In Kiersten White’s Mister Magic, we follow a group of childhood friends as the show they were on is set to be revived. Preceding the revival, they’ve been asked to participate in a podcast to explore their experiences.
Filled with nostalgic childhood references to how tv & shows connect generations, I was hooked from the beginning. The atmosphere, the format between the podcast interviews and the present, and the complex characters were all well written and unique. I thought this would be an easy 5⭐️…
…but as the storyline progressed, I found myself a little lost on what the show really was. While I think I get the ending, I’m not entirely sure where the magic(?) came from. I love fever dream type stories (I mean I love Bunny🐰) but I felt more confused than entranced.
The story itself has some really unique pieces to it, and while there are some supernatural elements to the story, I didn’t find this to be particularly horror-ish. It’s less scary and more Stepford Wives creepy. There are some areas that could be triggering for some with the mention of child abuse and toxic religion but overall it isn’t graphic.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise with it’s cult atmosphere but I just needed more from the story.
Mister Magic comes out August 1, 2023. Huge thank you to Del Rey for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
Thanks for the write up