The Glass Magician Published by Tor Publishing Group on April 7, 2020 Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Historical, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance
Pages: 352
Find the Author: Website, Goodreads, Amazon
Goodreads
Reminiscent of The Golem and the Jinni, The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer is a magical and romantic tale set in New York’s Gilded Age.
New York 1905—The Vanderbilts. The Astors. The Morgans. They are the cream of society—and they own the nation on the cusp of a new century.
Thalia Cutler doesn’t have any of those family connections. What she does know is stage magic and she dazzles audiences with an act that takes your breath away.
That is, until one night when a trick goes horribly awry. In surviving she discovers that she can shapeshift, and has the potential to take her place among the rich and powerful.
But first, she’ll have to learn to control that power...before the real monsters descend to feast.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Review:
This is the first work I’ve read by Caroline Stevermer, but it won’t be the last. From start to finish, I was absolutely enchanted by “The Glass Magician.”
The setting is remarkably unique – a glittering turn-of-the-century reimagining of America. Vanderbilts and others reign as titans of industry and wealth, while others scrabble to make ends meet. During it all, the author creates a sliver of unobtrusive Otherness in the world setting by introducing the reader to the concept of multiple groups of humanity living side by side. Solitaires, Traders, and Sylvestri – each with their gift and bane. It’s one of the most impressive examples of subtle yet foundational worldbuilding I’ve read in a very long time.
The pace and cadence of the novel are spot on. Tension increases and pulls the reader along at precisely the right moment. The stakes are raised, and dangers are revealed with clockwork precision—really well done.
I found this to be a refreshing read. There was no overdone romance, no side character to steal the spotlight. There was a simple murder to be solved, a character discovering she is more than she thought, and the dangerous complications of finding that out. The ending left me wanting to go on for at least 100 more pages. I wanted to know if Mom was alive and what she would say about her trader daughter. I am a fan of this author and will check out her backlist.
About Caroline Stevermer
Caroline Stevermer grew up miles from anywhere on a dairy farm in southeastern Minnesota. She has a sister and two brothers. After high school, she attended Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, where she earned a B.A. degree in the history of art. She knew she wanted to be a writer when she was eight years old. She began by writing stories in her school notebooks. (They were not good. Many were not even finished. She persisted.)
By the time she graduated from college, she knew she would need to earn money in other ways, but she kept on writing. Her first professional sale was published by Ace in 1980. In the years since, she has had a variety of jobs and kept on writing. She likes libraries and museums. Her favorite painter is Nicholas Hilliard. Her favorite writer is Mark Twain. She lives in Minnesota
Sounds like this was really good! The cover is interesting too. Thanks for sharing this one!