Narrator was brilliant. Very easy to listen to and perfect for this story.



I'm not sure I'd classify this as cosy fantasy but it's certainly cosy adjacent in its execution, if not it's themes. This is a lovely coming of age novel mashed together with historical fantasy. Biddy has always lived on the island with Rowan - her mage step father - and Hutchinson - his familiar who is often in the form of a rabbit. She doesn't see another living soul - not even the puca who lives in another part of the island - but she has her books and she's relatively content. As she starts pushing against the restraint of being kept from the rest of the world, it turns out that her childhood has been an oasis of safety in a world that gradually falling apart. Away from Hy Brazil, the darkest, grimiest and most poverty stricken parts of the Edwardian world are crying out for the depleting wild magic while other, selfish mages hoard it.



Aside from being an engaging fantasy read, this is also a metaphor for unrestrained capitalism and te inherent selfishness that goes along with it. (There's one especially brilliant part where Bridget confronts a mage who has hoarded wealth at the expense of orphans in a charity school/ workhouse.) It also works as an analogue for climate change where the wealthy and self centred profit now, merrily ignoring that the world needs to be taken care of. It's clever but also warm and funny. Confronting without being bleak. And Biddy is a very likeable heroine. Really enjoyed this. Highly recommend.

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced listening copy of the magicians daughter. This was super good and the narrator wasn't bad. I was able to get through this easily. Will happy order it for my store.

I really liked this book. The narrator did a great job giving each character a voice without going overboard. I like Parry’s descriptive style. At first, it seemed to move slowly but picked up halfway through.

In this coming-of-age historical fantasy, we meet Biddy, a teenage girl who has grown up on an isolated, magical island with a magician and his familiar as her only companions. When circumstances force her to leave the island for the first time in her memory, she faces not only the threat of magical foes, but also the reality of poverty in late Victorian London. The story takes some time to get rolling, but Biddy's adventures in London make for an exciting treat. The ending was a bit too sweet for my tastes, but the world-building and atmospheric quality to the writing won me over.

The narrator did an excellent job creating unique voices for the characters, weaving a spell with her voice that captivated me.

This book is like if Howls Moving Castle and A Little Princess had a baby so you can kind of get an idea on what type of feeling this story throws off. It’s about a young girl who has been living on a mythical island off the coast of Ireland all her life. Her only friends are a mage named Rowan and his familiar, a rabbit who can transform in a human. For all her life, this is all she has known until one day Rowan tells her that the magic in the world has pretty much died out and he needs her help to confront The Council who hoards magic for themselves them greedy bastards. She has a special bit of magic in her heart and Rowan needs it to lure out The Council and get some answers. So she journeys off the island for the first time and heads to London.

It’s a fish out of water story but I found it to be a great palette cleanser and refreshing and very magical, whimsical. I did enjoy the first half more than I did the second which makes sense as I’m not the biggest fan of magical realism but overall, I am very happy to have experienced this story. It’s slower paced but written very well. I’ve always wanted to read from this author as I’ve only heard great things and now I know more of what to expect from her other books. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars. It’s a great book to cozy up to.

This is a really charming historical fantasy novel. A coming of age story about a young woman who has to leave behind the only home she's known in order to save the people she loves and magic itself. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

First off, the narration is on point! Very well done. The story itself is also fascinating and incredibly original - I was immediately drawn in. However, it did seem a bit drawn out to me and I think this has to do with listening to it on audio; if I were reading, I sincerely believe I wouldn’t feel this way, because I would have been able to finish it sooner.

Biddy grew up on a hidden and enchanted island, the ward of the magician Rowan. As she grows up in this idyllic setting she realizes a few things: she is incredibly sheltered and wants more, and Rowan is hiding things from her. Despite Rowan leaving the island on a regular basis, seeking out what little magic there is left in the world, Biddy has never stepped foot off of Hy-Brasil. Until one night, Rowan doesn’t return and Biddy visits him in a nightmare, where she realizes that not only is Rowan in danger, but Biddy is the only one who can save him. And thus, the adventure of Biddy’s lifetime begins: with terrifying mages, people from Rowan’s past and danger at each and every turn.

The Magician's Daughter is a wonderful, magical book. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration. This story was original, it featured a strong protagonist, Biddy, who was raised by a magician but who wasn't magical herself. Despite her lack of magic, Biddy becomes wrapped up in the danger and intrigues of the magical world. I found this book to be slow, which I didn't mind, because I enjoyed getting immersed in Biddy's world and her adventure. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

H.G. Parry se va haciendo poco a poco un nombre en el mundo de la fantasía, con novelas como The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep o A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians. Con The Magician’s Daughter se adentra en el mercado más juvenil, pero no por ello deja atrás sus características más notables, como el toque dickensiano de sus novelas o la mezcla de magia con el mundo tal y como lo conocemos.


En esta novela la autora se ha restringido a muy pocos personajes que tengan líneas de diálogo, simplificando sobremanera la trama. Estamos en 1912 y la magia ha ido desapareciendo poco a poco del mundo. En un cuidadoso plan para preservarla, el concilio de magos va recopilando cada trazo que sigue existiendo y lo atesoran en sus cámaras, pero esto ha provocado que en el mundo cada vez haya menos casualidades, menos golpes de fortuna y en general se ha vuelto un lugar más gris y desolador. De todo esto no es consciente Biddy, la protagonista de la historia, que se ha criado en una isla mágica protegida del exterior con la única compañía del mago Rowan y su familiar. No obstante, las inquietudes de la adolescencia comienzan a hacer mella y desea salir al exterior para conocer el mundo, a pesar de los riesgos que pueda conllevar. Lo que desconoce es que ella misma guarda en su corazón el secreto que puede permitir que la magia vuelva al mundo… o desaparezca para siempre.

La historia es bastante directa y no se pierde mucho en recovecos, ya sabemos que los malos son muy malos y los buenos estarán dispuestos a todo tipo de sacrificios para que su misión triunfe. La narración del audiolibro, a cargo de Rose McPhilemy, se ajusta de maravilla a la trama, con ese tono un tanto pijo que se puede asociar a la alta sociedad londinense y por ende, a sus representantes en el Concilio de Magos.

Las situaciones de peligro van in crescendo, sobre todo conforme se van descubriendo elementos del pasado que tienen influencia directa en el presente y aunque en ningún momento se llega a ver la tortura en directo, si que hay situaciones bastante peliagudas.

En definitiva, nos hallamos ante una novela de marcado tinte juvenil, entretenida y ligera, para pasar el rato sin muchas preocupaciones ni calentamientos de cabeza.

I fell in love with H.G. Parry's writing after reading her Shadow Histories duology. She has such a way with words. So, when I heard about The Magician's Daughter, I knew I had to read it. Plus, look at that cover—this book is just begging to be read.

I would describe this as a coming-of-age historical fantasy with magic and a dash of mystery. It contains one of the most unique found families I have read in some time. I dare you not to fall in love with these characters. The setting of Hy-Brasil adds so much to the atmosphere, and despite being fairly dark, this book has a coziness to it.

I will warn you that this is a bit of a slow burn, it takes bit for the story to unfold, but once it does the stakes are high.

So, what stopped this from being a 5 star read? I did have some issues with the motivations of a few characters. There is also a <spoiler>resurrection</spoiler> trope that I really wish would not have happened, but I understand why it did.

I listened to the audio and I really enjoyed the narrator.

Thank you to Netgalley, Redhook, and Hachette Audio for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.