Carmer and Grit, Book One

January 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Felix Carmer III should not be seeing the small fairy who is scowling at him. Sure, as the apprentice to Antoine the Amazifier, Carmer performs magic, but those are just tricks, and the automatons he builds are all gears and springs, not real magic. This fairy, Princess Grettifrida, is full of real magic and opinions. For one, she demands to be called Grit and nothing else. Together they learn that the master behind the evil, glowing-eyed Wingsnatchers (mechanical fairy-snatching cats) is none other than the master magician, The Mechanist, who hides his true identity as technology tycoon Titus Archer under a mask of whirring gears. When Grit and Carmer discover the truth, loyalties are strained and Grit ends up in grave, iron-enclosed danger. The resolution is explosive for The Mechanist and quieter for Grit and Carmer. This world is part magical fairy dust and part steampunk mechanics. Grit starts off feeling powerless and different, since she has only one wing, but eventually realizes that the power inside her is greater than anyone guessed. Though the main characters have distinct personalities and the plot is original, the pacing is a bit like the automatons featured in it: in need of a good wind to get it moving again every once in a while. However, the way technology and magic must both be used to solve the problem will result in thoughtful reader reflection. VERDICT Fans of steampunk and fairies might find this adventure intriguing. A solid secondary purchase for medium to large middle grade collections.-Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2017
Magical stagecraft, steampunk mechanisms, and glittering faerie dust intermesh in a debut middle-grade fantasy.Felix Cassius Tiberius Carmer III may be a shy and shabby orphan, but his tinkering genius has encouraged Antoine the Amazifier and his traveling show to try their luck at a prestigious competition for stage illusionists. While exploring the host city, Carmer accidentally joins forces with one-winged faerie princess Grettifrida (or, as she insists, Grit) to foil the schemes of an evil industrialist enslaving faeries as a cheap source of power. First in a projected series, this adventure overflows with imaginative conceits; unfortunately, the disparate genres feel slapped together with little consistency or depth in a jarringly unmoored world. There is barely any sense of setting and, except for a stereotyped Romani fortuneteller and a discordant Yiddish toast, no reference to ethnicity. The book's default for both humans and faeries is white. Carmer makes for a charming hero--clever, compassionate, and exceedingly humble--but Grit, despite her refreshingly matter-of-fact representation of disability, is little more than a selfish brat. Meanwhile, every potential hint of interesting nuance to the villains is hurriedly deflated by a bout of mustachio-twirling depravity. If the narrative voice is a bit too arch and the whimsy somewhat forced, the insidious creepy horror and galloping pace are still effective, right up to the unexpectedly gruesome fate of the nefarious evildoers. Shaky--but with undeniable potential. (Fantasy. 10-14)

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March 15, 2017
Grades 5-8 The magic of fairy tales and that of the stage become entwined in Horwitz's debut, wherein a magician's apprentice crosses paths with a fiery, one-winged fairy princess. Antoine the Amazifier hasn't amazed crowds with his act in a long time, but he hopes that will change at the upcoming magic competition in Skemantis, which happily coincides with a technology exhibition. Antoine's apprentice, Felix Carmer III, has a knack for tinkering and mechanics, and he can't wait to see the newest innovations of famed inventor Titus Archer. Elsewhere in the city, fairy-princess Grit longs for adventure outside the protective walls of the Old Town Arboretum, despite recent attacks on fairies by dangerous creatures known as Wingsnatchers. When circumstances throw Grit and Carmer together, they unite and use their unique talents to try and bring down the evil infecting the city. Well-developed characters and a steampunk setting set the stage for this series starter, which is driven by mystery, action, and fairy dust. Incorporating science and danger, this magic-infused adventure carries broad appeal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2017
Magician's assistant Carmer and one-winged fairy princess Grit team up to win a magic competition and to stop the Mechanist, a masked illusionist, from using enslaved fairy magic in his act. But first they must learn to trust each other. Despite some contrived motivations, the story's intricate steampunk elements and nature-based fairy magic will appeal to fantasy fans.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)