I throughly enjoyed this title. I have been a fan of Charlie Holmberg since The Paper Magician was released. I think this may be my favorite book of hers. You don’t have to the the trilogy before reading this book.

The Plastic Magician is a spinoff of The Paper Magician Trilogy.

I really enjoyed reading Alvie's story and the discoveries being made, and learning new things about the different forms of magic. I loved seeing characters from the Paper Magician trilogy, which made it even better.

When I finished the book, I wanted more and was hoping that maybe there will be.

I loved this book so much. so, so much. I was so invested in the characters... enchanted might be a better word. would recommend this to anyone that likes the urban fantasy kind of genre and wants to be swept up.

I will re-read this one.

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Above is a link to my blog review of The Plastic Magician. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review it early!

I absolutely adored the Paper Magician series & Charlie Holmberg's newest book does not disappoint! This book switches its focus to Alvie, a polymaker (plastic magician), who is apprenticed to Magician Praff. Alvie travels to a new country to begin her apprenticeship, which brings many changes,challenges, and adventures into her world. Together Alvie & Magician Praff work on an entry for a big conference. They find themselves with a rival who will stop at nothing to prevent them from arriving at the conference in time with a fully working invention. While this book can be read as a stand-alone, and is a spin-off from the Paper Magician books, I highly recommend reading the other 3 books first.

Having not read Holmberg's original series I wasn't sure what to expect or if I would be lost. I was happy to discover that reading the Paper Magicians trilogy was not mandatory. This book was an easy and enjoyable read with an air of intrigue and suspect and a hint of romance. Alvie is a wonderful lead that I immediately felt kinship to, I cannot wait for the next in the series!

When a bookish girl studies to be a plastic magician, her peculiar talents might just be world-changing…

…if Alvie Brechenmacher and her mentor can outwit a dangerous rival. Alvie is apprentice to Marion Praff, a world-famous inventor/magician. Both are driven to find novel applications in the new field of Polymaking. Shortly after beginning her apprenticeship, Alvie makes a new friend who inspires her to use Polymaking to solve her friend’s medical problem. While she’s working on the solution, can Alvie discover what her own heart desires?

Charlie N. Holmberg is at her original best blending magic, science, and steampunk for a unique magic system. Holmberg excels at satisfactorily twisty mysteries, character-driven stories, and compelling world- and character-building.

The Plastic Magician is a great addition to the world of The Paper Magician with a few characters crossing over in support roles, so this book can easily be read as a standalone novel. While the storylines were all wrapped up, there was one magical aspect that was left partially solved which could lead to additional stories with Alvie.

We can only hope!

I thoroughly enjoyed this new addition to Charlie N. Holmberg's Paper Magician world!

For starters, I loved the main character Alvie. She's slightly awkward but self-assured and intelligent. I definitely related to her inner thoughts spiraling into solving various problems and forgetting to hold a conversation.

And I was happy to see an MC that wasn't a wimp but didn't have a hero complex.

To be completely honest, near the end of the Paper Magician series, I grew a little tired of Ceony and her continued assertions that she was the *only* one who could face the antagonists or she was the *only* one who had to be the rescuer. As a reader, I wasn't convinced that it was the "only way" or she was the only person.

I was a little worried that The Plastic Magician would include more of that same sort of storyline and that I wouldn't enjoy it. Thankfully, my worries weren't warranted. I got to experience more of the innovation of the magician's world, got to see more of the big picture this unique world C. N. Holmberg has created, and got a few brief vignettes from old characters that were just enough to be satisfying without being too much for me to believe.

The romance was sweet, the story a fun ride with some intense twists and turns, it all left me feeling very happy and satisfied.

If anything, my only complaint was the antagonist being a little too easy to figure out. But that didn't spoil the book for me in the least.

Eagerly looking forward to what Charlie N. Holmberg come out with next!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't like the first book or couldn't get into it... sorry wasn't my cup of tea I shall say! But I tried!

I was so so so happy to get to read this book early. I read The Paper Magician Trilogy over Christmas break, and fell in love. I love the world, I love the magic, and I love the dialogue. The Plastic Magician has all of the things I loved about the trilogy, and more. I hope that this spin-off continues, because I want to know everything there is to know about this world.

Absolutely love this series, just a fun adventure. While the world building is definitely in the first three, a new reader could jump right into this one, no problem. The whole series is creative and keeps you wanting more of this world,

I really enjoyed revisiting the much beloved world of the" Paper Magician" in this triumphant sequel to the original trilogy. In the "Plastic Magician," main character American-German Alvie Brechenmacher, delves into the newly discovered magic of Polymaking, the magical discipline of plastic, and finds herself across the pond in England, apprenticing with world-renowned Magician Marion Praff in what is another quirky and dear adventure. This book has everything, a marvelous heroine, romance, magic, creative world-building, action and mystery, and an all-around positive message.

