4/5

I picked this book up on a whim during a sale an am so glad I did. Ceony Twill has just graduated from her magical prep school and begrudgingly enters the apprenticeship of a paper magician whose ex-wife is up to something sordid. Steampunk and spectacularly events unfold.

- The magic system is wonderful. Though we really only get to see one or two aspects of it, the idea of a mage being bonded to one type of material (in Ceony's case paper) is very interesting and I love how the author interpreted the abilities.

- The characters are okay and interesting enough. I felt very little for the main protagonist who flits between sullen brat, dribbling fool and spirited maiden. However, her master we get to learn about in depth and I enjoyed the way we explored him intimately.

- Some of the lines in this book were spot on and motivated some existential introspection about the nature of a person, what makes them good or bad and the nature of love. These lines sprang out from the prose and I enjoyed them very much.

This was a fun and surprisingly deep little book. Good for those who like steampunk, interesting magic systems and a good old existential crisis.