Smelter or Folder – that is the question!
The young Ceony Twill is at the beginning of her magical education. Although she has already graduated from the Tagis Praff School of Magicians, only specialization in a specific profession could become a ticket for her further career. Standing outside the mage’s headquarters, Emery Thane, she knew she had gone astray. She wanted to be a Smelter all her life (enchanting jewelry and bullets), but the school authorities decided that she should go to the apprenticeship in Folder. As there are only twelve active magicians in the country specializing in this field, some graduates have to sacrifice their plans and dreams in order to achieve the goal of the facility. It is worth mentioning that the bonding with the magical material is final. Practicing magic only in its field allowed for specialization in this field. As time goes by, it turns out that the lessons with the young (and undoubtedly eccentric) Emery Thane are fascinating. The joyful idyll of the teacher and student is interrupted by the appearance of the Cutter, which steals the magician’s heart. Ceony must do everything to save his teacher. Will it not cross the safe line between good and evil?
About heroes
Charlie N. Holmberg is the author of an extraordinary novel. I have never read tales of magic before, in which the most ordinary materials are used in the practice of witchcraft. The idea for the main character is successful. Ceona is likeable because, despite his young age, he shows great emotional maturity. She is willing to sacrifice her life for someone who apparently means nothing to her. It is not Ceona, however, that the story focuses on. The life of the magician Thane is told down to the smallest detail, and it is his story that can move or upset the reader. The author’s move is probably intentional as she is planning another volume of The Paper Magician in the near future.
A show of the author’s imagination
The novel, although immensely addictive, is nevertheless predictable. At the beginning of the book, the reader can easily predict the course of the story of a young girl and a teacher who is not much older than her. The theme of jealousy is also not surprising. Holmberg decided to show the world of magic in a less classical light, but her treatments are tailored to the potential audience of the book’s content. And they are… women. What would this novel be without an extensive love story, betrayal and … death? You will be able to judge for yourself after reading The Paper Magician .
Oh, how beautiful!
Oh yeah, the cover of the novel is beautiful. As I mentioned at the beginning, the books of the Women’s Publishing House are immediately visible in bookstores. On the cover we see a woman in a red dress. She has a hat of the same color on her head. A piece of paper floats above her hand. It is probably a paper magician, is it Ceona? Below, however, there is a red heart, the refractions of which indicate that it was also made of the title material. In addition, the cover is reminiscent of the Art Deco style. The inserts are red, filled with a large number of paper folds: a frog, a dog, a butterfly, a swan. The chapters are divided with black pages. All these elements make the book look very elegant.
