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Elika has always feared the ominous Bridge that spans the chasm from the city of Terren to the Deadlands. The Blight, a terrible curse that tuns all it touches to dust, is said to be Magic’s revenge on the world of the living after it had been expelled to the Deadlands; and until the Bridge is destroyed, then the Blight will continue to ravage the land until everything is completely destroyed… But almost every day, at least one hopeless soul takes their chances with the Bridge. That choice of a slow, painful death due to starvation and hypothermia or a quick demise as they’re turned to dust at the Bridge’s apex. A choice few make it all the way across the Bridge, only to be turned into some sort of phantom, moving inexorably slowly, further and further away from the end of the Bridge until they fade away completely. Then, one night, in a fit of inexplicable rage at the Bridge, Elika stabs it, and for the first time in the Bridges history, it is wounded. And hysteria ensues as the people of Terren become fearful that a powerful mage is prowling their streets, and is ready to bring the Blight down on them all…
The Bridge to Magic has that familiar, much loved trope. A young person is found to have a form of magic, and is almost instantly feared or reviled. They have to fight for their family and friends to be safe. Magic is banished in some way, or outlawed. However, what The Bridge to Magic also has is a unique perspective – that people have the choice to cross over towards the Magic, and not everyone makes it. It’s powerful imagery of people making a choice that no one should ever have to make; a choice of how they die; making this book not only thought provoking, but also frighteningly close to the bone for too many people in the world today.
If there was one thing that Thornbury could do to perfect Elika’s story, it would be to cut out the repetition. If the backstory of the Bridge is mentioned once, it’s mentioned a thousand times more. The reader understands the situation, they don’t need to be reminded two pages later. It makes reading The Bridge to Magic somewhat clunky and frustrating. And it’s not just the Bridge’s history that is repeated over and over again; it’s Elika’s back story too. Yes, we need to know her circumstances – but not to be told the same point over and over. However, this is a small criticism in an otherwise enchanting novel.
S. A.
First published on Reedsy Discovery as part of their ARC program. You can the original review here.
You can buy The Bridge to Magic by clicking on its name.