Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Tor Books (1992), Mass Market Paperback, 288 pages
Description
Fantasy. Historical Fiction. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: Kim doesn't hesitate when a stranger offers her a small fortune to break into the travelling magician's wagon in search of a silver bowl. Kim isn't above a bit of breaking-and-entering. Having grown up a waif in the dirty streets of London-disguised as a boy!-has schooled her in one hard lesson: steal from them before they steal from you. But there is something odd about this magician. He isn't like the other hucksters and swindlers that Kim is used to. When he catches her in the act, Kim thinks she's done for�??until he suggests she become his apprentice. Kim wonders how tough it could be faking a bit of hocus pocus. But Mairelon isn't an act. His magic is real. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
Street thief Kim unwittingly accepts a job breaking into a wagon belonging to a real magician. When the eccentric Mairelon catches her at it, everything changes.
I've loved this book for years, mainly because the characters are fantastic. Kim, Mairelon, Hunch, Renee, and nearly a dozen minor
I've loved this book for years, mainly because the characters are fantastic. Kim, Mairelon, Hunch, Renee, and nearly a dozen minor
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characters that are all easily distinguishable with clearly different personalities and motivations, even in such a short book. It's refreshing, after the meandering tomes with scores of practically indistinguishable characters that are so prevalent these days. Show Less
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Kim is a young woman who disguise herself as a boy to make a living picking pockets and thieving in the streets of Regency London. When she's hired to break into the wagon of a man doing a magic act in the market, she thinks it's easy money - after all, she doesn't have to steal anything,
Review: Patricia C. Wrede has a flair with funny fantasy unlike anyone else I've ever read. Rather than the fairy-tale-spoof nature of her Enchanted Forest Chronicles, though, Mairelon the Magician was more in the vein of the Sorcery and Cecelia books she wrote with Caroline Stevermer - essentially a historical fantasy blended with a touch of a farce, although in this case told from the point of view of a young lady from a very different station in life. Kim's an enjoyable character, though, as is Mairelon, both well-built enough to be interesting and sympathetic without endless character development slowing down the plot at all.
The plot is what I think I would call "lively" - definitely fast moving, with enough double-crossing and thievery to keep reader's attention. It's also wildly funny - both in the larger farcical scenes as well as in smaller moments or quick lines of dialogue. My only problem was the sheer number of secondary characters - all of whom seemed to be named Commonname J. Britishdude - so that at times it got confusing who was related to whom, and who was stealing from whom, and who's secret motives were which. A re-read would certainly help sort that out, however. Now I just need to find a copy of the sequel, which is sadly out of print. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Mairelon is not quite as strong as Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, but if you like Regency fantasy, books with a good blend of wit, farce, and slapstick, or Wrede's writing in general, then I'd definitely give this one a chance.
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she just has to take a look around. But when she gets into Mairelon's wagon, she discovers that he's not just a street performer... he really can do magic! Rather than get upset at the intrusion, Mairelon offers Kim a job, since he's on a mission to track down some magical artifacts of immense power, and Kim's street-urchin skills might just come in handy.Review: Patricia C. Wrede has a flair with funny fantasy unlike anyone else I've ever read. Rather than the fairy-tale-spoof nature of her Enchanted Forest Chronicles, though, Mairelon the Magician was more in the vein of the Sorcery and Cecelia books she wrote with Caroline Stevermer - essentially a historical fantasy blended with a touch of a farce, although in this case told from the point of view of a young lady from a very different station in life. Kim's an enjoyable character, though, as is Mairelon, both well-built enough to be interesting and sympathetic without endless character development slowing down the plot at all.
The plot is what I think I would call "lively" - definitely fast moving, with enough double-crossing and thievery to keep reader's attention. It's also wildly funny - both in the larger farcical scenes as well as in smaller moments or quick lines of dialogue. My only problem was the sheer number of secondary characters - all of whom seemed to be named Commonname J. Britishdude - so that at times it got confusing who was related to whom, and who was stealing from whom, and who's secret motives were which. A re-read would certainly help sort that out, however. Now I just need to find a copy of the sequel, which is sadly out of print. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Mairelon is not quite as strong as Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, but if you like Regency fantasy, books with a good blend of wit, farce, and slapstick, or Wrede's writing in general, then I'd definitely give this one a chance.
