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Loading... Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician: A Novelby Daniel Wallace
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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.  HHS-Staff | Oct 20, 2009 |  The splits between narrators, what each believes to be a reality, and the interpretations of magic make this book enjoyable for me. From each perspective, we are given a different clue as to who Henry is, why he is what he is, and what his outcome may be. But never are we given a definite resolution, much as in standard life. Each individual has their own way of looking at the world, of creating their version of truth from each piece of data they are given. The voices found within Wallace's novel, explaining the life and passing of Henry, each create their own reality, and never can a reader be sure of which is the ultimate one. I, personally, don't believe there is an ultimate truth in Wallace's depiction of Henry Walker's life, and that is a true beauty of the novel to me. How often does an author give so much insight into a character, and yet leave so much to interpretation of the reader? Wallace makes a point that life is about your resolutions, your determinations, your interpretations. Other readers may be disappointed that there isn't a more formal moral or a stronger theme to the book, but to me, it was an enjoyable read, with a unique twist to what authors often try so hard to instill in their readers: belief. (  ) HippieLunatic | Sep 19, 2009 | It was in the early 1930’s when Henry Walker was ten years old and he supposedly met the devil in person. The devil gave him the powers he would have to live with for the rest of his life. Then one day Henry’s beautiful little sister disappeared and Henry knew it had been the devil who took her. Struggling through his life, motherless and living desperately with his drunken father, Henry (at the brink of being homeless) is given pigmentation pills so that he may lead a life as a Negro magician. At thirty-years-old, he becomes a magician for a traveling circus. Then, one night in 1954, he goes missing. Some circus performers, all of whom are convinced that they are Henry’s only friend, share what they have learned about Henry’s past, having been told the story by Henry himself. Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician, unfortunately, did not make sense to me at all. It was not only confusing, but didn’t have a point. At the last page of the book, I still didn’t know if it really had been the devil whom Henry saw. The only character I liked was Henry and in the end, it made it seem as if he was clueless and that his life was spent for nothing. It didn’t really “end”, it just stopped. The book seemed to try very hard to end on a good note and describe the setting slowly to make it seem as if it were the end, but it didn’t convince me. The only reason I kept reading the book was because I wanted to see Henry win. I was disappointed highly. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone because it did nothing for me. (  ) GirlwiththeBraids | Dec 15, 2008 | Our book club found a lot to discuss in this strange story. Think of it as one big illusion from title to end. We all enjoyed the changes in narrators. Wallace is a terrific writer. ( ) LikeLotsofBooks | Sep 8, 2008 | Initially, the book was hard to slip into, but after the first two chapters, the different narrators added complexity and a puzzle-like effect that kept my interest--was this real or was this fantasy? I think the biggest shock came with the revelation about Henry's sister toward the end. However, the resolution was too glib--the private detective "explaining" (deus ex machina) to the circus folk and then the 3 redneck toughs driving Henry to their home to do a magic trick? Not credible. The different narrative threads/anecdotes--how he came to be black; his meeting with Mr. Sebastian; Marianne's ability and death, were entertaining, but ultimately, the character was a static representation that did not grow or develop from the opening chapter. I expected more from the character's search. (  ) mpeters440 | Mar 27, 2008 |  no reviews | add a review
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| Book description |
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From the author of Big Fish comes this haunting, tender story that weaves a tragic secret, a mysterious meeting with the Devil, and a family of charming circus freaks recounting the extraordinary adventures of their friend Henry Walker, the Negro Magician.
In the middle of a dusty Southern town, in the middle of the twentieth century, magician Henry Walker entertains crowds at Jeremiah Musgrove’s Chinese Circus. Though not the world-famous illusionist he once was, Henry, with his dark skin and green eyes, is still something of a novelty to the patrons who pay a dime to see his show. Most of the patrons, anyway.
As the novel begins, one May night in 1954, Henry is confronted by three menacing white teens, and soon thereafter disappears. With his fate uncertain, his friends from the circus—Jenny the Ossified Girl, Rudy the Strong Man, and JJ the Barker—piece together what they know of Henry's mysterious and extraordinary life. The result is a spellbinding adventure that begins when ten-year-old Henry meets the devil, who gives him the art of magic and then steals the one thing that means the most to him. As Henry’s friends recount the remarkable adventures and incredible heartache that result from this childhood encounter, only one thing seems certain about Henry's life: nothing is as it appears.
Brimming with surprising twists and turns, and peopled with a literal circus of memorable characters, Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician is Daniel Wallace at his finest. As in his beloved debut, Big Fish, Wallace once again conjures a wondrous tale with an emotional punch. This is a story of love and loss, identity and illusion, fate and choice; a story that will capture your heart and your imagination and not let go until the very last page.
(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:10 -0400)
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This novel begins with a Depression-era circus. The book has so many twists and surprises I could not stop reading. There are multiple narrators which adds to the mystery throughout. It reads somewhat like Twain, requiring suspension of disbelief while maintaining enough realism to make you question the craziness. You can't tell much about this book without ruining some of the mystery, but if you read to page 45 I don't think you'll be able to stop. Expect this to become a movie. This is the author of Big Fish and there are many similarities within the stories. (