Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Red Wombat Studio (2020), 320 pages
Description
Fantasy. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: Fourteen-year-old Mona isn't like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can't control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt's bakery making gingerbread men dance. But Mona's life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona's city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona's worries....
User reviews
LibraryThing member Jean_Sexton
Oh my goodness, what a joy to read! While the book is written for middle-grade readers, the 14-year-old heroine has much to say for readers of all ages. What makes a hero? Who is responsible when something wrong happens? What is each person's responsibility when that wrong must be righted? All of
I fell in love with Mona, Spindle, and Knackering Molly. Mona was everything a heroine should be, although she is quite right that she shouldn't have had to be the hero. Spindle's insights were spot on. Knackering Molly ... well, her story is her own.
The concept is unique: Mona is a wizard whose ability lies with bread. She can convince it to rise, not burn, and be soft for a start. Her gingerbread men can dance, drawing people to her aunt's bakery. However, things quickly spiral out of her control when she finds a dead girl in said bakery. Plots abound! I will warn you that at one point you will need a tissue handy.
If you read one fantasy this year, choose this book. You won't regret it.
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these questions are explored in the book.I fell in love with Mona, Spindle, and Knackering Molly. Mona was everything a heroine should be, although she is quite right that she shouldn't have had to be the hero. Spindle's insights were spot on. Knackering Molly ... well, her story is her own.
The concept is unique: Mona is a wizard whose ability lies with bread. She can convince it to rise, not burn, and be soft for a start. Her gingerbread men can dance, drawing people to her aunt's bakery. However, things quickly spiral out of her control when she finds a dead girl in said bakery. Plots abound! I will warn you that at one point you will need a tissue handy.
If you read one fantasy this year, choose this book. You won't regret it.
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LibraryThing member Helenliz
This is well nigh perfect! Mona is a 14 yr old baker, working at her aunt Tabitha's bakery. Mona's quite a good baker, partly because she's got a magic ability to control bread and other baked goods. This presents itself in a couple of ways, Bob the sourdough starter and the dancing Gingerbread man
I loved so much about this. It's snigger-inducingly funny at times, the asides to the reader being full of teenage sass. Mona herself is a star. narrated in the first person, you get to hear what's going on in her head, and it is exactly as mixed up, self doubting, assertive, scared, dependent, wistful, angry, independent and generally teen-age as I remember being at that age - and why I'd not wish myself back there for anything! The inventiveness of the magic ability being limited to a specific thing or task was just superb. Mona can magic bread, she meets someone who can magic water. Then there is Knackering Molly who's magic is most esoteric, she can cause a dead horse to raise itself and walk to the knackers yard - for six pence. Just how random and inventive is that! And feels far more real than being able to magic everything - we all have certain skills, why should that not also exist in the magical world?
Then there is the supporting cast. Mona has a sidekick in Spindle, who is a street urchin who gets her into and out of all sorts of scrapes. He is classic little brother type and you both want to hug him and cuff him around the ear all at once. The Duchess, who rules - well sort of - and hasn't known what has been going on in her city. There's an array of people here, and while some of them a a bit cookie-cutter, there are enough characters that feel real for this to work.
When it comes the denouement is horribly tense and you feel the weight of expectation on Mona as she feels obliged to do what she can. It is not above piling on the emotional pressure either.
I also like the slightly subversive element of Mona stepping up to the plate while feeling that it really shouldn't have been her that was put in this situation and that someone should have done something long before it fell to her to save the day. the chat with Uncle Albert about being a hero was particularly stark.
Possibly it's reaction against my previous dire read, but this was fan-bloody-tastic and I will be rushing a copy in the hands of every tweenie I know.
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are just two. The book starts with Mona discovering a dead body (that's not a spoiler, it is literally line 1) and so her problems start - being a suspect of murder, then a prospective victim, then having the weight of the world on her shoulders before finally being forced into the role of hero - it's a lot for a 14 year old to take on board. I loved so much about this. It's snigger-inducingly funny at times, the asides to the reader being full of teenage sass. Mona herself is a star. narrated in the first person, you get to hear what's going on in her head, and it is exactly as mixed up, self doubting, assertive, scared, dependent, wistful, angry, independent and generally teen-age as I remember being at that age - and why I'd not wish myself back there for anything! The inventiveness of the magic ability being limited to a specific thing or task was just superb. Mona can magic bread, she meets someone who can magic water. Then there is Knackering Molly who's magic is most esoteric, she can cause a dead horse to raise itself and walk to the knackers yard - for six pence. Just how random and inventive is that! And feels far more real than being able to magic everything - we all have certain skills, why should that not also exist in the magical world?
