Tomes of Spellcasting

Welcome to the land of mystery, where the impossible is possible, and the improbable the reality. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with magic and meet the souls that wield this wondrous powers.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: The Godmother's Apprentice
Author: Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
Publisher: Ace Books
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1995

Remember Snohomish Quantrill, the daughter of an rock musician whose wicked, fading-model stepmother with mob connections tried to kill her three times and wound up with a bad case of warts? Well, she's back and ready to set her life straight...on the path to becoming a godmother! Apprenticed to Felicity Fortune and living with her in Ireland, Sno has her hands full with all sorts of problems: Felicity used up her magic in Seatlle and Sno has only three magical wishes to protect them both, she's a tourist in a foreign land, an ancient spirit of evil is out to reenact a dastardly deed, and to top it off, the King of the Cats has died and his funeral procession is weaving its way in and out of trouble! Fortunately, she has no end of friends and allies to help her, from the descendants of royals transformed into swans to an air pookha to the same hitman who tried to kill her who's now serving time as a toad. The only problem is, can she and her friends defeat the great and malevolent Balor before he wipes them all out?

This book, like its predecessor, positively reeks of magic and fairy tales. Once again we have a number of well-known stories woven into the overall plot. Snow White and Puss-in-Boots appear, naturally, but there are also a number of Irish legends incorporated into the story. Considering how much more magical and mystical Ireland's history is, it makes sense that the tales worked into the novel have more to do with ancient lore than "traditional" fairy tales. I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about Irish folklore, albeit in a condensed version.

The only trouble spot I found was towards the end when everyone tumbled into the door that said "DO NOT OPEN" (like that's going to keep anyone out). As expected, everyone went inside DESPITE the warning. After that I became confused as I tried to keep the different stories straight and identify the characters that were and weren't the same ones I'd followed through the book. Other than that, though, I found the book and enjoyable read. You have your host of good guys and your great big baddie, and a number of supporting cast who sit on the fence and sway with the wind.

I had to special order this book to get it, and I'm glad I did. It's in a slightly different style than The Godmother was, but I think it only shows the author's versatility. I hope that Elizabeth Ann Scarborough decides to someday revisit Sno and Felicity. If she does, I'll definitely buy it and read it.

Rating: Thumbs up! Get ready for a plunge into the Emerald Isle's mythic history!

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