The "Magic or Madness" trilogy is a series of young adult fantasy novels written by Justine Larbalestier. The trilogy consists of three books: "Magic or Madness," "Magic Lessons," and "Magic's Child." The series follows the story of Reason Cansino, a teenage girl who discovers that her mother's mental illness is actually a form of magic. In the first book, "Magic or Madness," Reason's mother suffers from severe paranoia and refuses to leave their house. However, Reason soon discovers that her mother's "madness" is actually a result of her inherited magical powers. She learns that magic exists and that her mother's mental illness is a side effect of using it.
For fifteen years, Reason Cansino has lived a life on the run. Together with her mother, Sarafina, she has moved from one place to another in the Australian countryside, desperate not to be found by Reason's grandmother Esmeralda, a dangerous woman who believes in magic. But when Sarafina suffers a breakdown, Reason is forced to move in with her grandmother in Sydney. The moment Reason walks through Esmeralda's back door and finds herself on a New York City street, she's confronted by an unavoidable truth-magic is real.
This thrilling novel will bring readers through revelation upon revelation, leading to Reason's ultimate discovery of the price she must pay if she uses her magic.
This thrilling novel will bring readers through revelation upon revelation, leading to Reason s ultimate discovery of the price she must pay if she uses her magic. When Reason digs up a dead cat in the cellar and finds the key to a locked magic door, she escapes her increasingly frightening grandmother only to find herself halfway around the world in New York City, weak, in danger, and befriended by the mysterious Jay-Tee.
She learns that magic exists and that her mother's mental illness is a side effect of using it. Reason is then forced to choose between embracing her magical heritage or rejecting it. The second book, "Magic Lessons," delves deeper into the world of magic.
Magic or Madness Trilogy Books In Order
Magic or Madness series narrates the story of a 15-year-old Reason Cansino who is the main character in the series. All her life Cansino has lived in the Outback with her dearest mother, Sarafina. The duo is on the run from their sinister grandmother named Esmeralda who believes in magic and lives to practice bizarre dark rituals. However, when Cansino’s mother experiences a mental breakdown, Cansino is taken to the one place that she fears the most- her grandmother’s house in Sydney.
The author of Magic or Madness series, Justine is an American-Australian author who majors in YA fiction. Justine was born and raised in Sydney Australia but now lives New York City alternatively. Some of her work includes the Magic or Madness series that entails books such as Magic or Madness as well as Magic’s Child. She is also the writer of The Battle of the Sexes (Best Related Book, 2003), which is an adult non-fiction book and is Hugo –nominated as well. She also edited the Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century. In 2001 the author married Scoot Westerfeld who is a fellow writer.
Magic or Madness (2005)
Published in 2005, the Magic or Madness work of fiction is about Reason who is the heroine of the book and telling her story in the first person. Reason Cansino is a resident of the Australian outback where she has been living with her mother Sarafina for fifteen years. The two are hiding from her grandmother who is a magician and is involved in dark, horrifying rituals.
The status quo, however, changes when Sarafina starts suffering from a mental breakdown and the teenager, is sent to live with her magician grandmother in Sydney. On arrival to the house in Sydney, she finds her grandmother Esmeralda, but nothing about her or her house is what the young Reason had envisioned. In her mind, she had conjured up images of animal sacrifices and bubbling cauldrons to be in the home of Esmeralda. Something strange, however, happens when she goes through the back doors of her grandmother’s house only to find herself in a New York City street, and she has to admit that magic is real because she does not know how she ended up in the city, barefoot and freezing.
With each answer, Reason only finds questions which help to maintain the suspense throughout the story. Although she does not know how she ended up in the city, Reason is rescued by Jay-Tee who is just a friendly passer-by or is she? The first-person narration of the heroine allows the reader to get new revelations as soon as they happen. The addition of Jay-Tee and Tom who is Esmeralda’s neighbor makes the book more interesting when they offer cross-cultural viewpoints that round out the happenings in New York and Sydney. The different aspects of magic have also been shown in the book, and a good example is Reasons magic that manifests like a preternatural feel for math and numbers while Jay-Tee is about crowds and relational connections while Tom’s kind of magic revolves around fabric and clothing.
Magic Lessons (2006)
Magic lesson is the sequel book after Magic and Madness. The heroine who was introduced in the first book has to confront the truth that is she is just like her mother Sarafina, grandmother Esmeralda and friends Tom and Jay-tee whom a have magic in their blood. She has to make the terrifying choice of using her magic and risk losing her mind or start using the magic and die young. Stranded in New York City thanks to a new threat, she has to struggle to control this new power that she does not understand.