Then there is the supporting cast. Mona has a sidekick in Spindle, who is a street urchin who gets her into and out of all sorts of scrapes. He is classic little brother type and you both want to hug him and cuff him around the ear all at once. The Duchess, who rules - well sort of - and hasn't known what has been going on in her city. There's an array of people here, and while some of them a a bit cookie-cutter, there are enough characters that feel real for this to work.
When it comes the denouement is horribly tense and you feel the weight of expectation on Mona as she feels obliged to do what she can. It is not above piling on the emotional pressure either.
I also like the slightly subversive element of Mona stepping up to the plate while feeling that it really shouldn't have been her that was put in this situation and that someone should have done something long before it fell to her to save the day. the chat with Uncle Albert about being a hero was particularly stark.
Possibly it's reaction against my previous dire read, but this was fan-bloody-tastic and I will be rushing a copy in the hands of every tweenie I know.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed this on ebook from my library.
Thoughts: This wasn't my favorite Kingfisher fantasy book. I felt like it was just too long and moved too slow for what it was. Mona is a pretty typical type of middle grade character and I didn't find her or
The story follows Mona, a pre-teen baker with some slight magic that helps her with baking bread...it's pretty specific magic. One morning she finds a young woman's dead body on the bakery floor. From there things get a bit out of control and suddenly she is thrust into a plot to save the kingdom and dodging an assassin and the city guard.
This book is very middle grade and I somewhat disagree with the afterward where Kingfisher says this was too violent to be a middle grade novel (Wings of Fire anyone?? The level of violence, torture etc in that series left me pretty surprised). Yes, there is a dead body and people die but it wasn't all that gorey or violent.
I enjoyed some of the story elements here. Watching Mona get creative with her baking magic was fun. Some of the other magicians are also fun characters. I loved the relationship that Mona has with her aunt and uncle and how supportive they are of Mona. I loved Mona's little gingerbread man and reading about the fights with the golems.
However, when I said this was a "very middle grade novel" I meant it. The adults are all dorks and fairly unhelpful to the kids, a typical middle-grade-story thing. Mona seems alternately super naive and over mature for her age (another middle grade issue). There is a heavy theme of "no matter how small your actions you can save the world!" Which is supposed to be inspiring but comes off a bit heavy-handed.
The whole story has some pretty slow parts and seems long. There were two or three times where I thought the story was wrapping up but then there would be more. I really think this would have been better as a series of novellas or maybe even just one novella. I do enjoy Kingfisher's writing style and love the description and creativity but this one was a bit of a miss for me. I loved "Nine Goblins" so much more.
My Summary (3.5/5): Overall this was okay but not great. Some of the fantasy elements are fun but the story itself is predictable, moves slow, and has a lot of "middle grade age" story issues. I would recommend reading "Nine Goblins" over this book if you are looking for an excellent Kingfisher fantasy novel. In fact, I think I have like everything else I have read by her more than this book. To date I have read "Nettle & Bone", The Clocktaur War series, "The Seventh Bride", "What Moves the Dead", "The Raven and the Reindeer" and the Saint of Steel series and I liked all of those books quite a bit more than this one.
Thoughts: This wasn't my favorite Kingfisher fantasy book. I felt like it was just too long and moved too slow for what it was. Mona is a pretty typical type of middle grade character and I didn't find her or
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the story all that engaging. There are some fun fantasy elements here but I think this would have made a better novella.The story follows Mona, a pre-teen baker with some slight magic that helps her with baking bread...it's pretty specific magic. One morning she finds a young woman's dead body on the bakery floor. From there things get a bit out of control and suddenly she is thrust into a plot to save the kingdom and dodging an assassin and the city guard.
This book is very middle grade and I somewhat disagree with the afterward where Kingfisher says this was too violent to be a middle grade novel (Wings of Fire anyone?? The level of violence, torture etc in that series left me pretty surprised). Yes, there is a dead body and people die but it wasn't all that gorey or violent.
