This book had a fairytale like storytelling approach. It's about a magician who's telling the reader the story of his life. There's a princess, an adventure, and love, It seems like something I would like, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me. I didn't feel attached to the characters, though it was a quick read.

While I enjoyed the overall story being told, how it was told was unsatisfactory.

The writing felt juvenile and I understood what the author was meaning to do, but it didn't work for me.

The plot was slow and due to the childish behaviour by all characters, I found myself very disengaged and I didn't care about the characters or their stories.

I loved Anatole, Tullia, & Pito’s story. Holes was one of my favourite stories growing up, so it was an absolute pleasure to be able to read and review this. Whilst a vastly different story than Holes, it showed the incredibly versatile and incredible imagination of Louis Sachar. Once I was into this story I found it incredibly hard to put down.

I thing this was a nicely written story. It had elements of cozy fantasy and fairytale. I think the author did a nice job of developing the characters and making the story not too predictable which I enjoyed. She did a nice job of setting the scene and atmosphere of the story. For me this was a quick and cozy read. I am not sure how I felt about the ending though, it seemed like it came a little too quick. That being said I did still really enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy ready with elements of fantasy and fairytale.

This story felt unique and fresh, whimsical yet grounded, and I loved it. There’s a blend of dry humor, clever wit, and fantastical adventure that makes it feel timeless. It gave me the nostalgic feel of a lighthearted fairytale, something in the spirit of The Princess Bride.

When I first picked it up, I hadn’t realized it was by Louis Sachar—the same author who wrote one of my childhood favorites, Holes. To my surprise, this is actually his first adult fantasy novel, and I think he pulled it off wonderfully. It has the same playful spirit and knack for quirky characters that made Holes so memorable, but here it’s been matured into a whimsical-yet-thoughtful fantasy for adults.

I hope to see more from Sachar in this genre in the future.

***Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC copy.***

THE MAGICIAN OF TIGER CASTLE by Louis Sachar received a starred review from Publishers Weekly ("melancholy, heartfelt, and utterly immersive Renaissance-esque fantasy"). Yes, there is a sense of sadness and foreboding as a magician, Anatole, attempts to prevent unhappiness for two star-crossed lovers, a young apprentice scribe named Pito and a charming princess, Tullia. But the experimentation with various potions takes a long time and story dragged for me so it did not feel all that magical. Anatole was attempting to have the lovers lose the memory of each other and therefore their personalities seemed somewhat fragile, too, making it difficult to develop concern about their fate. This is Sachar's first attempt at a novel intended for adults; some read-alikes that came up on the library catalog which I would heartily recommend include The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater and The Emily Wilde series by Heather Fawcett. Plus, of course, there are numerous fabulous books by similar authors (like Carl Hiaasen, Jack Gantos, and Richard Peck) that adults will enjoy even if they are primarily intended for younger readers.

3.5 stars overall

This is a strange book. I kept wanting it to follow normal fantasy tropes and become predictable, but it was certainly never predictable. Some elements were foreshadowed but I was kept wondering what surprising thing would happen next. I suppose I like the straightforward and happier stories better, but I think this may be better-written than those. It takes craft to write something so interesting. I think I might read this again in a few years and find it has become one of my favorites, now that I don't expect a neat, perfectly happy animated-film-type ending.

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom in what is now southern France called Esquaveta. Back in those days, Tiger Castle was called Esquaveta Castle, or simply the Castle. (It did have tigers, though—captive ones, given as a gift and used to guard the moat.) The Magician of Tiger Castle begins in the modern day, as the titular magician Anatole, who has survived the hundreds of years since Esquaveta existed, listens to the inaccurate stories told to tourists about Tiger Castle. The real story, which happened 500 years prior and which Anatole goes on to recount, involves an arranged marriage, a defiant princess, and a daring escape—not to mention a good deal of magic (or alchemy, or science, whatever you want to call it).

Louis Sachar is best known for his young adult classic Holes, as well as his weird and wonderful Wayside School series. The Magician of Tiger Castle is billed as his first book for adult readers, but in all honesty there isn't that much to scare off precocious young readers. (Do precocious young readers still exist? I certainly hope they do.) In fact, the general contours of the plot—frustrated young royalty, star-crossed lovers, et cetera, et cetera—pretty much are a young adult novel. It's bald, beleaguered Anatole, with his immortal mouse and his array of urine cups (a necessity for any self-respecting magician in those days), who lends the novel its wry, mature tone.

Anatole is good company. He's thoughtful and deliberate, he cares deeply for Princess Tullia and her lover, the young scribe Pito, and his narration is often quite funny. (On Queen Corinna, who has a prominent scar on her cheek: "People said that it enhanced rather than detracted from her beauty, but they would have to say that, wouldn't they?") But he's a well-rounded character: flashes of old pompous self-regard creep into his narration from time to time, as when he humblebrags about being compared to Leonardo da Vinci, and there is often a heaviness about him. Here is a person who has suffered 500 years of heartache, none greater than his guilt over the fate that met his beloved Babette, a kindly lacemaker, when they were both young.

