Charlie N. Holmberg's "The Plastic Magician" is such a fantastic and fun novel! This book, set months after the third book in the series ("The Master Magician") follows Alvie Brechenmacher, a young Polymaker through the first part of her apprenticeship and into a mystery that threatens to destroy the project she and her mentor are working on.

This book is lighter in theme than the previous three and it's great to see another mentor-apprentice relationship that's different from the one Ceony had with with her mentor (now husband) in that.

I love what Holmberg's done with this series by expanding it to focus on a completely new set of characters right down to the magic they use and the approaches they take. The story in The Plastic Magician is one that is super adorable with a budding romance, positive relationships between characters, and a mystery that I certainly didn't figure out until nearly the end of the novel.

Now I don't know if we're getting more books in Alvie's journey or if Holmberg will be writing other stories, but either way, I'm excited about the future of this universe.

Well this book was such a fun read. I loved the storyline and the characters. Alvie is such a smart, brave girl who is an inventor at heart and with the descriptions in the books you feel like you are there watching her work her magic on pieces of plastic. Alvie is smart but she still has normal worries about romance and losing friends and is quite clumsy which all make her lovable. There is some romance in this book but the main focus is on Alvie and her polymaking and the invention she works on with her mentor. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy and science. its a spinoff of the paper magician series but you don't have to read the series before this book.
The magic in this book is fascinating, the ability to control certain man made objects and its set in the 90's. The writing in this book is descriptive and easy to follow, the pacing is good as its not fast or slow but just takes you along until you get to the end and leaves you wanting more.

Alvie is an innovator. In a world where people can choose the medium for their magic, apprentice Alvie Brechenmacher has picked Plastic. It is the newest discipline which means she can be on the cutting edge of new developments. However, the new field of Polymaking can be cutthroat, which she is about to find out.

She is a brilliant young woman, with a decidedly technical turn of mind and I find her charming. Alvie is adorably geeky. Socially awkward, a little obsessive, intuitive and always sincere. If you’ve read any of the books in Ms. Holmberg’s Paper Magician series, then you are familiar with this world. This is a standalone book in that same world, which introduces us to new characters & magic, as well as treats us to glimpses of old favorites. I admit I liked this book better than the Paper Magician series. Primarily because of Alvie.

Ms. Holmberg’s books are always an easy choice for me. When I first start to hear rumors about a new book I immediately commence stalking Netgalley for an ARC. I’m always so happy to get one! Her books are pleasant and imaginative and I know that I am always sure to enjoy myself. I’m not sure if Ms. Holmberg intends to write more books in this world. I do know that her upcoming books are completely different, but it would be nice to see a return to Alvie in future. Regardless, I will be looking forward to her next publication.

Song for this book: Come on! Feel the Ilinoise! – Sufjan Stevens

I only have one complaint about this book....it's way too short!!! After a long dry spell (pun intended) after the release of the first three Paper Magician titles, I was so stoked to be able to immerse myself once again into the breathtaking world of magic crafted so vividly by author Charlie Holmberg…only to find myself frustrated to find the joyride end too soon (I finished the book in half a day in between the usual household routine!).

The book tells the story of a new heroine named Alvie Brechenmacher, as she embarks on the biggest adventure of her life in London to become an apprentice to renowned Polymaker Mg. Marion Praff. The book is well-paced and even features a (clean) romantic side story (huzzah!). I love how a scene towards the end of the book hints at a future sequel (squee!).

The book can be enjoyed even without reading the first 3 books of the series (but better understood and enjoyed after having read the first 3).

This book is a return to my favorite Holmberg books. I adored The Paper Magician and hoped the return to that world would live up to my expectations. It did!
I liked that it carried on in the world with a new character, Alvie. (But we get a cameo!) Alvie’s a great character and the story is entertaining and a fun read. It’s not intense action or deep romance; expect a light and enjoyable romp through a world we love.

I throughly enjoyed this title. I have been a fan of Charlie Holmberg since The Paper Magician was released. I think this may be my favorite book of hers. You don’t have to the the trilogy before reading this book.

The Plastic Magician is a spinoff of The Paper Magician Trilogy.

I really enjoyed reading Alvie's story and the discoveries being made, and learning new things about the different forms of magic. I loved seeing characters from the Paper Magician trilogy, which made it even better.

When I finished the book, I wanted more and was hoping that maybe there will be.

http://aconjuringoflit.com/

Above is a link to my blog review of The Plastic Magician. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review it early!