I love that Alvie is a sensible slacks-wearing American, complete with an accent, face-eating glasses and untamable hair. She is clearly a genius, adding large sums in her head, but is helplessly clumsy and so devoted to her new magic that she forgets what time it is. Alvie also has a heart of gold, choosing to volunteer in a hospital and using her new magic to create a prototype plastic arm for a friend who lost her arm in a factory accident. She is truly every bit as lovable and feels just as authentic and relatable as her <em>Paper Magician counterpart, Ceony Twill, [spoiler] who even makes a wonderful surprise cameo or two that fans of the series will just love.


I also adore her romance with Paper Magician, and all around cutie, Bennet. The very description of the two’s developing romance makes the reader feel butterflies! “His eyes [find] hers and he smile[s] a bright smile that made Alvie feel like a magician already or perhaps something even better.” It is purely delightful that Alvie found an Englishman who loves her for all of the things that make her Alvie, something that didn’t get her many suitors back home. He forgives her for missing their dates due to working on her Magic, doesn’t blame her for running off mid-conversation to jot down a new idea or for wanting to take apart his Benz’s engine to simply appreciate it, and genuinely cares for her just as she is. Bennet even informs her early on that he had a feeling he’d never be bored with her. I thought it was utterly adorable that he told her not to wear a skirt to his graduation ceremony because “it just [isn’t] Alvie.”

Alvie’s relationship with his sister, Ethel, the one for whom Alvie is inventing the Plastic arm prototype, is just as precious. As a reader with multiple disabilities, this scene between these two really touched me:

“Ethel took her hand. ‘You’re a good friend Alvie. Even without all the magic.’ Alvie squeezed back. “’You are too, Ethel. Even without the arm.’ The older woman’s eyes watered just a bit. “I think that, today that’s something I needed to hear.”

This exchange demonstrates how magic touches all of the relationships in the book, but isn’t defined by it. In the magical world of this book and the others in the series, people travel by mirrors, send mail via Folded mail birds, text each other via Mimic spells, and see their imaginations come to life not on movie screens, but through Imagidomes. I love how Alvie’s growing up in America, showed the different laws traditions, and attitudes towards magic throughout different countries. For example, in England public transportation via mirrors is not allowed, but in the United States it is quite the norm. And as Alvie grew up as the daughter of the true inventor of the light bulb, she has a unique and grounded viewpoint on how technological advances may affect magic. But these are just two of the many ways author Charlie N. Holmberg builds a complex and immersive world that I would personally love to inhabit.


Though the book emphasizes that all Magicians should, “Treat [their] magic with respect and loyalty and it will do likewise. Leave this world a better place than it was when you entered it,” Alvie soon finds that not all Magicians uphold this creed. &nbsp;There is intense competition for new discovery, especially in the newest magic—Polymaking—leading to violence, and the stealing of ideas. I love that in the face of danger, Alvie is able to use her intelligence to stay quick on her feet, rescue herself repeatedly, and is able to put together the pieces to solve a crime even before the Police. She’s not even traumatized by her brushes with danger, but instead uses her experiences to hypothesize an entirely new field of magic, which I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of in future installments. After all she says, “It [isn’t] about the magic. It [is] about the discovery.”


And if you haven’t yet discovered the magic of the "Paper Magician" series, I urge you to do so at once.

I COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN.
However, writing this, I realize that this is the fourth book in the series. Oops. Thankfully it seems this book follows a different person and starts off on a new portion of the series. I will definitely be going back to read the Paper Magician Trilogy, it was already on my put. I absolutely adore Charlie Holmberg's books, they capture my attention every time.
This started off a little slow to draw you into the world, to get a feel for Alvie. Everything after those first few chapters was fast paced, the story never stopped moving. You could feel the momentum of the project they were working on as they were constantly uncovering new forms of magic. The tension grew subtly throughout the book until it finally came to a breaking point and you started to question everyone she knew, who could she actually trust. The love interest is adorable from the beginning, so earnest in his affection and pursuit of Alvie. I hope to see more from him in future books, he brought more to the story than I was expecting.
This is a must-read for anyone who loves magic, especially magical realism.

This book was a joy to read from start to finish. Alvie is a wonderful character and seeing a new story develop in this series really brought a smile to my face. I love the way this magical world has come together and I love seeing how all the spells are formed. It’s a level of creativity I wish I could achieve!

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I’m not familiar with The Paper Magician series, so I read The Plastic Magician as a standalone novel and it worked well on its own.
The character of Alvie is charming and easy to identify with because she’s such a klutz and awkward in social situations but exceptionally smart and inventive. Seeing the world through her eyes was fun and inspiring. It’s always a plus when female characters aren’t trying to fit in but take advantage of being different. It was also nice to see how much Bennet appreciated her being different. It was lovely to see their relationship develop, so sweet and romantic.
Another important relationship in the novel was that between Alvie and her mentor. At times, I felt it was unlikely he’d be so accommodating and supportive of Alvie seeing how he was an experienced and renowned magician, but perhaps that is just my personal experience. In any case, their relationship seemed to be the perfect apprentice/mentor relation: inspiring, supportive and nurturing.
The novel took off slowly but then the pace took up towards the last third of the book with a satisfying speed and the very rewarding ending. I was hoping for a confrontation between Alvie and the perpetrator’s accomplice because I thought that would make for a very emotional scene, but even without it the mystery ended very gratifyingly.
After The Plastic Magician, I look forward to reading more of Charlie Holmberg’s books.

