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Lives of Magic

by Lucy Leiderman

T oronto author Lucy Leiderman’s debut YA novel tells the story of 17-year-old Gwen Carlisle. On her way to her first day at a new high school in Oregon, Gwen realizes she is being followed by a handsome stranger. In her panicked efforts to get away, she stumbles and falls off a cliff’s edge, only to land crouched on top of the Pacific Ocean. Hurt and in shock, Gwen is carried away by the man, Kian, who explains that she is part of a group of ancient Celtic warriors from Britannia who have been reincarnated to stop three evil magicians from wreaking havoc on the world.

Kian helps a sceptical Gwen remember glimpses of her past life, and insists that she go with him to New York City to find her fellow warriors. The fact that Gwen almost immediately agrees to lie to her parents and leave town with a mysterious stranger is a little jarring, no matter how handsome Kian is. Though Gwen shows strength in many other ways, this inherent trust in a person who keeps secrets from her throughout their travels seems dangerously naive.

Despite this flaw, the book offers up an interesting plot and plenty of conflict. As Gwen’s memories from the past threaten to overtake who she is in the present, she is forced to find a way to stay true to both.

Leiderman’s decision to gradually introduce the cast of present-day warriors creates continued suspense for the reader. The anticipation of how each will react to the discovery of his or her true identity is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this first book in the Seven Wanderers Trilogy. While Gwen’s decision-making is sometimes questionable, she proves she can be a hero, and there’s plenty of room for growth in the instalments to come.

 

Reviewer: Laura Godfrey

Publisher: Dundurn Press

DETAILS

Price: $16.99

Page Count: 384 pp

Format: Paper

ISBN: 978-1- 45970-846-4

Released: Jan

Issue Date: 2013-12

Categories: Children and YA Fiction

Age Range: 12+