I absolutely adored the Paper Magician series & Charlie Holmberg's newest book does not disappoint! This book switches its focus to Alvie, a polymaker (plastic magician), who is apprenticed to Magician Praff. Alvie travels to a new country to begin her apprenticeship, which brings many changes,challenges, and adventures into her world. Together Alvie & Magician Praff work on an entry for a big conference. They find themselves with a rival who will stop at nothing to prevent them from arriving at the conference in time with a fully working invention. While this book can be read as a stand-alone, and is a spin-off from the Paper Magician books, I highly recommend reading the other 3 books first.

Having not read Holmberg's original series I wasn't sure what to expect or if I would be lost. I was happy to discover that reading the Paper Magicians trilogy was not mandatory. This book was an easy and enjoyable read with an air of intrigue and suspect and a hint of romance. Alvie is a wonderful lead that I immediately felt kinship to, I cannot wait for the next in the series!

When a bookish girl studies to be a plastic magician, her peculiar talents might just be world-changing…

…if Alvie Brechenmacher and her mentor can outwit a dangerous rival. Alvie is apprentice to Marion Praff, a world-famous inventor/magician. Both are driven to find novel applications in the new field of Polymaking. Shortly after beginning her apprenticeship, Alvie makes a new friend who inspires her to use Polymaking to solve her friend’s medical problem. While she’s working on the solution, can Alvie discover what her own heart desires?

Charlie N. Holmberg is at her original best blending magic, science, and steampunk for a unique magic system. Holmberg excels at satisfactorily twisty mysteries, character-driven stories, and compelling world- and character-building.

The Plastic Magician is a great addition to the world of The Paper Magician with a few characters crossing over in support roles, so this book can easily be read as a standalone novel. While the storylines were all wrapped up, there was one magical aspect that was left partially solved which could lead to additional stories with Alvie.

We can only hope!

I thoroughly enjoyed this new addition to Charlie N. Holmberg's Paper Magician world!

For starters, I loved the main character Alvie. She's slightly awkward but self-assured and intelligent. I definitely related to her inner thoughts spiraling into solving various problems and forgetting to hold a conversation.

And I was happy to see an MC that wasn't a wimp but didn't have a hero complex.

To be completely honest, near the end of the Paper Magician series, I grew a little tired of Ceony and her continued assertions that she was the *only* one who could face the antagonists or she was the *only* one who had to be the rescuer. As a reader, I wasn't convinced that it was the "only way" or she was the only person.

I was a little worried that The Plastic Magician would include more of that same sort of storyline and that I wouldn't enjoy it. Thankfully, my worries weren't warranted. I got to experience more of the innovation of the magician's world, got to see more of the big picture this unique world C. N. Holmberg has created, and got a few brief vignettes from old characters that were just enough to be satisfying without being too much for me to believe.

The romance was sweet, the story a fun ride with some intense twists and turns, it all left me feeling very happy and satisfied.

If anything, my only complaint was the antagonist being a little too easy to figure out. But that didn't spoil the book for me in the least.

Eagerly looking forward to what Charlie N. Holmberg come out with next!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't like the first book or couldn't get into it... sorry wasn't my cup of tea I shall say! But I tried!

I was so so so happy to get to read this book early. I read The Paper Magician Trilogy over Christmas break, and fell in love. I love the world, I love the magic, and I love the dialogue. The Plastic Magician has all of the things I loved about the trilogy, and more. I hope that this spin-off continues, because I want to know everything there is to know about this world.

Absolutely love this series, just a fun adventure. While the world building is definitely in the first three, a new reader could jump right into this one, no problem. The whole series is creative and keeps you wanting more of this world,

I really enjoyed revisiting the much beloved world of the" Paper Magician" in this triumphant sequel to the original trilogy. In the "Plastic Magician," main character American-German Alvie Brechenmacher, delves into the newly discovered magic of Polymaking, the magical discipline of plastic, and finds herself across the pond in England, apprenticing with world-renowned Magician Marion Praff in what is another quirky and dear adventure. This book has everything, a marvelous heroine, romance, magic, creative world-building, action and mystery, and an all-around positive message.

I love that Alvie is a sensible slacks-wearing American, complete with an accent, face-eating glasses and untamable hair. She is clearly a genius, adding large sums in her head, but is helplessly clumsy and so devoted to her new magic that she forgets what time it is. Alvie also has a heart of gold, choosing to volunteer in a hospital and using her new magic to create a prototype plastic arm for a friend who lost her arm in a factory accident. She is truly every bit as lovable and feels just as authentic and relatable as her <em>Paper Magician counterpart, Ceony Twill, [spoiler] who even makes a wonderful surprise cameo or two that fans of the series will just love.


