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bibble_kingly's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Torture, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Violence, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Cursing and Murder
thesunthesunthesunthesun's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This was a fun read! I don't have much to add other than that, despite the protestations of the authors editors, this definitely is a children's book. No matter how "scary" it gets. Sometimes children simply experience the horrors but they make it through anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Physical abuse
Moderate: Cannibalism, Gore, Confinement, and Grief
starlitpage's review
adventurous
dark
funny
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Child abuse
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Dementia
emily_mh's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This was a well-crafted novella. Kingfisher knows how to write a quest narrative! Often I find these to be filled with nonsensical obstacles thrown in to extend the story, but Kingfisher’s always serve a purpose beyond creating tension, and they also are tied up in who the characters are. The narrative was also well-structured, with the right amount of time spent at each stage of the quest.
I appreciated that Kingfisher actually acknowledged that traumatic events, such as being sent on a quest as a child by yourself, has an impact on a person. This is a concept rarely explored in fantasy.
There were a couple negatives. Oliver is our main character and while he undergoes development in regard to his confidence as a mage, I just wasn’t compelled by him as a person. As he is the one the story is focussed on, this was problematic for my enjoyment.
Another criticism is that the most interesting aspect of the world-building, the cloud herders, only comes in at the very end, so the world unfortunately feels bland up until that point.
While I do have these two critiques, I enjoyed my time with this novella overall.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder, Gore, Physical abuse, Death, and Blood
Minor: Vomit, Dementia, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Torture, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement
Major: drought Minor: loss of a loved one, earthquake, drowning, capital punishment, imprisonmentwelgan's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This review contains a few spoilers about themes in the book.
I began to read Minor Mage as my second T. Kingfisher book, after Swordheart. Because it was not romance and the main character was a 12 years old boy, I was expecting story directed towards a younger audience. Halfway through the book I tought "wait. This is absolutely NOT A CHILDREN'S BOOK." (and it is interesting that this question is addressed by the author at the end in her author's note).
It is not a problem for me as I think the book was brilliant and the difficults matters were very interesting to read, and well-handled, but some scenes can be hard on some persons. If you're triggered by children in difficult situations, please read carefully the content warnings. It is not too grimdark and ends well, if that helps !
To me, Minor Mage is a modern telling of a fairytale. Dark and dangerous as old fairtales were, with monsters wanting to eat people, and people who are various degrees of monsters inside. And as such, it is very well done !
I was surprised by the philosophy and questioning. The first part of the book involves a lonely and almost surreal journey through a desertic landscape. The story questions some deep matters, such as responsability falling too early on young people without enough guidance, and the way a mob of scared people can do frightening things the individuals would never do on their own, expecially everyday people you know well.
I was expecting a funny, light-hearted story. While written with humor, the story is more reflective and a self-improvement and discovery quest than it is inherently funny. I was expecting the armadillo thing to be a comic relief, and the "minor mage" gimmick to be why it is fun. I was wrong and I am very glad about this : it is quickly shown that our main character is not bad or not very gifted at what he does ; he's in fact, very young and hadn't had time to properly learn before his teacher wasn't here anymore. Following the inner monologue of a benevolent 12 years-old forced to grow up to early to live up to the expectations upon him was interesting, sensible and totally subverted my expectations of a "minor mage".
Finally, I'd like to say my appreciation of the armadillo. He's much more than a funny sidekick, his relationship with the main character was deep and strong, and it was very heartwarming to read.
I began to read Minor Mage as my second T. Kingfisher book, after Swordheart. Because it was not romance and the main character was a 12 years old boy, I was expecting story directed towards a younger audience. Halfway through the book I tought "wait. This is absolutely NOT A CHILDREN'S BOOK." (and it is interesting that this question is addressed by the author at the end in her author's note).
It is not a problem for me as I think the book was brilliant and the difficults matters were very interesting to read, and well-handled, but some scenes can be hard on some persons. If you're triggered by children in difficult situations, please read carefully the content warnings. It is not too grimdark and ends well, if that helps !
To me, Minor Mage is a modern telling of a fairytale. Dark and dangerous as old fairtales were, with monsters wanting to eat people, and people who are various degrees of monsters inside. And as such, it is very well done !
I was surprised by the philosophy and questioning. The first part of the book involves a lonely and almost surreal journey through a desertic landscape. The story questions some deep matters, such as responsability falling too early on young people without enough guidance, and the way a mob of scared people can do frightening things the individuals would never do on their own, expecially everyday people you know well.
I was expecting a funny, light-hearted story. While written with humor, the story is more reflective and a self-improvement and discovery quest than it is inherently funny. I was expecting the armadillo thing to be a comic relief, and the "minor mage" gimmick to be why it is fun. I was wrong and I am very glad about this : it is quickly shown that our main character is not bad or not very gifted at what he does ; he's in fact, very young and hadn't had time to properly learn before his teacher wasn't here anymore. Following the inner monologue of a benevolent 12 years-old forced to grow up to early to live up to the expectations upon him was interesting, sensible and totally subverted my expectations of a "minor mage".
Finally, I'd like to say my appreciation of the armadillo. He's much more than a funny sidekick, his relationship with the main character was deep and strong, and it was very heartwarming to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Child death and Murder
The violence is mainly explicit in 2 scenes (saltycoffee's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Child death, and Physical abuse
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