The Last Magician

by Janette Turner Hospital

Book Overview

The Last Magician is about power and betrayal, sexual obsession and social ostracism. At its center is Lucy, a good girl and a whore, whose nights are spent in a kaleidoscope of identities as she dons the masks her customers demand. Charlie is a photographer, filmmaker, voyeur, and the last magician--monitoring Lucy, piecing together the splinters of evidence surrounding the death of a child and a murder that happened half a lifetime ago. A New York...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039332527X
• ISBN13: 9780393325270
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

One of my favorite books

I bought this book as a mass market paperback - I am not even sure why it was in the bookstore, since I'd never heard of the author before - and have read it at least a dozen times. A few other reviewers said it was confusing, but I found it fascinating. The author presents the story in pieces and readers have to put it together for themselves - that's why it's worth at least a second reading. Also, the book is really more magic-realism than mystery, and people who want a unambiguous ending probably won't like it, as the loose ends in this book trail past the finale. Very much worth reading if you enjoy puzzles and ambiguity.

Disturbingly emotional, clings to ones mind...

When I finished this book, I was plagues for weeks afterword by its haunting feeling and amazingly real characters. Thats something that impresses me about Hospital, she writes with such feeling, the characters just would not leave my mind. Sometimes, however, the emotion overtook the evolution of plot, and I must say I was disappointed by the ending. But if you give this one time and are open to it, it will take you on a trip. Masterful prose.

If you can read this you can read anything.

The prose and plot of this story are by far the most difficult of any of hers. It took me 3 tries to get through it but was well worth the effort as usual. Take it someplace where you will have lots of time and relaxation to concentrate. As with all her stuff you'll feel disturbed and unsettled afterwards. Then you'll take it too your friends and say "just stick with it"