A Review of The Magicians' Guild

Adorned with maps and illustrations to set the scene prior to the commencement of the novel, Canavan quickly pulls the reader into her fantastical setting.

The plot of The Magicians’ Guild centers upon the character of Sonea, a young and feisty slum-dweller with a tough exterior, who is being raised by her Aunt and Uncle in the back streets of Kyralia. Sonea is likeable and down-to-earth, instantly drawing the reader in to her concerns and fears for her family. The plot begins as the government performs an annual cull of the slums, driving out all residents in order to ‘purify’ the city. Sonea is caught up in the rebellion which ensues.

The Fictional World of Magicians and Dwells

Kyralia is governed to a certain extent by a guild of magicians, who assist in the annual cleansing of the streets and also perform magical acts of healing and support to the kingdom as necessary. The magicians are not trusted by the rest of Kyralia, as their powers and removed status renders them an unknown quantity.

The magicians create a magical shield as the novel gets underway, and the slum dwellers protest in the usual way by throwing stones and other objects at the shield. The protest is more a display of anger than an attempt at violence, as the shield prevents any objects from reaching their target.

However, in a fit of anger, Sonea picks up a single stone and hurls it with all her pent-up rage at the shield. Shockingly, it penetrates and renders one of the magicians unconscious. She is spotted, but quickly runs away in terror having realised that she has harmed a member of the most venerated guild in Kyralia.

A Richly-Developed Plot

The novel really comes into its own at this point, as Sonea is pursued by the Guild, who are intent on catching the street urchin with untapped magical powers, who is strong enough to undermine their own defences.

With underground labyrinths, a myriad imaginary words and phrases which support the depiction of a fantasy world, and a superb plot, The Magicians Guild is a great read overall.

The characters of this novel are both believable and likeable. The created world does not jar, as Canavan takes the reader through her fictional world and draws us in to the plot. While comparisons with J.K. Rowling are inevitable, The Magicians' Guild more closely resembles Pullman’s Northern Lights trilogy. It is well written, well constructed, and leaves the reader craving the next book in the series.

Source:

Canavan, Trudi. The Magicians' Guild, Orbit, 2004 ISBN: 1841493139

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