A review by art_books_chemistry
imPerfect Magic by C.N. Rowan

challenging dark funny tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This story is an intricately woven romp through France as told by a, to be completely honest, lunatic wizard with a juvenile sense of humor. And I mean that in the best way possible. The beginning of the book was a bit rough for me, it seemed just as scattered as Paul's (our lunatic wizard's) mind. There were a few too many time jumps that felt like unfinished thoughts. 

It also took me quite a bit of time to get used to the narrator for the audiobook. It wasn't his accent (I watch plenty of BBC and listen to plenty of UK narrators) but his intonation and inflection, that just felt off to my ears. He'd finish sentences in such a way that they didn't sound like the end of a sentence. Eventually I adjusted enough to be able to listen to the storyline through this and enjoyed it more. However, I probably missed a few details in the beginning because I couldn't focus on what he was saying. 

The actual adventure turned out to be not dissimilar to a D&D campaign with a vindictive dungeon master. Running around France talking to specific monsters or seeking out magical artifacts before ending up in the final dungeon battle where the entire story wraps up. I would have preferred if the "aha" bits were spread out through the story a bit more than just dumped on us in a Bond-villain style soliloquy. But that's personal preference, and I still found it well conceived overall. 

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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