I enjoyed some of the story elements here. Watching Mona get creative with her baking magic was fun. Some of the other magicians are also fun characters. I loved the relationship that Mona has with her aunt and uncle and how supportive they are of Mona. I loved Mona's little gingerbread man and reading about the fights with the golems.
However, when I said this was a "very middle grade novel" I meant it. The adults are all dorks and fairly unhelpful to the kids, a typical middle-grade-story thing. Mona seems alternately super naive and over mature for her age (another middle grade issue). There is a heavy theme of "no matter how small your actions you can save the world!" Which is supposed to be inspiring but comes off a bit heavy-handed.
The whole story has some pretty slow parts and seems long. There were two or three times where I thought the story was wrapping up but then there would be more. I really think this would have been better as a series of novellas or maybe even just one novella. I do enjoy Kingfisher's writing style and love the description and creativity but this one was a bit of a miss for me. I loved "Nine Goblins" so much more.
My Summary (3.5/5): Overall this was okay but not great. Some of the fantasy elements are fun but the story itself is predictable, moves slow, and has a lot of "middle grade age" story issues. I would recommend reading "Nine Goblins" over this book if you are looking for an excellent Kingfisher fantasy novel. In fact, I think I have like everything else I have read by her more than this book. To date I have read "Nettle & Bone", The Clocktaur War series, "The Seventh Bride", "What Moves the Dead", "The Raven and the Reindeer" and the Saint of Steel series and I liked all of those books quite a bit more than this one.
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LibraryThing member richardderus
I USED MY LIBRARY TO PROCURE THIS BOOK...THEN I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT ONE. A YA NOVEL ABOUT A TEEN. AND IT ***just*** WON A LOCUS AWARD!!
My Review: First, read this:
Nobody said anything to me, and they didn’t exactly stare, but they knew I was there, and I knew that they knew, and they knew that I
–and–
“You didn’t fail,” I said. “They wouldn’t let you succeed. It’s different.”
–and–
When you're different, even just a little different, even in a way that people can't see, you like to know that people in power won't judge you for it.
What I'd like you to know is that I cherry-picked those lines for their content, not their felicity of construction or their stand-out euphony. That should give you an idea of the quality of Author Ursula Vernon's (pseudonymously known as Kingfisher) prose overall.
Why would a grouchy old fuffertut like me buy a (Kindlesale, to be fair) copy of a library book he's already read? Because he plans to re-read it. Yep...I want to have it so that I won't need to fuss my drawers procuring it when I am most in need of a laughing, weeping, cheering-my-fool-lungs-out read that doesn't have the effrontery to wink at me or let me know it's clever-clever. Story gets told, ideas get presented, world gets saved, and just keep the sourdough starter firmly in place or it'll get weird ideas.
Simple enough, surely.
My Review: First, read this:
Nobody said anything to me, and they didn’t exactly stare, but they knew I was there, and I knew that they knew, and they knew that I
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knew that they knew, all in a creepy, crackling tangle of mutual awareness.–and–
“You didn’t fail,” I said. “They wouldn’t let you succeed. It’s different.”
–and–
When you're different, even just a little different, even in a way that people can't see, you like to know that people in power won't judge you for it.
What I'd like you to know is that I cherry-picked those lines for their content, not their felicity of construction or their stand-out euphony. That should give you an idea of the quality of Author Ursula Vernon's (pseudonymously known as Kingfisher) prose overall.
Why would a grouchy old fuffertut like me buy a (Kindlesale, to be fair) copy of a library book he's already read? Because he plans to re-read it. Yep...I want to have it so that I won't need to fuss my drawers procuring it when I am most in need of a laughing, weeping, cheering-my-fool-lungs-out read that doesn't have the effrontery to wink at me or let me know it's clever-clever. Story gets told, ideas get presented, world gets saved, and just keep the sourdough starter firmly in place or it'll get weird ideas.
Simple enough, surely.
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LibraryThing member majkia
What a fun read. 14 year old Mona is a wizard. Granted her only power is with baking, but still, she makes a mean gingerbread man.
When an evil wizard starts having all other wizards in the city knocked off, Mona finds herself defending her city. With bread.
When an evil wizard starts having all other wizards in the city knocked off, Mona finds herself defending her city. With bread.
