Many thanks to NetGalley and Redhood Books for the arc of The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry. Had fun with this one.
The novel follows Biddy, a sixteen-year-old who washed ashore an isolated and secret magical island as a baby and was raised by the mage who inhabits it. Though she loves her home, she’s grown restless with solitude. When she finally gets the chance to visit the real world, it’s under less-than-ideal circumstances. Her guardian is in danger, magic is in a crisis, and through adventure, she is forced to confront the truth of what she’s been told her entire life.
Right now, “cozy fantasy” is beginning to pick up steam. I’d describe it as fantasy that is more comforting than isn’t, sort of domestic and something that’ll leave you warm. The Magician’s Daughter isn’t precisely a cozy fantasy, but it is very comforting. It’s infused with love and whimsy. As the kids say, the vibes are on point. They make the reader feel as if they’re reading a fun middle-grade fantasy, but for adults. Most witty adult fantasies are adventure/quest novels such as Stardust or The Princess Bride, but The Magician’s Daughter is more limited in scope.
The book plays close to its 19th-century United Kingdom setting, commenting on both its mythologies and historical shifts. The reflections on womanhood and sexism were interesting. Having a heroine who isn’t interested in romance was a good angle for this story, one that allows it to delve more deeply into other commentaries. It touches dark elements and isn’t afraid to confront ugliness, but does so with care and in a way that isn’t offputting. The reader feels safe.
The characters are lovely to be around and the world is easy to slip into. If anything, maybe a lot of the characters are a bit too similar and interpersonal conflict is too easily resolved. If their arguments were more abrasive, the storyline would be more interesting, but then a huge chunk of the appeal would be lost. These characters love each other and this is a story that highlights the good rather than explores the bad.
The prose is lovely and sharp without being too much. Biddy’s monologue has a distinctive voice and the rest of her world is infused with personality. The tone is perfect for the story. In fact, the tone sets the foundation from which all other expectations are built. And so, the tone, the character voice, and the descriptions, all layer beautifully and cohesively in a way that compliments rather than clashes. This work is delicate, but Parry succeeds.
The plot isn’t anything special, but it doesn’t need to be. The magic system, worldbuilding, politics, mythology, and characters are the clear story elements that shine. The plot attempts to string the reader along by offering mysteries to be solved and lies to be revealed, but truly the reason to get to the end is that the reader wants to see all of the characters end up okay and out of danger. In that way, I can appreciate its simplicity. The few attempts to subvert or complicate the plot and story didn’t really pay off.
I really like The Magician’s Daughter, almost to an embarrassing degree. I’d forgotten how much I am enchanted by whimsy-adjacent fantasy. But this was a great reintroduction to that genre, the strange combination of a high-stakes fantasy novel with a low-stakes tone and lovable characters. It was a great palette cleanser after reading Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb, I can tell you that much. If you enjoy witty fantasy, particularly those set in this setting, I’d recommend The Magician’s Daughter.
existing ironically 