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The Invitation - The Books of Magic 1 Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Invitation - The Books of Magic 1


Timothy Hunter is a typical 13-year old boy, living in London with his uncaring father and worrying about looking cool and how to ride his skateboard better when four trenchcoated strangers appear. Turns out that Tim could be the most powerful magician of all time, but he has to choose whether he wants to live in the magical world or the unmagical one. Seems like a simple choice, right? But Tim is not sure which choice is correct, so he asks to see a sample of the magical world so that he knows what he is choosing.
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First he travels to the past with the Stranger where he sees the creation of the Earth and different ages through time, including a meeting with Merlin. Then he travels through the present with John Constantine, who whisks him off to New York City to have his fortune read and then to San Francisco to meet the world-famous magician Zatanna. From there, Dr. Occult takes him to visit the world of Faerie where Tim is kidnapped by Baba Yaga and the Faerie Queen tries to keep him in her court. Then Tim is on a trip to the future with Mister E, where he discovers what the future will be like if he turns to dark magic. After his whirlwind trips to the 4 realms, Tim must decide if becoming a magician is worth the price that he must pay.

This was an okay story, but nothing really spectacular happens in it. It feels like nothing happens, really, except Tim keeps going from place to place meeting new people and seeing new things. I found that I didn't really care for Tim a whole lot and I certainly had no feelings for the 4 mysterious people who took him on his journeys, but maybe they are more developed in the next story. Anyway, I am sure that the fantastic trips that Tim takes look much better in the comic book story, but they do not do as well here in this novelization. I don't even really feel like it is the author's fault, necessarily, but with other books out there about teenage wizards (such as Harry Potter), this book really pales in comparison.

The review of this Book prepared by Debbie



Chapter Analysis of The Invitation - The Books of Magic 1

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Plot & Themes

Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence 10%planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 30%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 40%Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places 20% Tone of book    -   very upbeat FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?    -   fantasy story on current Earth Coming of age    -   Yes Youngster becomes    -   a powerful magician Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Kid's book (ages 7-14)

Main Character

Identity:    -   Male Profession/status:    -   student Age:    -   a teen If magical mental powers:    -   can cast many different spells

Setting

Earth setting:    -   20th century Takes place on Earth?    -   Yes

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   moderately detailed references to deaths How much dialogue?    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Carla Jablonski Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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