Mister Magic by Kiersten White is an imaginative, new take on a suspense novel. Combine the friendly, fun vibes of Mr. Rogers with the eeriness of your favorite thriller and you’ve got Mister Magic. I am so completely obsessed with her writing- she’s so good at making dialogue fun and relatable. Each of the characters is individualized and brings a different element to the story. More so, it is obvious from the start that not only does the reader not have all the information, the characters don’t and it's difficult to figure out who to trust, if anyone.
There is an overarching theme of perfection– being the perfect child, perfect person. I think many of us have experienced this, mostly from a more conservative viewpoint based in religion. We’re taught to be a certain way and don’t even question it until someone else or a specific experience challenges it. Kiersten White really charged forward with this idea of growing up with specific expectations and what it means to meet them and follow the rules taught to us from a young age, especially as women.
This story never stalls, keeping the reader curious and wanting to know what in the world is going on. It’s a difficult one to figure out right away, which I personally REALLY enjoyed.
I won’t say much more as everything I want to gush about is a spoiler, but I highly recommend this book. To end, I’ll quote the theme song, something I imagine would be even more creepy to hear than read.
Take my hand
Stand on your mark
Make a circle
In the dark
Close your eyes
And wish with me
Keep them closed
And now we see
Magic Man!
Magic Man!
Magic Man!
He’s here for me!
Favorite quotes:
“It’s like finding the deepest, darkest hole, and sticking her arm in. Knowing something will take her hand. Knowing it’s been waiting for her to reach out and ask all this time. Knowing full well that when she does, she can’t control what answers on the other side.”
“Never leaving made staying easier.”
“She can’t live in the between anymore, suspecting but not knowing. It’s cowardly, and Val isn’t a coward.”
“New isn’t the same as perfect. Growing up isn’t inherently loss, it’s just change.”
Comments