Minor Mage

Warm, coming-of-age type of story featuring characters who are likeable and not whiny. T. Kingfisher has become one of my favorite authors these past couple years due to her skill with characterization.

Like everything T. Kingfisher writes, this can be summed up as utterly charming.

This was a slog. Things keep happening to the protagonist, he never really gets in control of them, and then eventually, his quest just ends and the book is over. There are some similarities to Wizard's Guide, but that book was much better.

The MCs bravery and persistence is moving. 4.5 stars

T. Kingfisher is always good. This is marketed as a kids book, and it very well might be if you know your kid. At least one “swear,” and grown tough me found one scene scary. But I think books for children should acknowledge primal fears, which we all feel. 

Minor Mage is a coming of age story where adults expect a child to fix their problems. It's about mob mentality. It's about this child learning to process all of this and figure out who he wants to be, what kind of adult he wants to become. 

I want more books with snarky armadillos.