The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher

Based on the premise alone, you can probably tell that this book breaks the usual mold. The protagonist is elderly, walks with a cane, has hearing aids, takes medication. She has no fighting experience, and the only thing magical about her seems to be her ability to produce an endless supply of handkerchiefs from her handbag. She gathers a team around her, including a teenager who believes she should have been the Chosen One instead, and for a long while, it may be difficult for even the reader to see how she won't end up being the one who saves the day.

But the refreshing thing about this book is that it has realism in a way most fantasy books don't. And I don't mean the kind where the dragons turn out to be hallucinations or mechanical show more in nature or some other nonsense. Oh no, dragons are real. Magic is real. But the characters are also real. That means a teenager might be impulsive and lacking in wisdom. The tragic past that makes her thirst for revenge also led to real psychological trauma, complete with flashbacks, anger issues, and more. Another character suffers from an anxiety disorder. And when we meet the villain, we slowly learn why he became the way he is.

Every character in this book has depth, and they interact and develop in ways that are entirely believable. They don't stop being anxious after one rousing speech or one positive development. They don't get lost inside a flashback only at fortuitous times, as if their PTSD exists only to give the reader backstory and would never actually get in the way of the adventure. But they do develop relationships and experience believable growth. Some of them form a found family and support each other throughout the plot developments that come. And that's a beautiful thing to see.

If you read the first few chapters of this book, you'll also see it has a lot of humor in it. I laughed out loud more than once and was very much enjoying the ride. But, as the warning in the front of the book indicates, it also gets quite serious. Goodreads has this listed as a cozy mystery, and that is patently untrue. Do not go into this book unless you're prepared to see some serious violence, including death scenes that truly show the grief and loss and pain, as well as characters talking about physical and emotional abuse and dealing with the psychological consequences. I loved the way the book addressed these topics and felt that the humor provided a nice balance, while the beginning established a sense of peace and normalcy that showed what the world could be like for everyone if the characters succeed at putting an end to the violence. But if you don't want to experience the tonal shift that emphasizes just how terrible these dragon attacks are, this is not the book for you.

I really enjoyed this book, from beginning to end. It had an interesting and diverse set of characters, a fresh take on an old formula, and authentic queer and neurodivergent representation by a queer and neurodivergent author. But don't read it if you're after lighthearted humor only. Likewise, don't give up too early if you're waiting for things to get serious. This book is for those who appreciate the balance. show less

In alternate universe of the United States, magic is real and a dragon-riding sorcerer is threatening the Knights who defend the country. The wizards must find a Chosen One and they select Edna Fisher, an 83-year-old resident of a retirement home, despite the fact that she has no magical abilities and her only weapon is her knitting needles. She's accompanied on her quest by Benjamin, her caretaker from the retirement home. Along the way they are joined by Clementine, a vengeful and intemperate 16-year-old with magical and sword-fighting abilities who naturally feels she should be the Chosen One. An elf with a secret, Kiernan, also joins the quest.

At first, I found this book too jokey in the way it so winkingly undermined fantasy show more tropes. But once it hit it's stride it became a more engaging story of war and redemption. And there's a big twist that I'll admit I didn't see coming. Edna is a really good characters and I like the found family aspect of the questing party. It's a good novel if you like a fantasy story that breaks convention, and is fun while also being a little bit dark.

Favorite Passages:

Edna often forgot about Google. In her defense, magic had been around a lot longer than the Internet.

He focused on his magic. It reached for the magic that was in Benjamin though he’d never tried using it. Which wasn’t to say he hadn’t used it. Humans rarely realize the things they chalk up to luck or quirk or coincidence are evidence of untapped magic at work. Kiernan suspected Edna’s endless procurement of handkerchiefs was just that.

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Edna Fisher lives in a nursing home and though she may get a little annoyed with the activities director, she is otherwise minding her own business when she's informed she's the Chosen One. She must first prove herself by getting a sword, then going out to defeat Redway, the man who has been terrorizing Knights with dragons. Along the way, she collects a family including Benjamin, who works at the nursing home, and Clem, a 16-year-old that would've been the second choice (and more traditional) Chosen One.

A very enjoyable debut fantasy that starts with poking fun at the Chosen One trope, but along the way includes a variety of queer characters, including ace, and a refreshingly matter-of-factness about Edna's age and pain. The writing show more isn't perfect, it's choppy and rough in places, but the characters and their dynamics are fun to read about, and the revelations about this alternative, magic U.S. and exactly what's between the Knights and Redway are well done. show less

As a part of my spot on a blog tour for this book I had the honour of interviewing E.M. Anderson about The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher! You can read the interview discussing The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher and more over on my blog Just Geeking by.

Content warnings:
This book contains scenes of violence, blood, gore and death. There is an ongoing theme throughout the book of abuse (physical and emotional). While it does not occur on page, it appears in discussions and flashback scenes. A character dies off page from injuries sustained from physical abuse. Many characters have unresolved trauma as a result.

I adored The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher by E.M. Anderson. From start to finish, this rollercoaster of a show more modern fantasy novel was absolutely brilliant. Anderson has spun a rich tale that subverts the usual chosen one trope, putting an eighty-three-year-old at the centre of the story rather than the usual young person.

