Louis Sachar won me over with the classic children's book HOLES, so I figured a fairy tale by this author would be just as good. Unfortunately, the straightforward narrative and compelling simplicity of HOLES are not in evidence here. So many details, flashbacks, plot complications, and magic spells obfuscate the simple tale of a princess who falls in love with the wrong man and the beloved magician who must create a magic spell to spare her from an arranged marriage to an evil prince.

Oh, there is much to love about this novel - Anatole and his little white mouse! The princess as a child, lurking in Anatole's lab, befriending the mice, enjoying the camaraderie and devotion of this old man. The mouse almost steals the show, surviving the centuries with his seemingly immortal magician friend.

The chemistry between Princess Tullia and the lowly scribe, Pito, could have been more inspiring.

The trials and travails of Anatole are heartbreaking--not just the loss of his true love, but his long-lasting punishments, and the distorted tales that surround him.

One great aspect of the novel is the Point of View of an old, old man, visiting a historical site where he once reigned as the magician of Tiger Castle, knowing how the stories told by the tour guide are all skewed. One downside of the novel is that it becomes confusing, as the narrative alternates between the old man listening to the tour guide and the younger man reliving the story of the Magician of Tiger Castle.

As the truth unfolds, I'm outraged and wishing for justice, but the final scene is so sweet, it makes up for the weaknesses of the story. The mouse alone brings this rating from three stars to four.

I love Anatole. It's Tullia and Pito and all the bags of sand that never get turned into gold and all the long, detailed scenes that kept this from being a 5-star novel for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC, and YES, I do recommend this story, despite what I see as weaknesses. eview/show/7651372965

This book is such a quiet gem. If you grew up on Holes and wondered what a grown-up Louis Sachar story might feel like—this is it. The Magician of Tiger Castle has all the quirky charm and emotional depth you'd expect, but wrapped in a beautifully bittersweet fantasy for adults.

Princess Tullia is clever and brave, the kind of character you instantly care about, and Anatole? He’s a total underdog—awkward, misunderstood, and trying so hard to matter again. The story is full of heart, a little bit of magic, and a lot of moral gray areas (in the best way). There's forbidden love, crumbling kingdoms, and tough choices that don’t have easy answers, but it still has that spark of whimsy and weirdness Sachar does so well.

It’s romantic, a little sad, kind of funny, and quietly magical. If you like character-driven stories with old-school fairy tale vibes and emotional weight, this one totally sneaks up on you in the best possible way.

This was such an interesting read! The story and perspective follows Anatole, an immortal ‘magician’, as he looks back on and tells a story from earlier in his life. The story we read about is what sets the stage and the history for Tiger Castle. This takes place mainly in the past but the added moments of Anatole in the future really help to see just how much has changed. I typically don’t enjoy multiple times but I loved how it used to support this story.

This was such a fun take on magic. Anatole is supposed to be this amazing magician and help his failing kingdom but more often than not all of his ‘spells’ constantly fail. Instead of true fantasy magic we instead get a wonderful mix of the whimsical and science. Which was very unique and refreshing in my opinion. I loved reading about Anatole’s experiments and potions throughout the book. But the characters have to be the best part. You of course have Anatole but we also see princess Tullia and scribe Pito. Their love story is really what forms the base for this entire book. Tullia and Pito’s forbidden romance leads to heartache, mischief, war, friendship, schemes, adventure, and lots of magic.

Overall I really enjoyed this story and thought this was a great adult debut for the author! I loved the history mixed in throughout the story and all around this turned out to be a fun read with some action and great cozy fantasy vibes. I’m hoping to see more adult books from the author!

A charming but not terribly original fantasy novel by Louis Sachar, author of many wonderful YA novels including Holes. A beleaguered alchemist uses his chemical knowledge to save the princess, thwart the evil invading kingdom, and live happily ever after.

I, along with countless other American children, read Sachar's most famous work, Holes, over and over. When I saw his very familiar name on Netgalley about a month ago, I immediately requested a copy of an ARC. It really didn't matter what sort of book it was, I knew that it would be good. And how right I was!!!!