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LibraryThing member Shimmin
I was keen to try more of Wrede's work after reading the Sorcery and Cecilia series. This one didn't disappoint. While it didn't have the same frivolous joy as S&C, it works well as a more serious fantasy with a touch of humour. In place of high society girls, Wrede offers us a teenage pickpocket,
While the main characters seem fairly well-articulated, Wrede scatters an array of minor characters who come across simply but clearly. Despite having little attention from the text, I felt they were all portrayed with some affection. Even some of the buffoons got moments of validation here and there, while the villains are neither cartoonish, nor extravagantly ambiguous. I admit, though, at times it was a big confusing keeping track of them all and their motivations. I also felt that the main antagonist was surprisingly opaque - we don't seem to get much insight into their character or motivations, leaving them feeling rather one-dimensional to me. Dare I say, cribbed from a Georgette Heyer novel? Perhaps the next story will reveal more.
The story itself is relatively simple, but becomes pleasingly convoluted through the involvement of multiple parties with conflicting interests in the missing relics, in each other, or in large amounts of money. These come together beautifully in the last scene, which descends almost into outright farce, in a good way - those who have read S&C will recognise this sort of drawing-together of plotlines. On the downside, a couple of twists (in particular, Dan Lavenham's identity) are so blatantly telegraphed that it's simply implausible that the characters didn't notice - it's not like it's a very unlikely twist.
In terms of writing, the story flowed well; the pacing felt good, the prose smooth and the dialogue pretty solid. Nothing got in the way of my reading, which is what I look for in a story like this that's about events and interactions. There were two moments that jarred me: Wrede is trying to ape Regency British English here, and that means paying close attention to vocabulary. I'm pretty sure the nobility didn't, at that point, say "gotten" - I've never encountered it in either authentic period works or well-regarded historical novels. I'm also confident that "Cool!" is not an appropriate exclamation, not even for a housemaid.
As a street rat trying to earn a living, in a relatively realistic setting with a number of underworld characters, the topic of prostitution is bound to come up. Kim is convincingly repulsed by the prospect (having a good idea of what life in a slum brothel would be like), enough to have maintained her male disguise as late as possible. Though one or two villains would gladly get her under their thumbs and pimp her out, it is always a distant and pragmatic threat; this isn't a book where the heroine is always under the shadow of sexual abuse. I was never genuinely alarmed about it, and that's the way I'd like things to stay.
Also (SPOILERS!), I appreciated the light touch on Mairelon and Kim's relationship. It's an obvious temptation to set up the two main characters as love interests, but Wrede carefully constructs a professional and friendly relationship, full of curiosity and cameraderie. There are certainly a couple of hints, but given the characters who make these remarks, it could all come to nothing in the rest of the series. I don't honestly think it will, mind, but I appreciate the possibility. Moreover, the solid platonic basis of their connection will make for a more plausible romance if that is the intention.
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drawn into politics when a lucrative job inevitably proves to have hidden depths. I liked the character of Kim; she may not be especially original, but then what character is? I thought she was well-written and a fun viewpoint character, with enough edge to be interesting and not enough to be annoying. She's competent and surprises her new boss several times, but she definitely knows her limits, and the text supports that. While the main characters seem fairly well-articulated, Wrede scatters an array of minor characters who come across simply but clearly. Despite having little attention from the text, I felt they were all portrayed with some affection. Even some of the buffoons got moments of validation here and there, while the villains are neither cartoonish, nor extravagantly ambiguous. I admit, though, at times it was a big confusing keeping track of them all and their motivations. I also felt that the main antagonist was surprisingly opaque - we don't seem to get much insight into their character or motivations, leaving them feeling rather one-dimensional to me. Dare I say, cribbed from a Georgette Heyer novel? Perhaps the next story will reveal more.
The story itself is relatively simple, but becomes pleasingly convoluted through the involvement of multiple parties with conflicting interests in the missing relics, in each other, or in large amounts of money. These come together beautifully in the last scene, which descends almost into outright farce, in a good way - those who have read S&C will recognise this sort of drawing-together of plotlines. On the downside, a couple of twists (in particular, Dan Lavenham's identity) are so blatantly telegraphed that it's simply implausible that the characters didn't notice - it's not like it's a very unlikely twist.
In terms of writing, the story flowed well; the pacing felt good, the prose smooth and the dialogue pretty solid. Nothing got in the way of my reading, which is what I look for in a story like this that's about events and interactions. There were two moments that jarred me: Wrede is trying to ape Regency British English here, and that means paying close attention to vocabulary. I'm pretty sure the nobility didn't, at that point, say "gotten" - I've never encountered it in either authentic period works or well-regarded historical novels. I'm also confident that "Cool!" is not an appropriate exclamation, not even for a housemaid.
As a street rat trying to earn a living, in a relatively realistic setting with a number of underworld characters, the topic of prostitution is bound to come up. Kim is convincingly repulsed by the prospect (having a good idea of what life in a slum brothel would be like), enough to have maintained her male disguise as late as possible. Though one or two villains would gladly get her under their thumbs and pimp her out, it is always a distant and pragmatic threat; this isn't a book where the heroine is always under the shadow of sexual abuse. I was never genuinely alarmed about it, and that's the way I'd like things to stay.
