The Threads of Magic ~ Alison Croggon

Expected UK Publication Date: 5th March 2020

For a book aimed at ages nine to twelve, The Threads of Magic was darker than I expected but I sure did enjoy it. From the moment I read the blurb, I knew this was the type of story I was going to love. A pickpocket, a magical dried-out heart, a princess and witches came together to create an unusual but brilliant story.

The story begins when Pipistel pickpockets a silver box from a noble dressed as a commoner. Inside the silver box, he finds a dried-out heart. He thinks he can hear the heart talking to him. The next thing Pip and his sister El know is that there are assassins after them. The two of them seek help from El’s best friend, Oni, whose mother is a witch. Enter Princess Georgette who, against her will, is engaged to a King who scares her terribly. She wants out. The two plotlines collide and create an epic magical adventure.

I had only one criticism of this book and that is that the beginning. The opening chapter was fine, I had no problems with that but the following chapters introduced so many characters and plot points straight away that it felt a little heavy on the information. Each character introduced was given the same treatment which was a little refreshing but sometimes a little much.

I really enjoyed the rest of the book. The relationships in this book were not the same old stuff that we’ve been reading for years. The relationship between Pip and El is a true sibling relationship, they bicker and argue but still look after each other. Most of the time they aren’t even nice to each other. Another new relationship is Pip and the heart, they start off against each other and the relationship gets worse before it gets better. It’s refreshing to not have a relationship that starts off good, has a few falls and then is better and stronger than before. I have read that story far too many times.s

Croggon writes a beautifully dark story that still manages to include that magic from childhood. The recipe is the same as many other fantasy books I’ve read over the years, but she has perfected it in a way no one else has. I give this story four-point-five stars and recommend this to anyone who loves Harry Potter and other similar novels when it comes out on 5th March 2020.

C🌙