If you're looking for a book that feels like a classic fantasy fairy tale combined with a modern sensibility and practically zero romance -- this is the book for you. It reminded me a great deal of The Princess Bride and of Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart series. The Magician of Tiger Castle doesn't take itself too seriously -- hence the familiar feeling of The Princess Bride. It's got a lot of humor in it, but some very good teaching moments as well. This is labeled a book for adults, but I see of no reason why anyone older than 13-14 couldn't read it and enjoy it, too.

Our main characters are Anatole, Princess Tullia, and Pito. Anatole is the POV character throughout the entire book -- he's an immortal alchemist/magician and he's the one telling us everything about his time at Tiger Castle. Anatole has a sense of humor, too. Sachar is a wonder at making you feel as if these are real people, with real (albeit fantastical) problems. We are an audience to what happens when our Princess falls in love with someone entirely unsuitable despite being betrothed to someone else. Anatole has to choose between forcing her to fall in love with her (awful, cruel) betrothed or make her forget the young man she has fallen in love with entirely. It's a conundrum, and it is extremely entertaining to read about.

If you like fairy tales, stories about magicians and princesses and karma, well, pick this one up, would you? Four and a half extremely large stars.

This is one of those books I became fully immersed in because the writing was just so good. It always amazes me when an author can fully flesh out characters without me even noticing it happening.

Although this is classified as an adult book, there was nothing too disturbing or inappropriate. I don’t want to say too much about the story because I don’t want to give anything away, but the book had an adult fairy tale feeling that I loved. It was a complete story—not the first installment in a series with no resolution.

I feel like I should be gushing more about the characters. I’d definitely read any book that continued the story of any of them.

I was very excited to receive this as a pre-publication copy. I’ve loved Louis Sachar since reading the Wayside School books (multiple times) to my children.

Louis Sachar’s first book for adults is a delightful cozy historical fantasy with a witty and endearing narrator who takes us on a wild adventure through the ancient kingdom of Esquaveta and beyond involving a magician with no real magic, a hapless king and queen, a horrid potential arranged marriage, and two young lovers. Interspersed with commentary on the modern era, the story has wonderfully developed supporting characters and a wry narrative voice that one will recognize more from the Sideways Stories books than Holes. Highly recommend!

‘The Magician of Tiger Castle’ really took me on a wild ride, but in a good way.

When people usually talk about cozy reads, it’s about the laid-back adventure. The low stakes. Simple world-building that doesn’t leave your head spinning after the first few chapters. This story is familiar to us readers who devoured Holes and Wayside Story books, but completely different. Like snuggling up to your childhood stuffed animal that you haven’t touched in twenty-something years. That sort of cozy.

The world-building is immersive from the jump. We’re thrown across timelines, from the present to the past, but it blends so nicely that it doesn’t confuse the reader. Immediately, you’re placed in a palace with a glass elephant, tigers, medieval devices, scientific magicians, and a doomed wedding.

The characters always remain true to themselves. I didn’t read a single page where suddenly their actions shifted, or they spoke in a way that didn’t fit the character. Anatole, Tullia, and Pito are lovable in their own ways. And that’s what makes this story great. (We can’t forget Luigi here, either.)

Despite this book containing nearly 70 chapters, it goes by so fast that I regret binge-reading this book. Although most chapters are only a few pages long, it’s easy to tell yourself, ‘just one more chapter’. The pace is quick, and I never found myself bored with how the story was playing out or skipping paragraphs. If anything, I selfishly wanted more.

Needless to say, I loved this book. And I will admit that the ending was so sweet that I did tear up a little bit.

Louis Sachar has done it again, ladies and gentlemen. He’s grabbed our attention and written yet another classic.

At first, I rated this book a 4 out of 5 stars, but really, it’s a 5 out of 5.

** Thank you so much to Net Galley for allowing me to read the ARC version of this story.**

The Magician of Tiger Castle
4/5 ⭐️

This was an absolute delight! It felt like a fairy tale but with a narrator that had a bit of snark to him (which I’m a big fan of!)

I feel like it’s safe to say the world is collectively a big fan of Holes, so imagine my joy at reading Louis Sachars first adult novel!

Though it’s labeled as an adult novel, this is definitely appropriate for most teen and up audiences!

Anatole is a dorky court physician that everyone believes is a magician (though he does do the impossible on more than one occasion so…) and the story follows him as he tries to save the Princess Tullia and Pito from a horrible fate!

