Magic Lessons

Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com

MAGIC LESSONS is the second book in Justine Larbalestier's trilogy, and it's just as wonderful and gripping as MAGIC OR MADNESS! In this book, there are just as many questions as in the first, as every answer Reason finds only leads to more questions. For everything that's resolved, there are five more things that I was anxious to find out as I read on! There is plenty of suspense in this book.

Reason, Tom, and Jay-Tee have all stepped through Esmeralda's magic door into Sydney, leaving behind Reason's evil grandfather, Jason Blake, as well as Jay-Tee's older brother, Danny, in New York. They're being taught magic by Esmeralda, even Reason and Jay-Tee, though they're still not sure they show more trust her the way Tom does. They've had some bad experiences with magic, but they know now that they have to use it, or else they'll go crazy, like their parents. However, every time they use magic, they lose a little time being alive. Magic is not the blessing it is in other books; in the world Justine Larbalestier has created, it's more of a curse.

The door between Sydney and New York is acting strangely. At first, they think it's because of Jason Blake, but it turns out to be something much more frightening and mysterious. They're not sure what it is, but Reason knows something about whatever it is that the rest of them don't: It's a Cansino. She and Esmeralda are related to it. One more thing: it's old. As in, centuries old. Reason isn't sure what to make of this information, but she doesn't trust Esmeralda, so she's not telling anyone.

Then she loses her chance to share it. She is sucked through the door into New York. Reason's not as lost as she was the first time; after escaping the scary, stinking old man-like creature standing in front of the door, she finds Jay-Tee's brother Danny, and stays with him. She can't go back to Sydney; the old man, the Cansino, is guarding the door. She could always buy a plane ticket home (or, rather, Danny could buy her one; money is nothing to him, and she has none), but there are a few things keeping her in New York. One, she wants to find out more about the man guarding the door, and maybe do something to get rid of him if Esmeralda figures out what he is. Two, there's Danny...

Sequels often don't live up to the high expectations set by the previous books, but MAGIC LESSONS sure does! It's just as great as MAGIC OR MADNESS. One thing that I like about these books is Justine Larbalestier's magic system; it's very original, and it seems more realistic that, if magic existed, it would have a price. That makes this much darker than a lot of books about kids who find out they have magical powers, and also adds some extra awesomeness to an already great book.

The number of questions being far more than the number of answers also adds something to this novel. Even though I usually think that a book is made less wonderful by a cliff-hanger ending, I don't think that's the case in these books. First of all, the main conflict of the book is resolved, but, as all answers do in Justine Larbalestier's books, those resolutions bring new questions to be answered in the following story. Nothing here has been what it has seemed to be so far, but everything also makes perfect sense. Add this to great writing, wonderful characters, and brilliant ideas, and you've got an amazing trilogy! I absolutely cannot wait for book number three. show less

I love the originality of the Magic or madness trilogy. The concept and use of magic really is different and genuinely creates an impression that much of the "mysterious everyday" could actually be attributed to our own, uniquely individual relationships with magic and the universe. The characters are very sympathetically drawn and I particularly love the character of Tom, with his quirky combination of self-confident "difference" and self-doubt. The novel may be about magic, but it is also about the passions of the individual characters, such as mathematics, fashion, food and athletics.

Language also becomes a fascinating part of the story and provides its own rhythms and music, even if some of the Australianisms are probably a bit show more outdated now, at least for use by young Sydney-siders. But it's wonderfully nostalgic to be reminded of words and phrases I haven't heard for years - I am thrown back to the 70s and early 80s, before our language became more "American" in flavour.

Only one more title left in the trilogy - I hope Justine Larbalestier has some other great books waiting for me! show less

While the first book in Justine Larbalestier’s Magic or Madness trilogy was slightly sinister, the second two books (Magic Lessons and Magic's Child) were more along the lines of slightly tedious. The first book had set up a consistent and intriguing account of magic use and consequences, which I found fascinating enough to want to explore more. I read all the way to the end of the series, but was not sufficiently impressed to be recommending this series to other people. Unfortunately, instead of developing her ideas with the same degree of rigour and originality that seemed indicated with their introduction, Larbalestier continued with inconsistencies and implausibilities. Even the plot twist at the very end was unsupported by what show more had gone before. On the up side, while the first two books made laboured, self-conscious use of Australian slang, the language in the final book seemed more natural. show less

Reason Cansino has had a big week. From wanderer in outback Australia with her mother to city-dwelling teenager with magical abilities likely to die before she makes twenty. Now her ruthless grandfather is trying to get through the door in her grandmother's Newtown house—from New York—and a magical creature has tried to burrow into her flesh.
Reason is on a fast learning curve. She has extraordinary mathematical abilities but doesn't know that Manhatten is an island, or that you could order food over the phone or that mobile phones have an address book. Her rush into new experiences is one of the aspects that will carry readers along—that and new love, sex, monsters and the terrible, and apparently inescapable, fate of magical show more humans like her and new best friends Tom and Jay-Tee.
It is all crazy and hyper but irresistibly grounded in distinct and interesting details like conversations with Jilkminggan women, Tom's dress-making ability and the feel of inner city Newtown in a hot Australian summer. A read-in-one-sitting type of novel that will leave readers ready for the next sequel. show less

Having picked the devil-you-know-slightly-more-than-the-other-devil, Reason has returned to Sydney to take magic lessons form her grandmother. Before they can start, however, something strange tries to break through the magical door in the kitchen, and it will take the combined efforts of Reason, Tom, Jay-Tee, and Esmerelda to stop it.
This is a solid follow up to the first book, with its interesting magic system. And how the family manages to reproduce when most of the girls die before they make it to their twenties is made a little clearer. There is an instance of under-age sex that made me uncomfortable, but it was essential to the story - and especially to the third book.
Again, the heavy handed pointing at differences between New show more York and Sydney slang was a little annoying.
I'd give this to fans of the first. show less

The second book in the Magic or Madness series picks up nearly where the first book leaves off and with very little resolved as far as trust goes between Esmerelda (Mere) and Reason, Tom and Jay-Tee. As Reason, Tom and Jay-Tee learned in the first volume, an older, magic-wielding adult is older through the theft of magic from their younger counterparts that will ultimately kill them, as magic is something that is finite. Larbalestier sets up a tricky universe for her characters because the simple solution - never use your magic - leads to insanity and a life of institutionalization. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

In theory, this volume should have started with Mere teaching our merry trio magic lessons - how to use the smallest show more amounts to prolong life and stay sane - but a golem slipping through the door that connects Syndey, Australia and New York, New New York has different plans. When the magic coming through decides to pull Reason through the door and prevent anyone else from crossing through, we'll learn more about the family linage and what magic means, what not being magic means and how being magic does not preclude you from the drama of being fifteen years old. The unique storyline saves some uneven action and a plot that takes a bit to get moving. I will read the final book in the trilogy because Larbalestier has given me good cause to care for the characters, it's just not one of those volumes where I feel the need to read it right this second. show less

The second book in a YA fantasy series. I like Larbalestier's writing and the youth she writes feel real, but at times I found this book (like the first one in the series) kind of hard going because the way she tweaks the world of the book to make it different from the world we live in (i.e. the magic she introduces) makes things pretty harsh for the characters that the reader is supposed to care about. Still, it's a good read. Not sure if there are any other books in the series, but if there are, I'll read them at some point.