As readers, we’re always on the prowl for those “great reads” and sometimes amazing books appear to us just when we stop looking. This happened to me with “Wild Magic” by Tamora Pierce. I found this gem in the “Take one leave one” bookcase at Friend’s Cafe. After quickly looking it up online for a brief synopsis, I took it home. Later, I found out that it’s actually an oldie published back in 1992, way before I was born. It’s also the last in The Immortals saga she wrote about these talented magicians and strange, legendary creatures.
Just as the title gives away, it’s about a complete different kind of magic apart from those incantations and typical witchcraft or mage-craft. The protagonist, Daine, exposes us to this wild magic that, in simple words, lets her become one with all animals. It lets her communicate with any animal, even the “immortals” like griffins, dragons and even the kraken. Even though “Wild Magic” has only ten long chapters for its over 250 pages it was fast paced to me. This book felt like a movie for me since it achieves a perfect balance between descriptions and actual action sequences. If you’re a Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones or Narnia fan, I recommend this book.
I’m an animal lover and with her story, Pierce amplified that in me. Having finished “Wild Magic”, I all but ran to my kitties and started talking to them wishing I could communicate with them like Daine does with her pony Cloud. It touched my soul how they referred to the animals and people that they were supernaturally linked to as “wolf-sister,” “horse-hearted,” and “wing-brother.” The final chapter and epilogue marked a big difference for me, because Daine found herself with her life changed completely in a positive way. When I finished “Wild Magic”, I had tears in the brim of my eyes. I felt overwhelmed with a pure, organic feeling and I just thought that if the majority, if not all people read things like this, felt and thought things like this, the world could be a harmonious place.
“The older woman sighed, ‘We share this world, Daine. We can’t hold apart from each other — humans and animals are meant to be partners. Aren’t we, Tahoi?’ The dog wagged his tail. ‘He knows. He saved my life, when my husband left me to die. I’ve saved his life since. He can’t cook or sing, and I can’t chase rabbits, but we’re partners all the same. The Riders’ ponies are full partners with their master. They have to be, and that’s what I train them to be, so everyone has a better chance of surviving.”
Just like the dedication by Tamora Pierce on which she wrote, “who opened my heart to the songs of all beasts.” This book did that for me as well. I can only hope that it will do the same for you.