APPRENTICES IN MAGIC

by Sally Basmajian ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 26, 2023

Two best friends leave home to serve their kingdom and hone their magical talents in Basmajian’s middle-grade fantasy novel.

In Lethos, a small village in the magical Kingdom of Paduane, two best friends—who were born on the same day but have strikingly different personalities—commiserate about their teenage lives. Annette, who was born healthy, has brown skin, lush curly hair and an effervescent, outgoing personality that makes her popular; Laila, who was born sickly, has a pale complexion, long black hair, a reserved demeanor, and is teased for being poor (“Annette beamed at him with as much charisma as she could summon. Laila squinted, trying to overpower him with the full force of her will”). But these differences matter not to the girls as they spend their days joined at the hip, strengthening their magic beyond the unremarkable level of their fellow magic-using villagers. When they decide to leave home to become apprentices in the queen’s army, each follows a separate path to develop her talents. Ever vigilant against the threat of war, the youthful apprentices are trained to wield their magic to fight for their country as either queen’s guards or warriors. The author doesn’t build Paduane into a particularly otherworldly setting—a few characters have blue or green skin, and there is typical fantasy fare such as talking animals and benevolent and malevolent witches and wizards. Basmajian opens this fantasy adventure with a prophecy that foretells the outcome of the girls’ journeys. This detail may have been more effective if it had been revealed later in the story, as it diminishes the impact of the sections that should be the most climactic. However, the book winningly honors “strong female friends,” offering an apt depiction of concerns universally felt across girlhood. These themes are given their just due with emotionally plausible dialogue that propels the story smoothly.

Young apprentices figure into a kingdom’s fate in this female friendship-forward fantasy.

Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 213

Publisher: Creative James Media

Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2023

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

GENERAL FANTASY