ARC Review: Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg Published: 28June 2016 Publisher: 47North Format: Ebook Pages: 296 ISBN/ASIN: 1503935604 (ISBN13: 9781503935600)
Synopsis: Maire is a baker with an extraordinary gift: she can infuse her treats with emotions and abilities, which are then passed on to those who eat them. She doesn’t know why she can do this and remembers nothing of who she is or where she came from. When marauders raid her town, Maire is captured and sold to the eccentric Allemas, who enslaves her and demands that she produce sinister confections, including a witch’s gingerbread cottage, a living cookie boy, and size-altering cakes. During her captivity, Maire is visited by Fyel, a ghostly being who is reluctant to reveal his connection to her. The more often they meet, the more her memories return, and she begins to piece together who and what she really is—as well as past mistakes that yield cosmic consequences. From the author of The Paper Magician series comes a haunting and otherworldly tale of folly and consequence, forgiveness and redemption
First I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for my copy in exchange of my review.
I think that this book is just only slightly better than The Paper Magician trilogy. What could be so wrong with cakes and magic? Not a thing it seems!! I've read, and fairly enjoyed, The Paper Magician Trilogy. I didn't know how I was going to feel about this book. Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet is completely different, but again has magic as a main focus point of the story.
As soon as I started enjoying and finally getting into the book, it just changed. It didn't feel, or read, the same as it started out. Once I got used to that, it ended. It just... finished. Too quickly. I didn't like the ending of the book. It happened in a way that I wasn't really expecting, or even thinking about. I didn't particularly like the way it jumped from memories to Maire and Fyel and back again. It confused me, but obviously helped explain a lot of backstory.
I would have been happy to sit there and read about Maire's life in her little bakery for a whole lot longer than I actually did. What I mean by it not reading or feeling the same is that it wasn't the same Maire. She became 'more' if that explains it? She didn't come across of the Baker with magical cakes anymore, she came across slightly as "I'm better than everyone", or maybe just selfish? I'll hold my hands up and say that I liked her in the beginning of the book but not the ending.
Apart from all of that, Maire is a likeable person. She may have no memories, but that just adds to her character and charm. I would have liked to have got to know more about Arrice and Franc as they are a huge part of Maire's story. Allemas is a strange addition and not easy to like, although it does become sort of clear who is he, and why he's like he is, as the story goes on. The addition of what I can only guess are his thoughts at the beginning of each chapter is wonderful. It gives us an insight into his feelings towards Maire and Fyel.
The authors writing is as magical in this book The Paper Magician Trilogy, if not a whole lot more. It sparked my imagination in brilliant ways and made me desperately to want to get my bake-on! Some of Maire's recipes would have been an incredible addition!
I do have a couple of questions as well about the ending, mainly the epilogue. Was the Mother and Father at the end Maire and Fyel? I'm taking a huge leap and saying yes it was. Was it Maire's punishment from the Gods, to touchdown? Or completely their own choice? I'd like to think it was their choice maybe, to fufill Maire's dream, or even to correct her mistakes.
My Rating: 3/5. Although I eventually enjoyed the book, there was just too much that I didn't like.