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Ursula's usual excellent angles on things. The repeated comment that a 14-year-old should not have to have been a hero - matters should have been dealt with before she had to step in - made a good deal of sense. But the adults didn't deal with things, Mona has to stretch her (to her, minor) magical
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abilities with bread and dough to mend and prevent attacks against her and other "magickers", a coup, and a siege. It does not end badly, but not happily either - not everyone makes it out alive (for that matter, it starts with a dead body, a girl who didn't deserve to die). Rich story, I think a whole new world and I'd love to see more of it, and of course the story and writing are great (it is an Ursula Vernon, after all). I'll be rereading this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member Herenya
A bit of darkness can make stories tense and compelling, but there's also something comforting about the acknowledgement that the world can be sad and scary, and which show that, despite this, people can be okay -- find ways to be safe and happy, even. I think this is why, growing up, so many of my
An orphaned fourteen year old apprentice baker discovers a murder, is accused and acquitted, and then has to hide when she's nearly murdered herself. It sounds like the sort of thing I'd gobble up, if it’s by an author whose writing I love and whose storytelling I trust, so I was rather surprised when I found the beginning cold and unappetising. (Something about the murdered girl's grieving younger brother, and Mona's solitary hiding place, and I don't know, the canalled city, just struck me as damp and intensely unappealing.)
But I persevered, and was glad I did. I enjoyed the defensive baking, and Mona's complicated feelings about having to be a hero.
I was fourteen. People had been trying to kill me. I hadn’t done anything heroic. I’d been terrified and yes, I know that line about how courage is going forward when you’re scared, except that I hadn’t even done that. I hadn’t gone forward. I’d run away and run away and the only reason I’d gone to the Duchess was because I’d run out of ways to keep running away.
Hero.
It should never have come down to me. It was miserably unfair that it had come to me and Spindle. There were grown-ups who should have stopped it. [...] Everyone had failed at every step and now Spindle and I were heroes because of it.
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favourite comfort reads were about things like orphans or murders.An orphaned fourteen year old apprentice baker discovers a murder, is accused and acquitted, and then has to hide when she's nearly murdered herself. It sounds like the sort of thing I'd gobble up, if it’s by an author whose writing I love and whose storytelling I trust, so I was rather surprised when I found the beginning cold and unappetising. (Something about the murdered girl's grieving younger brother, and Mona's solitary hiding place, and I don't know, the canalled city, just struck me as damp and intensely unappealing.)
But I persevered, and was glad I did. I enjoyed the defensive baking, and Mona's complicated feelings about having to be a hero.
I was fourteen. People had been trying to kill me. I hadn’t done anything heroic. I’d been terrified and yes, I know that line about how courage is going forward when you’re scared, except that I hadn’t even done that. I hadn’t gone forward. I’d run away and run away and the only reason I’d gone to the Duchess was because I’d run out of ways to keep running away.
Hero.
It should never have come down to me. It was miserably unfair that it had come to me and Spindle. There were grown-ups who should have stopped it. [...] Everyone had failed at every step and now Spindle and I were heroes because of it.
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LibraryThing member Narilka
Ursula Vernon (aka T. Kingfisher) has done it again. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking is another whimsical middle grade story about Mona, a minor mage, who has to save her city with magical baking. Like any good tale it tackles a couple deeper themes and gets pretty dark now and then. Life
14-year-old Mona is not having a good day. It all starts when Mona discovers a dead body in her aunt's bakery as she prepares for a day of work. There's an assassin on the loose, targeting people with magical powers no matter how minor. To make matters worse, the head Inquisitor intends to pin the crime on Mona!
I love how imaginative Vernon is with the magical powers she comes up with and how she puts them to use. As a magical baker Mona can ask muffins to be extra fluffy, soften bread that has hardened and make gingerbread men dance. She accidentally puts too much magic into some sourdough starter bringing it to life and now kept as a sort of pet in the bakery basement. It also makes the best sourdough in town. Mona does not want to be a hero, loving nothing more than to work in the bakery making baked goods all day. She has to face her fears and overcome her self doubts to learn how to use her magic in the defense of the city, though she's a bit resentful at being needed to do so since the people who should be saving the day or, better yet, preventing the situation from escalating out of control, have failed miserably. This seems like commentary on the state of the world, though I don't know if it was intended as such. The message that even the smallest talent can be incredibly useful when applied creatively is powerful. Plus, how can you not love a magical baker with a gingerbread man for a familiar?
