The NerdHerd Reads: The Glass Magician {by Charlie N. Holmberg}

Title: The Glass Magician

Author: Charlie N. Holmberg

Series: The Paper Magician Trilogy, #1

Genre: YA fantasy

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Received via NetGalley

Three months after returning Magician Emery Thane’s heart to his body, Ceony Twill is well on her way to becoming a Folder. Unfortunately, not all of Ceony’s thoughts have been focused on paper magic. Though she was promised romance by a fortuity box, Ceony still hasn’t broken the teacher-student barrier with Emery, despite their growing closeness.

When a magician with a penchant for revenge believes that Ceony possesses a secret, he vows to discover it…even if it tears apart the very fabric of their magical world. After a series of attacks target Ceony and catch those she holds most dear in the crossfire, Ceony knows she must find the true limits of her powers…and keep her knowledge from falling into wayward hands.

The delightful sequel to Charlie N. Holmberg’s The Paper Magician, The Glass Magician will charm readers young and old alike.

My review of The Paper Magician here.

When I finished the first book, I thought this series had the potential to get so much better. But it didn't. Holmberg had set this up to be such a great world, with a smart, independent heroine, but nope.

I just full-out did not like Ceony in this one. I guess the events of the last book gave her a hero-God complex, where only she can save the world and no one else can help her or tell her what to do. Let's not care about the fact that she hasn't even been doing magic for 6 months. Oh no, she must know better than these older, more experienced magicians. Second, she spends so much time swooning over Magician Thane--oh, Emery--and doesn't do much of anything else. Oh, but she was so plain-looking and not at all gorgeous like his first wife, there's no way he could like her. Not to mention, of course she is so good at cooking and Folding and so smart she only has to look at a page to memorize it, and she is so good at playing the martyr. Her only flaw is being afraid of water...which...really isn't...a flaw. (And seriously, how many times can one braid be mentioned??)

Also, I feel like we don't really know Magician Thane. He's always kept at a distance, sort of a flat character that never really gets to shine. I mean, even after going through his heart last book, we still don't get to know him. None of the other characters were established very well.

This book should have been called Ceony Makes a Lot of Really Bad and Dumb Decisions that Almost Gets Everyone Else Killed (and Then She Wants to Say She's Sorry). Too long? Oops. But seriously. I honestly can't really tell you what happened plot wise because I just don't know. And the world-building is sorely lacking.

Ultimately, I am just so disappointed in the wasted potential. The world, the characters, all had the potential to be something so unique and great and it wasn't. And that just makes me sad.

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