Autumn 2005 Review:

        Imagine being in an unfamiliar place all alone without friends or family. Imagine being trapped there with nowhere left to go while trying to escape from an enemy. Imagine worrying about your life while blending in amongst a crowd but eventually getting caught. Magic or Madness introduces this conflict as Reason Cansino is aboard a plane with her “evil” grandmother. Clueless of her destination, she tries to remember where she went wrong and hopes that her mother Sarafina is well. Reason is very anxious about what will happen to her because of Esmeralda’s reputation as a witch. Reason is so afraid that she devises an escape plan immediately upon arriving at the house and refuses to eat any of Esmeralda’s food. She waits just long enough to meet a neighbor Tom, who quickly becomes her friend, and then she runs away to her insane mother in Kalder Park. Eventually, Reason will end up in the United States and meet a few more friends. As the book progresses she will learn that her life revolves around magic, and that if she does not learn how to control it soon, she will go mad and die.

      Magic or Madness is best suited for readers in grades five through eight. The novel has an interesting plot and variety of characters. However, the beginning is very abrupt, and too many characters are introduced at the same time in certain parts of the book, especially when Reason ends up in New York. Overall, the book flows nicely, which makes it a nice read for middle school students and a younger audience. The friendships formed in the book seemed realistic, and it was easy to relate with the main characters. Furthermore, Reason grows up a lot; she changes from a young, confused child to a decision-making and self-reliable teenager. She forms a stronger relationship with her grandmother and learns how to look out for others as well. My favorite part of the novel is the battle near the end when Reason understands what is just and finally decides to help Esmeralda defeat Jason Blake. Justine Larbalestier slowly builds up the characters’ personalities and knowledge about their world until the conflict eventually resolves nicely.

~Rebecca Theophanous, Boardman High School, Grade 11