Book Review: The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopulos |
If you haven’t heard of the YA Contemporary Fantasy "The Fascinators" by Andrew Eliopulos, you’re in for a treat! This is Andrew’s second novel and is published by the Harper Collins imprint, Harper Teen. The book features a gay protagonist named Sam. Sam along with his two best friends James and Delia make up the magic club at their high school in a small town in Georgia.
A new boy Denver wants to join the club after relocating from Nashville TN just in time for James to plunge the club into some drama after he steals the magic book of some sketchy magickers living on the outskirts of town. This will plunge the tight knight group into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the magick cult they have wronged by stealing their precious book. The Fascinators have to work together, and put themselves at considerable risk, in order to return the book.
In the world that Andrew builds magick is openly used by many, and in the case of our main characters serves as an extra curricular at school. The magick club at their school they have affectionately named The Fascinators, after a term James runs across in a book during the course of his study of magick. The kids are working towards a magick convention that is held in each state allowing young magickers to show off their skills and earn awards. Its also an opportunity for young magickers to network among like-minded kids.
Andrew does a great job of interweaving a storyline about how magick is frowned upon by certain religious groups, not entirely different from how some Christians frown upon homosexuality.
Sam is our protagonist and is a likable character. His two best friends, Delia and James, didn’t endear themselves to me the way I think the author intended. They are flawed, which all characters should be, the problem for me was that I didn’t think either of them were particularly good to Sam. I also felt that the relationship with James felt particularly unhealthy, however it won’t be an unfamiliar relationship for most young gay teens, who often have a friend that blurs the line between friend and something more. Denver is a lovable character and I genuinely wanted so much more of him in the story. He gets a fair amount of page time, but I could have had two times more Denver time and half the James time. Sam’s parents are refreshing as they support Sam in his sexuality and also in his pursuit of magick.
No spoilers are given in the review.
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Rating: 4.3
Cover/Cover Art/Blurb/Tag Line: 1
Characters/Character Development: .8 (lost points for James/Sam relationship)
Plot/sub plots: 1 World Building: .7 (lost points for magic system/explanation/limits)
Pace: .8 (lost points for slow beginning and for rushed ending)
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https://thenovelneighbor.indielite.or...
https://www.left-bank.com/book/978006...
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