AN UNKINDNESS OF MAGICIANS

Sydney's arrival starts a chain of events that alters the course of the Unseen World, and Madeleine Maby narrates the vicious battle that ensues. While the power structure in the Unseen World closely mirrors our own (rich, white, male, moneyed), there are exceptions, and voicing those exceptions is where Maby shines. She deftly captures the rage that drives Sydney's actions, the ambition that informs Laurent Beauchamps's choices, and the regret that colors Miranda Prospero's decisions. Even within the echelons of power, Maby creates nuance: Ian Merlin is aware of his privilege and fights for a better world, while the two villains are chillingly cold toward those they destroy in their quest for power. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2018]