Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Jax Reviews Magyk by Angie Sage

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Series: Septimus Heap, Book 1
Format Read: Paperback
Source: Owned by reviewer
Release Date: March 5, 2013 (Reprint edition)
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate link; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through this link.

Blurb from goodreads:

The seventh son of the seventh son, aptly named Septimus Heap, is stolen the night he is born by a midwife who pronounces him dead. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across a bundle in the snow containing a new born girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take this helpless newborn into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus?

The first book in this enthralling new series by Angie Sage leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters and magykal charms, potions, and spells. Magyk is an original story of lost and rediscovered identities, rich with humor and heart.


Jax's Thoughts:

This was a gift for my daughter, who's 9 but reads well ahead of her grade level. It's ever a struggle to find things that are appropriate for her age level, but still challenge her reading abilities. Found a winner in Magyk.

Some of the plot twists can be seen a mile off, from an adult's perspective, but are perfect for children who are learning the pacing and patterns that can be found within fiction. And the tale told on these pages is endearing and engaging. Usually when I can peg the answer to a story's mysteries before the reveal, I'd be bored and have a hard time keeping with the book. In this case, the characters amused me in such a way that I couldn't help but wonder how they'd find the answers, even if I already had a good idea what they were.

That's not to say there were no surprises. While it's certainly it's own world, Sage uses well mixed pieces from Eastern and Western mythos to season her own creation. Not a bit of it is overdone. All of it pushes the story along quite well, and I've literally got the next book sitting next to me, I'm that ready to dive back into the series. It's got humor, adventures, fantastic creatures, silliness and more. It's perfect for a child...and the child in each adult.


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