The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
Ceony Twill arrives heartbroken at Magician Emery Thane’s house. Despite having aspirations of casting metal spells and graduating at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is given an apprenticeship in paper magic. She will have no other magic after being linked to paper, ever.
However, Ceony learns spells from the odd yet kind Thane that are much more amazing than she could have ever dreamed, like reading fortunes and even animating paper creatures. But when Ceony learns about these marvels, she is also made aware of the great risks associated with prohibited magic.
The home is invaded by an Excisioner, a practitioner of dark, flesh magic, who takes Thane’s heart from his body. Ceony must confront the evil magician and go on an extraordinary quest to save her master. This adventure will lead Ceony inside Thane’s still-beating heart and reveal the man’s own soul. The Paper Magician, a remarkable journey both dark and humorous from debut author Charlie N. Holmberg, will enthral readers of all ages.
The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
Amazon.com
Ceony Twill arrives heartbroken at Magician Emery Thane’s house. Despite having aspirations of casting metal spells and graduating at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is given an apprenticeship in paper magic. As soon as she bonds to the paper, that will be the only magic she has ever had. The spells Ceony learns from the odd yet kind Thane, however, prove to be more amazing than she could have ever dreamed. They can read fortunes and even animate paper creatures. But when Ceony learns about these marvels, she is also made aware of the great risks associated with prohibited magic.
The home is invaded by an Excisioner, a practitioner of dark, flesh magic, who takes Thane’s heart from his body. Ceony must confront the evil magician and go on an extraordinary quest to save her master. This adventure will lead Ceony inside Thane’s still-beating heart and reveal the man’s own soul.
This novel is so beautifully written, the plot is so well-developed, and all of the characters—even the small ones—are well-rounded. Even the paper dog finds humour, which is noteworthy. Perfect world-building has been done. In Holmberg’s England, magic is merely a respectable profession. Others might decide to become magicians, musicians, or stockbrokers.
Ceony, our protagonist, recently received her diploma from the magic school. After a year of rigorous study, she graduated at the top of her class. She desired to work with metals and be a smelting magician, but the magic community cannot function without its Paper Magicians, and she is regrettably, in her opinion, an apprentice to Paper Magician Emory Thane, who is a bit odd. A few weeks before she started her studies at the school, she was unaware that he had developed a romantic interest in her. She was serving food at a dinner for magicians when a Dirty Old Man of a magician made unwanted contact with her under her skirt. She then spilt a pitcher of wine on him in a Most Embarrassing Place.
Thane was fascinated by Ceony’s deeds, but he also made the decision on who would win the scholarship for which she had sought and without which she would not have been able to cover her school expenses, which was unpleasant for Ceony. But in the Very Nick of time, she is given a scholarship from a different source. She starts her apprenticeship with Thane in his home. She quickly realizes that Paper Magic and Folding is not just ornamental but also quite practical. Jonters, the household’s butler, is a moving paper skeleton that Thane folded. Thane creates a sweet paper dog for Ceony after realizing she left her beloved Jack Russell terrier behind because of his allergies.
