Mister Magic: A Novel

A bizarre and dark take on corruption of the innocent and the cult of tv. The circle of friends has reunited from Mister Magic but Val remembers nothing about their time together. As pieces start being exposed and a greater threat emerges, what exactly is Mister Magic and what happened all those years ago when the circle was broken…and what will happen now they have come back together?Very strange and compelling story. Not edge of your seat scary but a slow creeping that gives you a sense of dread.

I read a fair bit of horror, but I rarely find myself on the verge of tears while reading. The bone deep emotional resonance of this book is felt in every word. I loved every second of it.

I liked this but I expected more horror. There are a lot of creepy and groovy ideas in this book which I wish were explored more but it's still solid novel and moves quickly and is never boring.

At the top, I want to say that if you enjoy creepypasta whatsoever, this book is an absolute must for you. This is essentially a creepypasta mystery -- and, in a lot of ways, focuses more on the mystery as opposed to genuine horror. It balances this well, with a gripping narrative, and strong characters.However, I do feel like a lot of figurative language throughout the novel is a little too clunky. For example, when narrator Val is discussing a neighborhood, "It's like a board game all laid out--one she wants to play. One she wants to be a part of." Like, we get it. The protagonist feels all alone, no one understands her. There are MULTIPLE examples of things like this throughout the book that truly just made me roll my eyes. Typically, I overlook these, but I would say it was the biggest detractor of my enjoyment from the book.I've also got a small personal gripe, and will be including some spoilers below. Light spoilers warning!!*The horror, as I mentioned before, takes more of a backseat than is lead on. Personally, as the book became less horror-focused, I was still engaged in the central story but also did feel a bit let down by the last few reveals.*But, despite that, the majority of the story and most of the characters do some very heavy lifting (despite a few characters feeling a little too trope-y, like Jennifer). Strong motivations, and some excellent, well-written twists keep this enjoyable the whole way through. I truly believe the concept alone is so interesting that it carries this book to a solid 4/5. With a different premise, this would fall more into a 2.5-3/5 category. If you're interested in the idea, it's totally worth a read.

This book, at times, had a King-esque feel, echoes of “It,” but ultimately ended up being entirely its own entity. I liked the characters, Val, Isaac, Javi, Marcus, and Jenny, haunted adults connected through a childhood TV show that was a trauma they’d survived, even when they didn’t realize they had. It’s a story about childhood and the loss of it, of trying both to get over and hold onto it at the same time. Mister Magic was NOT like Mister Rogers and a show I might have skipped as a kid but it’s a brilliant concept, to question, perhaps the concept of putting kids on shows in the first place, when those working kids’ childhoods might be sacrificed for the sole benefit of others’ entertainment. The author’s use of online chatter about the mystery of the show might not have been my favorite element of the book but it was useful in providing background information in a playful manner. The author was so good at capturing the joys and pitfalls of parenthood, especially what it feels like sometimes to be a mother, that I found myself silently cheerleading for all the moms everywhere who sometimes feel the same way. That she bared that truth, without judgment or condescension, was a welcome addition to the story. It wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies at the end but it was satisfying. There was sacrifice, but there was also hope, and that’s always a better outcome because that’s more like life anyway. I haven’t read this author’s other works but I look forward to seeing what other magic she has up her sleeve next.

I found the book to be quite meh. As I read it, my son was eager to know my thoughts and asked me to describe it to him. However, I struggled to put it into words each time he asked. The story seemed to have several plot holes, especially with the Gloria call and the Gloria ending.Unfortunately, I couldn't form a strong connection with any of the characters. They lacked depth and failed to captivate my interest. I was hoping for more horror throughout the book, but it fell short in that aspect. Nonetheless, there were certain parts that I did enjoy, such as the random articles from people reminiscing about watching the show as kids. However, overall, I found the book to be somewhat lackluster, which was disappointing considering the promising premise it had. Reading the authors note helps you make sense of it all but it’s still a stretch and blurry.

I had high hopes for this book. I was captivated at the beginning. The story line seemed a little slow, but it was building the plot. About 2/3rds through the book, the pace really picks up, but because of this I felt like the ending was rushed. I thought I knew where the story was going, but then it took a turn and it got strange and hard to follow.I also found it strange that these almost 40 year olds were still obsessed with a tv show that they were on as kids. Had they been in their 20s it would’ve been better. I found myself rereading different parts because the plot was confusing. I loved the culty aspect of the book. I love crazy cults (Scientology, FLDS, the Branch Davidians, NXIVM… I’ve read and watched it all). I didn’t appreciate the author saying screw you to ALL religions that basically try to get you to be the best version of yourself. After reading the author’s acknowledgments I understood that she grew up Mormon, which explains the culty book. I wish I had known this prior to reading, the plot would’ve made more sense.

La lectura te atrapa y la calidad del libro es buena

Absolutely loved this book! One of my new favourites!

I’ve just read this book in 1 day I’m exhausted and wrung out emotionally from this.An exceptional book I felt so much for Val and everyone else involved in Mister Magic forcing children into molds and shaming them for being themselves left me so angry. I truly hope I’m doing right by my own son.Very clever book I’d suggest people read this you’ll learn from it

A MUST READ for anyone who has walked away from a cult. The writing is beautiful and bewitching. The characters have so much depth and I loved being just swept along in the tide of this story.

Nostalgic half-remembered kiddie shows mixed with unsettling occult horror, with a lot of surprises about what the hell is going on