A Curse of Queens is a book that can be read online for free. This fantasy novel is written by the author K.M. Shea and is part of the "Tales of the Black Lily" series. The main idea of this book is to depict a world where magic and curses play a significant role in the lives of the characters. The protagonist, Queen Bellona, is a cursed queen who must find a way to break the curse that has plagued her and her family for generations.

The soubd of magic

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Ji Chang-wook as mysterious magician Ri-eul in a still from new K-drama series The Sound of Magic. Photo: Lim Hyo Sun / Netflix

The protagonist, Queen Bellona, is a cursed queen who must find a way to break the curse that has plagued her and her family for generations. As readers follow Queen Bellona on her journey, they are immersed in a world of intrigue, danger, and forbidden romance. The author's writing style captivates the readers and keeps them engaged throughout the story.

Review | Netflix K-drama The Sound of Magic review: fantasy musical starring Ji Chang-wook and Choi Sung-eun dazzles and frustrates

• Itaewon Class director Kim Sung-yoon’s new series mixes mirth, magic and music in its story of a high-school student who meets a mysterious playful trickster
• There’s a worthwhile story here about the circumstances that society boxes us into, but in the end this is a half-baked fable that could have been so much more

3/5 stars

One of the key elements behind a good magic trick is misdirection – the act of distracting your audience with one hand while the other sets up an illusion, explains Ri-eul, the mysterious protagonist of the Netflix musical fantasy drama The Sound of Magic.

This new show from Itaewon Class director Kim Sung-yoon, based on Ha Il-kwon’s webcomic Annarasumanara, essentially does the same thing. During a charming and occasionally enthralling opening episode it dazzles us with bright visuals, infectious musical numbers and engaging performances. But even the best magic trick can’t stretch to six hour-long episodes.

Choi Sung-eun, who impressed in her drama debut Beyond Evil and the indie pregnancy drama Ten Months last year, takes on her first major leading role as the diffident Yoon Ah-yi, a high-school student working part-time jobs who has been providing for herself and her younger sister ever since her father had to go on the run from creditors.

The one thing that Ah-yi enjoys and excels at is maths. She’s top of the class in the subject, which is a source of frustration for the silver-spooned class whizz Na Il-deung ( True Beauty ’s Hwang In-yeop). True to his name, which literally means first place, Il-deung ranks top in every subject, except maths.

The evening Ah-yi finishes her first shift at a new part-time gig in a convenience store, a stubborn wind keeps blowing her day’s pay, a single 50,000 won (US$40) note, out of her hands. She chases it down the road, eventually reaching an abandoned amusement park, where it drifts into the hands of Ri-eul (The K2’s Ji Chang-wook), a handsome young man dressed in a tattered magician’s outfit.

Ri-eul’s opening words to Ah-yi, as they are to everyone he meets, are “Do you believe in magic?” The earnest question, delivered each time without a shred of irony, really asks us whether we’ve lost our childlike wonder.

As a teenager forced to bear adult responsibilities, with dreams of growing up to be able to put more bread on the table, Ah-yi has no time for childish pursuits like magic, but Ri-eul is a tenacious and winsome figure, and his extraordinary sleight-of-hand tricks, which frequently do beggar belief, slowly win her over.

Whether he possesses truly magical skills, Ri-eul is a perpetually childlike figure who enjoys playing, but whose personality quickly darkens when he is no longer able to distract from reality with his splendid array of tricks.

Choi Sung-eun as high-school student Yoon Ah-yi in a still from The Sound of Magic. Photo: Lim Hyo Sun / Netflix

Reminiscent of the magnetic fabulist Edward Bloom in Tim Burton’s classic Big Fish , or the gregarious wannabe superhero played by Hwang Jung-min in the South Korean film A Man Who Was Superman, Ri-eul is eager to please but inscrutable when it comes to revealing the truth about who he is and where he came from.

This timeless concept, which can be traced all the way back to the charming 1950 James Stewart vehicle Harvey, among others, is introduced with an enchanting mix of mirth and magic. Yet as we soon learn, this set-up is in itself an illusion, since the dramatic and sensory pleasures it teases never fully materialise. The interesting premise fails to grow into a full-throttled story and what you see at first is really all you get.

Hwang In-youp (centre left) as class whizz Na Il-deung and Ji Chang-wook as mysterious magician Ri-eul in a still from The Sound of Magic. Photo: Lim Hyo Sun / Netflix

Despite the rich design and varied tone it opens with, The Sound of Magic has a surprising lack of characters, locations and even extras. Much of the action takes place in the same high school, but besides Ah-yi, Il-deung, bully Baek Ha-na (Ji Hye-won) and her ambivalent minion Kim So-hee (Kim Bo-yoon), there are only a handful of lines spoken by other students.

Furthermore, the school seems to have only one educator, with their homeroom teacher (Lim Ki-hong) seemingly filling in as principal and guidance counsellor as well.

The story proceeds with few major cliffhangers and revelations and even the musical numbers, which stand out at first, become increasingly sparse and unmemorable as the show wears on. The show doesn’t commit to being a musical, nor does it fully enter fantasy territory.

