Fresh & Whimsical : The Paper Magician

I usually don't care for whimsy in my reading material, but The Paper Magician toed the line so closely, I enjoyed the story for all its parts. I was drawn in by the premise of a new magical novice being forced to bond to a material, paper, when all she ever wanted to be was a metal magician. Being the first in her class has deprived her of her choice, but when she meets Paper Magician Emery Thane, her mind quickly sees the wonder of her new future. The use of paper for magic started with some predictable forms of origami-interesting, but predictable- and then moved on to things I wouldn't have thought of which had much more power and potential. That we learned more about the possibilities with paper as the story developed was immensely satisfying.

I found both Emery Thane and Ceony Twill intriguing, endearing, and complex as characters, and how their relationship as teacher and apprentice grows kept my interest. The main action of the plot, while definitely compelling, took an unexpected detour through Emery Thane's heart - literally. While this was certainly a unique way to answer some of the beginning's mysteries-why Emery Thane lives alone, how his ex-wife became an Excisioner, or Blood Magician, and why Thane gave her a secret scholarship that allowed her to attend magic school in the first place, the journey through Thane's heart was very drawn out, taking up about two-thirds of the book.

I expected to see more of the aftermath in this book before moving on to the next volume. Ceony makes it out of his fourth chamber, forced to admit her attraction to a shadowy version of Thane, and coming out of it not knowing how much he truly understands of what she saw and what she did while there.

The conclusion after Ceony's escape from Thane's heart feels rushed, but is also enticing. Ceony discovers a great power to defeat the blood-thirsty ex-wife, and she receives a vision of a fortune, a happy future for her and Emery. But when will that come to pass? Only the rest of the series will tell, and I am eager for the next volume.

Rating: 4/5
**New Author Goal:22 out of 30**

Who knew such things could hold such power?