The supporting characters are just as interesting as Mona. Spindle, a 10-year-old kid from the streets, is an expert thief and helps Mona survive when things go sideways. Knackering Molly has a crazy magical ability that turns out to be more powerful than original imagined. Don't mess with Aunt Tabitha!
I enjoyed my time with Mona and friends. Looks like I need to check out Summer in Orcus next.
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can't be all dancing gingerbread men and malevolent sourdough starters!14-year-old Mona is not having a good day. It all starts when Mona discovers a dead body in her aunt's bakery as she prepares for a day of work. There's an assassin on the loose, targeting people with magical powers no matter how minor. To make matters worse, the head Inquisitor intends to pin the crime on Mona!
I love how imaginative Vernon is with the magical powers she comes up with and how she puts them to use. As a magical baker Mona can ask muffins to be extra fluffy, soften bread that has hardened and make gingerbread men dance. She accidentally puts too much magic into some sourdough starter bringing it to life and now kept as a sort of pet in the bakery basement. It also makes the best sourdough in town. Mona does not want to be a hero, loving nothing more than to work in the bakery making baked goods all day. She has to face her fears and overcome her self doubts to learn how to use her magic in the defense of the city, though she's a bit resentful at being needed to do so since the people who should be saving the day or, better yet, preventing the situation from escalating out of control, have failed miserably. This seems like commentary on the state of the world, though I don't know if it was intended as such. The message that even the smallest talent can be incredibly useful when applied creatively is powerful. Plus, how can you not love a magical baker with a gingerbread man for a familiar?
The supporting characters are just as interesting as Mona. Spindle, a 10-year-old kid from the streets, is an expert thief and helps Mona survive when things go sideways. Knackering Molly has a crazy magical ability that turns out to be more powerful than original imagined. Don't mess with Aunt Tabitha!
I enjoyed my time with Mona and friends. Looks like I need to check out Summer in Orcus next.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
What an absolutely charming middle grade book! It combines many of my favorite things: baking cookies, magic, and literary violence. Mona is just your average 14-year-old girl with a family bakery to mind and a carnivorous sourdough starter in the basement. That is, until she finds a dead body in
The book is dark at times, but that's balanced by moments of sparkling wit that had me laughing out loud. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end.
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the shop one morning. When she's blamed for the crime, beyond all logic, it's clear that something terrible is happening to the wizards in town--and the cause may lie in the palace itself. The book is dark at times, but that's balanced by moments of sparkling wit that had me laughing out loud. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end.
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LibraryThing member lesleydawn
This book is delightful! The characters are wonderful, from Mona and Aunt Tabitha, to the Duchess and Bob the sourdough starter, I love them all! I truly hope Mona gets another story. She may not want to be a hero but she may well be the hero we all need.
LibraryThing member LisCarey
Mona is fourteen years old, an orphan, and learning the art of baking from her aunt. She'll inherit the bakery, someday.
Oh, and she's a wizard.
Not a great, powerful wizard, like the ones who defend the city. She can't throw lightning bolts, or talk to water. She can, however, get dough to do
Then one morning, she comes in to start the baking for the day, and finds a dead girl in the kitchen. She wakes her aunt and uncle, her uncle fetches the constables.
Soon Mona is arrested as the prime suspect in the death, by Inquisitor Oberon--who, it turns out, has his own agenda, that doesn't include wizards not under his control continuing to go about their lawful, productive lives.
It's not long before Mona is on the run, assisted by the dead girl's younger brother, Spindle, and Knackering Molly, a wizard whose ability to animate dead horses has obvious useful applications in a city that has lots of horses, and thus lots of horses that eventually have to be moved to the knackering yards.
In the course of trying to stay alive, Mona discovers a vile plot against the city's lawful government, which is to say the Duchess, and any members of the Council who might oppose the plot.
Mona is perfectly correct that she, or any fourteen-year-old, shouldn't have to face the challenges she does, but she just keeps going, because she has to. She also does amazing things with dough, while trying to defeat the plot.
It's a lot of fun, if a bit darker than typical for the younger readers it was originally intended for.
Highly recommended.
I bought this book.
Oh, and she's a wizard.
