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nicolemhewitt's review
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Imagine if the Chicago World’s Fair had included a secret shadowy magic exhibition, hidden from all but a select few. That’s the premise of this haunting story. Eva has spent her life pretending to be psychic, performing for the benefit of the woman who found her in an orphanage years ago. But then she feels the World’s fair calling to her, and her whole life changes. Eva finds herself caught in a web of alluring magic that starts to seem more chilling as the days pass. This is one of those books where the MC has no idea who is truly good or who to trust – she has one friend she relies on, but when he starts to have doubts about the magic surrounding them, she isn’t sure if she should follow his lead or not. The story takes many twists and turns and heads into some darker territory, but it’s perfect for upper MG readers who are often forgotten!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Imagine if the Chicago World’s Fair had included a secret shadowy magic exhibition, hidden from all but a select few. That’s the premise of this haunting story. Eva has spent her life pretending to be psychic, performing for the benefit of the woman who found her in an orphanage years ago. But then she feels the World’s fair calling to her, and her whole life changes. Eva finds herself caught in a web of alluring magic that starts to seem more chilling as the days pass. This is one of those books where the MC has no idea who is truly good or who to trust – she has one friend she relies on, but when he starts to have doubts about the magic surrounding them, she isn’t sure if she should follow his lead or not. The story takes many twists and turns and heads into some darker territory, but it’s perfect for upper MG readers who are often forgotten!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
annecath's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-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
3.5
cperko's review
3.0
This book kept me engaged the whole way through. I thought it would be a good way to introduce the Chicago worlds Fair to a younger audience. The plot was ok, but I felt like something was missing, some deeper meaning or more detail nuance I'm certain characters. Ok overall for a middle grade book, but too intense for an elementary age kid.
hdcamp's review
2.0
Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The pub date for this title has passed, but as I was close to the end, I stuck it out. Perseverance! Yay!
I've left it with an "It was OK" rating. That's my personal opinion, the book just wasn't for me. But I don't think it should prevent anyone else from reading it, because really there was a lot here that was truly lovely. At this moment, I can't come up with any things that I feel need tweaking, it just wasn't the book for me.
The constant descriptions were one of the things that bogged me down. They were lovingly written, and really effective at clearly delineating the setting - and I think that's necessary for a book that's set at the Chicago World's Fair. It was hard to remember in the midst of the lush descriptions that this was an historical novel, and that the author hadn't actually been to the fair personally. That deserves genuine praise, but it didn't work for me for whatever reason.
There's also a fair amount of grief and loss dealt with by the characters, specifically Eva, which for some reason surprised me. There's some pretty complex emotions going on, culminating in a final confrontation that doesn't feel like a confrontation at all. It was largely nonviolent, in contrast with previous events, and in spite of the fact that. I think this might be my one real complaint, if I were to have one - there's so much loss that happens on-page, and I didn't feel entirely satisfied with the way it was handled. Eva definitely works through most of it (although ), but it all came as kind of a shock. The first half or 2/3 of the book is quite relaxed; Henry and Eva visit the Fair, they learn about the Magical Pavilion, they stay there for a while just vibing, and then everything kind of blows up and doesn't really stop for air until the book ends and everything is resolved. And the way in which it was ultimately resolved felt hurried and confusing.
I don't often read standalones, and this might be part of my problem. I felt as though the story would have benefited from being extended just a little, even if just to give the characters a moment to settle. I was just the wrong one for this story, and possibly read it at the wrong time (admittedly I'm in a bit of a slump right now). I encourage others to give it a try!
*I was so confused whether this was middle grade or YA. The cover has mad MG vibes, but the content is pretty intense at times. Maybe some crossover value? Confusions.
The pub date for this title has passed, but as I was close to the end, I stuck it out. Perseverance! Yay!
