It's pretty fast paced, really a short story. I really love to read about the illusionists and stories revolving about such themes, but I didn't understand the ending. But it's atmospheric and a quick read if you want to come out of a reading slump, pick it up for sure!

This was a fun magical mystery short story set in Venice in the 1820s.
It excels in creating an atmosphere of anticipating an unsettling reveal and building up a feeling of dread. Olivia is fleshed out enough to have made me root for her. Her yearning for solid friendships felt particularly relatable to me. I wanted to know more about her husband, though. The mystery was intriguing and the twist well done. The ending felt a bit too abrupt. I think I would have liked to linger and explore Olivia’s feelings about the reveal a bit more. There were also some questions I wanted answers to. The writing was fine. There were some instances of overexplaining, but they didn’t detract much from my enjoyment.
Overall, I can recommend this if you’re looking for something really short and entertaining.

Characters: 6/10 x3 (Okay)
Relationships: 4/10 x3 (Mediocre)
Atmosphere/Vibes: 9/10 (Excellent)
World-building/Setting: 7/10 x2 (Good)
Writing: 7/10 x3 (Good)
Plot/Pacing: 6/10 x3 (Okay)
Enjoyment: 8/10 x4 (Great)
Total: ~6.53 = 3.25*

Thanks to the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t typically read short stories because I always want more. This was good though, for the length. The plot is very straightforward and lots of things are left unexplained, but the point of the book is still clear at the end. Quick and fun read.

This is a fantastic short story. Even with the short format, there is enough detail to be immersed in the story and connect to the MC. It ends well without feeling rushed, and while I could definitely enjoy a deeper dive into this story with a longer book, the author accomplished a wholly satisfying tale in the limited pages they used. I like that we aren't spoon fed too much information, allowing the reader's imagination to fill in the blanks for things like how the MC's husband obtained the magic he uses. Sarah Penner also does a great job writing her descriptions to create a picture in the reader's mind. Overall this was an enjoyable story for an under 30 minute read.

Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Penner, and Amazon Publishing for this E-ARC.

This story, though brief, was an excellent example in precision and craftsmanship. Every aspect, from the vivid setting to the interesting magic system, was carefully thought out and executed. I would love a full length novel expanding on this story, as I desperately want more. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the copy!

As I have come to expect from Sarah Penner, The Conjurers Wife is a beautifully written and empowering story. My only complaint is that it ended so soon.

Sarah Penner doesn't waste a word in The Conjurer's Wife. I was completely enthralled from the first few sentences. You're dropped into the middle of a scene with our MC centre stage at a magic show. I won't say much, other than for such a short book, the characters are very well defined and I loved the exploration of toxic relationships.
The setting and brief look at the magic system is also great.

Incredibly satisfying novella coming from someone I have only read bad reviews about.

Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Olivia knows her role—she is to back up her husband, a conjuror garnering fame and accolades, serving as his assistant onstage and perhaps offstage. Nobody has ever asked if she tires of this role...but, well, she does. And when she pushes the boundaries, she discovers a secret that could upend everything...

This was a fun, quick read. I don't read all that much historical fiction, but I loved the surprises here; maybe in a longer work I would have guessed some of the secrets underpinning the plot, but in so short a story things moved too quickly for that. I haven't read any of Penner's books, but looking at them now I wonder whether this is connected to "The Amalfi Curse", which—if this is anything to go on—I would probably enjoy, because this short story would be a banger of a novel.

"The Conjurer's Wife" leaves Olivia at something of a crossroads, and while she manages tremendous growth in a short stretch of time, I'm definitely curious about what could have come out of a longer work.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

I normally don’t read novellas but when I saw it was written by Sarah Penner I knew I had to read it. I love how Sarah also focuses on such unique areas of history and intertwines it with magic. I was so intrigued by the focus of a magician/ transformationist and his wife/ assistant.

