kimreadsthings's review against another edition
2.0
DNF at 25%.
Apparently even when it's genre I just can't enjoy NA. This is boring. The writing style is trying too hard, and not succeeding, at utilizing an authentic feeling 20s dialogue. And I haven't felt any sense of atmosphere for the time and setting. Also, nothing has happened so far. My interest is not piqued, so I see no reason to continue on.
I think the most difficult hurdle for me is that one of the main characters, and love interest, is a huge jerk. Be a jerk MC fine, but don't also be the love interest that I'm supposed to want the heroine to fall in love with. I skimmed ahead a little and I'm not impressed with
Apparently even when it's genre I just can't enjoy NA. This is boring. The writing style is trying too hard, and not succeeding, at utilizing an authentic feeling 20s dialogue. And I haven't felt any sense of atmosphere for the time and setting. Also, nothing has happened so far. My interest is not piqued, so I see no reason to continue on.
I think the most difficult hurdle for me is that one of the main characters, and love interest, is a huge jerk. Be a jerk MC fine, but don't also be the love interest that I'm supposed to want the heroine to fall in love with. I skimmed ahead a little and I'm not impressed with
Spoiler
the fact that Joan takes a turn to the dark side, while Alex becomes the "good guy" who must save her for her own good. Blah.ndiganci's review against another edition
I couldn't make it through this book. It was supposed to be set in 1920s America, but except for a brief mention of a Model T, it could have been set last year. I think the author could have put more into the setting to really make it feel like The Roaring Twenties. And the language the characters used sounded more like modern language with none of the slang and catchphrases common in the 1920s.
And speaking of the characters, I really couldn't get into them. They're both sorcerers, but Joan is willing to just perform in a magic speakeasy? At least as far as I got, she didn't seem to consider anything else she could have done with her magic to make her situation better. They were both just kind of bland.
And that's another thing - magic is real, but sorcerers are content to just perform and run illegal magic? What about taking over, robbing banks, ANYTHING else one would expect someone who can throw up subterfuge and distractions would do.
And speaking of the characters, I really couldn't get into them. They're both sorcerers, but Joan is willing to just perform in a magic speakeasy? At least as far as I got, she didn't seem to consider anything else she could have done with her magic to make her situation better. They were both just kind of bland.
And that's another thing - magic is real, but sorcerers are content to just perform and run illegal magic? What about taking over, robbing banks, ANYTHING else one would expect someone who can throw up subterfuge and distractions would do.
charbee1's review against another edition
3.0
Don’t judge a book by its cover they say. Nope. This book was exactly what the cover gave me. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would but it just really didn’t do much for me. There were moments, mostly the descriptions of big magic usage, that I thought were really great but overall I just felt meh.
missprint_'s review against another edition
3.0
Thanks to the passage of the 18th Amendment, magic is finally illegal. But making something illegal doesn't make it disappear--it just makes it sexier and, for two unlikely sorcerers, that much more dangerous.
Joan Kendrick has seen firsthand how damaging magical shine can be. It is more potent than liquor, more addictive than narcotics, and in the wrong hands it can be deadly. When it looks like magic might be the only way to save her family's home, Joan forges a risky bargain. If Joan can learn to harness her magic it could change everything. But only if she can stay alive long enough to enjoy it.
Magic has taken everything from Alex Danfrey forever changing the trajectory of his life, landing his father in prison, and even ruining Alex's own good name. Alex never wanted to work as an undercover prohibition agent--certainly not one peddling magic for the head of the Shaw crime syndicate. But who is he to turn down the one chance he has to turn his life around?
Joan and Alex are on opposite sides in a battle that's been threatening to erupt for years. When lines are drawn both of them will have to determine where the others' loyalties--and their trust--truly lies in A Criminal Magic (2016) by Lee Kelly.
Kelly's unique vision of magic and magical distillation adds an interesting element to the world here, as do the complex illusions Joan learns to peddle as a speakeasy performer. Unfortunately so much time is spent explaining the internal logic of the magic systems that much of the plot's forward momentum is lost in these technical details.
One of the main tenets of prohibition, in retrospect at least, is the fact that much of the movement was grounded in false logic. For example, removing a man's access to liquor would not make him less likely to hit his wife (the movement was very interested in stopping domestic violence). Instead it makes it more likely for him to hit his wife while sober.
What happens, then, if the idea of prohibition is actually grounded in fact? Kelly spends a lot of time telling readers that magical shine is as dangerous as everyone fears--something shown repeatedly in the story as peripheral characters suffer through addiction and withdrawal. While this concept is interesting it is never fully explained or explored in the narrative never doing anything new or fully addressing the inherent tensions of the time period.
A Criminal Magic is a heady blend of historical fiction and fantasy whose main characters have obvious chemistry albeit in an often under-utilized setting.