I also adore her romance with Paper Magician, and all around cutie, Bennet. The very description of the two’s developing romance makes the reader feel butterflies! “His eyes [find] hers and he smile[s] a bright smile that made Alvie feel like a magician already or perhaps something even better.” It is purely delightful that Alvie found an Englishman who loves her for all of the things that make her Alvie, something that didn’t get her many suitors back home. He forgives her for missing their dates due to working on her Magic, doesn’t blame her for running off mid-conversation to jot down a new idea or for wanting to take apart his Benz’s engine to simply appreciate it, and genuinely cares for her just as she is. Bennet even informs her early on that he had a feeling he’d never be bored with her. I thought it was utterly adorable that he told her not to wear a skirt to his graduation ceremony because “it just [isn’t] Alvie.”

Alvie’s relationship with his sister, Ethel, the one for whom Alvie is inventing the Plastic arm prototype, is just as precious. As a reader with multiple disabilities, this scene between these two really touched me:

“Ethel took her hand. ‘You’re a good friend Alvie. Even without all the magic.’ Alvie squeezed back. “’You are too, Ethel. Even without the arm.’ The older woman’s eyes watered just a bit. “I think that, today that’s something I needed to hear.”

This exchange demonstrates how magic touches all of the relationships in the book, but isn’t defined by it. In the magical world of this book and the others in the series, people travel by mirrors, send mail via Folded mail birds, text each other via Mimic spells, and see their imaginations come to life not on movie screens, but through Imagidomes. I love how Alvie’s growing up in America, showed the different laws traditions, and attitudes towards magic throughout different countries. For example, in England public transportation via mirrors is not allowed, but in the United States it is quite the norm. And as Alvie grew up as the daughter of the true inventor of the light bulb, she has a unique and grounded viewpoint on how technological advances may affect magic. But these are just two of the many ways author Charlie N. Holmberg builds a complex and immersive world that I would personally love to inhabit.


Though the book emphasizes that all Magicians should, “Treat [their] magic with respect and loyalty and it will do likewise. Leave this world a better place than it was when you entered it,” Alvie soon finds that not all Magicians uphold this creed. &nbsp;There is intense competition for new discovery, especially in the newest magic—Polymaking—leading to violence, and the stealing of ideas. I love that in the face of danger, Alvie is able to use her intelligence to stay quick on her feet, rescue herself repeatedly, and is able to put together the pieces to solve a crime even before the Police. She’s not even traumatized by her brushes with danger, but instead uses her experiences to hypothesize an entirely new field of magic, which I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of in future installments. After all she says, “It [isn’t] about the magic. It [is] about the discovery.”


And if you haven’t yet discovered the magic of the "Paper Magician" series, I urge you to do so at once.

This book was a joy to read from start to finish. Alvie is a wonderful character and seeing a new story develop in this series really brought a smile to my face. I love the way this magical world has come together and I love seeing how all the spells are formed. It’s a level of creativity I wish I could achieve!

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I’m not familiar with The Paper Magician series, so I read The Plastic Magician as a standalone novel and it worked well on its own.
The character of Alvie is charming and easy to identify with because she’s such a klutz and awkward in social situations but exceptionally smart and inventive. Seeing the world through her eyes was fun and inspiring. It’s always a plus when female characters aren’t trying to fit in but take advantage of being different. It was also nice to see how much Bennet appreciated her being different. It was lovely to see their relationship develop, so sweet and romantic.
Another important relationship in the novel was that between Alvie and her mentor. At times, I felt it was unlikely he’d be so accommodating and supportive of Alvie seeing how he was an experienced and renowned magician, but perhaps that is just my personal experience. In any case, their relationship seemed to be the perfect apprentice/mentor relation: inspiring, supportive and nurturing.
The novel took off slowly but then the pace took up towards the last third of the book with a satisfying speed and the very rewarding ending. I was hoping for a confrontation between Alvie and the perpetrator’s accomplice because I thought that would make for a very emotional scene, but even without it the mystery ended very gratifyingly.
After The Plastic Magician, I look forward to reading more of Charlie Holmberg’s books.

This book, a delightful spin-off of The Paper Magician trilogy, was just charming. Sometimes a sweet story about a klutz with a passion can just be a sweet story, and it doesn't need a ton of filler, or shocking plot twists, or cliffhanger endings. Not a long read, but perfect for a rainy or snowy day when you're all cozy inside, maybe with a crackling fireplace and a pet to keep you company. That's the kind of feeling this book gave me.

Another brilliantly constructed and engaging novel in the materials magic series. The author excels in creating charming and wonderful protagonists who overcome the odds to accomplish their goals. Very very good.