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Will Do Magic for Small Change

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( 387 ratings, 135 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Cinnamon Jones aspires to perform like her famous grandparents, but her theatrical talents are limited. Her family is shrouded in secrets, especially after her brother’s death leaves her with The Chronicles of the Great Wanderer, a mysterious tale connecting a Dahomean warrior woman and an alien at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. When violence strikes her family, Cinnamon and her theatre group set out to unravel hidden truths, blending magic, history, and alien science in a quest that intertwines her past and present.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers who enjoy richly layered speculative fiction that blends history, mythology, and social themes. Fans of inclusive fantasy featuring multicultural perspectives and complex family mysteries will find this work especially engaging.

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A tale of alien science and earthbound magic and the secrets families keep from each other.

A tale of alien science and earthbound magic and the secrets families keep from each other.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

"A beautifully multifaceted story... Highly recommended." - The New York Times

Cinnamon Jones dreams of stepping on stage and acting her heart out like her famous grandparents, Redwood and Wildfire. But she's always been theatrically challenged. That won't necessarily stop her! But her family life is a tangle of mysteries and secrets, and nobody is telling her the whole truth.

Before her brother died, he gave Cinnamon The Chronicles of the Great Wandererβ€”a tale of a Dahomean warrior woman and an alien from another dimension who perform at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. They are a story of magic or alien science, but the connection to Cinnamon's past is unmistakable.

When an act of violence wounds her family, Cinnamon and her theatre squad determine to solve the mysteries and bring her worlds crashing together.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The New York Times praises it as a "beautifully multifaceted story...with deep, layered, powerful characters." Daniel JosΓ© Older calls it "a heartbreaking, game-changing, life-affirming, truth-telling powerhouse." Publishers Weekly notes its celebration of West African culture, art, and love beyond binaries, while BuzzFeed highlights the book’s "glittering West African magic" and unforgettable creatures. Sheree RenΓ©e Thomas emphasises Hairston’s breathtaking vision weaving history, mythology, and contemporary issues with lyrical language.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781250808745

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 August 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: St Martin's Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 37.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 207.0mm

Weight: 387g

Pages: 464

About the Author

Andrea Hairston is a novelist, essayist, playwright, and the Artistic Director of Chrysalis Theatre. She is the author of Redwood and Wildfire, winner of the 2011 Otherwise Award and the Carl Brandon Kindred Award, and Mindscape, shortlisted for the Phillip K Dick and Otherwise Awards, and winner of the Carl Brandon Parallax Award. In her spare time, she is the Louise Wolff Kahn 1931 Professor of Theatre and Afro-American Studies at Smith College. She has received the International Association of the Fantastic in the Arts Distinguished Scholarship Award for outstanding contributions to the criticism of the fantastic. She bikes at night year-round, meeting bears and the occasional shooting star.

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