Also (SPOILERS!), I appreciated the light touch on Mairelon and Kim's relationship. It's an obvious temptation to set up the two main characters as love interests, but Wrede carefully constructs a professional and friendly relationship, full of curiosity and cameraderie. There are certainly a couple of hints, but given the characters who make these remarks, it could all come to nothing in the rest of the series. I don't honestly think it will, mind, but I appreciate the possibility. Moreover, the solid platonic basis of their connection will make for a more plausible romance if that is the intention.
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LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Love it. Mairelon is utterly un-pin-down-able - he has distraction down to a fine art. Kim is great, with a fascinating backstory (though we don't get much more than an outline in this book) and an oddly practical (or maybe not so odd) outlook on things. And Hunch makes a wonderful foil for the two
I've read it at least three or four times, and I expect I will read it many more times.
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of them, as they all three build the structure of their relationship. Mairelon's mission is neat, Kim's interference and then assistance is perfect. I'm always on the verge of laughing almost throughout, as Mairelon wiggles around to get his way; then the scene on the Druids' lodge tips the story _almost_ into straight comedy. But through all the funny bits and slapstick, there's important matters being dealt with - Freddy, to some extent, Renee, Andrew, and of course the Saltash set. And finally Kim. The only weak note is the question of Laverham's blood - after Kim's thoughts on seeing St. Clair, you'd think it would be obvious. Whatever. Happy ending that makes an excellent beginning. It's too late at night to start the next book! Really! Hard to wait, though...I've read it at least three or four times, and I expect I will read it many more times.
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LibraryThing member TLHelen
Patricia Wrede masterfully spins a tale of mystery and intrigue. Her trademark excellent charactisation of each character, especially Kim and Mairelon, are most amusing to read. This is truly one of the more unique Regency fantasy genre books and is highly recommended for those who love witty
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dialogue, Regency mystery and that tiny hint of romance. For those who enjoyed 'Mairelon the Magician', the sequel is 'The Magician's Ward'. Show Less
LibraryThing member orangejulia
This book is combines a rollicking adventure with magic and the mystery of where is a stolen set of silver located. Kim is a street urchin/thief masquerading as a young boy. She is caught trying to sneak into Maireleon's carriage, and she becomes his apprentice in both stage magic and real magic.
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Set against the background of regency England, this book is fun and appealing to young and old readers. Show Less
LibraryThing member Katissima
I'd call this an alternate history or historical fiction rather than fantasy as the fantasy aspect is not too heavy handed. Indeed, even people who aren't big fantasy fans might enjoy this book. It has a strong aura of Georgette Heyer and does not at all suffer from being technically a "young
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adult" novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nikkles
I'm not usually a fan of fantasy set in the "real" or "modern" world, however, I really enjoyed Mairelon's story. The character are all fun and the writing is great as all Wrede's writing is. If your already a fan and you liked The Enchanted Chocolate pot you will almost certainly like this book.
LibraryThing member Darla
It was no Enchanted Forest Chronicles, but it was a fun story, nonetheless. 17-year-old Kim, a girl disguised as a boy, is a thief in Regency England, until she gets caught burgling an actual magician's wagon. But instead of being arrested or turned into a frog, Mairelon the Magician invites her to
What follows is a madcap adventure, reminiscent of, say, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, with several different parties, each with their own motivation, racing to be the first to collect the Saltash Platter and put together an entire set of magical artifacts. It's heavily flavored with 1800s English street cant, but it's easy enough to figure out once you've been reading for a while.
I've put the sequel on my list. Maybe I'll be able to talk my youngest into trying these, now that he's suddenly rediscovered reading.
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become his apprentice.What follows is a madcap adventure, reminiscent of, say, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, with several different parties, each with their own motivation, racing to be the first to collect the Saltash Platter and put together an entire set of magical artifacts. It's heavily flavored with 1800s English street cant, but it's easy enough to figure out once you've been reading for a while.
I've put the sequel on my list. Maybe I'll be able to talk my youngest into trying these, now that he's suddenly rediscovered reading.
