- May 29
- 5 min read
H.G. Parry's The Magician's Daughter completely swept me away.
Blending historical fantasy, Irish folklore, found family, and coming-of-age storytelling, this is exactly the sort of novel that reminds me why I love fantasy in the first place. It captures a sense of wonder that feels increasingly rare, while still grounding its magic in deeply human relationships and emotional truths.
Set in 1912, the story follows Biddy, a young woman who's spent her entire life on the hidden island of Hy-Brasil. Raised by the magician Rowan and his rabbit familiar Hutchincroft, Biddy has known little of the outside world beyond the books she reads and the stories she imagines. When Rowan disappears during one of his mysterious journeys, she's forced to leave the safety of the island and venture into a world filled with secrets, danger, and long-forgotten magic.
What follows is part adventure, part mystery, and part coming-of-age journey, all wrapped in an atmosphere that feels wonderfully timeless.
One of the greatest strengths of this novel is its cast of characters. Biddy is an easy protagonist to love. She's curious, compassionate, intelligent, and brave without ever feeling unrealistically capable. Despite growing up in isolation, she approaches the world with an openness and sincerity that makes her instantly engaging. Watching her encounter new people, challenge long-held assumptions, and gradually discover her own strength was one of my favourite aspects of the story.
Rowan is equally compelling. As Biddy's guardian, he's protective and devoted, but also deeply flawed. Much of the emotional weight of the novel comes from the evolving relationship between the two of them as Biddy begins to realise that love and honesty aren't always the same thing. The book handles these family dynamics with remarkable warmth and nuance.
And then there's Hutch. I absolutely adored him. Rabbit familiars aren't something I knew I needed more of in my reading life (and in my actual everyday life), but Hutchincroft quickly became one of my favourite characters. He's loyal, stubborn, protective, and often unintentionally funny, and he brings both humour and heart to the story. Every scene involving Hutch was a delight.
The setting is equally enchanting. Hy-Brasil feels like a place lifted straight from folklore. Hidden by magic and filled with strange creatures, ancient ruins, and lingering enchantments, it possesses the kind of atmosphere that makes you wish you could step inside the pages yourself. When the story moves into England, Parry successfully balances that sense of wonder with the realities of early twentieth-century life, creating a world that feels both magical and believable.
I also appreciated how much substance sits beneath the adventure. The novel explores questions of power, responsibility, belonging, and forgiveness. It examines what happens when institutions begin hoarding resources for themselves and how fear can be used to justify control. At the same time, it remains an intensely personal story about family, trust, and learning that the people we admire are often far more complicated than we realise.
Another aspect that stood out was the absence of a central romance. Rather than focusing on romantic relationships, the emotional core of the story rests firmly on family, friendship, loyalty, and personal growth. It was refreshing to read a fantasy novel where those relationships were given room to shine.
The pacing is relatively gentle compared with many modern fantasy novels. Readers seeking relentless action may find it slower in places, but I found the quieter moments to be among the book's greatest strengths. They allow the characters to develop naturally and give the emotional moments the space they need to resonate.
Parry's writing is beautiful throughout. The prose carries a classic fairy-tale quality while remaining highly accessible, and the storytelling balances whimsy, danger, humour, and heart with impressive skill.
By the time I reached the final pages, I wasn't ready to leave these characters behind. This book is a magical, heartfelt adventure filled with memorable characters, rich world-building, and genuine emotional depth. Readers who enjoy historical fantasy, Irish mythology, found-family stories, magical creatures, and character-driven adventures will find plenty to love here.
This was a thoroughly captivating read from beginning to end, and one I would happily recommend to fantasy readers of almost any age.
Book Details
The Magician's Daughter — H.G. Parry
Paperback ISBN 978-0356520315 (Orbit UK/Australia edition; varies by region)
Hardcover ISBN 978-0316383707 (Redhook US edition; varies by retailer and region)
eBook ISBN 978-0356520308
Genre Historical Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Coming-of-Age Fantasy, Adult Fantasy, Literary Fantasy
Subgenre Folklore Fantasy; Historical Fantasy; Fairy-Tale Fantasy; Mythic Fantasy; Magical Realism-Adjacent Fantasy; Gaslamp Fantasy Elements
Tropes / Literary Threads Found family; magical guardian; orphan protagonist; coming-of-age journey; hidden magical island; secret past; magical companion animal; rabbit familiar; mentor with secrets; chosen child narrative; magical conspiracy; quest to save a loved one; sheltered heroine enters the wider world; Irish folklore; Celtic mythology; fading magic; magical council corruption; power hoarding; institutional control; family secrets; trust and betrayal; parent-child relationships; emotional maturation; hidden identity; magical artifact; reluctant heroism; friendship and loyalty; female self-discovery; folklore creatures; magical England; found courage; sacrifice and redemption; magical rebellion; good versus authority; magical coming-of-age; belonging and identity; wonder versus cynicism
Publisher Orbit (UK/Australia) / Redhook Books (US)
Series Standalone
Formats Available Paperback, Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Audiobook Narrator Mhairi Morrison
Release Date 28 February 2023
Page Count Approx. 400 pages (varies slightly by edition)
Setting Hy-Brasil (mythical island off the coast of Ireland); London, England; 1912
Primary Setting Details Hidden magical island concealed by enchantments; ancient castle ruins; wild forests; magical creatures; Edwardian London; Whitechapel streets; underground magical locations; Magicians' Council headquarters; secret magical pathways; early twentieth-century England during a period of social and political change
Main Characters Biddy; Rowan O'Connell; Hutchincroft (Hutch); Morgaine; Storm; Vaughan Carlisle
Mythological & Historical Influences Hy-Brasil legend; Irish folklore; Celtic mythology; Tuatha Dé Danann mythology; Edwardian England; women's suffrage movement; early twentieth-century social reform movements
Major Themes Found family; forgiveness; parental love and sacrifice; power and corruption; freedom versus protection; trust and deception; growing up; identity and belonging; institutional control; scarcity and hoarding of resources; responsibility; courage; grief and loss; preserving wonder in a changing world
Content Warnings Violence; magical violence; death; imprisonment; emotional manipulation; parental abandonment themes; grief; peril involving children; fantasy horror elements; threatening creatures; moderate gore; discussions of power abuse
Comparable Titles The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis; Stardust by Neil Gaiman; A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross; The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill; The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry
Ideal Readers Readers who enjoy historical fantasy, Irish mythology, folklore-inspired fiction, found-family narratives, character-driven fantasy, magical coming-of-age stories, whimsical fantasy with emotional depth, and stories featuring memorable animal companions.
Danielle Robinson is a literary critic and writer whose work explores literature through the lens of atmosphere, memory, culture, and emotional experience. Holding a double degree in philosophy and theology, she combines academic insight with a deeply refined aesthetic sensibility shaped by more than three decades working across the creative industries as an internationally published, multi-award-winning makeup artist, fashion stylist, and interior stager.
She reads widely and rigorously, reading and reviewing more than 200 books each year as both an ARC reader and commissioned critic. Through Silk & Sentences, Danielle approaches literature as something immersive and lived with — not simply stories to consume, but works that shape the way we think, feel, and move through the world.
She writes from her rural Queensland home, where she lives with Alex, her husband of 33 years, their dog Oscar, and an ever-growing library of books.
Comments