For some reason, I have the hardest time writing reviews for books that strike me as mediocre. I don’t have anything bad to say, but I don’t have much good to say, either.

"The Glass Magician" by Caroline Stevermer is a captivating blend of fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction that transports readers to a world where magic and intrigue collide. Set in an alternate version of early 20th-century New York City, Stevermer's novel follows the adventures of Thalia Cutler, a talented magician with a knack for sleight of hand.

Stevermer's world-building is rich and immersive, seamlessly weaving together elements of magic and illusion with the vibrant backdrop of the city. From the bustling streets of Manhattan to the opulent theaters of Broadway, the setting comes alive with vivid detail, drawing readers into a world filled with wonder and danger.

At the heart of the story is Thalia, a complex and compelling protagonist whose journey of self-discovery unfolds against the backdrop of a sinister conspiracy. As Thalia delves deeper into the mystery surrounding a series of magical attacks, she must navigate a web of secrets and betrayals, all while grappling with her own inner demons.

"The Glass Magician" is as much a character-driven drama as it is a thrilling fantasy adventure. Stevermer's characters are fully realized and multi-dimensional, each with their own motivations and secrets. The relationships that develop between them are nuanced and believable, adding depth and emotional resonance to the narrative.

Stevermer's prose is elegant and evocative, with a lyrical quality that enhances the atmosphere of the story. The pacing is brisk, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end. Whether you're a fan of historical fiction, fantasy, or mystery, "The Glass Magician" is sure to cast a spell on you with its blend of magic, intrigue, and charm.

I feel bad but I didn’t make it very far in this book, so I don’t think I can make an accurate review and recommendation. I only made it about 50 pages.

I really enjoyed this one, the world was engaging, and the characters kept my attention through the entire read. I will absolutely be continuing with this author and look forward to reading more of her releases.

A pretty, high concept fantasy novel that had a lot of potential but ultimately fell victim to thin character building and uneven pacing.

I loved the setting and concept behind this story, but both take a backseat to a sort of ragged, confused book that is so mired in trying to explain it’s overcomplicated magical system to the reader that it forgets to give them a reason to care to comprehend it.

It’s not that it’s conceptually too abstract or difficult to grasp for a YA audience, but rather that it eats up far too much real estate in the book at the expense of the plot (which was poorly paced and felt a bit half baked after the murder) and the setting (which had huge potential but is never fully realized by the author.

In all, another fantasy novel that is better in concept than execution, and while not a terrible reader experience, it’s also not one that makes the reader want to seek out the rest of the series.

I wish I'd loved this one! I did like the stage elements and the performance pieces. I thought the mystery was interesting and well woven into the story. But I don't get enough of a feel for the characters and didn't fell fully pulled in to the story. It was a quick read but I didn't love it.

An e-ARC was provided to me by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

the story was enjoyable but there are some aspects that make my eyebrow rise. the characters were okay, the magic system though was not so good. it wasn't quite explained well enough.

This was not a book for me. I was not a fan of the characters or the plot. I think this just a case of my type of book.

I really really wanted to love this book. It aounded amazing. But the main heroine really didn’t help me love this read. Alas, it was interesting but not what I expected.

Overall, this was an ok read… I haven’t seen anything from Caroline Stevermer and I think maybe I just let my expectations get too high.

The worldbuilding here was quite interesting, with humans stratifying themselves by class - Traders, who have a single, innate animal form they can “trade” into; Sylvestri, who are kind of like druids or very tiny squishy ents; and Solitaires, who have no magic. There are also manticores, who are born when Traders “inbreed” and who feed on the magic of young traders who haven’t learned to control their powers.

The story takes place in an alternate New York, 1905. Great. All things I love.

Unfortunately, the main character, Thalia, is really not great. Her characterization feels shallow, and she was by turns indecisive and impetuous as the plot demanded.

There’s also a murder mystery. Which is not all that mysterious.

And a secret family that Thalia knew nothing about.

And a side character whose job it is to hunt manticore while possessing no magic of his own and who steals every scene he’s in and in general is just unforgivably more interesting than Thalia and her sort-of love interest - who, by the way, is clearly prejudiced against her until it turns out she’s part of his social class after all and then suddenly, he’s fine with her and this really isn’t unpacked in any way.