At this point, Reason has so many questions and among them is whether to accept any lessons from her grandmother Esmeralda whom she does not trust. She also desires to find a way of changing things so that magic does not have to be a curse. Before going through the door, it had also started warping, making terrifying noises and spitting weird creatures that attack the people living in the house.
In New York, she is the only person who can see what is happening on the door where an old, magic man stands guard. She cannot tee, on whose side the old man is and with the help of Danny, who is Jay –Tees’s brother, she investigates from her side while Jay-Tee Esmeralda and Tom investigate from their others. There is also the threat of her grandfather Jake is also very dangerous. Could the imminent danger be what she needs to solve her problems? Reason is one who values family as seen by her efforts to save her mother. She is also adaptable as faster the shock she gets down to the business of the magic world to get a solution to the problem.
Magic’s Child (2007)
In the third book of the trilogy Magic’s Child, our heroine Reason Cansino is facing a difficult time as everyone she loves is in danger. Her mother, Sarafina is nowhere to be found after disappearing from the mental hospital where she had been admitted after suffering a mental breakdown. She disappeared with Jake, Reason’s grandfather while Jay-Tee, who has now become her best friend has used all the magic she had and can die at any time.
It is only Reason who can save them by finding the answers to her magical family. She finds herself falling into an ancient, strange and inhuman power that she got from Raul Cansino and while she is becoming more powerful, it means that she is giving up her humanity and that of her unborn child as well. Reason is not going to die young like other people who wield magic powers and use them unwisely and neither will she go crazy like her mother. However, is all these enough to make her lose her humanity? Reason character is robust and ready to help her family. The characters in the book are also layered is such a manner that they will make you will want to read the novel from the first to the last page.
Book Series In Order » Characters » Magic or Madness Trilogy
Magic or Madness series narrates the story of a 15-year-old Reason Cansino who is the main character in the series. All her life Cansino has lived in the Outback with her dearest mother, Sarafina. The duo is on the run from their sinister grandmother named Esmeralda who believes in magic and lives to practice bizarre dark rituals. However, when Cansino’s mother experiences a mental breakdown, Cansino is taken to the one place that she fears the most- her grandmother’s house in Sydney.
Reason is sent to live with her grandmother, Esmeralda, who teaches her how to control her magic and use it responsibly. However, Reason soon realizes that there are dark and dangerous consequences to using magic, and she must navigate a world where her choices have serious consequences. In the final book, "Magic's Child," Reason is faced with the ultimate decision: to either give up her magic forever or risk losing her sanity. She must confront the malevolent force that threatens the magical world and make a choice that will determine her own fate and that of those she loves. The main theme explored throughout the "Magic or Madness" trilogy is the balance between magic and madness. Reason's struggle to accept her magical abilities while also acknowledging the potentially destructive consequences of using them reflects the larger theme of weighing the benefits and risks of embracing one's true self. The trilogy also touches on the importance of family, identity, and the power of choice. Overall, the "Magic or Madness" trilogy offers an engaging and thought-provoking exploration of magical realism. It combines fantastical elements with real-world issues such as mental illness and personal growth. Justine Larbalestier's vivid storytelling and complex characters make this trilogy a captivating read for fans of young adult fantasy..
Reviews for "Good vs. Evil: Morality in the Magic or Madness Trilogy"
- John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Magic or Madness trilogy. The plot felt convoluted and confusing, and the characters were shallow and uninteresting. I couldn't connect with any of them and found myself not caring about their fates. The writing style was also lackluster, with cheesy dialogue and predictable twists. Overall, I struggled to finish the trilogy and wouldn't recommend it to others.
- Sarah - 1 star - I found the Magic or Madness trilogy to be a complete waste of time. The story lacked depth and the world-building was weak. The magic system was poorly explained and inconsistent throughout the books. The main character, Reason, was incredibly annoying and her decisions made no sense. The pacing was also off, with long stretches of slow and boring moments followed by rushed and underdeveloped action scenes. I was left feeling unsatisfied and regretting ever picking up this series.
- Michael - 3 stars - While I didn't hate the Magic or Madness trilogy, I can't say that I enjoyed it either. The concept of having magic tied to mental illness seemed interesting at first, but it wasn't executed well. The portrayal of mental health issues was superficial and lacked nuance. Additionally, the pacing was uneven, with certain parts dragging on for too long. Overall, I felt underwhelmed by this series and it didn't live up to my expectations.