The Last Magician

It became so clear that Lisa Maxwell is a skilled writer. She wove a tremendous story with plenty of twists to keep me turning the pages. She made me care about what happened to the characters, leaped through the time continuum, and provided a bit of humor along the way. The ending didn't surprise me, but it was fulfilling nonetheless. At times, I felt lost as she switched settings/characters often then tied it all back together eventually. My ONLY criticism was the entire read didn't feel like YA. Esta read more like an older woman, as did Harte. I kept trying to imagine teenagers doing the things they were doing, but that aspect didn't work for me. Lisa placed them into adult situations where they definitely acted like adults. This isn't a huge problem because it makes the novel universal. Most will enjoy it anyhow like I did. If you like mystery, romance, intrigue, and a fantastic setting in the Gilded Age of New York, this book is for you. It read like a major TV show like Gotham. I look forward to the next book!

Suspense. Magic. Twists.
The Last Magician takes you to another world full of different characters. The time travel element is so exciting to experience through this story. My 13 year old daughter read this book over and over again because she is absolutely in love with it! Then we read it together and I'm in love with it! This story is great for teens and adults! The twist at the end was so freaking good! I mean it was really really really really really really freaking amazing!! Mind blown. I highly recommend this book if you want to escape into another world.

What’s not to love? Urban fantasy, a twist on magic, Gilded Age New York, and some extremely well-developed characters. While the author introduces a lot of new terms, and the plot felt a little slow at times, definitely stick with it as the world-building is worth the wait. That plot twist at the end! Can’t wait for The Devil’s Thief to be published just so I can keep following the characters. Definitely shipping Esta+Harte. As with any time travel storyline, it can be a little confusing on what happened and when it happened—> the whole time paradox issue. Semi-spoiler: I was confused at the very end of the book due to this issue, but I’m sure once The Devil’s Thief comes out it’ll make more sense.

The Last Magician tells an adventurous tale of a thief, a magician, and a very important book whose possession will determine the future. I went into this intrigued about Esta, a thief who can travel in time, and was not disappointed as I learned more about her story and her adventures which just happen to include time travel and heists. The story takes place for the most part in 1902 New York which felt dark and gritty full of gangs and danger. I was pleasantly surprised by a couple of plot twists, and really enjoyed getting to know the characters. I felt they were well developed and relatable. I really enjoyed learning their secrets as the book went on. Can’t wait to see what happens next!

I can see why THE LAST MAGICIAN is a NYT bestseller! In this atmospheric YA fantasy featuring time travel, both the past (New York in 1902) and the present are richly imagined, and the world building is superb. With a fabulous cast of characters each with their own secrets and agendas, grand heists, magic, and plenty of twists and turns, this book grabbed me from page one and kept me turning pages until the very end. I highly recommend it!

I don't have a lot to say about this one. It was very well written and had an amazing premise. However, the plot was predictable and terribly drawn out. (It is a 480+ page novel, and it should/could have been 300 pages so.) There were a few twists - some I saw coming and a couple that literally just felt thrown in for "fun" or to fill-in plot holes. Speaking of plot - it was all rather anticlimactic in the end.

I absolutely loved this book. This was a breath of much needed creative fresh air. Loved the NYC setting, the time travel, the magic. At times I thought wow the author did SO MUCH research to get all those facts straight, and then I remembered, oh it's fantasy. Super convincing world and I loved so many of the characters: Esta, Harte, Viola, even Dolph. I savored the pages and was sad when it ended.

This is without a doubt the best book I have read all year! The premise of magic and deception drew me in, while the fascinatingly intricate plot kept me hooked.

Lately, I have found that I am able to guess the ending of a book around half way through. While I had my suspicions about The Last Magician, I ultimately had no idea what was going to happen. It was thrilling and well written from beginning to end

Bravo Lisa Maxwell!

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher at ALA Annual 2017. This is an honest review.*

The Last Magician is a story where some people are born with magical abilities, and they have all been trapped in New York by a group of people who want to harness magic themselves, but think that natural mages are a danger to society. It’s an interesting alternate history that weaves ideas of magic and time travel in the setting of New York city. Simon & Schuster dropped this at ALA Annual, and I almost didn’t pick it up because my bag was so full, but the cover was gorgeous and after I read the description, I just had to read it, and I’m glad I did!

This novel is long, but it’s a page-turner. I love how Maxwell switches between different people’s perspectives so that the story is portrayed as a whole — it made it incredibly immersive, and I felt like I was part of the world she created. The characters are amazingly complex and wonderful; even after taking a break or putting the book down, I felt as if Esta and “The Magician” were right there with me, which I haven’t experienced from a book in quite a long time. (Admittedly, that was partly due to the characters and partly due to the amazing worldbuilding in the story.)

