Review: The Magician’s Daughter by Katy Grabel

Synopsis

A memoir of Katy Grabel’s coming-of-age behind the scenes of her father’s traveling magic show in the 1970s.

My Review

I think the word that best describes this memoir is “charming.” It’s a sweet and wholesome story of 14-year-old Katy’s experiences on the road with her family’s magic act, and everything about it is charming. Her dad is adorable, though intense and obsessive about his work. Her mom is admirable in her longsuffering support of her husband’s dreams. Teen-Katy is innocent and a touch naïve about what’s happening around her, but adult-Katy writes her with compassion and kindness, which keeps her teenage angst from becoming annoying. And the family’s adventures on the road are fun to read, while Katy’s revelations about her father’s tricks are absolutely fascinating. It’s a joy to read.

If it sounds like there’s a “but” coming, there is and there isn’t. This is a delightful memoir, period. Those who would love to know the inside details of how magicians pull off the seemingly impossible will learn a lot here, and not in a way that will destroy the thrill of magic. Personally, I’ve always loved to know magicians’ secrets. I’m more impressed when I know how they’re doing it and still can’t see them do it, you know? This memoir really scratched that itch for me. And like I said, the family adventures on the road are lots of fun to read about. Katy was right when she believed the most interesting things about the show were happening behind the stage rather than on it.

My personal “but”

The only problem for me was… I’m so intensely not interested in anyone’s coming-of-age, and this memoir leans heavily on that aspect of Katy’s adolescence. A lot of people enjoy coming-of-age stories, so don’t let my aversion put you off reading this book. I just felt that Katy’s fascination with her blossoming body and her crush on one of the boys working for her father took over the narrative a little too much for my taste. Your mileage may vary.

Conclusion

Overall, I really enjoyed this family road trip. Poor Lee really pulled at my heartstrings. I know how it feels to have a big dream that never seems to want to come true, no matter how hard you work towards it. I guess you just have to learn to appreciate the journey.

Pre-order The Magician’s Daughter now on Bookshop.org* (Release Date: May 13, 2025)
*As an affiliate, I will receive a small commission from any purchase made through this link.

Many thanks to NetGalley for granting me early access to an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!