Which is not to say that this is a heavy, gloomy book. Yes, Anatole must magic his way out of a devil of a predicament: for the sake of their respective kingdoms, Princess Tullia is to be married to the monstrous Prince Dalrympl of Oxatania, who demands that Pito be beheaded at their wedding banquet. But there's a methodical pleasure to watching his process as he experiments with various ingredients to make potions, including daisy petals, blueberries, and a certain kind of mold called "dog vomit." (Apparently, it's less gross than it sounds.)

What makes it even more interesting is the way Anatole repeatedly emphasizes that scientific progress is not a straight line, and that olden times were not so backwards as we assume. He points out that modern hospitals will still occasionally use leeches, and claims that he almost discovered penicillin four hundred years ahead of schedule. (This, too, is an excellent character detail: is it his pride bristling at being overlooked by history, or is it his regret that he came close to discovering something that might have saved Babette and fell short?)

Of the other characters in the book, only gentle, brilliant, slightly daffy Pito rises above the archetypal. While the story is well-told, it doesn't necessarily surprise you, even as the main characters venture out from the castle into foreign lands (monasteries, brothels, things of that nature). It's the kind of book that might have been written at any time within the past hundred years. But of course, that's not such a bad thing, is it?

I found myself delightfully surprised while reviewing the list of notable Fantasy and Science Fiction releases of 2025 to see a book by Louis Sachar, of Holes fame, on the list. The Magician of Tiger Castle is an adult standalone historical fantasy (Sachar’s first) about a recalcitrant alchemist trying to potion his way out of a pickle. I was a big fan of Holes as a child, but my standards are quite a bit higher now than they used to be. I decided to give the book a whirl, but make sure to keep my nostalgia glasses off, and was delighted to find an odd but charming story of an ever-evolving problem and the grit and resolve to solve it.

Long ago and far away (and somewhere south of France) lies the kingdom of Esquaveta. Esquaveta desperately needs to forge an alliance to stave off its staggering debt and crumbling infrastructure. The king has arranged a marriage between the crown princess Tullia and an odious prince. However, one month before the “wedding of the century,” Tullia falls in love with a lowly apprentice scribe. The king turns to Anatole, his much-maligned magician (alchemist). The king orders Anatole to brew a love potion that will ensure Tullia’s compliance and forget about the scribe. This leaves Anatole with an impossible choice: will he betray his morals, ethics, and friendships to save the marriage, the kingdom, and his reputation? Or can he find a clever workaround that solves every problem all at once?

The Magician of Tiger Castle is simply charming. The narrative of the book is set up into these clever little bite-sized chapters that all follow a similar pattern. Anatole deals with a court that hates and doesn’t believe in him; he makes a brilliant breakthrough with his potion that gets him closer to his objectives, and a new barrier that must be surmounted pops up in response. The entire novel has the vibe of running in place at full speed, and instead of feeling stale, it gives the entire thing a sense of very fast pacing and consistent tension. Every chapter ends in a tiny micro cliffhanger and gets you further and further invested in the charming characters.

Anatole is delightful. He is a highly competent introvert with all the skills for political maneuvering of a tugboat without a rudder. His earnest disposition and mild cowardice make the direction of the plot hard to predict and make the entire novel feel constantly surprising and fun. Tullia and the scribe also continue to grow and evolve as supporting characters as the book progresses, drawing you increasingly into the outcome of the marriage conundrum. The villains feel ordinary in a way that makes them extremely grounded, but have personalities that make them fun to hate. The cast is small, but memorable.

The only place the book goes wrong for me is in the third act. After a very successful part 1 and part 2, the third and final phase of the book switches everything up for a new narrative structure, new setting, and new final conflict. There is nothing specifically wrong with the third act, but it lacks the charm of the first two and feels much slower-paced compared to the initial majority of the book. The result is an ending that feels a little disorganized and out of balance with the rest of the book.

Overall, I still had a delightful time with The Magician of Tiger Castle. It’s a nice short read that remained entertaining the entire way through, and it feels like it takes the beloved style of Sachar from Holes and evolves it to be more fit with an adult audience. Sachar definitely still has the chops to make great books, and I hope he keeps making more for myself and other readers to enjoy.

Rating: The Magician of Tiger Castle – 8.0/10
-Andrew

This was a quick and cute blend of fairytale and cozy fantasy, which should have been right up my alley, but I just could not get invested. While the characters were well-developed and the atmosphere of the story was wonderfully done, everything else just fell flat for me. I found the story a little boring and the characters mostly forgettable. Will still recommend to library patrons, especially teens looking to break into adult fiction.