I guess what I ultimately think is that the book feels, on a very structural level, unfinished. Even the title ties into the story by only the merest element of thread.

If you enjoy alternate timeline YA with magic and coming of age themes, check it out; maybe it’ll jive better for you than it did for me.

Every once in a while you encounter a book that ticks off every box for you, but that you just don’t click with for whatever reason. The premise of The Glass Magician sounded right up my alley - the Gilded Age, magic, high society, magicians, and intrigue. Unfortunately, Stevermer’s writing style just didn’t click with me.

While I thought that the general plot was interesting, it never grabbed me enough where I found myself unable to put down the book. And I liked Thalia as a character, but the world-building was very much lacking in this novel. I never felt like I truly understood the magic system, which is a shame because it was so intriguing. I found myself skimming the second half of the book, but the ending still felt anti-climatic and rushed.

Overall, The Glass Magician was just okay. I think the story had a lot of promise, but I was left wanting so much more from this book.

**Thank you Netgalley and publisher for giving me an electronic ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

It took me a while to finish this book, it was slow going and a little confusing. I liked the premise of the book, but it was hard to stay focused on it.

This was a great plot idea and world setting, but not great execution. Things worked out and ended a little too neatly.

The premise sounded really interesting. It was a fantasy set in the Gilded Age. However, this did not seem to live up to my expectations. The novel was very slow-going. The world building was very confusing and the characters were unlikable. Still, this appeal to some fantasy fans!

This was a good story, but not a great story. I generally like stories about the Gilded Age, but this one fell a little flat for me. I wasn't able to connect with the characters and really dive into the book like I wanted to. It also took me two tries to finish this and not just mark it as a DNF.

I think this book needed to be longer. I wanted more from it. More interactions with the characters. More explanation of the magic in this world. I think this had great potential, but it tried to do to much. The setting, the magic, the characters are great, they just needed more page time.

I received a free e-ARC from the author/publisher vi NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Since it's been a while since I read this, I'm going to keep this review pretty short and succinct.

What I liked:
1) The descriptions- all the descriptions of the gilded age - the architecture, the decor, the atmosphere - were fantastic. I had a really clear picture of the world the characters inhabited.
2) The magic system had a lot of promise, but I don't feel like it was explored enough.

What I didn't like so much:
1) The pacing- it was super slow to start with, and then it was a bit all over the place.
2) The plot- it was kind of disjointed and it had a lot of moving parts. The mystery also fell a bit flat. Everything seemed to wrap up a little too conveniently.
3) The world-building - there was a lot happening, and I just didn't understand why everything was so complicated. Humans are called Solitaires, shape-shifters are called Traders, and then there are other elemental/nature type people, about whom we know very little.

Unfortunately, not the book for me.

This book should have been my cup of tea. It's set in Gilded Age New York around the turn of the 20th century and it's about magic show performers with real magical powers. Stage magician Thalia inherits her father's magic show business and discovers her own magical powers when a murder shakes New York to its core...

Gilded Age New York is actually one of my favourite settings in historical fiction ever but it just didn't really work for me here, mostly because the world building seemed a bit shallow. In this version of early 1900s New York having magical powers makes you a member of High Society so all the famous New York families - the Vanderbilts, the Astors etc. - have magic powers. I found this alternative history approach interesting but it's a shame that the magic system wasn't really explained at all and neither was this society. If it's based on having magic, how exactly does that work then?

There also isn't a lot going on for a book with only 300 pages. Thalia discovers her magic and has to figure out how to use it, then someone gets killed at another magic show and that's basically it. Thalia has to hunt down the killer but I didn't find the mystery all too enticing. I'd rather have read more about a High Society with magical powers, all these magic shows and their performers and of course how the magic even works. The book gives you a glimpse of an interesting world and story but it never fully reveals all its potential.

In the end, I put off finishing this book for months because it just didn't live up to its potential. It's a nice story but neither the characters nor the plot and world seem all too well thought out so while I found this one entertaining to read, it won't stay with me for very long, it didn't make me think too much and I didn't find it all too interesting either.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Good book, the pacing was off but overall this story was good.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.