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A review by hgranger
The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker
1.0
I was drawn to this book by a review that described it as “Hermione Granger grown up and discovering she has magic.” Uhm no. Nora is so far from Hermione Granger that it’s almost funny — except for the part where I slugged through 563 pages of pure boring nonsense hoping it would get better. In all of those pages, I think Nora manages to be assertive and save herself once. And even then she gets help from an ice demon. The rest of the book she blunders around making one ridiculous choice after another, getting lured in by ridiculous plots repeatedly, and never getting any wiser. The entire book happens to her, not because of her. The dialogue is wooden and full, the plot is so slow moving it’s almost painful. (Why is this book so long???)
There are several excellent 1-star reviews on here that I’d recommend. I will just say two more things: first, who the heck stumbles into some strangers garden, walks around for a while and then proceeds to help themselves to a drink sitting on a table that “kind of looks like koolaid?? Even if you know nothing about fairies and enchantments, doesn’t common courtesy prevent you from going on to other people’s property and helping yourself to their food/ drink? And second, how utterly unromantic is a romantic love interest who is 180 years old (but usually doesn’t look it) and who KILLED HIS WIFE?!?? (But only because she fell in love with someone else and he’s sort of sorry now. Sometimes.)
There are several excellent 1-star reviews on here that I’d recommend. I will just say two more things: first, who the heck stumbles into some strangers garden, walks around for a while and then proceeds to help themselves to a drink sitting on a table that “kind of looks like koolaid?? Even if you know nothing about fairies and enchantments, doesn’t common courtesy prevent you from going on to other people’s property and helping yourself to their food/ drink? And second, how utterly unromantic is a romantic love interest who is 180 years old (but usually doesn’t look it) and who KILLED HIS WIFE?!?? (But only because she fell in love with someone else and he’s sort of sorry now. Sometimes.)