*spoilers*

I loved that, following his memory potion, Tullia and Pito still find their way back to each other. It felt very sweet and I wasn’t expecting it.

I could have done for more stories of the 400 years we don’t see but perhaps there will be another book (or perhaps not)

Either way, this was a very fun and magical read. It felt like being a kid again!

This was an absolute delight! It was like a grown up fairy tale and was very refreshing. I thought this was creative and fun. This is one that I would buy for my high school library as I think it would also appeal to teens.

The first adult novel by the author that gave us Holes!! This was a bit historical, a bit fairy tale and magic. I really enjoyed the narrator's perspective. I would have really liked a longer book telling of the 400 years between the story and current.
Definitely would recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC

As a teacher I have a healthy amount of love and obsession with Louis Sachar. I’ve read Wayside School to various students throughout the years and each time it is a true joy.

So when I heard he wrote an adult cozy fantasy novel I jumped at a chance to read it. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC just in time for summer break.

Anatole, our main character, and narrator is a castle magician with a huge choice to make. This delightful tale is told in first person is creative, witty, and pulls at heartstrings. I felt like it should have been predictable and yet there were twists and turns.

This definitely has Sachar’s writing voice. And yet when reading it you definitely get a sense of who Anatole is and 100% believe he wrote it.

Some extra things about this book that were delightful: 1) the relationships to Tullia and Pito. 2) all of the historical logic applied. He did his research and it shows. 3) the love of tea and eventually coffee. (I related to that personally). 4) Harwell.

When I saw Louis Sachar had written a book for adults I knew I had to pick it up. I grew up adoring his work, still remember the plots of his books fondly, and have always happily recommended his work to young readers. This book did not disappoint! It's a charming read, mostly historical fiction with the smallest sliver of fantasy, focusing on events in a fictional European city state surrounded by other fictional, and real, places. The characters had depth, of course, and their challenges were engaging. I will be telling my friends and coworkers who read Sachar's work as kids about this book.

I found this book to be an interesting read. The main character was very human, and while they are a coward, they are a good-hearted coward, and they suffer for their choices. I found the writing to be engaging and the story to be creative. The world-building was interesting, but not the main point of the story. If you have an interest in history, this is a good read.

Very interesting story. I found reading it very easy, relaxing, and enjoyable. It was like sitting with a friend over cappuccino and croissants, listening to him retell his past escapades. I’m glad that I was able to read an advanced reader copy of this book and I’m more than happy to leave my review.

As some that grew up with the Wayside school books and the love for the book of Holes I happy for in my adulthood to be another story brought to us by Louis Sachar.

If I had to place it, genre wise it is in the category of cozy fantasy. For this being Sachar's first adult novel it a solid read and I enjoyed how I was able to just disappear into it for a couple hours.

4.5-4.75 stars rounded to a 5.

I *LOVED* this. Everyone remembers Sachar from Holes (which, fair) But *I* am a true pioneer who remembers him from his Wayside School series AND THIS IS THAT BUT FOR ADULTS. I no joke think about the Wayside School series "life lessons" wittily snuck into the pages at least once a week like 25 years later, and now I am THRILLED to add the Magician of Tiger Castle into that category for the next 25, at least. My big advice? Go in with as little foreknowledge as possible. It's a ride, a bop, ~a journey~ that you'll be so happy you took!

The first thing that readers will wonder is if this is like Holes. It is not, and is also not as clever as Sachar's masterpiece. However, it is a cozy fantasy that will appeal to many, and is refreshingly free of cynicism. This will be a popular and accessible read.

The Magician of Tiger Castle
Louis Sachar
I always enjoy when a childrens/young adult author does the crossover to adult fiction. They always seem to get the right amount of whimsy with complex situations, and this was no exception!
I love stories about magic, it was there; stories with darkness and light. Unique & endearing characters, just enough cleverness and humor and a story that kept me turning the pages!
Bravo Louis Sachar! I hope he will continue to entertain and delight us adults who love fairy tales!
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the privilege of reading an ARC of this book.
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A cozy fantasy novel with Louis Sachar's classic humor. Anatole is hairless magician who is tasked with getting the princess to fall out of love with Pito, a lowborn scribe, so she can proceed with her arranged marriage to a prince. The tone still feel a bit YA with the digression in the story, but it is winsome story.