Old Magic
by Marianne Curley
Published by Simon Pulse on February 26, 2002
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 317
Format: Paperback
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Jarrod Thornton is mesmerizing, but Kate Warren doesn't know why.
The moment the new guy walks into the room, Kate senses something strange and intense about him. Something supernatural. Her instincts are proven correct a few minutes later when, bullied by his classmates, Jarrod unknowingly conjures up a freak thunderstorm "inside" their classroom.
Jarrod doesn't believe in the paranormal. When Kate tries to convince him that he has extraordinary powers that need to be harnessed, he only puts up with her "hocus pocus" notions because he finds her captivating. However, the dangerous, uncontrolled strengthening of his gift finally convinces Jarrod that he must take Kate's theories seriously. Together, they embark on a remarkable journey -- one which will unravel the mystery that has haunted Jarrod's family for generations and pit the teens against immense forces in a battle to undo the past and reshape the future.
Old Magic by Marianne Curley is an intriguing mix of a young adult fantasy with a hint of time travel.
Can Kate get Jarrod to believe in himself after all?
Kate Warren
Kate Warren is our first point of view person. She has had a tough life from the moment Kate was born to meeting Jarrod. Kate is an interesting character who was born with the ability to have magic. She loves this about herself and doesn’t care what everyone else thinks in their small mountain town. Yes, at times, the bullying sucks, but Kate has had sixteen years of dealing with it. Kate wants to help Jarrod as she knows that he has a lot of potential with his magic if he just believes, which is harder to get him to do.
What I like about Kate is that even though she has a lot of things going against her, she still believes in the good in people. Another thing that I like about her is that Kate doesn’t give up for anything to get someone to believe in themselves. Let it be because they are gifted with magic or to be more confident in themselves.
Jarrod Thornton
Jarrod Thornton is our next point of view person and Kate’s love interest. He is new to the small mountain town and, on his first day, encounters a bully. Jarrod’s life isn’t all that great with all the bad things that have somehow happened to him and his family so far. He doesn’t know what to think since he just wants an everyday life where he isn’t clumsy or anything like that. Granted, that is hard to come by as bad things just follow them all the time. Jarrod is a good guy who was dealt a bad hand from the moment he was born.
What I like about him is that despite his need for wanting to fit in, Jarrod tries his hardest to be around Kate. Another thing that I like about Jarrod is how protective he is of his little brother. The last thing that I like about Jarrod is that he might believe what Kate has been telling him all along.
Five Stars
I loved reading this book when I first got it back in high school. 2020 is Old Magic‘s 20th birthday year, so I felt I needed to re-read it. This book is fantastic, and I loved every minute of it. Ms. Curley got me to think about things that are a bit different, like in this book. Kate and Jarrod are two fascinating characters that have a lot going on for them. Another thing that I like about this book is that it takes a different approach to the seventh son thing as well.
I am giving Old Magic by Marianne Curley a five-star rating and recommending it to anyone that loves to read young adult fantasy with some time travel in it.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Old Magic by Marianne Curley.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
About Marianne Curley
I got this biography of Marianne Curley from her Goodreads account:
My first four novels, Old Magic, The Named, The Dark and The Key, were published by Bloomsbury Publishing in Australia, the UK, and the USA, with translations into more than a dozen foreign languages.
In 2004, just as The Key was being prepared for printing, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone marrow cancer called Myelofibrosis. With only a short time to live, I was given a stem-cell bone marrow transplant using my sister’s cells, which saved my life. I have now been cancer free for fourteen years and have written a new trilogy called The Avena Series. All three books – Hidden, Broken and Fearless were published between 2013 and 2015.
My latest book is The Shadow, the long-awaited and much anticipated fourth book in The Guardians of Time Series. The Shadow will be released in March 2018.
I am presently working on a YA paranormal/time travel story, and a contemporary novel based on real events.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
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