The Last Magician, Book 1
By Michael Berry,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Clever con schemes distinguish New York City fantasy.
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What's the Story?
At the start of THE LAST MAGICIAN, time-traveling thief Esta is on a mission back to 1926 to steal a magical book -- a critical weapon in a war between the members of the Order and other practitioners of magic, known as the Mageus. The mission fails, causing drastic changes in the timeline. Esta must go back to 1902, find someone known as the Last Magician, and steal the book all over again. She falls in with a gang of dangerous criminals, but soon feels her loyalties tipping toward them. How can she save the future without destroying her new friends in the past?
Is It Any Good?
Con games and magic are a powerful combination in this complex tale of wizardry and crime. The setting of The Last Magician is both vivid and unusual -- New York City during the time of Tammany Hall. The cast includes escape artists, crooks, cons, and assassins, and author Lisa Maxwell gives each a welcome air of multidimensionality. Esta and Harte, in particular, flirt and feud, and their interplay proves to be one of the novel's highlights. Some readers may be confused by the intricate plot, but many will enjoy the constant surprises.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Last Magician presents an alternate view of history. Why do readers like books in which familiar settings are changed by magic?
The characters in The Last Magician never know whether they can trust each other. What are good methods of developing trust between people?
How is violence used in The Last Magician? Does it seem like a reliable method of achieving your goals?
Book Details
- Author: Lisa Maxwell
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Simon Pulse
- Publication date: July 18, 2017
- Number of pages: 512
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 26, 2022
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