The Iron Trial by Holly Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Magisterium Book One follows Callum Hunt, “Call” for short, into the mystical teaching world of the Magisterium. Initially, Call believes everything his father has told him: magic is horrible and learning it will be torture that will probably get him killed.
But once he has failed to fail the mandatory entry test, Call is ripped from his father and bussed away to the deep underground caverns of the Magisterium. There he makes friends, masters magic, and learns more than he ever wanted to about the death of his mother.
The main characters are all around 12 years old and the book is perfect for a middle-grade or even younger age group. It has some battle tension, but not much; Some rule-bending, but nothing quite as extreme as can be found in Harry Potter. The characters are likable and distinguishable from each other, but on the whole, the book does not have the depth of feeling I’ve come to expect from this genre.
You will like this book if you’re looking for a simple, quick read about a unique “otherworld,” with a well-designed magic system.
As this is Book One, it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of plot threads left wide open and emotional climaxes that feel a bit ho-hum.
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