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Teenage wizard Nita travels to other universes to find a cure for her mother who has brain cancer.Tags
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Left me sobbing as usual - in the middle of the Ferry Building, at that! I've read this book half a dozen times at least, and every time it hits me hard. The magic is pretty dark - that is, there aren't many workings in here that end up with a triumph (only the first one, and that not for Nita); most of them are steps along the way at most. And then the choices that have to be made are hard. And the end - is magnificent and sad and the hardest choices of all, and...just thinking about it now, four days after I read the book, I can feel the tears prickling behind my eyes. It took me ages - literally months - to read this book, because I knew how it came out and kept shying away from it. I have no idea what if anything differs in this show more edition; I didn't notice any tech differences, nor the timeline. I'd have to do a page-by-page comparison to figure it out and I don't think I want to - it's bad enough just reading it once. show less
This book may take a little longer to get into than the previous installments, but once it does, it is the same roller-coaster ride as always.
For the first time since their Ordeal, Nita and Kit have had a major fight. Unsure of how to reconcile, they drift their seperate ways for a while. And everything is just made ten times worse when Nita's family gets the news: her mother has brain cancer.
Nita's only hope seems to lie in a very difficult and technical type of wizardry that involves manipulating the "kernel" of a universe, its energy center. Only by rewiring her mother's inner "kernel" can Nita possibly save her.
While Kit tries to deal with a rapidly changing Ponch, who is developing weird powers, Nita attends a "training ground" show more for wizards working with "kernels." But when the Lone Power comes to her to make a deal to save her mother's life, Nita finds herself questioning everything she is as a human and a wizard. And only Kit may be able to intervene before it's too late.
Gripping, powerful, and heart-wrenching, this book tackles the big questions that haunt us all: What would you be willing to do to save the ones you love? What is it like to be losing a mother? How powerful is the love of a parent? And when everything around you is falling apart, who's going to hold you together? show less
For the first time since their Ordeal, Nita and Kit have had a major fight. Unsure of how to reconcile, they drift their seperate ways for a while. And everything is just made ten times worse when Nita's family gets the news: her mother has brain cancer.
Nita's only hope seems to lie in a very difficult and technical type of wizardry that involves manipulating the "kernel" of a universe, its energy center. Only by rewiring her mother's inner "kernel" can Nita possibly save her.
While Kit tries to deal with a rapidly changing Ponch, who is developing weird powers, Nita attends a "training ground" show more for wizards working with "kernels." But when the Lone Power comes to her to make a deal to save her mother's life, Nita finds herself questioning everything she is as a human and a wizard. And only Kit may be able to intervene before it's too late.
Gripping, powerful, and heart-wrenching, this book tackles the big questions that haunt us all: What would you be willing to do to save the ones you love? What is it like to be losing a mother? How powerful is the love of a parent? And when everything around you is falling apart, who's going to hold you together? show less
To what lengths would you go to save someone you love?
I cried while I read this book. Actually, just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. The Wizard’s Dilemma is a book with a lot of emotional difficulty to it, but that’s part of what makes it so powerful.
The Wizard’s Dilemma is the fifth installment in the Young Wizard’s series, which starts with So You Want to Be a Wizard. I don’t think you necessarily need to have read all four of the previous books to understand this one, but I think it will be more forceful if you are already attached to the characters.
Nita and Kit have the first big fight of their show more friendship. To make matters worse, Nita’s mom is soon diagnosed with cancer. Some problems cannot always be solved with magic…
As I said earlier, The Wizard’s Dilemma is a very powerful and emotionally charged book, mainly due to the all to real situation Nita faces in regards to her mother. This is a book about things falling apart and not knowing if they can be put back together again.
The Wizard’s Dilemma also included some firsts for the series. This is the first book where we get Kit’s POV and his dog Pounch appears as a significant secondary character. Kit’s and Pounch’s explorations were a much needed lighter note to an otherwise very dark book. Kit’s sister Carmela also made a brief first appearance, which I find exciting since she goes on to be one of my favorite secondary characters of the series.
