The delusionist

Gr 8 Up--Quinn and best friend Perry hope to win the Masters of Magic Fantasy Camp competition with their magical duo act. However, introverted Quinn decides it is time to get out from under Perry's shadow and develop an act of his own, so he lies to his friend and claims the competition rules allow only single acts. When Quinn meets the Dazzling Lazlo, an ex-magician turned con artist, he agrees to help him swindle money from unsuspecting victims to obtain the secret of the Monkey's Paw, a magic trick that Quinn thinks will clinch the competition. Quinn, the aspiring illusionist, becomes a delusionist whose lies ultimately backfire on him. The book is written exclusively from Quinn's first-person point of view which reveals the extent of his jealousy of Perry as well as his guilt over lying to his best friend. Quinn also finds himself awkwardly crushing on Dani Darling, a talented rival magician who he suspects is trying to sabotage his act. The teen's inner angst is balanced with a series of wacky, humorous events that are, at times, borderline absurd, such as when Quinn describes his parents' community theater production The Hominid's Lament starring singing cavemen. The dialogue is occasionally a bit too adult sounding to make the teen characters feel genuine, and the conflict wraps up a little too conveniently. However, readers looking for a humorous story will laugh and cringe at Quinn's flawed decision-making. All the main characters are white. VERDICT Recommended for teens looking for a light read.--Maile Steimer, Jones M.S., Buford, GA

Amateur magician Quinn Purcell has a hard time separating reality from wishful thinking. Actually, overthinking is 16-year-old Quinn's biggest problem. He needs to wow the judges at the auditions for the Masters of Magic Fantasy Camp--and his main competition is his smart, driven, talented, and fantastically attractive new classmate, Dani Darling. Is Dani really drawn to him, cleverly messing with his head to get a leg up in the audition, or is she unsure herself what her motives are? Can the grizzled grifter he meets (supposedly) by chance in a cafe really teach him the Monkey's Paw trick, or is he just being suckered? On top of that, his frontman and best friend, Perry Larsson, has suddenly become the world's most perfect human being--brilliant, handsome, beloved by peers and grown-ups alike; heroically saving a toddler's life here, lucky in love there, and still loyal to a fault. Along with this blend of teen angst and crude bathroom humor, Calame convincingly conjures the combination of patter, misdirection, relentless practice, and elaborate preparation that makes the magic happen (and not just on stage) as he sends his puzzled prestidigitator reeling through confusing and humiliating experiences. Happily, Quinn recognizes just in time the value and pleasure of doing something he loves. Alert readers will see through his ironic tone to the talented, fundamentally decent kid beneath. Main characters read as White by default. A flashy bit of razzle-dazzle, with plenty of yuks and nary a yawn. (Fiction. 12-15) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.