Mini review:

DNF

As I have previously mentioned, Tamora Pierce is a highly respected fantasy author. Recently, I have been making an effort to engage with her books. In particular, "Wild Magic" caught my attention. I recall watching the "Eliza Thornberry" cartoon as a child, and this book seemed to have a similar premise but set in a fantasy world. However, unfortunately, it didn't quite work for me.

I have come to the realization that her books simply aren't to my taste. I struggled to become invested in the story and didn't have much interest in the characters. As a result, I don't anticipate reading any of her other works.

Nevertheless, I still believe that Tamora Pierce has a significant following and her books may appeal to many others. Everyone has different literary preferences, and just because her books didn't resonate with me doesn't mean they won't be enjoyed by others. So, I would still recommend that those who are interested in fantasy give her works a try.

I decided to pick up this book mainly because of the badger on the cover. It immediately caught my attention and piqued my curiosity. Additionally, I was already familiar with Tamora Pierce as I had previously read another book by her.

To my delight, this book turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The story was engaging from the very beginning and held my interest throughout. Pierce's writing style is captivating, and she has a talent for creating vivid and believable characters.

The world she has created in this book is rich and detailed, with its own unique lore and mythology. I found myself completely immersed in the story, eager to see what would happen next.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels. It is a great read that will keep you entertained from start to finish.

This book truly came into my life in a profound way.

I'm really in a dilemma as I can't decide whether I should feel relieved or regretful for not reading this during my childhood or teenage years. The reason being, knowing myself and the tropes that can make me completely obsessed, I'm fully aware that this book would have utterly consumed me. It might have been in an unhealthy way, but I'm sure it would also have been an exciting experience.

The heroine is unpretentious, empathetic, and resourceful. She finds family after facing loss and social rejection. The diverse cast of characters has well-crafted personalities, with a strong presence of badass women of different skill specializations. The magic system is solid, with limitations and a clear cost-of-use. And there's a dreamy magician too!

The writing is brilliantly simplistic, showing more artistry in a single page than many other titles with flowery language. Daine has a unique voice, and I absolutely loved the cadence of her internal narration. It's well-balanced, smoothly blending self-reflection and real-time events. The world-building information is introduced smoothly as well, without much "info-dumping".

However, I do have a few gripes. Some of the other character voices sounded too similar. Buri, Alanna, and Thayet were particularly hard to tell apart. I didn't have this problem with Onua, Numair, or George. Another minor gripe is that I wish there was a slight variation in the response to the protagonist. The unanimous fawning was nice at first, but it got a bit too much after a while.

Now, the big problem: Daine and Numair. When Numair was introduced, I was really into it. His character is almost exactly my type. I thought, "Damn, I hope he gets a love interest soon!" But then I noticed the way he was introduced, in language usually used for a love interest. I thought, "Hmm, this must be Pierce's way of bucking convention!" But as the story progressed, the relationship between Numair and Daine grew closer, and the language used to describe it didn't stop. In fact, it got stronger.

I looked it up and found out that they do end up together, although Daine has aged slightly. I just don't understand why Pierce had to make Numair so old. Mid- to late-twenties? That's a grown man in a position of power with a literal child. If we had to have a romance, why not start with Daine older? Maybe fifteen or sixteen in the first book and twenty in the fourth? We would have lost a bit of her childish charm, but still.

Listen, I'm a responsible consumer of media. I won't read a book and find themes that will mess with my moral compass or influence my actions in a harmful way. I have ships with age differences and power imbalances, but this just seems really bad. I'm still trying to balance my enjoyment of the book with this issue.

Overall, I did find the experience of reading this book to be very enjoyable. I'm just hoping that the relationship between Daine and Numair remains platonic in the next few books.

I find myself engaged in the upteenth reread of this wonderful story.

As I turn the pages, my affection for Daine grows stronger with each encounter. She is such a captivating character, full of spirit and charm.

However, as I continue reading, I realize that my love for Alanna is even deeper. There is something about her that truly speaks to my heart.

Her courage, determination, and unwavering spirit are truly inspiring.

I can't help but be drawn to her, and I find myself rooting for her at every turn.

These two characters have become a part of my literary world, and I know that I will continue to love them both for a long time to come.

Wild Magic literally transformed my life.

It was the very first series I delved into that had a powerful girl as the protagonist. (I read this before her Alanna series.) I yearned with all my heart to leave behind my dreadful junior high and step into Daine's shoes, despite all the hardships that befall her. After all, the girl has the amazing ability to communicate with animals!

This is an older book, so perhaps it was considered YA when I was younger, but in today's terms, it would definitely qualify as MG. However, don't let that deter you. There is still an abundance to gain from this book and the entire series.