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LibraryThing member Pagemistress
In the Sorcery and Cecelia books co written with Caroline Stevermer, Patricia C. Wrede created an alternate Regency England where magic is real and magicians can cause trouble. Wrede's solo Mairelon the Magician could easily be the same world as the Sorcery and Cecelia books, but though Mairelon
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possesses many of the same traits as the other books (mysterious plots, magical hijinx, enchanted objects, and a certain element of a comedy of manners) it doesn't sparkle quite as brightly. Perhaps it's the single narrator structure, or perhaps with this book Wrede was aiming for a slightly younger audience, but Mairelon seems to lack some of the depth one might expect. At the same time, there is great fun to be had in following the adventures of Kim, a gutter orphan disguised as a boy, when she sets out to rob Mairelon, a street magician who is also not quite what he seems. The ending is rushed, and the final few pages wrap up things up perhaps too neatly and too quickly, but Mairlon is still well worth the effort, and has definite potential to grow. Show Less
LibraryThing member Isamoor
Aug09: Well, she is just one consistently awesome author.
Characters: Loved them. Had just enough development and delightful personalities.
Plot: Just enough humor to mix with the not-really dangerous danger.
Style: So very awesome. I know it's not really 'Old London', but it still makes you feel like
Characters: Loved them. Had just enough development and delightful personalities.
Plot: Just enough humor to mix with the not-really dangerous danger.
Style: So very awesome. I know it's not really 'Old London', but it still makes you feel like
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it :) Show Less
LibraryThing member raschneid
This was a fun, silly, madcap little Regency fantasy, but too many indistinguishable characters! Wrede should have given them verbal ticks or visual oddities or something. Some of their motivations also seemed questionable, so that while some of the writing and plotting was quite adept (all those
With all that said, I'm totally reading the sequel....
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chaotic crowd scenes) it wasn't engaging after a while. Additionally and perhaps relatedly, Kim goes from being a strong active character to mainly a witness of events.With all that said, I'm totally reading the sequel....
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LibraryThing member juniperSun
Nice easy read with a tough teen woman. Gutter orphan in London, she's learned some break & entry skills but has turned more or less honest since her guardian was hanged. She's got good insight into people (had to, to survive) and decides helping Mairelon will be to her benefit. Things start to go
One slip up: Mairelon keeps correcting Kim's grammar (think Pygmaliion) so she can "pass" in polite society, yet one of the young gentry, Freddy, frequently uses "ain't" (see pp. 106-8 for example)--which is Kim's most frequent failing.
Kim starts as the prime focus of the book, but somewhere along the way she loses page space to Mairelon/Richard. She gets page space at the end in order to give a hint of what's coming up next in the series.
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awry in a comedy of errors. I can imagine the farce was fun to write, planning all the appearances/just missed connections, but by the end it was feeling a bit over the top. All the gentry can't be such buffoons, can they?One slip up: Mairelon keeps correcting Kim's grammar (think Pygmaliion) so she can "pass" in polite society, yet one of the young gentry, Freddy, frequently uses "ain't" (see pp. 106-8 for example)--which is Kim's most frequent failing.
Kim starts as the prime focus of the book, but somewhere along the way she loses page space to Mairelon/Richard. She gets page space at the end in order to give a hint of what's coming up next in the series.
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LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
Kim has grown up on the London streets. Dressing as a boy for protection, she does a little stealing to provide funds to live on.
A gent hires her to break into a travelling magician's wagon to steal a particular item. When she is caught in the act by the magician, she figures all is lost. Instead,
Learning spells and how to speak to people in proper English are not easy, but neither are the things she does to help Mairelon, the magician, in his search for the messing items. She also must stay clear of some shady men who have other plans for Kim, should they were to find out she isn't the boy she is dressed to be.
The characters in the book are enjoyable and varied. The shady ones, the bumbling ones, the pompus and the grumbling. There is tensions in some situations and humour in others.
It may be a children's book but it is a good read for adults too.
A gent hires her to break into a travelling magician's wagon to steal a particular item. When she is caught in the act by the magician, she figures all is lost. Instead,
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she finds herself involved in helping the magician find a magical item, and also becomes his apprentice.Learning spells and how to speak to people in proper English are not easy, but neither are the things she does to help Mairelon, the magician, in his search for the messing items. She also must stay clear of some shady men who have other plans for Kim, should they were to find out she isn't the boy she is dressed to be.
The characters in the book are enjoyable and varied. The shady ones, the bumbling ones, the pompus and the grumbling. There is tensions in some situations and humour in others.
It may be a children's book but it is a good read for adults too.
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LibraryThing member dmturner
Entertaining fantasy set in a historical England. Too many characters to keep track of but it doesn't really matter for following the plot. Except for a "reveal" chapter near the end of the book that is like a high speed farce, the action is good.
Awards
Minnesota Book Awards (Finalist — 1992)
Language
Original publication date
1991
Physical description
288 p.; 6.7 inches
ISBN
0812508963 / 9780812508963
Local notes
Mairelon, 1
DDC/MDS
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