Loki's Book of Magic and Mischief

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher BenBella Books, Smart Pop for an advanced copy of this grimoire featuring fun tricks, slight of hands, and disappearing objects for mischief makers of all ages.

Loki Laufeyson, the Trickster God of the the Norse Pantheon. God of Lies, Mischief and stories. Adopted son of the Allfather Odin, step-brother to Thor God of Thunder. Enemy of boredom, a fool for fun, play and all in for mystifying the mundane. Also not that well known, a very good stage magician and slight of hand artist. One can not fool the Avengers without knowing how to hide a coin or a number of coins from the eyes of superheroes. And all great bad guys have to start off somewhere. Robb Pearlman has braved the darkness, translating this ancient book of magic from Norse to modern day so one can understand the draw of fooling others. Loki's Book of Magic and Mischief: Tricks and Deceptions from the Prince of Illusions are time tested tricks and and stage magic, quick to remove boredom and even calm a savage Hulk.

The book is a book of practical magic for burgeoning gods of mischief boy or girl. The book features illustrations and a brief story, the illustrations from various Marvel comics and the story tying everything together. The book features step by step instructions to make coins appear, or horns, and many other things to disappear or move somewhere the people don't expect. There are mentions of other spellcasters from the Marvel universe, some with suggestions or cracks about Loki which add to the fun.

The book is well written and laid out, with the instruction clear and concise and easy to get a grasp of even for the most clumsy of people like myself. This is an ideal book to get little eyes of youtube, even if it is just for a short period of time. My nephews had a good time with it, and even a few days later were still talking about some of their tricks. The writing is very informative, with jokes that are actually funny, which is not common in books that are written for children. Kid Lokis and grumpy Old Man Lokis will have a lot of fun with this.

A book that can be used to distract on rainy days, or when little eyes are starting to become militarized by what they find on youtube. Well-written, funny and lots of fun.

T̶h̶i̶s̶ i̶s̶ a̶ c̶h̶i̶l̶d̶r̶e̶n̶'s̶ b̶o̶o̶k̶ f̶o̶r̶ m̶a̶g̶i̶c̶ t̶r̶i̶c̶k̶s̶. This is a secret, ancient book written by Loki for a future variant of himself, and restored by Robb Pearlman under dire circumstances. It's to be opened solely at your own risk. This artifact has not been altered (pinky promise). Despite Midgardians not being equipped to perform Loki's magic, you still might get empowered if reading the instructions carefully.
The book is structured in three parts, showing mischievous magic tricks on three levels. Every trick is carefully described including drawings of ingredients and tools.
My son would have loved this book when he was younger and still in his magic-tricky years, so I can fully recommend it for kids who want to dive into magic tricks or adults who are still kids inside. I sadly do not have the patience to try out all the tricks described, but I really enjoyed the framing and narrative of this book, being a book fan of the Trickster.

4/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @benbellabooks for the eARC.

Immense gratitude to #NetGalley and t BenBella Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.
Loki's Book of Magic and Mischief by Marvel Comics and Robb Pearlman, is a grimoire featuring fun tricks, slight of hands, and disappearing objects for mischief makers of all ages. It was an entertaining read, I know my nieces
and nephews would enjoy giving these tricks a whirl.. It was hard not to want to pull some of the tricks on family members. This might be a end of summer gift for a few people I know. Highly recommend

A charming book that gathers magic tricks done and explained by Loki, the God of Mischief, himself.

It starts off with an introduction and a warning (very nicely done too). The tricks are divided into three parts, showing three levels of mischievous magic. It has some very nice classic Marvel comic book illustrations of Loki, and detailed step-by-step instructions to all 35 tricks.

Fun and entertaining, particularly for the younger fans of Loki.

