Reviews

The Masquerading Magician by Gigi Pandian

kusine's review

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

klparmley's review

3.0

I'm really enjoying this series.

However, I'm tired of Dorian's vegan recipes. I would be tired of it if the recipes weren't vegan. That' isn't my objection. I don't dislike foodie books and I don't eat meat. But, I find the pauses to discuss ingredients to be disruptive to the flow of the narrative.

Tell me AGAIN that you can make a great creamy faux cheese sauce using cashews. I got it the first time that making hot chocolate with coconut milk is delicious. There are recipes in the back of the book and that's wonderful. And sufficient.

ava_bean1717's review

4.0

Love this series so so much. Dorian is so funny and seriously my favorite character. I love how wise and down to earth Zoe is. Brixton is a wonderful boy who is so curious and wants to help. I’m upset to see where Zoe and Max’s relationship turned in this book, it felt very tense between them two and I hope in the future they can get back on the same footing. This book kind of felt a little like a filler episode. However, filler episodes also provide more character development, and personality. More background on the world and the characters. So although it felt a little lack luster, I still loved it!

j0nah's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

amlibera's review against another edition

4.0

OK, another book I was reading in December and finished in January --- enjoyed this second outing of the series but there's a reason that I left it for a bit and then came back, it gets very slow in the middle and many of the things that raise the stakes are complicated in a way that makes it hard to feel the urgency (they are clearly urgent but there's no emotional or real world sense of the timeline). I like the characters and the worldbuilding though.

mg_in_md_'s review

4.0

I thoroughly enjoyed the second book in the Accidental Alchemist series and hope that this series continues for a long time. The characters and setting have drawn me in, and I love the fact that historical elements factor into the contemporary stories. In addition to the historical note at the end, chapters set in the past are interspersed throughout the story and focus on living gargoyle Dorian Robert-Houdin's backstory in France. In this installment, Zoe is drawn into another murder mystery following a rare night out on the town to attend a classic magic show with police officer Max. A murder at the theater leads back to a string of robberies and murders that occurred several years prior in Portland, and proves to be far more personal for Zoe and Dorian could have ever imagined. In addition to attempting to solve the murder, Zoe and Dorian realize that time may be running out to resolve the mystery of saving Dorian from transforming into stone permanently. The pair continue their attempts to unlock the mysteries of the ancient alchemy book that holds the key to Dorian's salvation, but the maintaining status quo is increasingly difficult for both of them. As was the case with the first book in the series, the author has included some delicious-sounding vegan recipes at the end and made me long for a vegan gargoyle chef of my own :-)

duck_reads's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

loxleyhall's review

lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

giugiufio's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

alucinadalibros's review

4.0

3.75
Está saga es tremenda adicción. Si bien en este libro la autora se repite mucho, y se explaya muuucho con el tema comidas... bueno lo segundo no me molesta, tengo prácticamente la misma obsesión por la cocina que Dorian :)
Me gusra mucho como fue formando el hilo principal de la saga, haciendo de cada libro un misterio distinto. Los personajes son muy encariñables. Me devore los audiolibros en nada, y planeo seguir y completar la saga <3