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beth_s98's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A solid finish to the series!
brandypainter's review
5.0
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
For fans of the Magic Thief series by Sarah Prineas, the latest installment, The Magic Thief: Home, is a much anticipated and highly welcome addition. It also has the potential to draw in new fans as a new chapter in Conn's life and the city of Wellmet begins. Whether readers are old fans or newly experiencing the magic for the first time, every reader of this book is in for a fantastically twisty tale of magic, mayhem, discovery, and intrigue.
Conn is a bit out of sorts since finishing with the magics of Wellmet, returning home, and having his magicalicus swallowed by a small dragon he calls Pip. Who is he? Where does he belong? What is he meant to do now? The magics in Wellmet are similarly out of sorts, competing for the power of the town. Conn is the best one to deal with the magics as he understands them best, but when he is in such turmoil himself, embroiled in another spree of crime, mystery, and intrigue he has to solve, it is difficult to stay focused. I loved the way the magics reflect and contrast Conn's own character. He is wild, not meant to be locked down, and hates being manipulated, but at the same time wants a purpose and stability. He thrives on danger. Of course, everyone who loves Conn just wants to protect him. Ro and Nevery feel the best way to do this is to make him the ducal magister but Conn is having none of that. Conn's stubbornness is familiar to older reader's of the series, as is his friends' exasperation with him. It has a different feel in this book though and is not just he same old story as the original trilogy. They've all grown a lot and are facing a new reality. Conn is starting to realize he needs help from time to time and relying on others is okay. The others are starting to realize trying to manage Conn is a lost cause, and one by one they fall to trusting him to do what must be done and do it well.
One of the great strengths of this series is how it highlights character and relationships so well, but does it simply through showing them in the context of a fast moving, exciting, and twisty plot. It is so subtle and yet you can not read these without coming away feeling connected to all these characters and seeing their strong connections to each other. I love the friendship between Conn and Ro, and how it is just a friendship. (Please, please, let that continue to be the case. And there are hints that it will continue to be the case, thank goodness. I like the direction of those hints a lot.) I love it when books can show a good male/female friendship that is nothing more than that. (Yes, they do exist!)
The story finds Conn yet again trying to prove he is not the gutter-boy thief he once was, but it is interesting that there are actually very few people who assume he is. There are some, as there will probably always be, but for the most part, he is trusted by those around him. The story is from his point of view, yet it is clear that he is still reacting to how people used to see him automatically rather than how they are reacting to him now. Conn's talents and spotted past are essential to unwinding the knot of magic and criminal acts being visited on Wellmet. This leads to some dangerous situations and a couple moments of peril that had me visibly trying to restrain myself from reacting since I was reading the book in public. All my emotions were fully engaged and that made for some fraught moments for my poor heart.
Fans of this series definitely do not want to miss this latest installment. It very nicely lends itself to new readers too. The necessary events from the previous books are included in clever ways that new readers will know what is going on, and old readers won't be bored reading a lot of information they already know. (It's also a nice refresher for those who may have forgotten.) At the same time, this is a new phase in Conn's life and the story reflects that. It isn't a continuation of the old story so much as the beginning of the next part of Conn's story. I do think new readers of the series will find themselves unable to resist going back and reading the first three.
I read an e-galley provided by the publisher, Harper Children's, via Edelweiss. The Magic Thief: Home will be available September 16.
For fans of the Magic Thief series by Sarah Prineas, the latest installment, The Magic Thief: Home, is a much anticipated and highly welcome addition. It also has the potential to draw in new fans as a new chapter in Conn's life and the city of Wellmet begins. Whether readers are old fans or newly experiencing the magic for the first time, every reader of this book is in for a fantastically twisty tale of magic, mayhem, discovery, and intrigue.
Conn is a bit out of sorts since finishing with the magics of Wellmet, returning home, and having his magicalicus swallowed by a small dragon he calls Pip. Who is he? Where does he belong? What is he meant to do now? The magics in Wellmet are similarly out of sorts, competing for the power of the town. Conn is the best one to deal with the magics as he understands them best, but when he is in such turmoil himself, embroiled in another spree of crime, mystery, and intrigue he has to solve, it is difficult to stay focused. I loved the way the magics reflect and contrast Conn's own character. He is wild, not meant to be locked down, and hates being manipulated, but at the same time wants a purpose and stability. He thrives on danger. Of course, everyone who loves Conn just wants to protect him. Ro and Nevery feel the best way to do this is to make him the ducal magister but Conn is having none of that. Conn's stubbornness is familiar to older reader's of the series, as is his friends' exasperation with him. It has a different feel in this book though and is not just he same old story as the original trilogy. They've all grown a lot and are facing a new reality. Conn is starting to realize he needs help from time to time and relying on others is okay. The others are starting to realize trying to manage Conn is a lost cause, and one by one they fall to trusting him to do what must be done and do it well.