This book, a delightful spin-off of The Paper Magician trilogy, was just charming. Sometimes a sweet story about a klutz with a passion can just be a sweet story, and it doesn't need a ton of filler, or shocking plot twists, or cliffhanger endings. Not a long read, but perfect for a rainy or snowy day when you're all cozy inside, maybe with a crackling fireplace and a pet to keep you company. That's the kind of feeling this book gave me.

Another brilliantly constructed and engaging novel in the materials magic series. The author excels in creating charming and wonderful protagonists who overcome the odds to accomplish their goals. Very very good.

I really enjoyed this book! It's a light, fun read that will delight any fan of The Paper Magician series. It had my heart thumping in anxiety several times and made me laugh aloud more than once. I even teared up at the end over an unemotional scene because the magic system Holmberg creates within these books is absolutely beautiful.

I received an advanced copy of The Plastic Magician in exchange for an honest review, so I might as well mention the three things that annoyed me about the book:

1. Coming off of reading Glass Sword and A Court of Mist and Fury, each with a very strong and sure-footed female protagonist, I wasn't a fan of Alvie right away. It took me a while to "get" her, but when I did (by 30% in or sooner), I was in love. She's clumsy but she's not lacking in self-confidence, which is key. She's not the typical nerd-protagonist that you've read before, though she may come across that way at first. So if she annoys you when you start reading, give her a chance. It's not that you grow to love her so much as you grow to understand her complexity and strength. She's never a weakling; she's pragmatic.

2. Certain things were too obvious. I won't say what because they might not be obvious to others. But with such a small cast of characters, it was very easy to see right away who was who. I wanted more of a who-done-it. I wanted to be surprised.

3. There were too many coincidences for my liking. I enjoyed all the tie-ins to the original series, but paired with point number 2, several events felt contrived. Oddly enough however, point 2 and 3 did not ruin the book. Even though I knew several things ahead of time, I still got caught up in the excitement of the story and was on the edge of my seat throughout the climax.

I really enjoyed the whole second half of the story in general. Not sure when the transition actually happened, but as I mentioned, my less than enthusiastic opinion of the protagonist and the beginning chapters of the book may have had something to do with what I had just finished reading: Glass Sword and ACoMaF. Either way, I enjoyed this book much more than I did either of those two, and I HIGHLY recommend it! It could work as a stand alone too if you've yet to read The Paper Magician series. I really hope Holmberg continues to write stories within this world because it's super fun and magical!

As with all her Holmberg's books, I read the book in one glorious day and was so sad when it ended. Although a spin off in the world of the Paper magician, the book stands alone. But you should read the trilogy too because it is beautiful. Back to this story, Alvie is an American student, recently graduated, who is assigned a famous polymaker (plastics magician) to apprentice with in England. What follows is Alvie's first year as an apprentice. She and Magician Praff work on developing some new spells and ideas to present at a magical world's fair of sorts. All sorts of drama ensues. There is a cute cameo by our main character from Paper Magician which was fun. And I won't spoil anything but one side character plays a central role with Alvie. I love this world, and the way I connect almost instantly to the characters. I will keep my fingers crossed for more books. On an aside, the about the author says that Disney bought the rights to the trilogy. That could be exciting!

This is truly one of my favorite series, and I am so happy I was able to read another story.

The Plastic Magician is a spin off, which takes place after the events of The Plastic Magician trilogy. I believe that you could read this as a stand alone, but wholeheartedly recommended doing the trilogy first.

We meet a brand new character ( Alvie ) who is leaving her home in Ohio to travel across seas to apprentice under the prestigious Magician Praff.

Magician Praff is a prior attendee of the Discovery Convention, where he gained lots of attention with his last creation. He’s been stumped for something to showcase this year, but as luck would have it, it seems like Alvie was just the person he needed to make things happen. Together they work on an invention that will shake the magical and medical world. However, there are issues that arise that no one anticipated, and Alvie’s got to find a way out of a very tough situation.

Alvie is an absolutely wonderful character. She’s smart, ambitious, confident (except when it comes to cute boys) and is a giant clutz. She’s adorable and everything you’d expect from a main character in this series. Magician Praff also amazed me. He is so supportive and attentive to Alvie, and I loved their dynamic together. The supporting characters that Alvie builds relationships with are adorable, I love her interactions with them.

For fans of the trilogy, this has everything you love about the series. There is magic, there is love, and there is mischief.

There’s also the painful feeling at the end that this simply wasn’t enough, and you need more!!