Series ✦ Penny’s Take
Magic Or Madness
Justine Larbalestier · 2005
83/100
👍 Worth It
The central magic system — use it and shorten your life, refuse and go insane — gives this YA fantasy a moral weight that most books in the genre don't attempt, and Larbalestier's Australia-to-New York cross-continental structure keeps things fresh. An Andre Norton Award and ALA Best Books recognition confirm this is craft-level work, not just a competent genre entry. Parents of younger teens should note the animal sacrifice reference, but for readers 13 and up this is the real thing.
✦ Penny’s Take — this is The Review Group’s own editorial assessment. Penny’s analytical review line researched this book from real sources and scored it across the lenses shown below. It’s an honest first-party read — not a page-by-page personal one. The gold ✓ Penny Tested mark is reserved for books Penny reads cover to cover herself.
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Show the math
Verdict receipt0–100
safety72
substance82
craft85
originality88
accuracy85
hype85
age-fit82
human-eye86
Penny’s verdict83
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