Book Report! A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

I picked up this book because I was intrigued by the title. Earlier in my life I spent a decade or more making my living as a baker at several different places in Seattle.

I knew from the first paragraph that I was in for a treat. This story is told by fourteen-year old Mona, the baker and wizard of the title. She has a gift for snark.

Mona’s story begins with a dead body, first thing in the morning. She’s up early to bake for the townspeople’s breakfasts and discovers a dead girl in the bakery.

We learn over the course of the novel that she does magic and her familiar is a sourdough starter called Bob. Although Mona’s abilities appear to be limited to working with dough and perhaps some frosting, the girl’s got surprises up her sleeve.

The world the author creates here is a fairly standard post-medieval world, with twists. The Duchess is seemingly in charge of this particular city. Mona is hauled before the Duchess by Inquisitor Oberon, an officious man who insists Mona is guilty of murder.

Throughout the story, Mona and her friends try to solve the mystery of missing magickers. Have they been murdered or simply left town? The city’s under threat of invasion and could really use some magic.

Mona’s a strong and inventive character, as are her friends. She finds innovative ways to work within her limitations.

The magic in the book is equally inventive and clever. And so much fun.

I was looking for something to read that would entertain and wasn’t too heavy. Life’s been feeling overwhelming lately. This was the perfect antidote and a delight to read.

The book has been nominated for the Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction for 2020. The awards will be voted on in June of this year. The author also writes children’s books and weird comics under the name of Ursula Vernon and has won many awards for her other work.

You’ll want to go check this one out!

Amazon



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