Possible Pairings: Westside by W. M. Akers, The Diviners by Libba Bray, Storm Front by Jim Butcher, The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman, Priest of Bones by Peter MacLean, Iron Cast by Destiny Soria
Joan Kendrick has seen firsthand how damaging magical shine can be. It is more potent than liquor, more addictive than narcotics, and in the wrong hands it can be deadly. When it looks like magic might be the only way to save her family's home, Joan forges a risky bargain. If Joan can learn to harness her magic it could change everything. But only if she can stay alive long enough to enjoy it.
Magic has taken everything from Alex Danfrey forever changing the trajectory of his life, landing his father in prison, and even ruining Alex's own good name. Alex never wanted to work as an undercover prohibition agent--certainly not one peddling magic for the head of the Shaw crime syndicate. But who is he to turn down the one chance he has to turn his life around?
Joan and Alex are on opposite sides in a battle that's been threatening to erupt for years. When lines are drawn both of them will have to determine where the others' loyalties--and their trust--truly lies in A Criminal Magic (2016) by Lee Kelly.
Kelly's unique vision of magic and magical distillation adds an interesting element to the world here, as do the complex illusions Joan learns to peddle as a speakeasy performer. Unfortunately so much time is spent explaining the internal logic of the magic systems that much of the plot's forward momentum is lost in these technical details.
One of the main tenets of prohibition, in retrospect at least, is the fact that much of the movement was grounded in false logic. For example, removing a man's access to liquor would not make him less likely to hit his wife (the movement was very interested in stopping domestic violence). Instead it makes it more likely for him to hit his wife while sober.
What happens, then, if the idea of prohibition is actually grounded in fact? Kelly spends a lot of time telling readers that magical shine is as dangerous as everyone fears--something shown repeatedly in the story as peripheral characters suffer through addiction and withdrawal. While this concept is interesting it is never fully explained or explored in the narrative never doing anything new or fully addressing the inherent tensions of the time period.
A Criminal Magic is a heady blend of historical fiction and fantasy whose main characters have obvious chemistry albeit in an often under-utilized setting.
Possible Pairings: Westside by W. M. Akers, The Diviners by Libba Bray, Storm Front by Jim Butcher, The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman, Priest of Bones by Peter MacLean, Iron Cast by Destiny Soria
lautir's review against another edition
2.0
I started at very excited for the book. I was quickly hooked on the idea of blood magic and the prohibition settings but, things kind of fell apart for me.
It took a while for the main dramatic arc to be introduced, everything felt dragged out, and I quickly became bored with the main characters.
This all could have been saved by the setting but after it was established very little more was done to really make the setting come to life. I wish there had been more historical factors or details because I really thought there was promise there, but everything felt glossed over.
The plot quickly became predictable, the minor characters were treated exactly like minor characters, no depth, barely contributed to the story. There was some redeeming character development in the last few pages for the MCs but it took forever to get there.
It took a while for the main dramatic arc to be introduced, everything felt dragged out, and I quickly became bored with the main characters.
This all could have been saved by the setting but after it was established very little more was done to really make the setting come to life. I wish there had been more historical factors or details because I really thought there was promise there, but everything felt glossed over.
The plot quickly became predictable, the minor characters were treated exactly like minor characters, no depth, barely contributed to the story. There was some redeeming character development in the last few pages for the MCs but it took forever to get there.
joie881's review against another edition
4.0
booksoffox's review against another edition
3.0
Did I loved it? No. Did I liked it? Yes. Could it be better? Yes. So three stars.
lsoccer12's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely finished this book in one day. Holy cow.
Prohibition-era historical fiction and magic- I was sold from the beginning. This book has it all, strong but flawed characters, incredible new twist on magic, solid world building, romance, action...
*A bit of strong language throughout, just a warning.
Prohibition-era historical fiction and magic- I was sold from the beginning. This book has it all, strong but flawed characters, incredible new twist on magic, solid world building, romance, action...
*A bit of strong language throughout, just a warning.
snowbenton's review against another edition
5.0
BRUTAL and fast-paced and still a character study of our two ANTI-heroes?
Prohibition era gangsters but MAGIC instead of LIQUOR is illegal?
Brilliant displays of magic and GUILT up to your EYEBROWS?
Yes, yes, yes.
Prohibition era gangsters but MAGIC instead of LIQUOR is illegal?
Brilliant displays of magic and GUILT up to your EYEBROWS?
Yes, yes, yes.
artsymusings's review against another edition
2.0
A Criminal Magic has a fantastic-sounding premise and a historical setting. Sadly, it couldn’t rely on either to make the characters or the story be any good. The magic aspect of this book is unique, though. Sorcerers perform magic which can then be siphoned off into bottles and drank basically giving people a high like drugs do. Therefore, it’s only natural that magic got prohibited wherein lies the whole story.
