Where the Regency Fantasy Series Ends Well

The Mislaid Magician; or, Ten Years After by Patricia C. Wrede
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Last of the series. It ends well.

This story takes place after the main characters--two couples--have been married for ten years, having a bunch of kids. Although they're minor characters, the kids add quite a lot to the story, a lot of interest and unique plot points, so I like it.

It's the same kind of story as the first two, a sort of genteel magical adventure, taking place in a magical version 19th Century England. Like the first two, there's a mystery that must be investigated, leading to some pretty real adventure, though much of the action and dialogue is still very Austen-like. (Which is cool.) If anything, I thought this was the most interesting of the three books, with the danger to the children providing additional emotional impact that paid off. (The kids' magical map and other magical shenanigans were fun.)

The only thing I didn't much care for is the format. The whole series is told in the form of letters, which is interesting at times, and was kinda fun in the first book, but I feel like it spoils the drama and tension too often. I got pretty weary of it, TBH. ("Your kids are fine, but let me tell you the crazy stuff that happened to them yesterday" kind of gives the action away.) I still liked it, but I was wishing I could read it with more straightforward kind of narration.

Despite that preference, I enjoyed the book and series enough to recommend it for all readers of Austen-flavored Regency fantasy, especially those that prefer them to lean toward the cozy end of the spectrum.

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