I flew through these pages, I thought it was very fast paced and well written but I could have done with a little more at the end. It ended more abrupt than I was expecting. Normally I find some of her work to be a touch longer than necessary so was surprised to feel this had the opposite effect!

Made me excited to see this can almost be seen as a precursor for her next book coming out- The Amalfi Curse. I will definitely be grabbing that after reading this!

I loved this short story! It was well written and it was captivating. I only wish it was longer. I think the setting was perfect and I also loved the character of the little fox. A very quick read, of course, but very satisfying!

What a unique short story! The Conjurer’s Wife tells the story of a magician in 18th century Italy who can conjure objects from nothing. His wife accompanies him on the stage as his assistant and is in the dark about his magic as much as the audience, until she starts to question things.

Even though this was a short story, I really felt for Olivia being so isolated. I loved the imagery and the dark-gothic vibes. I only wish that it was developed into a longer story! The ending felt a bit rushed and I would love to see what happens after!

This is my first time reading something by Sarah Penner but definitely adding her books to my TBR list! Thanks to Amazon Publishing for providing this book for review on Netgalley.

Sarah Penner is a must read author for me. The way she weaves a whole world in her books (and novellas!) is astounding.

I would read a full length novel about this world of magic, magicians, and people appearing and disappearing out of thin air.

I didn't know what to expect going into this short story by Sarah Penner. The story takes place in the early 1800's in Italy. Olivia, the wife of the famous conjurer, Oscar, helps Oscar with his magic shows, but is unsure how he performs his magic or what her past entails. As she learns things about herself, the story unfolds and takes a twist.

I actually enjoyed this story. The author could have made the book longer, but I felt like she got to the point quickly. Her descriptions were vivid and who doesn't love a baby fox?

I think the lesson here is that you can want all sorts of things, but that doesn't mean those things will ever want you back.

This was one of the best short stories out there, full of vivid imagery, deceit, and magic. Olivia is a great character and the story itself was very engaging.

Thank you NetGalley. This short story centers around a conjurer, Oscar, and his wife, Olivia, his beautiful assistant. His act is widely acclaimed and his ticket prices are dear. Olivia, who suffers from amnesia makes a consequential discovery after one of their acts that will change everything. Although I don’t mind an unresolved ending, I thought this one a little too vague but still very enjoyable

Men never learn from the saying...hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. This was a fantastic short story about deception, greed, and revenge. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This short story was charming and easy to read. The setting was well-done and the characters were detailed nicely despite the brevity. The story arc was great, but the ending was very abrupt. I have heard this may be a prequel or quasi-related to Sarah Penner's upcoming novel "The Amalfi Curse" and I hope that is the case because I greatly enjoyed the story and was left wanting more as it ended. I would recommend this to friends, and will plan to purchase The Amalfi Curse if it is a continuation of this story. Thank you for the advance copy!

The Conjurer’s Wife by Sarah Penner

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommend? Yes
Finished: 01/12/2025
Format: Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sarah Penner for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Conjurer's Wife that came out January 1, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Olivia Van Hoff lives under the shadows of her magician husband, Oliver. She is his wife and assistant on the stage. They come to see him. But, they also come to admire her. Olivia has little life of her own. No friends, no memory, she takes cues from Oliver both on and off the stage. That could change if the secrets to Oliver's illusions are revealed.

BRAVO! All the elements of a full novel in a short story. I was pulled into the theater in Venice with the descriptive imagery instantly. It gave the vibes of a strong woman waiting to come out of the shadows. Penner has a way of mixing historical fiction and fantasy that is spellbinding!

Read this if you like: magical realism, descriptive imagery, deceit, novellas

Favorite quote: "The artist may do what he pleases with his brush, but he cannot control where the pigment drips and bleeds."

Unexpected gem. Sarah Penner is the best at historical mystery with a touch of romance. This was such a fun read. I enjoyed Olivia and Oscar they are quite the pair. This was a story about an illusionist and his wife. It left lingering questions but I suppose that’s half the fun of this 40 page stunner.