Melissa Keil’s The Secret Science of Magic is a unique and compelling twist on the typical romance novel. Shift away from the typical “quirky” star-crossed lover archetypes, Keil has created the kind of relatable and complex character that exist in real life, but rarely ever play a starring role in the media.
Sophia is so much more than a child prodigy – Keil lets the readers see the struggles “gifted” students often go through regarding their social lives, relationships and fears about the future. Sophia’s intelligence often seems like more of a curse than a blessing, as her logic-based way of thinking means she has a hard time empathising with people. Kiel’s writing makes it clear that Sophia’s problems won’t magically disappear if she falls in love, but it does show how the right person should be able to support her through her struggles.
Josh is not the average love interest. He’s nerdy, loves magic, and doesn’t know where his future is headed. While he feels a connection with Sophia and tries to impress her, he never tries to force himself on her and he does his best to understand her boundaries. He’s a refreshing break from the suave, over-confident guys that are usually the focus of young adult novels.
While initially Josh sees Sophia as a romanticised version of herself, he’s interested in her because he likes her eccentricities, not because he wants to fix them. Their romance is beautiful and unique because neither of them are forced to change their nature in order to make the relationship work. The novel focuses on the two getting to know each other, not rushing into a relationship that acts as a solution to all of their problems.
The Secret Science of Magic is a sweet and heartwarming love story that puts focus on the people behind the romance. Kiel gives us characters that are wonderfully flawed, and we love them for it. They represent real teenagers, not the glamorised versions the media shows us that don’t actually exist in real life. Characters like Josh and Sophia should be celebrated, and used as examples.
For anyone who loves fairy tales with a twist, the Rondo series is the perfect way to escape to a world of magic and mystery. Rodda creates a new layer to the classic formula, drawing from familiar characters such as evil queens, talking animals and mythical creatures, but the addition of two protagonists from the …
Take Three Girls is the collaborative effort of YA writers Cath Crowley, Fiona Wood and Simone Howell. It follows the lives of three boarding school girls as they find themselves under attack from a cyber bullying presence and form an unlikely friendship. `The novel covers all the intricacies of female friendships in a way that [...]
A Curse of Ash and Embers follows Elodie, who is sent away from her stepfather, mother and siblings to work at Black Oak Cottage. But as Elodie journeys there, she will discover that she is working for a mistress named Aleida, who is left to care for the house after the passing of Gyssha Blackbone, …
An exploration of both time-travel and identity, Allison Evans’ Ida is a beautifully diverse and emotional story that I feel I’ve been waiting to read long before I knew it existed. Time travel is usually a hit-or-miss for me, but the reader learns about Ida’s powers more or less at the same pace as she [...]
A Map of Days continues Ransom Rigg’s macabre and masterful Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children book series, with the aforementioned novel being the fourth in the series. The novel follows our protagonist Jacob once again, who is sent on a murderous road trip in order to complete his late grandfather’s work and rescue a …
If you’re a fan of the recent film version, Riggs’ debut novel is a must-read. His engaging writing transports you into his gothic and fantastical world, combining imagery and expression to make it difficult to put down. The voice of the protagonist, 16-year-old Jacob Portman, is full of personality and is relatable to anyone who …
Book Review – The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil
Sophia is so much more than a child prodigy – Keil lets the readers see the struggles “gifted” students often go through regarding their social lives, relationships and fears about the future. Sophia’s intelligence often seems like more of a curse than a blessing, as her logic-based way of thinking means she has a hard time empathising with people. Kiel’s writing makes it clear that Sophia’s problems won’t magically disappear if she falls in love, but it does show how the right person should be able to support her through her struggles.
Josh is not the average love interest. He’s nerdy, loves magic, and doesn’t know where his future is headed. While he feels a connection with Sophia and tries to impress her, he never tries to force himself on her and he does his best to understand her boundaries. He’s a refreshing break from the suave, over-confident guys that are usually the focus of young adult novels.
While initially Josh sees Sophia as a romanticised version of herself, he’s interested in her because he likes her eccentricities, not because he wants to fix them. Their romance is beautiful and unique because neither of them are forced to change their nature in order to make the relationship work. The novel focuses on the two getting to know each other, not rushing into a relationship that acts as a solution to all of their problems.
The Secret Science of Magic is a sweet and heartwarming love story that puts focus on the people behind the romance. Kiel gives us characters that are wonderfully flawed, and we love them for it. They represent real teenagers, not the glamorised versions the media shows us that don’t actually exist in real life. Characters like Josh and Sophia should be celebrated, and used as examples.
Related Posts
Book Review – Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda
For anyone who loves fairy tales with a twist, the Rondo series is the perfect way to escape to a world of magic and mystery. Rodda creates a new layer to the classic formula, drawing from familiar characters such as evil queens, talking animals and mythical creatures, but the addition of two protagonists from the …
Take Three Girls – by Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell & Fiona Wood
Book Review – A Curse of Ash and Embers by Jo Spurrier
A Curse of Ash and Embers follows Elodie, who is sent away from her stepfather, mother and siblings to work at Black Oak Cottage. But as Elodie journeys there, she will discover that she is working for a mistress named Aleida, who is left to care for the house after the passing of Gyssha Blackbone, …
Book Review – Ida by Allison Evans
Book Review – A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs
A Map of Days continues Ransom Rigg’s macabre and masterful Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children book series, with the aforementioned novel being the fourth in the series. The novel follows our protagonist Jacob once again, who is sent on a murderous road trip in order to complete his late grandfather’s work and rescue a …
Book Review – Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
If you’re a fan of the recent film version, Riggs’ debut novel is a must-read. His engaging writing transports you into his gothic and fantastical world, combining imagery and expression to make it difficult to put down. The voice of the protagonist, 16-year-old Jacob Portman, is full of personality and is relatable to anyone who …