Book (audio) 4: Magisterium by Jeff Hirsch

I wanted to like this book--a blend of Sci Fi and Fantasy--perfect for this teacher!  Earlier this year I read the Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi and it has elements similar to what was described in this book.

Sadly, I was not impressed.  I did listen to this as an audio book, so I wonder if I would feel differently if I read it myself.  It was hard for me to remain in the story and I was often bored.  If I had read it myself, I would have likely skimmed much of the story and finished it quickly.  There were so many points of disconnect that I struggled with the story line itself.  Without giving anything away, Glenn, our main character, is just not believable.  She is able to achieve moments that do not make sense for the character depicted from the beginning.

The positives:

• The two different "sides" of her planet (Colloquium and Magisterium) are enticing and crafted well.  I found myself pulled into the Magisterium, enjoying the space that was almost Colonial in nature.  The Colloquium was not developed as much in the writing, but the idea of two entirely different worlds existing on one planet is one that I stand behind (similar to Under the Never Sky).
• I like magic in stories.  Who doesn't?  I want to believe that magic exists and that the wizarding world of Harry Potter is hidden just out of sight.  So, magic is a plus.
• The writing had moments of beauty.  There were several points in the story where the author successfully created the mood that he intended.

The negatives:

This list has the potential to get pretty ugly, so I'll only write as many negative points as I did positive.  That means three.

• Glenn and Kevin--our main characters.  I did not like them.  Glenn makes idiotic choice after idiotic choice.  For someone who is supposedly an intelligent young woman, on the verge of excelling beyond many her age, she seems almost moronic in her naivete.  Kevin is at most, a shallow inconvenience.  Sure, it's clear he likes Glenn, but he is annoying and frustrating.  He's also completely full of himself and thinks that he can lie, etc. to get his way.
• The holes in this story line are too much for me.  It's one thing to get sidetracked and leave something out here and there, but this book is so full of lackluster attempts.  It's as if he wrote everything he thought the first time and didn't think to go back and put in any sort of explanation--especially surrounding Glenn.
• The magic.  Yes, it is a positive (I love magic!), but Mr. Hirsch uses it to explain so many pieces of the plot (reference point above) that it becomes tedious.

I haven't read The Eleventh Plague and it is on my to read list so I hope it sits with me easier.  I really do think that this is a really interesting concept for a plot, but I think it wasn't nurtured as much as I would have liked.