Hirsch's brisk, concept-driven second novel (after The Eleventh Plague) features a dystopian future world divided into two realms. After a mysterious "Rift" event, half of Earth appears to have turned into a wasteland; meanwhile, science has advanced tremendously in the "Colloquium," where 16-year-old Glenn lives with her father. Glenn's mother vanished when Glenn was a young girl, and her father has devoted himself to tinkering on an apparently useless invention ever since. Then he reveals to Glenn that everything she knows about the Rift is a lie, and that the laws of physics can be subverted on the other side; only his invention can protect travelers who cross the borders between worlds. After the military attempts to claim the discovery, Glenn and Kevin, the love interest she holds at arm's length, escape to the Rift, where they discover a fantastical kingdom in chaos. Though the nature of the book's science and magic may be a bit vague for some readers, Hirsch keeps the action rolling nonstop. Fans of dystopian adventure will find familiar, yet gratifying thrills with a touch of glamour. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger. (Oct.)
Magisterium
Narrated by Julia Whelan
Jeff HirschUnabridged — 9 hours, 15 minutes
Magisterium
Narrated by Julia Whelan
Jeff HirschUnabridged — 9 hours, 15 minutes
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Overview
Sixteen-year-old Glenn Morgan has lived next to the Rift her entire life and has no idea of what might be on the other side of it. Glenn's only friend, Kevin, insists the fence holds back a world of monsters and witchcraft, but magic isn't for Glenn. She has enough problems with reality: Glenn's mother disappeared when she was six, and soon after, she lost her scientist father to his all-consuming work on his mysterious Project. Glenn buries herself in her studies and dreams about the day she can escape to the cold isolation of a research station on 813, a planet on the far side of the known universe. But when her father's work leads to his arrest, he gives Glenn a simple metal bracelet that will send Glenn and Kevin on the run, with only one place to go. The other side of the Rift will bring truths about what really happened to Glenn's mother, and will put them at the center of an age-old struggle between two halves of a divided world.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE"THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE hits disturbingly close to home, vividly depicting a world that has nose-dived into a futuristic nightmare. . . . An excellent, taut debut novel." --Suzanne Collins, author of THE HUNGER GAMES"Sure to be a hit among fans of dystopias." --BOOKLIST"An impressive story with strong characters." --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gr 6–9—It's been 100 years since the Rift that devastated half the planet, killing millions and leaving much of the Earth a wasteland. The government warns against crossing the border to the other side of the Rift. Glenn Morgan, 16, has no desire to explore a wasteland. Her interests lie in outer space, where interplanetary travel is now possible. Glenn's carefully made plans are dashed when her father reveals that her mother, who disappeared ten years ago, is actually trapped on the other side of the border and he has invented a device that will help them get her back. Glenn is certain her father is delusional and, in trying to get him help, inadvertently brings the mighty forces of the Authority after them. In an escape attempt, Glenn's friend Kevin is shot and they are whisked across the border by a mysterious and deadly being. All of Glenn's closely held beliefs are challenged as she is taken deeper into the Magisterium, a place where affinity (magic) rather than technology rules. Julia Whelan gives a solid performance, though Hirsch's dystopian novel (Scholastic, 2012) doesn't reach its potential. Whelan deftly voices multiple characters, and her youthful voice is particularly strong as Glenn, who is desperate to get her life back to the way it was before entering the Magisterium. Though plenty of action keeps the story moving, inconsistencies in the plot, characters, and world-building will temper listeners' enjoyment.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL
What could have been an interesting exploration of the conflict between science and magic instead devolves into a choice based simply on who has the bigger bombs. Sixteen-year-old Glenn is a genius computer engineer torn between the desire to travel into deep space and the need to care for her increasingly unstable father. Perhaps it's this tantalizing beginning that creates such disjunction once this tale turns out to be just one more story of a chosen girl with an inborn destiny. It seems that the Rift that destroyed so much of Earth in the year 2023 wasn't a natural phenomenon after all. Instead, deep in the Rift lies a magical land, the Magisterium. There, quelle surprise, Glenn learns she has a dark magical heritage. The land calls out for a savior, but whom can Glenn trust? While she deals with her own developing magical powers and the possible betrayal of Kevin, her best friend and erstwhile beau, Glenn fights in a sudden and fairly inexplicable war that has descended upon the Magisterium. In fantasyland, Glenn's apparently genius-level skills at engineering lie undeveloped and unmentioned. Even her name changes, the "Glenn" (perhaps evoking astronaut John Glenn) replaced with the over-the-top fairy-tale name "Glennora Amantine." "You're a scientist," Kevin tells Glenn. "Tell me you don't want to understand...." Would that she did, but there's no thoughtful consideration here. Rushed worldbuilding and romance by peer pressure undercut any excitement the occasional battle might engender. (Fantasy. 12-14)
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940171262761 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Scholastic, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 10/01/2012 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
| Age Range: | 12 - 17 Years |
Read an Excerpt
From Magisterium“Glenn! Glenny! Wake up!”Glenn opened her eyes and bolted upright. She was in bed, twisted up in her sheets, Hopkins beside her. A form teetered above, a huge shadow in the dark room. “Dad?”“It works, Glenny,” he said, panting, his voice tripping with amazement. “It actually works.”Glenn rubbed her eyes. “What are you talking about? What works? What time is it?”“Get dressed and come see.”“Dad, what–”Her father leaned into a shaft of moonlight. Glenn jerked away without thinking and gasped. His hair was disheveled, his clothes stained with oil and soot. There was a long gash on his arm. Hopkins reared back and hissed as Dad reached down and grabbed Glenn by her shoulders. “We're really going to do it, Glenn.”“What are you talking about? Do what?”He kneeled down beside her. His skin was sweaty and pale, ghastly, like a melting candle. “We're going to get her back,” he said. His eyes were swollen and red and had a wild, unhinged look about them. “We're going to march right over there and bring her back.”“Go where? Get who back?”Her Dad paused. He looked terrified and exhilarated at the same time.“Your mom,” he said, his voice trembling. “We're going to rescue her.”It was like a fist slamming into Glenn's chest. Her breath stopped. “Rescue her from what?”
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