Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Lexie

So
we left off our intrepid heroine having to leave the only home she's
known, Ixia, for fear of having her boyfriend cut off her head under
military decree (even though she saved the military Commander's
life...oh its a hard life). Though self-same boyfriend said that he'd
kill her and then himself if he was given the order to end her life. So
I guess that's something right?

In the last book she also met a
Sitian Master Magician by the name of Irys, who came to Ixia undercover
and sort of detoured her way to kill her. Everyone wants to kill
Yelena. The good news though was that Irys instead offered to take
Yelena back to Sitia and her family and get her trained right and
proper before she went and destroyed the world.

I'm not certain
if you can call Yelena's adventures easier or harder this time around
as the last time. Her life is in danger from practically everyone she
meets (again), there's a crazy guy on the loose doing unspeakable
things to people (again) and oh yeah let's not forget her brother is
the biggest jerk EVER. Seriously. Chip on his shoulder the size of
Sitia. I guess family makes things worse.

There's more of a
mystery element in Magic Study then there was in Poison Study. The true
bad guy isn't revealed in Magic Study right away and even then its sort
of like 'Yeah I'm the bad guy...but there's a worse guy!' and there's
an awful lot of people who want to either kill Yelena for her power
(her very very dangerous power that is taboo) or use her for her power.

Yelena
is also very much uncomfortable in Sitia, even though its her
birthland. Having grown up in Ixia, in an Ixian way of life, following
Ixian rules for well over a decade she finds the relaxed way of life in
Sitia irritating. The colors of their garments garish and the sudden
family thrown in her lap feels awkward. Half of her wants to embrace
this side and be the daughter/sister/cousin that everyone wants her to
be, but the other half is almost repulsed and wishes for the simpler
Code of Behavoir from Ixia. She misses her friends (Ari and Janco) and
Valek (who she thinks she can hear sometimes in her head). She misses
the familiar.

Valek is pretty much public enemy #1 in Sitia
because of his involvement with killing magic-users and hunting down
Sitians in Ixia under the Commander's orders (okay so maybe he's public
enemy #2 after the Commander), so its not even as if Yelena can talk
about Valek to anyone. She's the prodigal daughter returned with
awesome powers and having defeated a renown criminal of Sitia after
all. She's distrusted enough as is.

The flow of the story is
easier this time around--relying less on plot conveniences and more on
character relationships and developments. One thing to note is the
addition of Moon Man, a Story-Weaver. He's simply hilarious and so much
fun its ridiculous. I love him.

((reprinted with author's permission))