The Last Magician

Gr 8 Up—This fantasy chronicles the struggles of the last surviving magicians in a draconian world of gangs and perilous dangers. Esta is a master thief who manipulates time in order to steal artifacts, all in the service of stopping the Magician, who means to kill the remaining Mageus—members of a secret order of magicians. Esta must keep an all-powerful book away from the villain to prevent him from destroying her order. She also needs to avoid "the Brink," a mystical barrier that causes her kind to lose their powers and become trapped. This novel will be quite the undertaking for most readers, as the main character jumps back and forth through time. The narrative is told from different points of view as various arcs come together during the climactic final struggle. Readers may find it hard to follow this long, intricate narrative. Hard-core magic and fantasy devotees might enjoy this ambitious tale, but more casual fans will be better served by the works of Maggie Stiefvater and Cassandra Clare.