brought to you by OBS staffer Annabell
Synopsis: In the Praesidis Series, two girls discover their true identities, and try to live the life they thought they were destined for. They soon learn that they were never destined to become anything at all. They are left to decide their own destinies, while still trying to save a universe on the verge of war. They meet people along the way who change the way they see the world, in a positive or negative way. The Praesidis Series is ultimately about the spider-web of fate. Through the series, the girls discover how every decision around them–small or big–affects everything they stand for.
Review:
Magicus Catonium is the first book to the Praesidis Series. Two fourteen year old girls, Anna and Ria, start on a journey to correct the damage done to Magicus Catonium. They discover a world full of magic and beauty, full of wonder and terrifying danger. Anna and Ria attain great abilities through the their journey to find their true identity and befriend interesting characters such as the wizards Ricky and Leon. They face many battles, not all of them ending in victory. Through their journey, they discover great new friends, worlds, and even some romance.
Magicus Catonium is very rough around the edges. The book starts off slow and takes some time to want to get invested within the story. Certain parts of the book also feel dragged out, both in dialogue and minor details. I found my mind wondering at times and had to force myself to continue to pay attention to what I was reading. I didn’t really believe Anna and Ria’s acceptance of the new world they are thrown into, it felt too quick, too washed over. Anna and Ria seemed to act more like over grown toddlers at times instead of fourteen year olds. Many of the characters don’t seem to well developed which caused me to get annoyed with many of them. I was also annoyed with the fact that Anna and Ria seemed to trust people too easily.
But Magicus Cantonium has it’s upsides: I did love the fact that the girls could conjure food by a plate. I would love to be able to just think of my most favorite foods and have them appear whenever I wanted! Yum! The tight and unbreakable friendship between Anna and Ria is an element of the story I appreciated. I enjoyed reading the character of Marn, the water nymph. She is gentle, sweet, and pure.
Magicus Catonium isn’t going to be in everyone’s taste. You will either like this book or hate it. I’m somewhere in the middle, I had moments of enjoyment and some of exasperation. Magicus Catonium is a book that’s a little tough to get into, but if you give it a chance you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. I was! As the old saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover,” and in the case of Magicus Catonium, don’t judge a book by the first chapter.
To find out more information on The Praesidis Series or the author Udita Plaha, go to: http://thepraesidis.com/
