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A review by kailey_luminouslibro
Wizard's Holiday by Diane Duane
5.0
In this book, Kit and Nita are participating in a young wizard student exchange program, taking a vacation to a far-off planet to learn how other wizards and species live on other worlds. And there are three wizards from off-world visiting Earth at Nita's house with Dairine. Although everything seems peaceful, Nita begins to realize that something is wrong with the planet they are visiting. Dairine has trouble with one of the exchange student wizards who is very arrogant, but he is a specialist in a type of magic they will need.
As always, it is utterly impossible to describe the wonder, the grandeur, the sheer enchantment of a book by Diane Duane. There's something so indescribably foreign and deliciously familiar in all her characters. They possess great magical power; they encounter mystic beings; and they get embarrassed when their socks don't match. Those little down-to-earth moments, like drinking a cup of tea and finding your favorite tennis shoes before going off to fight in the planetary wars, are what make her stories so special.
There's always a current of awareness running under her stories that glances out through little things, showing the dark and brightness in every human heart with a startling clarity. I love the way that each wizard responds to and experiences the magical powers they harness, and there is a reflection of struggle and understanding inside themselves. It makes the magic system so deep and wide and omnipresent in each aspect of the story, because of its complexity and actuality.
(I'm trying so hard to explain the particular enchantment of this magical setting, but I'm failing miserably. It won't make sense unless you've read the magic yourself.)
As always, I adore Nita and Kit's friendship! They are so comfortable together, and there is such a depth of understanding between them. Every scene with them is so carefully and beautifully written. In this book, they are adjusting to a new planet and a new culture that is very different from their own, but they find that all life has basic commonalities no matter where they are.
The plot in this one kept me reading and wondering and enjoying every page! All the aliens are so imaginative and different. One is basically a sentient tree, and he is appalled that people on Earth actually eat plants. Another one has a lot of legs and can eat almost anything. He eats metal and wood and glass, anything at all, so Dairine has to make sure to tell him not to eat the plates at dinner. It's really funny!
I love that this author always deals with heavy subjects - sacrifice, and honor, and the meaning of truth- but there's also much light-hearted fun in her books.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
As always, it is utterly impossible to describe the wonder, the grandeur, the sheer enchantment of a book by Diane Duane. There's something so indescribably foreign and deliciously familiar in all her characters. They possess great magical power; they encounter mystic beings; and they get embarrassed when their socks don't match. Those little down-to-earth moments, like drinking a cup of tea and finding your favorite tennis shoes before going off to fight in the planetary wars, are what make her stories so special.
There's always a current of awareness running under her stories that glances out through little things, showing the dark and brightness in every human heart with a startling clarity. I love the way that each wizard responds to and experiences the magical powers they harness, and there is a reflection of struggle and understanding inside themselves. It makes the magic system so deep and wide and omnipresent in each aspect of the story, because of its complexity and actuality.
(I'm trying so hard to explain the particular enchantment of this magical setting, but I'm failing miserably. It won't make sense unless you've read the magic yourself.)
As always, I adore Nita and Kit's friendship! They are so comfortable together, and there is such a depth of understanding between them. Every scene with them is so carefully and beautifully written. In this book, they are adjusting to a new planet and a new culture that is very different from their own, but they find that all life has basic commonalities no matter where they are.
The plot in this one kept me reading and wondering and enjoying every page! All the aliens are so imaginative and different. One is basically a sentient tree, and he is appalled that people on Earth actually eat plants. Another one has a lot of legs and can eat almost anything. He eats metal and wood and glass, anything at all, so Dairine has to make sure to tell him not to eat the plates at dinner. It's really funny!
I love that this author always deals with heavy subjects - sacrifice, and honor, and the meaning of truth- but there's also much light-hearted fun in her books.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series!