I was not expecting this but I found it delightful. So this is a twofold amusement. Perhaps you are looking to entertain with some simple, but fun and less than costly magic tricks, but you also happen to be a Marvel fan? Your wish has been granted. Not only does this book treat you so some delightful observations on himself and those he battles from the point of view of Loki himself, most of the items needed for these playful slights of hand can easily be located in your home or found at a dollar store. Found myself racked with the occasional giggle fit as Loki ever modest (yeah, right) puts forth an almost autobiographical view of his own cleverness and his utter disdain for the Avengers and their ilk, including Thor. Really, though, what is a Loki book that does not rip on Thor if not a missed opportunity for entertainment, right? Regardless, the tricks are easy enough with flare and mischief in only the best ways and the narrative is so enjoyable you will want it for yourself just to reread when you run out of Season 2 Loki episodes to watch.

This was a very cute book that I think could provide a lot of super fun activities for kids. With an introduction reminiscent of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, it is sure to draw them in with the promise of magic and mischief. I am reminded of magic trick books magicians used to put out in a more kid-friendly and engaging way for a younger audience. I could imagine them excitedly telling people they have learned magic and ready to show off their tricks. Very cute.

A how to guide for the Midgards looking to be as powerful as the trickster god Loki. This book gives step-by-step guides on how to master the tricks and magic of the popular Marvel character. The book is broken down into sections starting with the easy magic and ending on the expert tricks, each section comes with beautiful illustrations of the god found in various comics.

A surprising book filled with lots of magic tricks all in the spirit of Loki. Although the book is marketed towards adults, it will be easy for middle grade and young adult readers to follow along and learn how to perform various magic tricks.

This book is just full of fun magic tricks taught by the god of mischief himself, Loki Laufeyson. Inside are cool practical tricks written clearly with easy to follow along images so any kid can mystify their friends and family. What a cute book for beginner magicians and Marvel fans alike!

I don't know what I expected to find in this book but when I started reading it I loved it and it seemed bizarre at the same time.

Here we find a diary that Loki hides for the Loki of the future to whom he knows that all his memories are going to be erased, but he keeps this little guide to magic and tricks in a place that he knows any Loki could find. I loved this part, the way they present each magic trick as if it was REALLY Loki who was explaining it, referring to the Avengers, to different moments that we already know or that we could read about in comics, I loved it, I thought original and captivating.

What I found kind of bizarre (but not bad) is that he doesn't really teach magic tricks!! I didn't expect that at all, I thought it would be more abstract, magical things, but no! They are really magic tricks. Reading them sometimes becomes tedious if you are not interested in learning them, but there was always a special touch that made it more dynamic.

The illustrations are MAGNIFICENT.

Thanks BenBella Books for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

Not my usual cup of tea, but can totally see how an older child/someone interested in magic tricks would enjoy this. Particularly if they are a Marvel fan as I am.

Magic taught by the god of mischief — a great concept and an enjoyable read at any age.

Much like one of Loki’s variants, this book has a bit of an identity crisis. With the title, Loki’s Book of Magic and Mischief: Tricks and Deceptions from the Prince of Illusions any Marvel fan would pick up this book. The title promises to give us a peek into Loki’s tricks and deceptions. In the forward, author Robb Pearlman purports to be an archivist dedicated to rescuing ancient books. He claims that he discovered and edited this book that Loki created for a potential future self in case he somehow lost and needed to regain his magical powers. With that tilte and forward, the author sets the stage for a Spell book that would reteach Loki his powers. One expects a lot of Marvel lore and magic.