Daine confronts her fears, brushes aside the hurt, and continues to fight on (much like Alanna from the Lioness Quartet, yet in a completely distinct manner). She is a understated heroine, strong in her own quiet way. As a painfully shy thirteen-year-old, I adored this. I gleaned so much from Daine's approach to her problems, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that Tamora Pierce and her novels molded me into the person I am today.

Don't let this book pass you by!

Gosh, I truly loved this.

I have no idea why I waited for such a long time to continue with the Tortall saga.

If I had realized that all my favorite characters from Alanna made appearances here and there in this series, I probably would have read it much faster.

Sure, a significant portion of the plot could have been resolved through communication, but I don't mind!

I have a deep affection for Daine.

I also love charming mages and wild magic.

AND NAUGHTY PONIES!

I might even love those naughty ponies the most of all.

The story has such a unique charm that keeps pulling me in, and I can't wait to see what else unfolds in this wonderful world of Tortall.

Each character and element adds to the overall magic and excitement, making it a truly enjoyable read.

I'm so glad I finally decided to pick up this book and continue the adventure.

It's like rediscovering a hidden treasure that I had overlooked for far too long.

I'm sure there are many more great things to come in the remaining installments of the Tortall saga.

I can't wait to explore them all and see where this magical journey takes me.

Rereading Tamora Pierce books from my childhood has been a truly wonderful experience. I find myself upping the star rating to 4, and rightfully so. This book is so much better than I recall it being. It's truly remarkable how often our perception of a book can change with age and maturity. As an adult, I am able to appreciate the depth of the story, the complexity of the characters, and the beautiful writing in a way that I couldn't as a child. It's so rare to enjoy a children's book more upon rereading it as an adult, but Tamora Pierce's work has managed to achieve just that. I'm looking forward to continuing my journey through her books and rediscovering the magic that I loved so much as a child.

I was a young teen when I devoured these books. In fact, I remember them so well that I can recall where all the italics were, even though my e-book didn't display the formatting accurately. This is one of those books that you'll lose forever if you don't read it before the age of 14. The three-star review is a compromise between my younger self, who would have given it 4.5 stars, and my present self, who wants to give it 1.5 stars, acknowledging that I'm no longer the target audience.

First of all, Pierce's books are truly badass for their genre-defining strong female characters. I would love to read a whole adult fiction series about Onua, whose story is only hinted at in the vaguest terms. However, Pierce's books are also not that well-written. There are typical plot holes, overly powerful characters, and wish-fulfillment elements. The kind of things that 13-year-olds love.

But the thing that really bothered me during this reread was the age issue. I either forgot or never realized that Daine is only 13. My impression of her as one of the older heroines, around 15 or 16, makes more sense considering her responsibilities. But the main reason I wanted to pretend that "13" was a typo is because it makes her relationship with Numair much less creepy. Numair's exact age is never given, but he's described as a full-grown adult, at least 19, and probably more like 21 or 22. Maybe even older. I'm willing to overlook the half-your-age-plus-seven rule because this is a universe where kids start training as knights at ten and can join the Riders (irregular military) at 15. And they do deal with the awkwardness of the age gap in later books, if I remember correctly. But 13? That's a serious lapse in judgment on the author's part. *shudder*

This is my very first Tamora Pierce novel, and I find myself wondering, "WHY DID IT TAKE ME SO LONG TO READ HER?"

I simply loved this book to bits! From the very first page, I was completely hooked. The story was engaging, filled with excitement and adventure. The characters were so well-developed that I felt like I knew them personally.

Tamora Pierce has a unique way of creating a world that is both magical and believable. The plot twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't put the book down until I had finished it.

I can't wait to explore more of her works and see what other amazing stories she has in store for us. If you haven't read any of Tamora Pierce's novels yet, I highly recommend that you give them a try. You won't be disappointed!

I hopped into this book with a certain degree of trepidation, hoping that I would not be completely confused out of my mind. I had heard of Tamora Pierce's other Tortall books, especially the enormously popular ones about Alanna. However, the premise of those books simply didn't pique my interest. I hate to admit it, and perhaps it's a bit backwards of me, but books featuring cross-dressing, disguised characters have never held much appeal. This aversion even extends to manga; just don't get me started on how much I loathed HanaKimi.

Thankfully, this series about a young girl with animal magic seemed more in line with my tastes. So, I tentatively picked it up and began to read, hoping that I wouldn't be too lost. To my pleasant surprise, it is set in the Tortall world, and while presumably all the characters from the other books made an appearance, I was not at all confused. There were just enough details provided to give me an understanding of who each character was and what they did, without overwhelming me with their entire backstory. This slight insight into the previous characters was very well done, ensuring that new readers like myself would not get lost.