However, the heart of the novel is Nita’s fear and grief over the possibility of losing her mom.
So far in my reread, I find The Wizard’s Dilemma to be the best book in the series. This series and book in particular has so much to recommend it – the intermingling of magic and science, a strong moral underpinning, and a truly emotional heart.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page. show less
I cried while I read this book. Actually, just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. The Wizard’s Dilemma is a book with a lot of emotional difficulty to it, but that’s part of what makes it so powerful.
The Wizard’s Dilemma is the fifth installment in the Young Wizard’s series, which starts with So You Want to Be a Wizard. I don’t think you necessarily need to have read all four of the previous books to understand this one, but I think it will be more forceful if you are already attached to the characters.
“Trying to save a life is always worthwhile,” said the Pig. “But the bigger work can be a lot easier sometimes.”
Nita and Kit have the first big fight of their show more friendship. To make matters worse, Nita’s mom is soon diagnosed with cancer. Some problems cannot always be solved with magic…
“And willpower may not be enough,” Nita said softly. “Trying my best… still may not be enough.” She swallowed hard. “Loving her… no matter how much… it doesn’t matter. It still may not be enough.”
As I said earlier, The Wizard’s Dilemma is a very powerful and emotionally charged book, mainly due to the all to real situation Nita faces in regards to her mother. This is a book about things falling apart and not knowing if they can be put back together again.
The Wizard’s Dilemma also included some firsts for the series. This is the first book where we get Kit’s POV and his dog Pounch appears as a significant secondary character. Kit’s and Pounch’s explorations were a much needed lighter note to an otherwise very dark book. Kit’s sister Carmela also made a brief first appearance, which I find exciting since she goes on to be one of my favorite secondary characters of the series.
However, the heart of the novel is Nita’s fear and grief over the possibility of losing her mom.
“It’s not fair,” Nita said softly. “How come I only get to really know you now, when I’m going to lose you?”
“I don’t know if you can ever lose me, honey. I’m your mother. There’s a bond neither of us can break unless we want to. And it doesn’t have to hurt.”
So far in my reread, I find The Wizard’s Dilemma to be the best book in the series. This series and book in particular has so much to recommend it – the intermingling of magic and science, a strong moral underpinning, and a truly emotional heart.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page. show less
Of all the books in the series I've read so far, this one felt closest to the original for me. I think this was probably largely because it takes place in NYC, while the 2nd-4th books in the series take Nita and Kit to a wide variety of other places. I also felt much more emotionally invested in this one than in the 2nd-4th books, probably because the plot was much more personal for Nita and Kit. In books 2, 3, and 4, our heroes are helping out in situations that are really other peoples' problems to some extent or another, but in the first book and in this one, the problems are largely theirs.
My only real complaint about this book is one that I have about the series overall (except for Book One), and that is that the rules and magic show more feel slightly inconsistent throughout the series. For example, over time, spells have become tangible things that can be carried around, manipulated, and put away for reuse. In the original book, spells felt more natural, like writing in the dirt with sticks rather than creating magical runes that appear in thin air. Also, I was under the impression that using an incorrect form of your name in a spell automatically changes you to be whatever that form of your name describes, but in this book, a similar event occurs and the spell simply doesn't work properly. I think things like this could be done better and made clearer, but in general, I really enjoyed this book a lot, and I would like to track down and finish the rest of the series, now. show less
My only real complaint about this book is one that I have about the series overall (except for Book One), and that is that the rules and magic show more feel slightly inconsistent throughout the series. For example, over time, spells have become tangible things that can be carried around, manipulated, and put away for reuse. In the original book, spells felt more natural, like writing in the dirt with sticks rather than creating magical runes that appear in thin air. Also, I was under the impression that using an incorrect form of your name in a spell automatically changes you to be whatever that form of your name describes, but in this book, a similar event occurs and the spell simply doesn't work properly. I think things like this could be done better and made clearer, but in general, I really enjoyed this book a lot, and I would like to track down and finish the rest of the series, now. show less
Duane Duane's wonderful YA'Young Wizardry' series is an imaginative, engaging retelling of the adventures of two budding wizards, Nita and Kit, as they journey through space and time, while still having to cope with the daily mundaneities of life and school. 'The Wizard's Dilemma' is perhaps the most rewarding yet.
