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zenithharpink's review against another edition
3.0
This was entertaining but forgettable. It was a fun mystery, but a little too straight-forward at times. Fabrizio was a charming hero, he was likable, loyal and true to his age. The intrigue was at times bizarre and didn't quite play out for me throughout the story.
The constant sayings were annoying, not clever.
I recommend to readers looking for an easy mystery for younger readers. This would have great appeal for younger readers.
The constant sayings were annoying, not clever.
I recommend to readers looking for an easy mystery for younger readers. This would have great appeal for younger readers.
poachedeggs's review against another edition
1.0
For a book that is structured so much along the lines of superstition vs. reason (the protagonist investigates the report that the Princess has been encountering a ghost in the hallway), Midnight Magic is surprisingly full of illogical loopholes. It doesn't help that Fabrizio, the 'magician's servant' and protagonist, is rather annoying in his show-offiness, and the Princess inexplicably giggles about 'conspiracies' every now and then.
Spoiler
Why did Lorenzo, the dead prince, not reveal himself earlier so that Count Scarazoni could be discredited earlier?acyl's review against another edition
2.0
I think I took this from someone's bookshelf when I was at sixth grade. It is now at my bookshelf. Now I feel bad I took it, not worth it.
verydazedragon's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love the dialogue and diction of this book. It was such a simple, satisfying mystery; definitely one of my new favorite children's books. The whole story felt so nostalgic.
alexandraidonea's review
5.0
Simply one of my favourite books ever. Read it as a kid and still like to go back to it every few years - especially on stormy summer nights.
lizziegracereads's review against another edition
4.0
So many twists and turns. Some I saw coming and was waiting for. Very well woven and told.
jossarian4's review against another edition
4.0
A little less interesting than Murder at Midnight, but still delightfully inventive.
barbarajean's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
calarco's review
4.0
This was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. It was one of the first novels that I read for fun and more than once. I also always considered it the book that got me interested in the fantasy genre. Now that I am well past my formative years, and significantly less easy to impress, I thought it would be fun to go back and re-re-read this novel that left such a big impression.
First off, I was surprised to find that my memory totally betrayed me and that this is only debatably a 'fantasy' book, as it is about magicians rather than magic. More accurately, this is a mystery/thriller that takes place at a royal palace in a fictional Mediterranean kingdom set in 1491.
To be upfront, the characters are not the most original. A key exception though, is the sociopath 10 year old princess who upon hearing a man has died, casually responds with, "Has he? I suppose I should be sorry about it, but I didn't like him... You needn't worry" (Avi, 118). She's a hoot! In Avi's defense, I think the author's intent was to write her as a whimsically capricious princess. Yet, her total detachment from the reality of consequences, combined with a general lack of empathy, accidentally creates a really funny, reoccurring punchline.
Additionally, the narrative is often pushed forward by characters being stupid, and does contain a few plot holes. So why did I give this book 4 stars? I still really liked it, sociopath princess and all! The plot can be messy, but it has enough clever twists, and moves forward in a quick and engaging manner.
I have discovered though, that the main reason the nostalgia rooted so deep with this novel, was that this book is super Italian. In addition to all of the characters having Italian names, the key moral themes throughout the book include loyalty, respecting your elders, and not trusting rich people. This was probably one of the first narratives I ever read for fun where I got to see my own family's weird and lovable idiosyncrasies authentically reflected.
In conclusion, I liked this book for the purely selfish reason of getting to learn about myself.
Bonus: My childhood was not ruined, at least not today.
First off, I was surprised to find that my memory totally betrayed me and that this is only debatably a 'fantasy' book, as it is about magicians rather than magic. More accurately, this is a mystery/thriller that takes place at a royal palace in a fictional Mediterranean kingdom set in 1491.
To be upfront, the characters are not the most original. A key exception though, is the sociopath 10 year old princess who upon hearing a man has died, casually responds with, "Has he? I suppose I should be sorry about it, but I didn't like him... You needn't worry" (Avi, 118). She's a hoot! In Avi's defense, I think the author's intent was to write her as a whimsically capricious princess. Yet, her total detachment from the reality of consequences, combined with a general lack of empathy, accidentally creates a really funny, reoccurring punchline.
Additionally, the narrative is often pushed forward by characters being stupid, and does contain a few plot holes. So why did I give this book 4 stars? I still really liked it, sociopath princess and all! The plot can be messy, but it has enough clever twists, and moves forward in a quick and engaging manner.
I have discovered though, that the main reason the nostalgia rooted so deep with this novel, was that this book is super Italian. In addition to all of the characters having Italian names, the key moral themes throughout the book include loyalty, respecting your elders, and not trusting rich people. This was probably one of the first narratives I ever read for fun where I got to see my own family's weird and lovable idiosyncrasies authentically reflected.
In conclusion, I liked this book for the purely selfish reason of getting to learn about myself.
Bonus: My childhood was not ruined, at least not today.