Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

It’s interesting to see these power dynamics play themselves out in this particular fictitious world.

So it still creates its own class system based on whether or not you have magic. However, these skills are not earned – they are something you either have or you don’t. Instead, the major power struggle in this book is, interestingly, skill based – the more magical power you have, the “better” you are, regardless of anything else. We interact with a number of women in respected, powerful roles, and it doesn’t seem to be a major part of the story’s conflict. The most powerful character we encounter is Abby’s older sister Alexa. She’s brave but also believable, and a loyal friend and a goodhearted person.īut also, the world that Caitlen Rubino-Bradway has created here is decidedly not one where gender precludes power. First, the obvious – Abby is a great protagonist. But there’s nothing to distinguish it on the shelf, so you’re going to have to take my recommendation that the book itself is much better than average.ĭoes it Break the Slate? Yes! Delightfully so. It’s not memorable, but having read the book, it’s also more or less accurate and not unpleasant to look at. That said, nothing about this cover is all that bad either.

From the color palate to the trees to the mysterious castle in the background and the girl at the center, nothing about this cover strikes me as particularly unique. It looks like it could be almost any generic middle grade fantasy to come out in the past five years. Currently Available.įace Value: Standard. Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway.