A Prophecy Fulfilled: The Bronze Key

A Prophecy Fulfilled: The Bronze Key | Review

12:01 am 24 September 2016

The Bronze Key: The Magisterium, Book 3 - Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Paul Boehmer, Listening Library

The camaraderie really clicks in this MG Contemporary Fantasy installment - just in time for things to really go sideways.

Students at the Magisterium are supposed to be safe. Under the watchful eyes of the mages, they are taught to use magic to bring order to a chaotic world. But now the chaos is fighting back. Call, Tamara, and Aaron should be worrying about things like pop quizzes and magic contests. Instead, after the shocking death of one of their classmates, they must track down a sinister killer...and risk their own lives in the process.

As Call, Tamara, and Aaron discover, magic can only be as good as the person who wields it. In evil hands it has the capacity to do immeasurable harm - unless it is stopped in time.

Buy Now | +Goodreads

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Source: I borrowed this book from the library and have added it to my Wishlist.

BOOK DETAILS:

The Bronze Key by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare, read by Paul Boehmer, published by Listening Library (2016) / Length: 8 hrs 30 min

SERIES INFO:

This is book #3 of the "Magisterium" series. There are expected to be five in total, with #4 & #5 (currently titled The SIlver Mask & The Enemy of Death) to be published in 2017 & 2018 respectively.

**This review contains spoilers for the previous book(s).**

SUMMARY:

This series is just getting stronger; and, although I continue to wish for more development of the side characters, Call is a current favorite protagonist.

This is a really fast read, with excellent pacing. And while I had correctly guessed who the spy was long ago, there was another secret revealed that completely surprised me.

As was revealed in various summaries, there are some deaths in this book; and while I was sad, the ending really left me excited for the next one.

CHARACTERS:

Callum Hunt: He starts the book in a really good place. He has accepted himself and no longer feels the need to evaluate his every action for potential evil overlordness.

That's not to say that everything is perfect in his life. He still feels insecure in his friendships, although they have moved beyond the conflict of the previous books. Even Jasper has ceased to be his nemesis and is officially labeled "frenemy."

WORLDBUILDING:

We only visit one new major setting in this book - the Collegium (where the students move on to after the Magisterium). But we also see some new places in the Magisterium and learn a bit more about the magical society, which is still a bit dystopian if you ask me.

PLOT:

I loved the beginning. Aaron is staying with Call this summer and it sounds like they really had a lot of fun. We get a bit of Tamara via phone. The catch-up/reminder stuff is well integrated. Call is a thinker and it was done via his thoughts, in a very natural way.

The end is definitely a cliffhanger that will leave you desperate for the next one.

HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS:

Robot wars.
They discourage a potential new roommate.
Call's disability continues to be acknowledged. Sometimes magic helps, but other times he has to let his friends do what he can't.

I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: The angsty "dating" & relationship stuff. It has never felt necessary to me. / Algae tea

NARRATION:

Character voices differentiated = Yes / Opposite sex voices acceptable = Yes. His voice is very deep, so the voices don't sound at all feminine but aren't falsetto or annoying. / Phrasing, Pacing & Pronunciation = Good / Emoting = Good. He continues to really capture the feeling of Call's story. / Speed = listened on 1.25, my usual.

BOOK DETAILS:

The Bronze Key (Magisterium #3) by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare, read by Paul Boehmer, published by Listening Library (2016) / Length: 8 hrs 30 min Buy Now | +Goodreads

Talk to Me (pretty please)

Who's your favorite snarky but not mean Middle Grade protagonist?

What's your opinion on romance & love triangles in MG fiction?

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