Q U I C K S T A T S
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Setting: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing style: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
T H E B O O K
// Content Warning: Blood / Child abuse / Chronic illness / Confinement / Drug use / Emotional abuse / Gaslighting / Gun violence/ Kidnapping / Physical abuse / Racism / Sexism / Torture //
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age rating: 14+
Genre(s): Fantasy
Pub date: September 28th 2021
P R E M I S E
Jack Nevin’s clever trickery and moral flexibility have served him well his entire life—making him the perfect assistant to the Enchantress, one of the most well-known stage magicians in early-twentieth-century Europe. Without Jack’s steady supply of stolen tricks and copycat sleight-of-hand illusions, the Enchantress’s fame would have burned out long ago—not that she would ever admit it.
But when they’re forced to flee the continent for America, the Enchantress finds a new audience in Seattle at the 1909 Alaska–Yukon–Pacific World’s Fair Exposition. She and Jack are set to make a fortune until a new magician arrives on the scene. Performing tricks that defy the imagination, Laszlo’s act threatens to overshadow the Enchantress and co-opt her audience. Jack has no choice but to hunt for the secrets behind Laszlo’s otherworldly illusions—but what he uncovers isn’t at all what he expected.
What makes Laszlo’s tricks possible is, unbelievably, a boy that can seemingly perform real magic. Wilhelm’s abilities defy all the laws of physics. His talents are no clever sleights-of-hand. But even though Laszlo and Wilhelm’s act threatens to destroy the life Jack and the Enchantress have built, Jack and Wilhelm have near-instant connection. As the rivalry between the Enchantress and Laszlo grows increasingly dangerous and dire, Jack finds he has to choose between the woman who gave him a life and the boy who is offering him love.
M Y R E V I E W
↬ PRE-THOUGHTS
The Wesper energy the cover radiates is ✨ i m m a c u l a t e ✨
You can't tell me that's not Wesper, because that would be lying. And lying is wrong.
Needless to say, I was terrified to start this book because I wasn't a huge fan of the author's other work (We Are the Ants). To be fair I didn't realise it was the same author until release day.
↬ PLOT
Let me describe the plot in a couple of seconds: two magicians keep trying to overthrow each other and their assistants are caught up in their drama but eventually discovers dark secrets about everything (and each other) and ends up falling in love!
↬ WRITING AND SETTING
EVERYTHING, PERFECT. YES. PERFECT.
↬ CHARACTERS
The characters were perfect and I will not stand to hear any criticism about them. As a couple, they are kind of like Yadriel and Julian from Cemetery Boys but they're also like Wylan and Jesper from Six of Crows. Now both of these books belong my list of books to gatekeep for eternity and that's probably the biggest reason why I love this book.
Jack was my absolute favourite (do we see a 👀type👀 here?) and now that I say it out loud, I come to understand the unhealthy attachment I have to the comic reliefs. I laughed a lot during his POVs and I'm saving most of his lines to use in future conversations which may never happen because a) I hate talking to people and b) I hate people.
Wilhelm is not to be forgotten; he isn't like Wylan Van Eck. He IS Wylan Van Eck. I just want to get in there and give him a big hug. This ray of sunshine needs to be protected at all costs and if you're up for that duty, you can sign up here.
The romance was *chef's kiss*. The "I'm supposed to hate you because you're with the enemy and the enemy is evil but you're actually really nice and I think I'm in love" trope made me feel emotions again. 10/10 would recommend this to any stone-hearted bitch.
Of course, I can't praise Ruth enough. I wish I saw her contribute to the main storyline more but go girlboss!
↬ CONCLUSION
Pros: Everything
Cons: The book ends
Overall rating: 5/5
T R O P E S
Forbidden romance
Rivals to lovers
R E P R E S E N T A T I O N
Black side character
MLM main characters
WLW side characters
S I M I L A R B O O K S
Cemtery Boys by Aiden Thomas
↬ Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.
However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.
B O O K S M E N T I O N E D
We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
Cemtery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
A D D I T I O N A L R E S O U R C E S
F I N D M E
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