MAGISTERIUM

Glennora enjoys science and invention in the regimented Colloquium society (Earth, circa 2023) but discovers another world just outside her door. Purported to be an apocalyptic wasteland, the Magisterium is the opposite of the Colloquium. There, magic, not science, reigns. Glenn enters the Magisterium and discovers she, too, possesses magical powers that must be controlled. Julia Whelan presents a polished narration with distinct character voices. Her male characters are as authentic as her female voices, and dialogue is consistently clear. Whelan dramatically conveys an action-packed story that will keep listeners engaged; in particular, her smooth reading helps even out an inconsistent plot and an abrupt ending. Whelan deftly maintains the story’s intriguing premise in her appealing performance. C.A. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2012]