The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg - OPTIONAL

Holmberg, Charlie N. The Paper Magician, 222 pages.  47North, 2014.  $15.  

Content: PG (some violence)

HS, ADULT – OPTIONAL

Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, Ceony was able to complete her education as a magician.  Instead of her dream vocation of  Smelter, however, she is forced to become a Folder – bound to paper as her material.  As far as she can tell, the lowest material of all.  And her master, Magician Thane is mysterious and difficult to understand.  But she settles in and begins to learn.  Too soon, however, Magician Thane is attacked by Excisioner – a human who steals magic from others – and his heart is stolen.  Ceony cobbles together a paper heart for her mentor, but she has only two days to retrieve his own heart or he will die. 

For older teens, or for adult readers this is an optional read.  It’s a nice fantasy construct, but the book is too short to adequately draw us into the world far enough to care for anyone beyond Ceony and her relationship with Magician Thane.  I wish Holmberg had even helped me understand why anyone needs Folders in this particular world, because the pair don’t seem to help anyone except themselves, which made me wonder why Ceony was forced to become a Folder in the first place.  As a novel of the heart, however, it is rather dreamy.

Cindy, Library Teacher