Not a great, powerful wizard, like the ones who defend the city. She can't throw lightning bolts, or talk to water. She can, however, get dough to do
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amazing things. Sometimes she makes the gingerbread men dance to entertain the customers--although some customers get more nervous than amused. Her familiar is her sourdough starter, Bob. Bob can be a little scary, for people who aren't Mona, but he stays in his bucket in the basement, and it's mostly Mona who deals with him. It's a peaceful, productive, enjoyable life.Then one morning, she comes in to start the baking for the day, and finds a dead girl in the kitchen. She wakes her aunt and uncle, her uncle fetches the constables.
Soon Mona is arrested as the prime suspect in the death, by Inquisitor Oberon--who, it turns out, has his own agenda, that doesn't include wizards not under his control continuing to go about their lawful, productive lives.
It's not long before Mona is on the run, assisted by the dead girl's younger brother, Spindle, and Knackering Molly, a wizard whose ability to animate dead horses has obvious useful applications in a city that has lots of horses, and thus lots of horses that eventually have to be moved to the knackering yards.
In the course of trying to stay alive, Mona discovers a vile plot against the city's lawful government, which is to say the Duchess, and any members of the Council who might oppose the plot.
Mona is perfectly correct that she, or any fourteen-year-old, shouldn't have to face the challenges she does, but she just keeps going, because she has to. She also does amazing things with dough, while trying to defeat the plot.
It's a lot of fun, if a bit darker than typical for the younger readers it was originally intended for.
Highly recommended.
I bought this book.
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LibraryThing member lavaturtle
This book was a lot of fun, an exciting adventure with nuanced things to say about heroism and duty.
LibraryThing member bell7
The last thing Mona expected when she went to the bakery to open that morning was a dead body. But then she's accused of the murder herself, and she decides to get to the bottom of things, uncovering a much more involved plot. What can she do as only a 14-year-old, a magic wielder but one who can
This fantasy, though often dark, had me laughing out loud and reminded me a bit of Diana Wynne Jones. Mona was great, and I loved her creativity and discovering what she could do with her magic. She doesn't want to be a hero, and in fact criticizes the adults for not stepping up, but she does what she needs to do for herself, her family, and her city.
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only work with baked goods and has a carnivorous sourdough starter and odd gingerbread man as familiars?This fantasy, though often dark, had me laughing out loud and reminded me a bit of Diana Wynne Jones. Mona was great, and I loved her creativity and discovering what she could do with her magic. She doesn't want to be a hero, and in fact criticizes the adults for not stepping up, but she does what she needs to do for herself, her family, and her city.
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LibraryThing member jennybeast
Great fun! Has all the hallmarks of things I look for in my favorite books -- plucky heroines, interesting magic, a more thoughtful story going on underneath, and a great sense of humor -- one of the reasons I'm a devout T. Kingfisher fan. That said, I'm a little astonished that I didn't love this
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book more -- the set up should rocket it up to Tiffany Aching levels of delight (the Wee Free Men is one of my all time favorite books) and it doesn't ever quite get there. Still, I think it's bit ridiculous to review it as not quite as good as my all-time favorite book, but I guess that's where I'm at. Show Less
LibraryThing member SESchend
Do you like fantasy?
Do you like to chuckle and laugh?
Then get ahold of this book to enjoy both.
Do you like to chuckle and laugh?
Then get ahold of this book to enjoy both.
LibraryThing member Familyhistorian
Mona was a young baker whose limited magic worked on dough. But wizards and their ilk were treated as second class citizens in the kingdom. After she stumbled on a dead girl in her aunt’s bakery she found out that the Inquisitor Oberon was willing to brand her as the murderer. That was how the
The story of "A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking" was action packed and it wasn’t limited to the human elements, dough and baked goods also got in on the action. It was a feel good story that also questioned why it took heroes to save the people in power who supposedly knew what to do.
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story began which drew Mona and young Spindle, the brother of the dead girl, into a fight to save their city.The story of "A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking" was action packed and it wasn’t limited to the human elements, dough and baked goods also got in on the action. It was a feel good story that also questioned why it took heroes to save the people in power who supposedly knew what to do.
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LibraryThing member hcnewton
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
If you have ever prepared for a siege in two days, then you know what the next few days were like. If you haven't, then you probably don't. Well...a big formal wedding is about the same (and because we do cakes, I've been on the periphery of
WHAT'S A WIZARD'S GUIDE TO DEFENSIVE BAKING ABOUT?
