⋙ Libro Gratis The Thinking Woman Guide to Real Magic Emily Croy Barker 9780670023660 Books

The Thinking Woman Guide to Real Magic Emily Croy Barker 9780670023660 Books

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The Thinking Woman Guide to Real Magic Emily Croy Barker 9780670023660 Books

Normally, I can see the "first in a series" trap coming--I try to be diligent about checking reviews for that--but this one blindsided me. And I have to say, it's jarring how much I enjoyed reading this book until I got to the end. It sucked me right in with beautiful detail and nuanced world building. It's odd to remember how consumed I was, how often I laughed out loud. Because after a slow and careful ascent toward romantic resolution (and a resolution of Nora's place in the world/worlds), the book completely drops you. It's a slow-build bridge to nowhere and it breaks my heart because the climb was so immersive and wonderful.

Of course, now knowing that it was intended to be followed-up all along, the ending makes sense. But I had no warning, and for me the book did not stand on its own. A book in a series ought to be able to stand on its own. I don't think /all/ of the threads should have been tied up in novel with potential sequels, but it would have been nice to get some resolution on, say, three of them. (Three threads out of twenty isn't too greedy.)

I struggled with rating 'The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic' because I really did enjoy the ride before its abrupt end, and I will absolutely read the sequel if it ever comes out, but at the end of the day, this was a book that I actually threw across the room upon finishing it. I don't think I've ever thrown a book before. So three stars, from a very conflicted heart.


Tags : The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic [Emily Croy Barker] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b>An imaginative story of a woman caught in an alternate world—where she will need to learn the skills of magic to survive</b> Nora Fischer’s dissertation is stalled and her boyfriend is about to marry another woman.  During a miserable weekend at a friend’s wedding,Emily Croy Barker,The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic,Pamela Dorman Books,0670023663,Fantasy - Paranormal,Romance - Fantasy,Fantasy fiction,Fantasy fiction.,Magic,Magic;Fiction.,AMERICAN LIGHT ROMANTIC FICTION,AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY,FICTION Fantasy Paranormal,FICTION Occult & Supernatural,FICTION Romance Fantasy,Fantasy - General,Fiction,Fiction - Fantasy,Fiction Fantasy General,Fiction-Romance,FictionRomance - Fantasy,GENERAL,General Adult,Horror & ghost stories,RomanceGothic,Romance: Gothic,United States

The Thinking Woman Guide to Real Magic Emily Croy Barker 9780670023660 Books Reviews

It's not easy to write a fantasy where characters pass between the "real" world and the fantasy world. Barker's done it deftly. She's also managed to conjure up a coherent, internally consistent world in which magic functions, complete with realistic descriptions of life at all levels of a pseud0-medieval society, warts and all. Lots of literary references, especially to Jane Austen; English majors and well-read general readers will enjoy the subtle references to other novelists and to poets.

The heroine, Nora, is a graduate student of English literature, struggling to finish her dissertation, disdained by her advisor and abandoned by her boyfriend. She goes for a walk in the woods during a weekend away and is snatched (almost literally) into another world, where magic operates and Fae-like characters torment human beings. Despite her self-doubts, Nora is plucky and won't take any of the sexism and class-snobbery of the world she finds herself in. She is strong enough to adjust to her fate for the sake of her survival. The characters (human and Fae) are complex and the action generally keeps up a good pace. There's room for sequels, and I'll happily await one.
I bought Emily Croy Barker's The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magicon a lark when it was a Deal, and was pleasantly surprised. Be forewarned it's long, but there wasn't a great deal that I might have edited out if given a chance. For the tl;dr review, it's what I'd hoped the whole series of A Discovery of Witches was going to be.

Nora's personal and professional life are both in a rut when she takes a walk to gather her thoughts before her friends' wedding and stumbles into a parallel universe where magic is real. As she makes her way in this new place, she learns a lot about herself, and that magic is a subject of intense study much as anything else is in academia in her reality.

While there's a certain amount of Nora being TSTL at times, and a tendency for her to act like she's fresh off the turnip truck for the sake of the next plot advancement, I found this a refreshing read, and am eagerly anticipating the sequel, even if I do fear it will focus on romance and dull the chemistry between the two main characters. Sometimes the best parts of a story are in the anticipation, which is what made this a book I had a hard time putting down.
After something of a slow start, this book thoroughly drew me in. Nora falls through a hole between worlds and is taken up by the Fairy Court. She loves the queen and is overjoyed to be married to the prince, until she discovers that nothing is as it seems. She is rescued by a magician, who helps her recover from the toll of living in the Fairy Court, giving her a place in his household and eventually training her in the use of magic. Many adventures ensue, with Nora becoming ever more resourceful. However, when offered the chance to go back to her (our) world, she takes it. The book ends just as she realizes that she must go back.
About 100 pages from the end, I checked online to see about a sequel. Many other readers are waiting for one as well -- I think this came out in 2013. So, Ms. Barker, I know you've probably got lots to do, but don't go all George R.R. Martin on us and keep us waiting forever!
This was shockingly good - I picked it up because it was about an English Major falling into the hands of faerie, and being a former English Major, having studied folklore a lot, I was prepared to nitpick my way through the thing. No nitpicking required. The author got her folklore right, and threw in enough BritLit treats to keep me chuckling throughout. But none of these are the best parts of the book.

You know how some heroines just make you want to slap them? They're silly, or plain stupid, or say something that doesn't ring true and propels you out of the narrative? Didn't happen. Nora is smart. When she has something to say, it's usually what I'd say in the same situation. She's not overly socially backward (though that would have been an easy pitfall), she does her realistic best.

Characterization-wise, Aruendiel is developed the most and there's still so much there (can't wait for book 2). With Nora, it feels like you slip into her skin. The romance aspect of the novel is frustrating - a really steamy scene or two wouldn't have been unwelcome - but I'll keep my fingers crossed for the sequel. Counting the days. But when a writer puts this much thought into her work, these things take time.
Normally, I can see the "first in a series" trap coming--I try to be diligent about checking reviews for that--but this one blindsided me. And I have to say, it's jarring how much I enjoyed reading this book until I got to the end. It sucked me right in with beautiful detail and nuanced world building. It's odd to remember how consumed I was, how often I laughed out loud. Because after a slow and careful ascent toward romantic resolution (and a resolution of Nora's place in the world/worlds), the book completely drops you. It's a slow-build bridge to nowhere and it breaks my heart because the climb was so immersive and wonderful.

Of course, now knowing that it was intended to be followed-up all along, the ending makes sense. But I had no warning, and for me the book did not stand on its own. A book in a series ought to be able to stand on its own. I don't think /all/ of the threads should have been tied up in novel with potential sequels, but it would have been nice to get some resolution on, say, three of them. (Three threads out of twenty isn't too greedy.)

I struggled with rating 'The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic' because I really did enjoy the ride before its abrupt end, and I will absolutely read the sequel if it ever comes out, but at the end of the day, this was a book that I actually threw across the room upon finishing it. I don't think I've ever thrown a book before. So three stars, from a very conflicted heart.