I've left it with an "It was OK" rating. That's my personal opinion, the book just wasn't for me. But I don't think it should prevent anyone else from reading it, because really there was a lot here that was truly lovely. At this moment, I can't come up with any things that I feel need tweaking, it just wasn't the book for me.
The constant descriptions were one of the things that bogged me down. They were lovingly written, and really effective at clearly delineating the setting - and I think that's necessary for a book that's set at the Chicago World's Fair. It was hard to remember in the midst of the lush descriptions that this was an historical novel, and that the author hadn't actually been to the fair personally. That deserves genuine praise, but it didn't work for me for whatever reason.
There's also a fair amount of grief and loss dealt with by the characters, specifically Eva, which for some reason surprised me. There's some pretty complex emotions going on, culminating in a final confrontation that doesn't feel like a confrontation at all. It was largely nonviolent, in contrast with previous events, and in spite of the fact that
Spoiler
it ends in Mr. Magister's/Solway's deathSpoiler
she does spend the very last few pages of the book drifting from place to place trying to forget/pretending to move onSpoiler
literally, in Henry's caseSpoiler
Curses upon modern media (looking specifically at the MCU, although I may be singling them out because Marvel is the only thing I've managed to stay on top of lately)! I always despise an unwarranted resurrection trope, especially when it's as constant as it is nowadays. When Henry died (off-screen, mind), I fully expected him to come back. Why would he stay dead? When was the last time someone did that?? To my shock, he seems to have actually died. This felt like a massive turning point, from "the vaguely sinister Mr. Magister and his vaguely sinister house" to a "definitely this guy is evil for some reason" and I wasn't prepared.I don't often read standalones, and this might be part of my problem. I felt as though the story would have benefited from being extended just a little, even if just to give the characters a moment to settle. I was just the wrong one for this story, and possibly read it at the wrong time (admittedly I'm in a bit of a slump right now). I encourage others to give it a try!
*I was so confused whether this was middle grade or YA. The cover has mad MG vibes, but the content is pretty intense at times. Maybe some crossover value? Confusions.
aylea's review
2.0
Eva is an orphan who gets by through doing fake seances. She pretends to be loved ones talking from beyond the grave, but she knows that it's impossible. It's a scam she does to survive. But when she hears a voice in her head telling her to go to the Chicago World's Fair, she knows it's very different from the seances. This is real. She meets a boy who has visions of his own and a magician who wants her help to bring magic back to life, but her friend is suspicious. Eva needs to figure out what the magician's plan is and who to trust.
This book had so many of the things I'm always hungry for. World's Fair. Mysterious magical people and places that vanish or can only be accessed by a few people. It's got mystery, friendship, an orphan with the possibility of found family. And maybe those things are why I felt overall disappointed with the book.
The book starts out interesting but turns vaguely confusing around the middle of the book and never comes back. The beginning is a lot of fun, and the descriptions of wandering around the World's Fair is probably the closest you could get to experiencing it yourself. It's well researched and clearly something the author loves.
But once we meet the magician, things get confusing. The magic rules are hard to follow. It's not completely clear where Eva has come from and even what she wants. The setting doesn't seem solid in spite of the historical event as a major point. And one of the most frustrating parts is that the characters don't seem to question things enough. I know a lot of twelve-year-olds who would use more critical thinking than Eva does. The character motivations are never clear and they are generally shallow. Eva starts the book with more personality than she finishes it with.
Worst of all, I read the ending twice, but I am still not completely sure what happened. It depended on characters we hadn't met, and the overall message was "don't trust anything fantastical and wonderful because it will definitely be too good to be true." That could have been an interesting moral, but it felt like talking with the kind of person who discourages children from watching Disney movies in case they get the wrong idea about magic and fairy tales: it's too optimistic and we should all accept how terrible the world is. That's a pretty heavy message for this age, and it isn't handled well. Especially when it does start with such a marvelous sense of wonder.
