The Magicians by Blexbolex, Karin Snelson
Published by Enchanted Lion Books on November 7, 2023
ISBN: 1592704042
Pages: 210
Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Magical Realism
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads

This stunner of a graphic novel is the story of three magicians who appear in a house after a mysterious absence and are immediately chased by a hunter and a mechanical lion, aka The Clinker. The magicians escape and scatter but are eventually rounded up after three separate adventures.

Blexbolex has created a visually arresting, captivating fairy tale that can easily be recommended to anyone. While it’s a terrific children’s book, the vintage story book style prints are beautiful enough to consider it an art book. It would be easy to get swept up in the images and ignore the text but that would be a mistake; the story is well written, witty, and magical, and uses phrases like “exasperating, long-reigning silence”, impudent companion”, and “thriving, exuberant mess”. The text is advanced, but the illustrations help explain the meanings of tougher words and will broaden vocabularies. A must have!

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath