A Matter of Magic by Patricia C. Wrede
Genre: Fantasy; Magic
Sub Genre: Historical Fantasy; London
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Back Cover of Actual Book: When a stranger offers her a small fortune to break into a traveling magician’s wagon, Kim doesn’t hesitate. Having grown up a waif in the dirty streets of London, Kim isn’t above a bit of breaking-and-entering. A hard life and lean times have schooled her in one lesson: steal from them before they steal from you. But when the magician catches her in the act, Kim thinks she’s done for. Until he suggests she become his apprentice; then the real trouble begins. Kim soon finds herself entangled with murderers, thieves, and cloak-and-dagger politics, all while trying to learn how to become both a proper lady and a magician in her own right. Magic and intrigue go hand in hand in Mairelon the Magician and The Magician’s Ward, two fast-paced novels filled with mystery and romance, set against the intricate backdrop of Regency England.
This story is actually a reprint of Mairelon the Magician and The Magician’s Ward in one book. First off before I even start about this book I have to say I love the new cover for this book. This story opens with Kim trying to take something from Mairelon. But soon after catching her he decides that she would be perfect for his own uses. Using her street smarts and his magic they make a great team. The story is set in a fanciful Victorian England that takes some of the aspects of reality and fantasy to make an amazing story. I love reading both of these books as I couldn’t put the book down once I started reading it. Both Kim and Mairelon are brilliant characters who you can’t help but fall in love with. Patricia’s writing pulls the reader into the story and keeps them there on bated breath. There is so much to this story with magic, adventure, intrigue and a little romance thrown in. It is defiantly a book to read more than once and is one of my personal favorites.
Publisher: TOR
ISBN: 0765326329
Pages: 448
Series: A Matter of Magic
Volume: 1 & 2
Image is the books actual cover.