Mister Magic

Kiersten White

Mystery

Who is Mister Magic? Former child stars reunite to uncover the tragedy that ended their show—and discover the secret of its enigmatic host—in this dark supernatural thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hide.

Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.

But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has.

Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since.

After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?

Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . .

-Excerpt taken from Goodreads.

Check Goodreads to see the book’s ratings.

My Opinion

(3.5 / 5) Honestly, I’m not sure how to rate this one. I loved it and I hated it. It put me through the ringer, so much so that I had my husband read it to see if I was interpreting correctly.

This is a confusing book. There is a lot of symbolism and more. There are parts I will never fully understand but I believe that’s because of my experiences; the “lens” I look through in life. But if you have or have had a similar “lens,” then this will hit you in ways you wouldn’t expect.

Each character has their own meaning. They range in race and personality but also purpose. They each had a purpose on the show with Mister Magic. It was how they grew up, how they were taught about life and the world and how they were expected to live. It was also how they taught others and were expected to teach others.

“People think children’s lives are simple, easy, but it’s the opposite. Everything that happens around them affects them, and they don’t have the power to affect any of it back.”

Then something interferes. It throws the entire show off and it cannot be made the same anymore. The people are not the same, the feeling is not the same and through this “lens,” nothing will ever be the same. But the question is; Is that a bad thing?

“Doesn’t it feel good … to have the magic back for a moment? The magic that was always there for you, that always worked. Until the day it didn’t.”

What I’m choosing to take away from this book is how Mister Magic changed. Instead of instructions, and rules and specific ways of doing things, Mister Magic changed and did everything with love. It didn’t matter if someone did it wrong, they were given love. It didn’t matter if they questioned it, fought against it, looked different, was different, thought different, or felt different. The only answer was love.

While I’m dying to start belting out, “All You Need Is Love,” I’ll spare everyone and just make it known that I agree with love. Being a parent, a wife, a friend, a sibling and more, all I need is love. All I hope I give is love. And hopefully through that love, people can see through my “lens” of life.

General content summary: I wouldn’t categorize this as horror. It was more atmospheric. And while there was a small creepy vibe, it definitely was never scary.

F words= 43, parental death, stroke and care for the person afterward, child physical abuse (vague, previous), gay character, m/f kiss, m/m kiss, f/f kiss, religious extremes/cult.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the copy!

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