But this book is actually exactly as advertised by the editors. Rather than a grimoire, it is a lesson book with step-by-step instructions for magic tricks. Each lesson written by Loki, for Loki to perform, is accompanied by the stage patter that would help him convince Midgardians (Earthlings) just how powerful he is. The instructions for the trick are explained quite clearly and accompanied by drawings that help clarify the set up and performance of the trick. This book would provide hours of entertainment for any kid who loves magic tricks. But if the reader isn’t old enough or fan enough to have seen several Marvel movies, a lot of the commentary will go over their head. Most Marvel aficionados will enjoy the Loki Lore and love all the original Marvel art. But they may find page after page of magic tricks a bit tedious. T

This book would enthrall anyone who is both a Marvel fan and would like to try is hand at magic. But that is a bit of a narrow niche. For that target audience this book would deserve 5 stars. For most kids who would have fun with magic, this would also be a five-star instruction book. As a typical Marvel fan, I enjoyed the discussion and the artwork, but I was underwhelmed. The book provides an entertaining few hours, but it is not a must read. I averaged out the rating to give this book a solid four stars.

Great book for kids wanting to do simple magic tricks with household items. Great illustrations too!

Thanks to BenBella Books, Smart Pop, and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is perfect for anyone (both children and adults with a childlike sense of whimsy) who loves Marvel, Loki, and magic tricks. The introduction to each trick is cute & filled with references to the movies and comics, and there's a plethora of beautiful artwork depicting the many versions of Loki throughout the book.

There are plenty of tricks to entertain and excite both magician and audience alike!

As a big Marvel fan, this book brought me a lot of laughs. I could easily see testing these tricks out with my nieces and nephews; it makes for a great group activity! It was humorously written from Loki's POV, but still easy to read through and understand and I feel like it would be for a wide range of ages.

This book was very interesting. It read like a magic book for someone to learn how to do. The pictures of Loki were magnificent and colorful.

Loki (brother of Thor) is considered an iconic character in the Marvel universe for a variety of reasons. He has a compelling backstory as the jealous adopted brother and arch-nemesis of Thor, giving him complex motivations and a tragic perspective. Loki has also played a pivotal role in the wider Avengers storyline, serving as the main villain in the climactic Battle of New York that brought together the Avengers team for the first time.
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Over time, the character has evolved from a straightforward villain into more of an antihero and complex figure who sometimes reluctantly joins forces with his brother Thor against greater threats. I really think this complexity plus being portrayed by Tom Hiddleston in the MCU only adds to the character's appeal.
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Finally, Loki's distinctive visual look, with his golden horned helmet and green and black attire, makes him instantly recognizable and iconic when appearing on screen. Loki's shape-shifting abilities and illusionary powers allow him to be a uniquely unpredictable trickster and manipulator, providing an interesting contrast to the more direct and blunt Thor. In many ways, from his personality to his visual design, Loki represents a unique and quintessential Marvel character. That manipulation and trickery is cheekily captured in Loki’s Book of Magic and Mischief, part instructional part storytelling book by Robb Pearlman.
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Loki’s Book of Magic and Mischief shows Loki revealing the secrets behind 35 of his most popular magic tricks. The premise of this book is interesting, author Robb Pearlman translated all of Loki’s secret magic tricks from Norse to English and the instructions coupled with illustrations are a fun twist on a classic Loki story.
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Children won’t find Loki’s origin story or a summary of some of his latest betrayals but they will find some magic tricks that range from easy to complicated all using items you would find around their house! Items include dice, glue, utensils, dollar bills, crayons, and coins.
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The first magic trick is a super easy one that my daughter and I tested, which is basically making a fist and snapping a rubber band between your two hands so that the audience thinks the rubber bands disappear, they just can’t see them! Each magic trick has a paragraph or two introduction with green and gold (classic Loki colors) illustrations showing step by step on how to complete the trick.
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I love that this book has classic Loki art from various artists sprinkled throughout the book. The book is separated into sections that range from easy tricks to more complicated ones. While this book is marketed to all Loki and MCU fans, children will especially love the stories behind the simple tricks and the fact that most of the instructions use items that they can access around their homes.

At first, I thought this was a graphic novel about Loki, but turns out, it's a magic trick instruction book. Mostly, the book gave detailed instructions on how to do certain magic tricks with some clever Loki comments. Definitely look through the book before you buy it, but it you got a kid who is into magic tricks and Loki, I would recommend it.