The time travel aspects were interesting, because Esta comes from a modern day time, but most of the plot takes place in turn-of-the-20th century New York, so she has to face sexism and that gives her a bit of a challenge in trying to prove herself to some people. I like how that issue was brought up, since it was definitely a problem during this time, but the protagonist is smart enough not to confront it directly; she tries to fit in and doesn’t make a spectacle of herself.

While I genuinely enjoyed this book and think that the worldbuilding and characters were fantastic, the ending disappointed me; I felt like the story was working up to this incredible climax and resolution, but unfortunately, both of those fell flat. It wouldn’t have been such a letdown if this book weren’t so long and if the story didn’t take its time getting to the finale. I’m for sure hoping for a sequel, because I think that there is far too much development not to have more action or story attached to these characters. It’s definitely still worth a read for fantasy and time travel lovers, but try not to set your expectations too high.

Really enjoyed this YA book. Really cool magical concepts, from The Brink and The Order all the way to mageus users. My heart broke for Esta and Dolph at times as well as I was swept away with Esta and Darrigan's attraction. All in all a great book with loads unputdownableness.

I absolutely loved this book! The plot line was one I've never read before and the progression of the danger and twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat! Esta is a great and strong character with extraordinary abilities. I loved all the characters except for a few lol! Especially the Magician! He's something else!

I found the characters quite charming and the romance between the characters to be fun and sweet. Originally took me a while to get into the storyline but soon, I was hooked. I cannot wait for the next book to come out and see what the characters do next. Overall, a fun enjoyable read and I would recommend it to both teen and adult readers.

4.5 stars! This was a really enjoyable read with magic, heists & time travel! It was a bit slow at times but that didn’t deter me from continuing reading. There were a lot of twists I didn’t see coming and I love when that happens! I also enjoyed all of the characters epically the MC and her love interest. There was a definite spark between them but it was slow building and I can’t wait to see what becomes of it in the next book!

Overall it was a really well written book that had an engaging plot and characters that I really enjoyed! Looking forward to The Devil’s Own!

This was definitely one of the best books I've read this year. I've been anticipating it since I saw that gorgeous cover and now that I've read, I have to say that it was definitely worth the wait! It had time travel, heists, awesome characters, and of course New York~

It's a huge book but I was so engrossed I finished it all in one day. It was so good I couldn't put it down. There were many twists, both expected and unexpected. I really loved Esta. She was such an interesting and badass character. And Harte! Can I just say that I heart Harte? :D The way their relationship developed was really well done. And the ending just about killed me!! I need the next book now!

I listened to the audiobook version of THE LAST MAGICIAN and enjoyed it so, so much! Complex characters, wonderful world building, an awesome magic system, and time traveling! I loved how Maxwell wove in nuanced details that really brought the story to life and delivered a heart-stopping end. It was a fast-paced, intriguing read, and I can't wait to read the sequel!

Wow where to begin- the reveal at the end of the book is mind blowing and at the same time maddening because the resolution will only occur at the end of the series. Looking forward to more adventures with Esta, Jianyu, Harte, Viola and Mr. Lachlan.

I really enjoyed this book! Time travel is one of my favorite topics to read about and I especially loved the magical elements added to it. We really get to see the "magic" of New York City in a new light. I did get a little bit confused towards the end and we're left with sort of a cliffhanger. Hopefully, ​there is a sequel I would definitely pick it up.

Read this book!!! This is easily one of the best books I've read in a very long time. I was lucky enough to get an ARC at an event, and as soon as I finished I preordered the official one.

The story is so gripping and well written I couldn't put this book down. It combines so many elements, from time travel to magic to heists, but they all blend together seamlessly. It never feels overwhelming or lacking, too fast or too slow, and it feels 100% real. The characters are well developed and realistic and the world feels as though you could walk into it.

The sequel can't come out soon enough!

I absolutely love this book. I felt that the character development throughout the story for Esta was fantastic and how she slowly realize everything wasn't as it Seemed was Really fantastic in my opinion.

I also really enjoyed the setting I typically don't read time travel books that take place in America at Least, so this was really refreshing and the setting was dark and rough and real. I loved the writing style most of all. tbh.

overall this story was an amazing ride to be one and i cannot wait for the second book!