For the first time, a rift seems to have developed between the two friends, one borne of misunderstandings and the natural emotional upheavals that are just a part of life when you're their ages (13-15). They're both faced with individual challenges – even staggeringly overwhelming ones – without managing to reach out to each other. Can they reconnect before the Lone One manages to destroy Nita?
Emotionally meaty as this show more book is (and it does indeed become heartbreaking, especially near the end when Nita is being torn apart inside), there are many lighthearted aspects that are just plain delightful to read about. We meet a variety of extremely colorful alien creatures so imaginative you just know Duane had a great time inventing them. You also get to know Kit's playful dog Ponch a little better and join the two as they adventure through various colorful universes. You can really tell Duane's imagination was running full gear here. So many little details to enjoy.
Now, since mortality is a key theme in this book, it does run to super-saccharine at the end, unfortunately, which is the main reason this is a four-star review instead of five. But overall, its a delightful, wildly imaginative chapter in the series, and I finished wanting more. show less
For the first time, a rift seems to have developed between the two friends, one borne of misunderstandings and the natural emotional upheavals that are just a part of life when you're their ages (13-15). They're both faced with individual challenges – even staggeringly overwhelming ones – without managing to reach out to each other. Can they reconnect before the Lone One manages to destroy Nita?
Emotionally meaty as this show more book is (and it does indeed become heartbreaking, especially near the end when Nita is being torn apart inside), there are many lighthearted aspects that are just plain delightful to read about. We meet a variety of extremely colorful alien creatures so imaginative you just know Duane had a great time inventing them. You also get to know Kit's playful dog Ponch a little better and join the two as they adventure through various colorful universes. You can really tell Duane's imagination was running full gear here. So many little details to enjoy.
Now, since mortality is a key theme in this book, it does run to super-saccharine at the end, unfortunately, which is the main reason this is a four-star review instead of five. But overall, its a delightful, wildly imaginative chapter in the series, and I finished wanting more. show less
In a similar vein to the previous books in the series: a fairly serious take on urban fantasy, with rather scientific wizardly problems to deal with, as well as the demands of life as a teenager.
I thought Duane did (as usual) a very good job of articulating the psychological side: misunderstandings that seem silly and obvious from the outside, yet are built on understandable and reasonable steps. The miscommunications that erupt here were beyond criticism, with doubt and pride and irritation imposing meaning that was never there. The wizarding is also interesting, as Duane has obviously thought hard about what it is her wizards actually do.
That being said, I could've done without the cancer plotline. It feels really overused to me now, show more as the go-to Dramatic Personal Problem. Why does nobody's family ever get crippling arthritis, or serious diabetes? Chronic illness offers plenty of stress and difficult decisions, and the creeping slowness is deceptively dangerous. But beyond that, I'm not really looking for people angsting over sick relatives in my YA fantasy. I can get that pretty much anywhere, thanks. I'm happy with people fighting magical problems while trying to balance a fairly normal home life. Unfortunately, that plotline is the heart of this book, so it's not like you can ignore it. I'll give it its due, it's implemented pretty well - the magical side is interesting and it's tied into other events in the book.
Oh, I was also unhappy about a couple of what felt like "screw you" moments, like one character I quite liked being wiped out on a whim. It doesn't entirely make sense to me that the metaphysics works that way (everyone would be dead if it's that easy), and it also just felt like a cheap shot for emotional impact. My enjoyment of this series is definitely declining, sadly. show less
I thought Duane did (as usual) a very good job of articulating the psychological side: misunderstandings that seem silly and obvious from the outside, yet are built on understandable and reasonable steps. The miscommunications that erupt here were beyond criticism, with doubt and pride and irritation imposing meaning that was never there. The wizarding is also interesting, as Duane has obviously thought hard about what it is her wizards actually do.
That being said, I could've done without the cancer plotline. It feels really overused to me now, show more as the go-to Dramatic Personal Problem. Why does nobody's family ever get crippling arthritis, or serious diabetes? Chronic illness offers plenty of stress and difficult decisions, and the creeping slowness is deceptively dangerous. But beyond that, I'm not really looking for people angsting over sick relatives in my YA fantasy. I can get that pretty much anywhere, thanks. I'm happy with people fighting magical problems while trying to balance a fairly normal home life. Unfortunately, that plotline is the heart of this book, so it's not like you can ignore it. I'll give it its due, it's implemented pretty well - the magical side is interesting and it's tied into other events in the book.
Oh, I was also unhappy about a couple of what felt like "screw you" moments, like one character I quite liked being wiped out on a whim. It doesn't entirely make sense to me that the metaphysics works that way (everyone would be dead if it's that easy), and it also just felt like a cheap shot for emotional impact. My enjoyment of this series is definitely declining, sadly. show less
I took a long time reading this book because the subject matter (illness and disease) upsets me quite a bit more than any of the other books in the series. I kept taking breaks because thinking about what Nita and her family go though is very upsetting to me. That said the book deals with it well and the story is interesting as always.
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Author Diane Duane was born in New York City on May 18, 1952, and grew up in Roosevelt, Long Island. She is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Duane studied nursing in college and became a psychiatric nurse. She began writing full time in 1980 and has published numerous novels, including several with her husband, Peter Morwood. She show more also writes screenplays, served as senior writer for the BBC-TV education series "Science Challenge," and writes scripts for CD-ROM computer games. Her "Young Wizards" series won a special commendation in the Anne Spencer Lindbergh Prize in Children's Literature, 2003. She currently lives in County Wicklow, Ireland. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Diane Duane is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing.
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Awards
Series
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Wizard's Dilemma
- Original publication date
- 2001
- People/Characters
- Betty Callahan; Nita Callahan; Dairine Callahan; Kit Rodriguez; Harold Edward Callahan; the Lone One (show all 12); Ponch; Pont; Pralaya; S'reee; Akagane-sama (marmalade koi); Transcendent Pig
- Important places
- USA; Hempstead, New York, USA; Nassau County, New York, USA; New York, USA; Long Island, New York, USA
- Epigraph
- The revelation of some uneasy secrets
would move most anything, even pigs and fishes,
to lift their heads and speak: and at such times
it furthers one to cross the great dark water
and learn the... (show all) truth its silent shadows hide.
In the wet, reedy evening, birdsong echoes,
old calling young, eventually answered;
while another stands in the dark and calls its fellow,
hearing for answer only the ancient silence
in which tears fall, under a moon near-full.
The lead horse breaks the traces and goes astray
to cry its clarion challenge harsh at heaven.
Understandably. But can it understand in time
the danger that dogs immoderate success?…
—hexagram 61: “a wind troubles the waters”
If Time has a heart,
it is because other hearts stop.
—Book of Night with Moon 9.v.IX - Dedication
- For Jason Gamble, the favorite nephew,
and
for Sam’s friend’s daughter…
both members of the next generation - First words
- "Honey, have you seen your sister?"
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)She got up, threw on jeans and a T-shirt, and went downstairs to tell her mom hello.
- Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, Fantasy, Teen, Young Adult
- DDC/MDS
- 813.54 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American fiction in English 1900-1999 1945-1999
- LCC
- PZ7 .D84915 .W — Language and Literature Fiction and juvenile belles lettres Fiction and juvenile belles lettres Juvenile belles lettres
- BISAC
Statistics
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- 1,740
- Popularity
- 12,644
- Reviews
- 20
- Rating
- (3.92)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 17
- ASINs
- 11