Edna Fisher had been preparing herself for life in her retirement home without one of the few people who brighten up her days. One of the nurses, Benjamin, who is really the only one on staff who puts up with Edna and her eccentricities, is heading off to follow his dreams and study magic. It’s something Edna has supported fully, but she’s going to miss him when he’s gone, and he feels the same. So when a wizard from the Council of Wizards suddenly turns up to inform Edna that she’s been named the chosen one to fight the current big bad, they’re both up for one last adventure together.

It’s an adventure of a lifetime, that’s for sure, and they pick up a few other people along the way. To name a few, there’s Clem, a teenager who’s out for revenge, the mysterious elf Kiernan, and Amir, a famous carpet maker. Every character that Anderson has created is wonderfully written, with witty snappy dialogue, and strong backstories. They’re also so very messy in a way that echoes life because life is messy. I found them all to be incredibly relatable, and this made the emotional scenes pack a punch. There is a huge twist that you will definitely need some tissues for!

Everything about this book is just so well written, and Anderson has found the perfect balance of light-hearted fun and humour with dark, serious topics. She handles difficult issues with care and sensitivity, giving them a prominent place in the story rather than shuffling them off to a side story. It’s no surprise then that The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher is chock-full of representation and damn proud of it. With multiple LGBTQIA , BIPOC and disabled characters, this isn’t a tick-box type of book. Characters come in every shape, size and colour – and age, as The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher pointedly reminds us – and it’s fantastic to see.

From a disabled perspective, it was great to see scenes with Edna and Benjamin, and him caring for her as a friend. Little things like her asking for her pain meds, and struggling with pain or stairs. Benjamin has anxiety, and the representation of anxiety in this book is brilliant, especially in the way that Edna notices things about how Benjamin interacts with others socially. Additionally, there’s another character whose condition is not formally identified on page but looks similar to ME/CFS or fibromyalgia and is cared for by their teenage daughter.

The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher brings the traditional elements of fantasy into the modern world and successfully mixes the two together. This is a fun-filled adventure about found family, magic, dragons and so many subverted tropes. There’s a serious heart to this novel that just makes it even more special. This is one fantasy novel you do not want to miss out on.

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Of course, it's traditional for the Chosen One to be a teenager, but it's by no means a requirement. At least, that's what Methodius the Just tells 83-year-old Edna Fisher when he arrives at her retirement home to inform her that she, in fact, is the next Chosen One. The villain Redway and his pack of dragon riders have been destroying towns and cities, and the Knights, though trained in dragon hunting, are unable to deal with the threat. Edna must find the Sword of Destiny and make her way to Redway's stronghold. Along the way, Edna collects a group of unlikely companions: one who expected to be the Chosen One, one who's afraid of just about everything, and one... well, one who's looking for the opportunity to betray them all.

This show more lighthearted take on the Chosen One trope and quest narrative isn't exactly cozy fantasy -- there is definitely some fighting and blood -- but it has a decidedly cozy vibe. The writing in this debut novel isn't the most polished, but the character development and plotting are great, and I was engaged the whole way through. If you're as intrigued as I was by the description, give it a try! show less

11. [The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher] – [[E. M. Anderson]] - 2023
– library

This is a story for all those who are still waiting for their letter from Hogwarts to arrive!

Eighty three year old Edna Fisher is living in a retirement home. She’s active and alert but not particularly happy there as her friends slip slowly away, and the activities (other than her pranking newly hired aids) are not stimulating. But since the death of her beloved son, she has no family, so her living options are limited.

And then one day in the middle of a particularly irritating Bingo game, a member of the Council of Wizards arrives and tells her she is the new Chosen One and will be leading the fight against the evil Redway who has been using his show more dragons and dragon riders to kill Knights and annihilate the cities where they live.

It’s much more usual that a teenager is the Chosen One. In fact, everyone was expecting a sixteen year girl named Clem to be chosen.

Clem muddles things up by telling everyone she is actually the Chosen One.

Eventually Clem joins the unlikely band of questers which include Edna’s favorite aide from the retirement home and a mysterious guide who says he is familiar with the land around Redway’s home. Add in a slightly sentient flying carpet that helps Edna overcome obstacles like stairs create by her sore hip.

I enjoyed this light-hearted fantasy. Hooray for Edna who needs work-arounds for her aging body and mind and her complete lack of knowledge of all things magical and questing.

This is not just a satire playfully poking fun the Chosen One trope, but Romance abounds (romantasy?) including two separate LGBTQ crushes.

Fun popcorn read to offset some of the more serious things I’ve been reading lately. show less

Edna is a Muggle woman living in a nursing home that does not have enough magic to enchant a bedpan. So she is surprised when a wizard pops in (literally) to tell her she has been named the Chosen One to recover the Sword of Destiny and take down a bandit who is using dragons to attack knights. It is a post that usually goes to teenagers. I was amused that a nurse sent the wizard out again to get a visitor’s pass.

Once the plot starts, the prose loses some of its luster. We have epic fantasy, young adult fantasy, and urban fantasy, so why not geezer fantasy? I just wish it didn’t read so much like YA fantasy. Edna should have stuck me with her knitting needles to keep me awake.