing her come out of her shell and flourish as her relationship with Rosie developed.

Rosie is an extravert who lives with 3 other girlfriends.  Even so, she seems to have given up on meeting someone and having a relationship.  The closest she is willing to come is her flirtatious online liaison with Brie.  Not having met her in person brings an element of mystery to the experience that she finds exciting.  She is a bookworm, and when she is not running the bookstore, she also seems content to spend much of her time at home reading.  

Rosie's ties to the store are very strong.  This is understandable as it belonged to her mother before it did her, and she grew up spending much of her time with her mother in there.  Having lost her mother to cancer, being there helps her feel a stronger connection to her and makes her passing a little less hard to bare.  So, the thought of leaving is devastating.  Needless-to-say it causes tensions in her relationship with Jane.

One thing I have complained about in romance novels - of the chick-lit variety - is how much they tend to 'fly the flag' in support of the patriarchy.*  We have become so conditioned that some female authors unconsciously (and some consciously) write female characters that reinforce patriarchal stereotypes. What I liked most about this book is that it does not do that.  I would go as far as to call this book antipatriarchal chick-lit, which I found novel and refreshing.  

The downside:
I would not call it a page-turner, since I did get a bit bored at times and was tempted to skip sections.  It does pick up again though, and - apart from it taking a while to get there - I had no issues once it goes from conflict to resolution. 

The Verdict:
I think Read Between the Lines is definitely worth reading. 

*Here is an example