Sunday, July 14, 2013

Sunday Salon: Reading Half Magic (1954)

Half Magic. Edward Eager. 1954. 192 pages. [Source: Library]

I enjoyed discovering Edward Eager's Half Magic. I had heard wonderful things about it, and I was not disappointed. Half Magic begins simply: "It began one day in summer about thirty years ago, and it happened to four children. Jane was the oldest and Mark was the only boy, and between them they ran everything. Katherine was the middle girl, of docile disposition and a comfort to her mother...Martha was the youngest, and very difficult." One day, Jane is given what she thinks is a nickel; she makes a wish and the wish comes true. It was no ordinary "nickel" as examination and experimentation shows. It is a small object with magical properties--to a degree. Or should I say percentage! It grants half of every wish. So you get what you wish--partly. So you've got to be doubly careful what you wish for. And wish for MORE than what you want. The children take turns wishing, they almost always do their wishing together--all share in the magical adventures. One wish inevitably leads to other wishes in an effort to "fix" what goes wrong and adjust the circumstances so it's just right. Even so, wishing can be TRICKY. But then again, it can work unintended magic: bringing a new love into their mother's life.

I definitely enjoyed this one!!!

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

1 comment:

hopeinbrazil said...

This is one of my favorites.