One of the great strengths of this series is how it highlights character and relationships so well, but does it simply through showing them in the context of a fast moving, exciting, and twisty plot. It is so subtle and yet you can not read these without coming away feeling connected to all these characters and seeing their strong connections to each other. I love the friendship between Conn and Ro, and how it is just a friendship. (Please, please, let that continue to be the case. And there are hints that it will continue to be the case, thank goodness. I like the direction of those hints a lot.) I love it when books can show a good male/female friendship that is nothing more than that. (Yes, they do exist!)
The story finds Conn yet again trying to prove he is not the gutter-boy thief he once was, but it is interesting that there are actually very few people who assume he is. There are some, as there will probably always be, but for the most part, he is trusted by those around him. The story is from his point of view, yet it is clear that he is still reacting to how people used to see him automatically rather than how they are reacting to him now. Conn's talents and spotted past are essential to unwinding the knot of magic and criminal acts being visited on Wellmet. This leads to some dangerous situations and a couple moments of peril that had me visibly trying to restrain myself from reacting since I was reading the book in public. All my emotions were fully engaged and that made for some fraught moments for my poor heart.
Fans of this series definitely do not want to miss this latest installment. It very nicely lends itself to new readers too. The necessary events from the previous books are included in clever ways that new readers will know what is going on, and old readers won't be bored reading a lot of information they already know. (It's also a nice refresher for those who may have forgotten.) At the same time, this is a new phase in Conn's life and the story reflects that. It isn't a continuation of the old story so much as the beginning of the next part of Conn's story. I do think new readers of the series will find themselves unable to resist going back and reading the first three.
I read an e-galley provided by the publisher, Harper Children's, via Edelweiss. The Magic Thief: Home will be available September 16.
jameyanne's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun read and it did a good job of tying the whole series together. This is definitely a series I would recommend.
amalies's review against another edition
5.0
When I started this book I thought, man, the end of the third book was a great end to a trilogy. It didn't need more story. Then I looked up the publication date of this book and realized it was many years after the trilogy was written...almost like a need to come back and write a new book to finish the story the way the author wanted, not us leaving it to our imagination. It certainly didn't fall short as far as a good plot, great interaction to the characters, and an excellent ending where Conn finally figures out his role in is world of Welmet. I did enjoy that Conn is faced with how to deal with a problem he create with joining the two different magics in the cities. I also liked how the author developed his character to help him gain maturity in his personality and ability to work with others. Coming from a gutter boy who had to make it on his own for his own, I understand how it wood take him three books to start to understand how to rely on and ask for help from others. It is hard to count on someone after years of not being able to count on anyone. I loved the titles of these books. One word that describes the entire book and its purpose. Home. Yes he finds where that is and everyone around him learns how to accept that too.
josephinem's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
monniebiloney's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A great conclusion to a wonderful series!
I love how some of the events of this book was foreshadowed in the previous books!
Allthroughout book 3 I was wondering if that guy was actually maliciou or just incompetent, and this book let's us know, that yep, he was maliciously lol I thought that since nothing was brought up in book 3 it was just a redherding XD but U should have known better with this author!
I love how even the smallest things get brought up later in the books.
I was actually re early curious about what happened to keystone (I was like, wait...I haven't seen him in a while, and he pops up again in this book!)
Conn is one of my favorite autistic main characters I've read. He has so many symptoms! A BIG one being his inability to lie. I felt that so much. The way his brain works tickles me in a 'omg same' kind of way XD
Some people mentioned Con possibly being Aroace and I remember thinking that was kind of silly since there isn't a single romantic relationship of any character in these books! Not even a single married couple shows up! There are children with parents, but only ever 1.
Like Embry has a dad, but no one is mentioned.
Ro has a mom, but no dad is mentioned
Conn has a mom, but no dad is mentioned
Which is actually kind of weird when you think about it XD.
But at the very end we see that Ro stars to get a crush on Embre which actually does help support the AroAce headcannon I saw, lol
It's hard to tell as Conn is a little younger I think then Ro, I personally think the author wasn't really trying for aroace representation (vs the autistic rep which is so integral to his character)
I feel like it's been a bit since Ive read a 5 star read, and this series deserves it. Sometimes I think maybe Middle grade or YA might be to young for me(I'm 25) and then I'll read a jem like rhis and be like, wow you definitely don't find books like this in Adult books.
Just comparing this series with petter nimble (a different Middle Grade series about an orphan thief and magic) just shows how much more solid Sarah's writing is, and I definitely have to try out her different series.
I love how some of the events of this book was foreshadowed in the previous books!
Allthroughout book 3 I was wondering if that guy was actually maliciou or just incompetent, and this book let's us know, that yep, he was maliciously lol I thought that since nothing was brought up in book 3 it was just a redherding XD but U should have known better with this author!
I love how even the smallest things get brought up later in the books.
I was actually re early curious about what happened to keystone (I was like, wait...I haven't seen him in a while, and he pops up again in this book!)
Conn is one of my favorite autistic main characters I've read. He has so many symptoms! A BIG one being his inability to lie. I felt that so much. The way his brain works tickles me in a 'omg same' kind of way XD
Some people mentioned Con possibly being Aroace and I remember thinking that was kind of silly since there isn't a single romantic relationship of any character in these books! Not even a single married couple shows up! There are children with parents, but only ever 1.
Like Embry has a dad, but no one is mentioned.
Ro has a mom, but no dad is mentioned
Conn has a mom, but no dad is mentioned
Which is actually kind of weird when you think about it XD.
But at the very end we see that Ro stars to get a crush on Embre which actually does help support the AroAce headcannon I saw, lol
It's hard to tell as Conn is a little younger I think then Ro, I personally think the author wasn't really trying for aroace representation (vs the autistic rep which is so integral to his character)
I feel like it's been a bit since Ive read a 5 star read, and this series deserves it. Sometimes I think maybe Middle grade or YA might be to young for me(I'm 25) and then I'll read a jem like rhis and be like, wow you definitely don't find books like this in Adult books.
Just comparing this series with petter nimble (a different Middle Grade series about an orphan thief and magic) just shows how much more solid Sarah's writing is, and I definitely have to try out her different series.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Torture
jscarpa14's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure if I've got the date started right on this, but I've been listening to this over the course of a few night with nights I didn't get a chance to listen to it at all. The narrator is still amazing, and it's a good book but I was less hooked right off the bat because of immediate inconsistencies in the story.
If you've read any of my other comments on books inconsistencies in a series drive me crazy. They're a huge pet peeve for me. The biggest one here is from then end of book three and the beginning of Home. During the final parts of Found when Conn is first returned by the Magics - Arhionvar and Wellmet he didn't remember anything after being a gutter boy. And he didn't completely remember everything he'd known then, for example he thought his name might be boy, but he wasn't really sure. Benet helps to capture Conn the amnesiac and there's a scene prior to Conn remembering who he was again where he's at the palace with Rowan where she shows him the Ducal Magister's Suite and tells him that when he remembers again he'll take his place as his Ducal Magister and they will be his rooms. I don't remember the exact wording. So why then is Conn so shocked when she officially appoints him as such during the meeting at the beginning of the story? She's already told him this is coming in another book. Why is it that she could show him the rooms in one book and be surprised at what they look like in another book? Then there's the whole novella which is supposed to take place prior to this book, except that if Conn was helping kids do other spells that the other Magister's didn't like in the novella why then is he still an outcast among Magister and Apprentice alike in this book? I really don't see how the novella really fits at all other than shared characters and settings. Plot wise it just sort of confuses me as to how it makes sense with the overall series story arc. Then there's Keeston who just sort of disappeared after Book one after being around Heartsease constantly as Nevery's secretary and kind of fitting in like a sort of cousin in their makeshift family. (He's not actually related to any of them nor are that really related to each other but the residents of Heartsease are like a kind of cobbled together build your own family sort of unit.) In the Novella he was sort of in that role of being around all the time as he had been in the first book. In this book he appears for a tiny scene and seems more like an outsider than someone that fits there. There are a few other things that I remember having bugged me at the time I was hearing them that aren't coming to mind now, but parts of this book don't fit and follow right which bothered me.
Additionally I really can't seem to understand why the city of Wellmet allows the blind and moronic Wizards to be part of the government. In Found after the events of The Magic Thief even though it's pretty obvious what happened in the final conflict of book one they're like we didn't see that happen so how can we be sure it's true and because you have different believes and backgrounds than we do and no longer have a locas magicalicus you're no longer a wizard and everything gone wrong in the city is your fault Conn. In book two they were like well we didn't see you save the Duchess or defeat Arhionvar but we did catch you preforming pyrotechnics so you're still exiled, and everything wrong in the city is your fault Conn. In book three they were like yeah we know you flew in on a dragon and you've got one on your shoulder but Dragons are extinct and couldn't possibly have anything do with the natural resource of magic, and yeah the city is all falling apart because Arhionvar is here like you said he was, but you're still wrong and we're still right and you still blew things up so die Conn, die. In book four they're still blaming Conn for everything, they still don't believe him about dragons and even though they have evidence right in their laps of Conn being totally right they won't acknowledge it. AND their still involved in the running of the city sitting in council meetings. REALLY?! Rowan who's now supposed to be in charges even knows that they're all imbeciles and lets them help make decisions about how the city is run?! Chick it's glaringly obvious that this needs to change and instead of being in charge you're letting everyone else be in charge of you and leaving the idiots in power. No, I really don't have much patience for that.
