A review by srivalli
The Magician's Daughter by H.G. Parry

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

3.75

 3.8 Stars

One Liner: Entertaining if you read it as a YA book

1912, Hy-Basil & London

Orphaned Biddy grows up on Hy-Basil Island with Rowan and Hutch as guardians. Magic is a part of her life, though she doesn’t have it. As Biddy grows older, she has too many questions about things that were never explained to her. And then, one day, Rowan is hurt, and Biddy comes to know a little about his enemies and stuff from outside of Hy-Basil. 

However, there isn’t time for her to learn. Biddy is thrust right into the middle of a power clash. It seems that she holds the key to save magic and restore it from being lost forever. Of course, it comes with grave consequences, and Biddy has to decide what she would do. 

Can Biddy save magic as well as her and her guardians’ lives, or will she have to sacrifice one for another? 

The story comes in Biddy’s limited-third person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

The writing is descriptive and paints a vivid picture of the settings, be it the wild island or the castle dungeons. It is easy to visualize the story and the characters. 

Once I realized this would be more of a YA book, I adjusted my expectations and enjoyed it a lot more. The book has some dark elements and scenes, but it should work easily for older teens. Since Biddy is 16 or 17, readers of the same age group might relate to her. Adult readers note that Biddy can be annoying and dramatic sometimes. 

The beginning is a little slow, as expected. Once the basic premise is established, the story picks up pace. The scenes in the poorhouses of Whitechapel somehow didn’t fully blend in. I understand Biddy’s conflicting emotions and vulnerabilities and how the place ties up with the rest of the plot, but it somehow feels less effective than it should have been. 

The other main characters are well-etched. I like how Rowan is caring and affectionate when it comes to Biddy but can resort to violence to handle his opponents. He has his faults, some of which are the reason for this trouble in their heads. Though he is one of those characters the readers may or may not like. 

Hutch is Rowan’s familiar rabbit, and it is fun having a rabbit instead of a cat. This could be the author’s partiality (she has pet rabbits), but I like this change. A soft and furry rabbit with strong opinions makes for an entertaining read. (Please don’t tell me rabbits aren’t new to magic books. I want to continue living under my little rock.) 

Morgana is another interesting character. Is she good or evil? Does she want to help Rowan or Vaughan? Vaughan is pretty much the charming bad guy with evil in his heart and more than enough manipulative powers to get what he wants. 

The second half is much more engaging than the first, mainly because we see Biddy grow and make her own decisions. These come with consequences but set the stage for her to become independent instead of being the sheltered bookish kid she was when the story begins. 

The writing is a little long-winded at times. You can speed-read at such places. There are a couple of long conversations, too, so gets a bit tiring. The ‘magic’ part is well-established, and I like the concept behind it. 

The ending is apt for the book. It ties up the ends while also leaving enough opportunities for a sequel. I wouldn’t mind one if it is set in Hy-Basil and explores the magical island in greater detail. 

To summarize, The Magician’s Daughter is an entertaining read with good world-building and a strong second half. I think it would be more appropriate to tag it as YA (darkish) fantasy. The content is clean. 

Thank you, NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and Orbit, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#TheMagiciansDaughter #NetGalley 

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