As for Daine herself, I absolutely loved her. She is a strong and resilient character, a bit wild like her magic, and very uncultured, which is understandable given her upbringing in the backwaters. At times, she did grate on my nerves, especially with her constant secrecy and need to hide a certain aspect of her magic. However, all of this was very well explained by her backstory, and once I found out what had happened, I found myself sympathizing with her. All the characters in the book were immensely likable. There was no one major antagonist who made her life miserable, and I really liked that. Not every story has to have a clear-cut bully. This was especially refreshing for me, coming from a glut of YA fiction where it seems every main character has a beautiful, bitchy high school queen bee out for her blood.

The plot line was also very well executed. I was never bored, nor was I ever lost. I have a strange preference for slower-paced plots that allow for more character development and world-building. The action in this story, while fast-paced, was never boring. It always made sense and kept me engaged. My only reason for deducting a star was the last quarter of the book. The battle felt a bit too rushed, and at times the storytelling lost me. I was also a bit confused by the action. Additionally, the sudden introduction of dragons, krakens, and griffins into the mix felt a bit unrealistic and rushed. However, I'm starting the second book now, and I have high hopes that it will continue to be an enjoyable read.

Well, that was outside my wheelhouse.

So in my life outside of Goodreads, aside from the usual adulting that we grown-ups do, I run an actual Sci-Fi/Fantasy book club. We started as a book club and then expanded to watching movies, drinking wine, and generally hanging out and geeking out together about anything science fiction and fantasy related. We pick our books by popular vote, and Tamora Pierce was an often-mentioned author. After several false starts and being beaten out by other "new & exciting" authors, we finally voted on Wild Magic as our next club read. I add this preface because if it wasn't for the book club voting, I'd have no idea who Tamora Pierce is and would never have picked Wild Magic. I went into this book blind, which was probably a good thing.

Although it won't surprise anyone who's read Tamora Pierce, I'm not the target audience for this series. But that doesn't mean I didn't like the book. I actually rather enjoyed it. However, YA/Teen fantasy isn't something I read a lot of. While anyone can find something to like in this tale, it's definitely teenage girls who will get the most out of Tamora Pierce's works.

Knowing all that, I'll try to tailor my review. There are things I could nitpick. The language is modern at times, the descriptions are simple, and everything wraps up too neatly. But given the target audience, I understand why it was written this way. Also, I didn't like the point of view changes in the same chapter without any marking. It came across as inexperienced writing to me. But it's not a criticism of Tamora Pierce's writing ability. She can tell a tale and is a wordsmith. She knows her audience and writes to that level with ease.

Now for the positives. Daine is a great POV character. She's young but not stupid, inexperienced but not immature, determined but not infallible. She's a great protagonist for young girls to look up to. She has good friends and helpful adult mentors. The animal characters are also a plus, especially given Daine's magic. The story moves at a good pace, is unpredictable, and has great morals and lessons. The magic is magical, although it can seem a bit deus-ex-machina at times.

I struggled initially to get invested in the story as there was little exposition. But once Daine started exploring her powers and interacting with new creatures, it became quite fun. I also wonder about the Kingdom of Tortall as every adult character seems super benevolent and supportive of Daine. It felt a little odd to me.

So that's my review. I won't read the rest of The Immortals series as it's not my kind of tale. But I'll have my daughter read these when she's older as she loves animals and would love a power like Daine's. Tamora Pierce will be right up her alley. For me, it's time to find a more adult tale to cleanse my palate. Something with swearin', murderin', boozin', and/or sexin'. Huzzah!

My first review from 2010:

After the raiders mercilessly destroy her idyllic village, a young peasant girl named Daine decides to join up with the Queen's Own hostler. Together, they embark on a perilous journey to Tortall, facing numerous dangerous adventures along the way. Once they reach Tortall, Daine discovers that she possesses Wild Magic, which grants her the extraordinary ability to communicate and control all animals. However, despite the many attacks by terrifying monsters, this book fails to generate any real narrative tension. Perhaps this is because I actively dislike Daine.

Review from 2020:

I haven't completely warmed to Daine, but I no longer hold the same intense dislike for her. Maybe I was simply disappointed that these books weren't the Lioness Quartet? On a second reading, I now believe that these are excellent middle grade or young adult fantasy novels. However, I still have two remaining qualms. Firstly, Daine, who is only 13, seems to find all the middle-aged men (Jon, George, Numair) attractive, which I find a bit odd. Secondly, I hate that the dragon mage dies in what is essentially a suicidal attack when she has a much beloved new dragonet to care for. It just seems so unnecessary and heart-wrenching.