What I did like was that the story finally offers as satisfying conclusions to the conflicts created in The Magic Thief between Crow and Conn and the conflicts in Found between Nimble and Conn. The book was exciting and fast paced with lots of action and magic and of course conflict. Insights are offered into a lot of my favorite characters via their letters and journals. It had all of the elements I loved about the previous novels but the main reason I can't rate this one as high is all of the inconsistencies in the series are so much more prevalent in this story. I'd love to see more from this series and plan to read more from Prineas. Despite my rants, I really would recommend this book and definitely recommend this series to anyone who loves stories of magic and adventure.
If you've read any of my other comments on books inconsistencies in a series drive me crazy. They're a huge pet peeve for me. The biggest one here is from then end of book three and the beginning of Home. During the final parts of Found when Conn is first returned by the Magics - Arhionvar and Wellmet he didn't remember anything after being a gutter boy. And he didn't completely remember everything he'd known then, for example he thought his name might be boy, but he wasn't really sure. Benet helps to capture Conn the amnesiac and there's a scene prior to Conn remembering who he was again where he's at the palace with Rowan where she shows him the Ducal Magister's Suite and tells him that when he remembers again he'll take his place as his Ducal Magister and they will be his rooms. I don't remember the exact wording. So why then is Conn so shocked when she officially appoints him as such during the meeting at the beginning of the story? She's already told him this is coming in another book. Why is it that she could show him the rooms in one book and be surprised at what they look like in another book? Then there's the whole novella which is supposed to take place prior to this book, except that if Conn was helping kids do other spells that the other Magister's didn't like in the novella why then is he still an outcast among Magister and Apprentice alike in this book? I really don't see how the novella really fits at all other than shared characters and settings. Plot wise it just sort of confuses me as to how it makes sense with the overall series story arc. Then there's Keeston who just sort of disappeared after Book one after being around Heartsease constantly as Nevery's secretary and kind of fitting in like a sort of cousin in their makeshift family. (He's not actually related to any of them nor are that really related to each other but the residents of Heartsease are like a kind of cobbled together build your own family sort of unit.) In the Novella he was sort of in that role of being around all the time as he had been in the first book. In this book he appears for a tiny scene and seems more like an outsider than someone that fits there. There are a few other things that I remember having bugged me at the time I was hearing them that aren't coming to mind now, but parts of this book don't fit and follow right which bothered me.
Additionally I really can't seem to understand why the city of Wellmet allows the blind and moronic Wizards to be part of the government. In Found after the events of The Magic Thief even though it's pretty obvious what happened in the final conflict of book one they're like we didn't see that happen so how can we be sure it's true and because you have different believes and backgrounds than we do and no longer have a locas magicalicus you're no longer a wizard and everything gone wrong in the city is your fault Conn. In book two they were like well we didn't see you save the Duchess or defeat Arhionvar but we did catch you preforming pyrotechnics so you're still exiled, and everything wrong in the city is your fault Conn. In book three they were like yeah we know you flew in on a dragon and you've got one on your shoulder but Dragons are extinct and couldn't possibly have anything do with the natural resource of magic, and yeah the city is all falling apart because Arhionvar is here like you said he was, but you're still wrong and we're still right and you still blew things up so die Conn, die. In book four they're still blaming Conn for everything, they still don't believe him about dragons and even though they have evidence right in their laps of Conn being totally right they won't acknowledge it. AND their still involved in the running of the city sitting in council meetings. REALLY?! Rowan who's now supposed to be in charges even knows that they're all imbeciles and lets them help make decisions about how the city is run?! Chick it's glaringly obvious that this needs to change and instead of being in charge you're letting everyone else be in charge of you and leaving the idiots in power. No, I really don't have much patience for that.
What I did like was that the story finally offers as satisfying conclusions to the conflicts created in The Magic Thief between Crow and Conn and the conflicts in Found between Nimble and Conn. The book was exciting and fast paced with lots of action and magic and of course conflict. Insights are offered into a lot of my favorite characters via their letters and journals. It had all of the elements I loved about the previous novels but the main reason I can't rate this one as high is all of the inconsistencies in the series are so much more prevalent in this story. I'd love to see more from this series and plan to read more from Prineas. Despite my rants, I really would recommend this book and definitely recommend this series to anyone who loves stories of magic and adventure.