Mona's a 14-year-old orphan, working in her aunt's bakery. She's also a magic-user. Her forte is magic involving baked goods and dough. Sure, that seems like an odd thing to have as a focus of one's magic abilities, but in this world, it really isn't. One of Mona's acquaintances can reanimate dead horses. Nothing else, just dead horses. I guess what I'm saying is that atypical magical specializations are typical for this world.
Mona isn't exactly a powerhouse either, she possesses enough magic to do a few tricks (making gingerbread men dance) and give a little extra something to her baking—her aunt won't let her rest on that and actually has to learn to be a good baker while she's at it.
Despite not being that powerful, Mona finds herself targeted by someone who seems to be killing every mage they can find. One thing leads to another, as they tend to do, and soon Mona finds herself at the forefront of an effort to defend her Duchess and their city-state against an invading army.
CAVEAT LECTOR (OR AUDITOR)
The very best thing about being a baker is watching somebody bite into a blueberry muffin or a fresh slice of sourdough dripping with butter and seeing them close their eyes and savor the taste. You’re making their lives better, just a little tiny bit.
You know the rule, never go grocery shopping when you're hungry? That applies to this book, too. The number of breads, pastries, cookies, and other assorted baked goods described and celebrated in these pages is unusually high for a fantasy novel. But probably about par for a novel with the word "baking" in the title. If you're hungry—especially if you've been restricting carbs for whatever reason—you're going to be in trouble.
This is not a reason to avoid the book, it's just a friendly heads up. Eat well before diving in, or have some good snacks on hand.
PATRICIA SANTOMASSO
This isn't one of those audiobooks where I'm going to say that the narration elevated the text—Kingfisher's prose doesn't need it. But I can easily imagine her doing that for other books.
That said, her narration practically oozes charm. I could've listened for twice as long and been just as entertained with her work. She infused Mona with the right combination of timidity, determination, and spunk (and, sure, fear) to bring her to life in the narration.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT A WIZARD'S GUIDE TO DEFENSIVE BAKING?
I'd picked this book up a handful of times over the last year or so, but hadn't found the time to work it in. Then my library added the audiobook to their digital collection and that took care of that issue. I really should've made the time for this last year (or the year before).
In very many ways this was a pretty standard fantasy story, and most of the story beats were just what you'd think they would be. But I didn't care about that for a second. The execution is what counts—and Kingfisher's execution won the day. Add in the very different magic system (or at least a very different application of a magic system) and you've got yourself a humdinger.
A Wizard's Guide had heart, charm, and humor—it wasn't non-stop jokes, but the narrative voice could make you think it was. The moving and affecting parts were moving and affecting, and the rest of the time I was probably grinning. This was a completely entertaining way to spend a few hours, you should check it out.
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If you have ever prepared for a siege in two days, then you know what the next few days were like. If you haven't, then you probably don't. Well...a big formal wedding is about the same (and because we do cakes, I've been on the periphery of
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a few), except that if things go wrong in a siege you'll all die horribly, and in formal weddings, the stakes are much higher.WHAT'S A WIZARD'S GUIDE TO DEFENSIVE BAKING ABOUT?
Mona's a 14-year-old orphan, working in her aunt's bakery. She's also a magic-user. Her forte is magic involving baked goods and dough. Sure, that seems like an odd thing to have as a focus of one's magic abilities, but in this world, it really isn't. One of Mona's acquaintances can reanimate dead horses. Nothing else, just dead horses. I guess what I'm saying is that atypical magical specializations are typical for this world.
Mona isn't exactly a powerhouse either, she possesses enough magic to do a few tricks (making gingerbread men dance) and give a little extra something to her baking—her aunt won't let her rest on that and actually has to learn to be a good baker while she's at it.
Despite not being that powerful, Mona finds herself targeted by someone who seems to be killing every mage they can find. One thing leads to another, as they tend to do, and soon Mona finds herself at the forefront of an effort to defend her Duchess and their city-state against an invading army.
CAVEAT LECTOR (OR AUDITOR)
The very best thing about being a baker is watching somebody bite into a blueberry muffin or a fresh slice of sourdough dripping with butter and seeing them close their eyes and savor the taste. You’re making their lives better, just a little tiny bit.
You know the rule, never go grocery shopping when you're hungry? That applies to this book, too. The number of breads, pastries, cookies, and other assorted baked goods described and celebrated in these pages is unusually high for a fantasy novel. But probably about par for a novel with the word "baking" in the title. If you're hungry—especially if you've been restricting carbs for whatever reason—you're going to be in trouble.