Of course, prohibition is never the proper solution so sleazy taverns are found all over the world and crime syndicates rule. Magic in A Criminal Magic works in a way that creating stunning illusions through magic means a better quality shine and a more addictive high. So when one of the crime-lords decides to put together a team of sorcerers to perform magic every night, all the moneys pour in. But what’s the catch?
Joan Kendrick has a dark secret which manages to constantly guilt her into being the responsible one and taking care of her family. Good enough, but it doesn’t really stop there since that guilt is repeated countless times throughout the book and when I actually got to know the reason behind it, I was so underwhelmed it wasn’t even funny. It also made me angry because assault was involved and honestly, a sorcerer being backed into a corner? Who are you trying to fool? Using any kind of assault as a plot device is never okay and is the biggest drawback of A Criminal Magic that I can’t look past.
Alex Danfrey, on the other hand, is an ex-criminal trying to be the good guy by helping the Federal Prohibition Unit bring down the shine underworld by working undercover. My issue with Alex is that he doesn’t really have a personality. More like a range of stereotypes strung together to form a swoony, perfect male character who just about everyone can walk on because hey, he’s just trying to be a good person. Please. I’ve just about had enough of those to last me a lifetime.
Still, how the team of sorcerers is put together, the tests they go through to be selected and the illusions they create are some of the things that I actually enjoyed. The imagery of a few of their performances is really stunning and I would actually read a book about those alone.
Anyhow, once the team comes together, power struggle starts to occur and of course, there’s animosity among them mostly because Joan becomes one hell of a talented sorcerer. However, talent means more danger of being used by other people and that’s exactly what happens with Joan. Who could’ve guessed, right? Joan gets roped into doing more for her crime boss than she bargained for and when she realizes why she actually got selected to be on the team, it gives her pause (well, several very annoying pauses). Meanwhile, Alex realizes that he has to choose between being the good guy or Joan so he’s also in a (very annoying) pickle.
I’ve to mention, though that there are siblings on the team who seem to be in love with each other? It was definitely implied that they’re siblings and that there’s something going on between them which, if really the case, disgusting.
In all, it’s actually sad how tiring it was for me to read A Criminal Magic as I was basically waiting for them to perform some magic and take me out of my misery. Also, the only villain I did like was a female crime-lord who was only in one scene. I’m pretty sure that with a different set of characters, a more solid story and a way better ending, this book would have been fantastic as fuck. What it actually is now, is a thorough disappointment.
Of course, prohibition is never the proper solution so sleazy taverns are found all over the world and crime syndicates rule. Magic in A Criminal Magic works in a way that creating stunning illusions through magic means a better quality shine and a more addictive high. So when one of the crime-lords decides to put together a team of sorcerers to perform magic every night, all the moneys pour in. But what’s the catch?
Joan Kendrick has a dark secret which manages to constantly guilt her into being the responsible one and taking care of her family. Good enough, but it doesn’t really stop there since that guilt is repeated countless times throughout the book and when I actually got to know the reason behind it, I was so underwhelmed it wasn’t even funny. It also made me angry because assault was involved and honestly, a sorcerer being backed into a corner? Who are you trying to fool? Using any kind of assault as a plot device is never okay and is the biggest drawback of A Criminal Magic that I can’t look past.
Alex Danfrey, on the other hand, is an ex-criminal trying to be the good guy by helping the Federal Prohibition Unit bring down the shine underworld by working undercover. My issue with Alex is that he doesn’t really have a personality. More like a range of stereotypes strung together to form a swoony, perfect male character who just about everyone can walk on because hey, he’s just trying to be a good person. Please. I’ve just about had enough of those to last me a lifetime.
Still, how the team of sorcerers is put together, the tests they go through to be selected and the illusions they create are some of the things that I actually enjoyed. The imagery of a few of their performances is really stunning and I would actually read a book about those alone.
Anyhow, once the team comes together, power struggle starts to occur and of course, there’s animosity among them mostly because Joan becomes one hell of a talented sorcerer. However, talent means more danger of being used by other people and that’s exactly what happens with Joan. Who could’ve guessed, right? Joan gets roped into doing more for her crime boss than she bargained for and when she realizes why she actually got selected to be on the team, it gives her pause (well, several very annoying pauses). Meanwhile, Alex realizes that he has to choose between being the good guy or Joan so he’s also in a (very annoying) pickle.
I’ve to mention, though that there are siblings on the team who seem to be in love with each other? It was definitely implied that they’re siblings and that there’s something going on between them which, if really the case, disgusting.
In all, it’s actually sad how tiring it was for me to read A Criminal Magic as I was basically waiting for them to perform some magic and take me out of my misery. Also, the only villain I did like was a female crime-lord who was only in one scene. I’m pretty sure that with a different set of characters, a more solid story and a way better ending, this book would have been fantastic as fuck. What it actually is now, is a thorough disappointment.