This is the sort of story I never want to end, so now I'm sad that I've finished it so quickly. I loved everything about it and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a magical tale. Beware that in this story, the magic is not quite like what we're used to reading about. Give it a read, and I'm sure you'll agree.

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell is definitely not what I expected... It was even better!
Lisa's writing transported me to the 1900's, giving me a clear picture of what she wanted to portray.
The writing is so magical I couldn't put the book down and ended up reading it in two days.
Time travel has always been a favorite of mine and it was just so wonderfully woven in the story. There's plot twists within the plot twist and I didn't see most of them coming; I absolutely love it when books keep me on the edge of my seat.
And Esta and Harte... I couldn't get enough of them! I simply can not wait until the sequel comes out!

This book was great for fans of Six of Crows. I didn't see that ending coming and the whole thing blew my mind! I'm not normally a fan of time travel in books simply because I'm terrible with keeping track of dates, but this book does a great job of not bouncing around. You time-hop a few times but you're always there for long periods. I love the characters Maxwell creates and the feel of the world. I recommended this to my dad and he LOVED it. We're anxiously awaiting the next one.

Wow this is such an amazing story. Wonderful writing, intricate storyline, great character development. Expect a cliff hanger. A lot of questions will be answered, but more questions will arise. The book is SO GOOD!!

I didn't read the synapsys, just picked up the book because I liked the cover and saw it on Instagram. I really liked The Last Magician. Time traveling suspense, a lot of action and a little love. Story building was perfect.

This one was of my favorite reads of 2017. It has magic, time travel, thieves and heists, and gilded age New York. The characters felt well rounded and likable. The magic system was really interesting, especially with two warring magic using groups, the Order and the Mageus. This book was just so good that I've been trying to push it into the face of my friends who have yet to read it and tell them I won't hang out with them until they do. So to the person reading this, just buy a copy so you too can enjoy this marvelous feat of a book.

This book will take you on a wild ride! I loved being immersed in 1902 NYC and seeing all the gangs and politics. You don't need to love fantasy or historical books to enjoy this one, but lovers of those genres will definitely want to check this one out. Can't wait for the next one!

I can’t think of any words to describe how much I enjoyed this book. It was quite an adventure. I love the characters and love/hate the villains (such cool villains, I hate their treachery and think they’re amazing all in the same thought). It’s unpredictable! Can’t wait for the next book!

Turner is an engaging writer. She could probably write a recipe that would keep your attention. However, the story she develops here entirely lacks a satisfactory conclusion and the beginning of the book seems more pretentious than challenging. If one knew Lucy as a real person, she'd be frustrating as her story bounces too often to maintain rapt attention. Still, if you've nothing else to read soon, it's not the worst book to spend time reading and there are some interesting viewpoints to be shared with the characters.

I read The Last Magician because I found Orpheus Lost hauntingly lovely and profoundly moving. The Last Magician feels like a much earlier novel written with a self-consciously literary style that precociously interferes with the narrative at times, with a feel of pretentiousness and sophomoreishness.

But I'm back to try another because even though it taxed my patience to get through intrusive allusions, The Last Magician held a true and complex vision, hard to encounter but compelling to read.

One of the best book's I've ever read! The story is intriguing and keeps you engaged the whole way through. I love the author's writing style. The whole book has a rhythm to it that makes it really easy to read. I would recommend this book to anyone!

This rating is PURELY for the audio version because of the Narrator. I couldn't even finish the book because the narrator had very oddly placed inflections in her sentences. She made basic sentences sound earth shatteringly dramatic and it was too distracting.

Everything about this book is amazing. Characters, setting, plot, story telling, THE COVER! This book is getting a 5 star rating from me 100% and I’ll be diving into The Devil’s Thief very very very soon.

You know it's a good book when your mind is continually shouting "oh god oh god oh god" throughout the whole story. Great characters and REALLY fun plot to follow. Seriously, my heart was pumping fast nearly the entire time.

The prose and plot of this story are by far the most difficult of any of hers. It took me 3 tries to get through it but was well worth the effort as usual. Take it someplace where you will have lots of time and relaxation to concentrate. As with all her stuff you'll feel disturbed and unsettled afterwards. Then you'll take it too your friends and say "just stick with it"

Fabulous!
The twists and turns of this story had me hooked from the beginning. I don't want to spoil anything but if I could be Esta in a next life I sure would be! One of Maxwell's best books in my opinion!

This book is SO GOOD!!! Esta's adventures in old New York had me on the edge of my seat and literally kept me up until 2 AM reading. This book was a real page-turner with some great twists and memorable characters. I can't wait for the next one!