Ji Chang-wook (left) and Choi Sung-eun in a still from The Sound of Magic. Photo: Lim Hyo Sun / Netflix

It keeps pushing us to second-guess whether the magic is real or not, but unlike Big Fish, where the answer to that question provided the cathartic conclusion of the story’s father-son relationship, it remains vague here as it refuses to commit one way or another. Instead, the story casually winds down to a foregone conclusion before drifting away altogether.

This all makes The Sound of Magic an especially frustrating experience, as the parts that work, especially early on, are very compelling. We want to continue to be transported into Ri-eul’s world, whether real or imagined, but instead we are kept at arm’s length as the show cuts corners and prevaricates instead of committing to its premise.

There’s a worthwhile story here about the circumstances that society boxes us into, the mental complexes we develop as a result of these pressures and the desire to find someone that understands us for who we are. But in the end this is a half-baked fable that could have been so much more. It’s the sound of magic without the feeling of it.

The Sound of Magic is streaming on Netflix.

The Dark Storyline Of ‘Sound Of Magic’ Compels Viewers To Believe

A mysterious magician seeks to help a desperate teen.

Do you believe in magic? If your life is as grim as Yoon Ah-yi’s in the Korean drama Sound of Magic, you may need to believe in magic to survive. Reality has not treated her kindly. Ah-yi, played convincingly by Choi Sung-un, is in a terrible situation. Abandoned by her father, the high school student is desperately trying to survive and provide for her younger sister.

Working part time after school does not earn her enough to pay the rent on the home she and her sister live in. A plea for help only lands her in a dangerous situation. She’s so desperate for help that she meets a strange man, who claims he is a magician, at a deserted amusement park. It’s a crazy move, but Ah-yi has run out of options. Luckily, the strange man might actually be a real magician, although possibly an insane one, and an adult who seems determined to protect her. Will there ultimately be a price to pay? It’s hard to tell and Ah-yi has rightly learned not to trust anyone.

Ah-yi does need a champion. She is pestered at school and harassed by the debt collectors her father ran away from. The only person who looks out for her is her equally smart classmate Na Il-deung, played by Hwang In-hyeop. They both start out being cynical about magic. Ah-yi comes to believe in magic first and that might be because she needs it more.

Sound of Magic is a weirdly wonderful drama in which magic seems both hopeful and menacing. Characters seem kind and then are cruel. Ji Chang-wook makes a shadowy magician, a rumpled seedy Peter Pan, who could just be delusional. He could turn out to be a hero or a villain. Or unable to really help her. Ah-yi has no choice but to find out.

That’s the position viewers might find themselves in too. Where is this quirky musical drama going to take me and do I believe in magic enough to go there? Viewers will likely take a chance on this original drama, if only to see what kind of tricks Ji’s complicated magician character manages to pull out of his hat. The music is a melodious mixed bag, with a frothy high school dance number, sweet duets and moving commentary on the educational rat race. Both the addition of musical numbers and the dark storyline make this drama compelling.

The Sound of Magic

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K-drama celebrates wonder, has violent themes, smoking.

The novel explores themes such as the power of love, the consequences of choices, and the strength of the human spirit. Queen Bellona's determination to overcome the curse and protect her kingdom serves as an inspiration to readers. By offering A Curse of Queens to be read online for free, the author allows easy access to the story, making it accessible to a wider audience. This gesture enables readers to dive into an enchanting world full of magic and adventure without any financial barriers. In conclusion, A Curse of Queens is a captivating fantasy novel that can be read online for free. It takes readers on a journey filled with magic, romance, and the quest for breaking a curse. The availability of this book online allows more readers to enjoy the author's imaginative storytelling without any monetary constraints..

Reviews for "Take a Break from Reality and Dive into "A Curse of Queens" with a Free Online Version"

1. John - 1 star: I found "A Curse of Queens" to be a disappointment. The storyline was weak, filled with predictable plot twists and bland characters. The writing style lacked depth and failed to engage me as a reader. I struggled to connect with any of the characters and found myself disinterested in their journey. Overall, I was left unsatisfied with this read and would not recommend it.

2. Emily - 2 stars: "A Curse of Queens" was just not my cup of tea. The pacing was incredibly slow, and it took forever for the story to really pick up. The world-building felt shallow and underdeveloped, leaving me confused and uninvested in the narrative. Additionally, the characters lacked depth and felt one-dimensional. I was hoping for a gripping fantasy read, but unfortunately, I found this book to be lacking in both excitement and substance.

3. Sarah - 3 stars: While "A Curse of Queens" had potential, it fell short for me. The plot was interesting, but it felt rushed and disjointed at times. The world-building was mediocre, and I struggled to visualize the settings and fully immerse myself in the story. The characters had their moments, but their development was lacking, making it difficult for me to form a genuine connection with them. Overall, while it had some promising elements, this book did not fully satisfy my expectations.

Unwind and Relax with a Free Online Reading of "A Curse of Queens