This is not a reason to avoid the book, it's just a friendly heads up. Eat well before diving in, or have some good snacks on hand.
PATRICIA SANTOMASSO
This isn't one of those audiobooks where I'm going to say that the narration elevated the text—Kingfisher's prose doesn't need it. But I can easily imagine her doing that for other books.
That said, her narration practically oozes charm. I could've listened for twice as long and been just as entertained with her work. She infused Mona with the right combination of timidity, determination, and spunk (and, sure, fear) to bring her to life in the narration.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT A WIZARD'S GUIDE TO DEFENSIVE BAKING?
I'd picked this book up a handful of times over the last year or so, but hadn't found the time to work it in. Then my library added the audiobook to their digital collection and that took care of that issue. I really should've made the time for this last year (or the year before).
In very many ways this was a pretty standard fantasy story, and most of the story beats were just what you'd think they would be. But I didn't care about that for a second. The execution is what counts—and Kingfisher's execution won the day. Add in the very different magic system (or at least a very different application of a magic system) and you've got yourself a humdinger.
A Wizard's Guide had heart, charm, and humor—it wasn't non-stop jokes, but the narrative voice could make you think it was. The moving and affecting parts were moving and affecting, and the rest of the time I was probably grinning. This was a completely entertaining way to spend a few hours, you should check it out.
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LibraryThing member tsmom1219
This was really fun. I hope there’s a sequel.
LibraryThing member bookczuk
A favorite author writing a fairly dark kids, maybe YA book. Good enough for me! 2022 pandemic read.
LibraryThing member foggidawn
Mona has bread magic: she can make sure that dough rises, and that cookies don't burn in the oven. It's not very flashy magic, or super useful outside her aunt's bakery -- or so she thinks. But war is coming to her city, and Mona will be drawn into it in ways she never could have expected. It all
Delightfully fun and funny, this makes an excellent palate-cleanser if you're in the mood for a quick, light fantasy. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration is excellent.
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starts when she finds a dead body in the bakery kitchen...Delightfully fun and funny, this makes an excellent palate-cleanser if you're in the mood for a quick, light fantasy. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration is excellent.
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LibraryThing member quondame
A mostly cute but also subversive story in which it's not so much what you can magic or how strongly, but how imaginatively. Our 14 year old protagonist is seriously pissed that the adults neither prevented the problems nor stepped up to solve them, which is, in my experience, not the usual YA
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attitude. Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
This was a fun read, a story of "small" magics and how it can rescue the world if used correctly. Mona can bake bread, bake it well, make it dance, stop it from burning, basically make good bread. But when suspicion is cast on magicians, even the small magicians, and there's an enemy at the gate
It's a light story, I enjoyed it hugely and want to read more.
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she has to work to save herself and her city.It's a light story, I enjoyed it hugely and want to read more.
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LibraryThing member sarahlh
This is a fantastically inventive and thoughtful fantasy novel that has magic gingerbread men, walking horse skeletons, delightful kid thieves, complex political insights, dry wit, and the coolest sourdough starter in any book ever. Also, I loved the main protagonist Mona and just want the world
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for her, she deserves everything good in life. I'm so glad I pre-ordered this on a whim, it was well worth it! Show Less
LibraryThing member tornadox
Middle-grade fantasy book about a girl who loves to bake. She uses her magic to make bread and cookies better (or worse.) This book contains: yummy descriptions of baking, a carniverous sourdough starter, no romance, a budding friendship, potty humor, and ineffective adults.
LibraryThing member rivkat
Mona, a fourteen-year-old orphan living with her aunt and uncle at their bakery, has minor magic: she’s good with bread (and, as it turns out, dough and sourdough starter). When she finds a dead body in the bakery one morning and is accused of the murder by the Duchess’s anti-magic councilor,
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she’s swept up into a larger world of treachery and threatened invasion. It’s a good adventure, though apparently too dark for Kingfisher’s alter ego, children’s book author Ursula Vernon. Show Less
Awards
Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction (Finalist — 2020)
Locus Award (Finalist — Young Adult Novel — 2021)
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Children's Literature — 2021)
Cóyotl Awards (Shortlist — Novel — 2020)
Dragon Award (Winner — 2021)
Lodestar Award (Winner — 2021)
Language
Original publication date
2020-07
Other editions
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher (Paperback)