#AusReadingMonth 2022 Tansy Roberts

• Author: Tansy Rayner Roberts (1978)
  
• Title:  Tea and Sympathetic Magic (pg 73)
  
• Genre:   novella
• Published: 2021
  
• Monthly plan
• #AusReadingMonth2021 @Bronasbooks
• #NovNov @746Books
• @bookishbeck
• #AWW 2021

 

Quick Scan:

1. Tea and Sympathetic Magic
   
2. Miss Mnemosyne Seabourne teams up with a fascinating
3. spellcracker Mr.  Thornbury to foil the kidnapping of the
4. Herny Jupiter the Duke of Storm
5. …and prevent a forced marriage.

 

Notes:

1. Strong point:
2. Ms Roberts use names
3. from mythology and the solar system for her characters!
4. Henry Jupiter  – is a very eligible bachelor, with grand library.
5. The planet Jupiter’s most iconic feature is a
6. giant STORM know as the Giant Red spot.
7. The Duke is wearing “…a bright orange cravat.” (pg 10)
8. …just like The Giant Red Spot on Jupiter!
9. Ms Roberts  uses this info to create
10. “Henry Jupiter, the Duke of Storm”.

 

1. Strong point:
2. Ms Roberts uses lovely names of moons for female characters
3. Moons circle planets…usually  men in society!
4. Mnemosyne – moon of Saturn
5. Europa – moon of Jupiter
6. Galatea – moon of Neptune

 

1. Strong point: Ms Roberts does highlight important issues
2. …that the main character Mnemosyne is passionate about:
3. A) Rules for men were different than for women...
4. Duke of Storm enjoys special rituals to meet his demands
5. “brimming cup of tea and does not have to wait 2 seconds”
6. ….and he had done nothing to deserve this attention. (pg 10)
7. “This is the world we live in: one where
8. B) Ladies traveled by the slow path,
9. …while gentlemen were allowed short-cuts.” (pg 17)
10. C) “No one should marry the wrong person.” (pg 39)

 

1. Weak point:
2. the title suggests “magic” but I was so
3. …disappointed.
4. The idea of a spellcracker…walking through portals, transforming
5. a ball into a prickly hedgehog to stop a wedding and throwing
6. tea cups at a wedding cake to release a captive wedding guest
7. …is NOT my idea of magic.
8. It is just not.

 

Last Thoughts:

1. I decided to read  this novella because I so
2. enjoyed Girl Reporter by Ms Roberts last year.
3. I missed a great story idea, a memorable main character
4. and unique writing style.
5. IMO this novella is like cotton candy
6. …sickly sweet, all fluff and just melts away.
7. #IAmNOTIntendedTargetAudience