Hardcover, 288 pages
Published Aug. 8, 2023 by Del Rey.
Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children's program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.
But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who - or what - the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former circle of friends have.
Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it's been waiting for them all this time. Even though they …
Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children's program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.
But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who - or what - the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former circle of friends have.
Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it's been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven't seen each other for years, they somehow understand one another better than anyone has since.
After all, they're the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?
Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . .
While the book was an enticing read, I couldn't help but feel a little dissatisfied at the ending. I wanted things to wrap pin a different way, but maybe it was never going to be possible.
Take a moment to read the end blurb from the author. You can see the parallel as you read the book and most people would guess what it's about, but was still interesting to get confirmation.
4.5/5
This has been one of the strangest stories I’ve read in a while. It was so abstract and so creepy, like I couldn’t quite grasp the wrongness that was lurking within the words. It’s so hard to put into words how unnerved I felt reading it and yet I didn’t want to put the book down!
It really kept me guessing as to what was happening, how real were the horrors the characters faced? How much of it was a lie? How much did they lie to themselves? I did have a good idea before the end, and yet it still managed to surprise me. It was very well done, and it makes perfect sense when you read the final notes from the author at the end. It truly is a horror in many ways.
My only complaint was the too neatly tied up ending. I feel like there …
4.5/5
This has been one of the strangest stories I’ve read in a while. It was so abstract and so creepy, like I couldn’t quite grasp the wrongness that was lurking within the words. It’s so hard to put into words how unnerved I felt reading it and yet I didn’t want to put the book down!
It really kept me guessing as to what was happening, how real were the horrors the characters faced? How much of it was a lie? How much did they lie to themselves? I did have a good idea before the end, and yet it still managed to surprise me. It was very well done, and it makes perfect sense when you read the final notes from the author at the end. It truly is a horror in many ways.
My only complaint was the too neatly tied up ending. I feel like there was a lot of room to show that not everything ends happily, even when you try really hard. But maybe it’s better this way.
Overall, I really enjoyed the weirdness and even though not everything was answered and there were strange choices along the way it was a great book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the review copy!