Anatole, The Magician of Tiger Castle(hard from Ace) is really a herbalist with amazing potions, including one he is afraid to try that stops aging. The first tiger came to the castle in the sixteenth century as part of a dowry for a wedding to unite two kingdoms. Unfortunately Princess Tullia has fallen for an apprentice scribe. A memory potion is the obvious answer but that takes time and the bridegroom, soon to arrive, wants the scribe beheaded. Louis Sachar complicates Anatole’s problems again and again in this warm fantasy told by Anatole in today’s world. This is a loving tale filled with warm tears. Recommended.

This fantasy story follows Anatole, a court magician from the kingdom of Esquaveta, who looks back on events from 500 years ago while visiting the famous Tiger Castle in modern times. Through his memories, we learn about dramatic events like the Whispering King, a queen who murdered one king to marry another, and a princess kidnapped on her wedding night. Anatole tells the story from his own point of view, adding humor and personality, especially since he’s not the typical hero—he’s bald from a failed experiment and often finds himself in embarrassing situations.

While the story is fun and creative, it can feel a bit scattered. The events are connected but don’t always flow smoothly, which made it harder to stay engaged. The book might be more enjoyable on a second read, especially once you understand how the beginning ties into the rest. Fans of the author of Holes may notice a familiar storytelling style, but this book has a different tone. Overall, it’s a memorable tale, even if it didn’t fully click the first time through.

I’m…actually not sure of the point of this book. It was well written, but…Huh? I’m fairly confused as to what I was supposed to get out of this story.

I’ve loved Louis Sachar’s books since I was a little kid, and I’m so grateful he’s still writing! Everything we’ve come to expect from Sachar—the warmth, the humor, the tenderness, the offbeat magic, and the genuine affection for his characters—is here. This novel is the best kind of comfort food and, in fact, I’m sad that it was so quickly paced and I finished it in just a few days. Fingers crossed there are more Sachar books for adults in the future!!

a cozy lil fairy tale. I liked it a lot but was disappointed by the abrupt ending. It felt true to life in many ways, but that's what disappointed me. I wanted a happier, tidier conclusion than what we got. Still, everything leading up to the end was very enjoyable. Anatole is a surprisingly captivating narrator. I really loved his little asides and his relationships with Tullia and Pito.

A solid adult debut although the tone does feel like it leans more towards YA at times. Overall, an easy cozy fantasy with some humor thrown in and the commentary on historians through the ages and the differences in time periods was fun. Despite the lightheartedness, there are some questionable themes at times, particularly around consent and women, and it's unclear if those parts are supposed to lean towards satire or social commentary. Will be recommending this to readers of cozy fantasy, Travis Baldree, and Caitlin Rozakis.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
Like a lot of other readers (it seems), I love Holes, and was excited to see the author publish an adult book, but...it doesn't really read much like an adult fantasy book. It's quite, I guess, dry.
The protagonist turns out to be an immortal (?) former palace wizard, and he wants to tell his life story. There's a damsel in distress, a villain, a deserving lover and lots of mysterious potions. There's also a lot of asides from the narrator concerning history, culture and wizardy stuff that I found really instrusive and that I didn't think added to the narrative.
For me, once the initial damsel rescue was accomplished, the rest of the book just seemed to not have a point, although it does bring the reader full circle into the present day. It was fine, I was just hoping for more.

3.5 stars. This book was a cute fantasy read, with some likable characters, a tiny bit of magic, and a pretty predictable ending. The narrator and main character, Anatole, is the king’s magician and runs into several predicaments where he’s asked to make potions that go against what he thinks is best. He takes matters into his own hands and chaos ensues. I felt the ending was predictable, but it was a cute read.

Read very YA, possibly high school.

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this copy of the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It has been a long time since I’ve ready Louis Sachar (not since I ready Holes in probably middle school), but he is just as enjoyable today as he was then! Sachar’s adult debut reminds me of The Princess Bride. The characters are quirky, loveable, and funny. Anatole, the titular magician, has endearing relationships with both of our main love interests that made my heart happy. The storytelling was both casual and captivating, like a bedside story told to us by our dear old grandpa. Do not deprive yourself of this treat!

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the advance copy!

The Magician of Tiger Castle is a beautifully written cozy historical fantasy, full of magic and political intrigue. Anatole is the court magician in the kingdom of Esquaveta, whose perspective we hear the story from. His once great reputation has crumbled due to multiple failures, however Princess Tullia still believes in him. Anatole is faced with a difficult decision when he is ordered to brew Tullia a potion to make sure she marries a prince she isn't in love with. His character is incredibly nuanced and well-developed. Tullia's relationship with Pito was likewise well developed and complex. Their love was built on shared intellectual interests and beliefs which was refreshing. Overall, this read was whimsical and somehow felt nostalgic. My sole wish is that the tigers featured a bit more prominently.