I guess that moral applies to the book: don't judge a book by its cover because it may sound wonderful and magical from the description, but in reality, it's dark, bleak, and confusing.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book to review.
This book had so many of the things I'm always hungry for. World's Fair. Mysterious magical people and places that vanish or can only be accessed by a few people. It's got mystery, friendship, an orphan with the possibility of found family. And maybe those things are why I felt overall disappointed with the book.
The book starts out interesting but turns vaguely confusing around the middle of the book and never comes back. The beginning is a lot of fun, and the descriptions of wandering around the World's Fair is probably the closest you could get to experiencing it yourself. It's well researched and clearly something the author loves.
But once we meet the magician, things get confusing. The magic rules are hard to follow. It's not completely clear where Eva has come from and even what she wants. The setting doesn't seem solid in spite of the historical event as a major point. And one of the most frustrating parts is that the characters don't seem to question things enough. I know a lot of twelve-year-olds who would use more critical thinking than Eva does. The character motivations are never clear and they are generally shallow. Eva starts the book with more personality than she finishes it with.
Worst of all, I read the ending twice, but I am still not completely sure what happened. It depended on characters we hadn't met, and the overall message was "don't trust anything fantastical and wonderful because it will definitely be too good to be true." That could have been an interesting moral, but it felt like talking with the kind of person who discourages children from watching Disney movies in case they get the wrong idea about magic and fairy tales: it's too optimistic and we should all accept how terrible the world is. That's a pretty heavy message for this age, and it isn't handled well. Especially when it does start with such a marvelous sense of wonder.
I guess that moral applies to the book: don't judge a book by its cover because it may sound wonderful and magical from the description, but in reality, it's dark, bleak, and confusing.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book to review.
nearly_empty_nesting's review
2.0
Reading the book summary, this had all the making of a great middle-grade found magic story.
Eva starts as a mistreated orphan who finds a world of magic as she visits the Chicago World's Fair. The start was promising. When we reached the magical elements, the middle-grade sweet spot disappears.
The magic rules are hard to follow, it's very disjointed and full of creepy edicts from this mysterious magical man to an 11-year-old girl: Come to the fair- in the middle of the night and make sure you are alone. Come live at this magical house, don't worry- we will magically make it so no one will remember you are gone. Memories are taken without consent and fuzzy memory gaps happen more than once.
The obedience of the main characters to these mandates in order to learn magic felt equivalent to a kid willingly taking off in a random car because a stranger is offering them candy. Given the age range of the target readers for this genre, this is not the best device to drive the plot.
Eva starts as a mistreated orphan who finds a world of magic as she visits the Chicago World's Fair. The start was promising. When we reached the magical elements, the middle-grade sweet spot disappears.
The magic rules are hard to follow, it's very disjointed and full of creepy edicts from this mysterious magical man to an 11-year-old girl: Come to the fair- in the middle of the night and make sure you are alone. Come live at this magical house, don't worry- we will magically make it so no one will remember you are gone. Memories are taken without consent and fuzzy memory gaps happen more than once.
The obedience of the main characters to these mandates in order to learn magic felt equivalent to a kid willingly taking off in a random car because a stranger is offering them candy. Given the age range of the target readers for this genre, this is not the best device to drive the plot.
mpplys's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Top-tier execution of historical fantasy. The two main characters are a girl and a boy which should increase appeal to all kids. MGS
RR
RR
lrcartee's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Eva is a child medium who breaks away from her adult. On her train ride away, she meets Henry, an artist of some esteem. Henry is bound for the Chicago Worlds Fair and Eva is enticed to go with him. From there the story unravels into a hard to follow, very dark story of magic, deceit and….friendship? I guess. The story was hard to follow and the magic was random with very little basis for existing. I have loved Savit’s other books and thought them brilliant. This one was just confusing.
*I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
dominicangirl's review
I'm not sure if this will be a soft dnf. I noticed that I don't care too much for books that are set in the circus.
tashtash93's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment