Full review:
https://wanderinglectiophile.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/review-the-master-magician...

The plot in this book was really on point for me. Easily the best of the three in my opinion. I didn’t get that disjointed feeling like I experienced in the first book or the rigidity of the second. But overall I liked how this plot played out and the events that occurred through it. It’s a good story. ( )

This was a sweet little trilogy. ( )

The series as a whole was fun and entertaining, but I guess I hoped for something a bit more interesting as the climax of the series. I looked back and it's apparently about the same length as the other two, but it felt shorter (probably because I listened to the other two back to back). I was never all that interested in the romance aspect of the series and wanted to know more about the magic system. Ah well. Still definitely enjoyable overall! ( )

I previously wrote a very long review in another language about why I hated this book so much. I think I will be brief here.

Book 1 is fabulous and I loved the concept of a common material based magic system. I loved the fact that Ceony was encouraged (more like forced because she entered magic school with a scholarship and feels indebted to her benefactor) to become permanently bonded to what is percieved to be the worst element: paper. Over the first book, she starts to see the benefits of her element, along with a fleeting love interest for her teacher Emery. After his life is in danger, Ceony uses her wits and creativity to keep him temporarily alive while she locates the person who tried to kill him.

Book 2 is sort of good, and it focuses its attention between Ceony's obvious forbidden infatuation that is never well recieved by Emery, and the fact that she pissed off three people that are now set upon getting rid of her. Other elemental magic is seen within this book (too briefly for my taste), and once again, she gets herself into danger (much more out of a sense of arrogance on Ceony's part) when legally there was no need for it.

Book 3 is arguably the worst of the 3 books. Ceony discovers that there is a way to bypass the bonding incantation and can now use spells from the 5 elements at will. She obviously decides to keep this knowledge to herself, while treating everyone like crap. Emery gets worried that he might get into legal trouble because she's too obnoxiously in love with him, and she is forced to continue her apprenticeship with the only other paper magician in the country: a man resembling all of the negative traits of Severus Snape who hates Emery, but he accepts to teach Ceony anyways. Instead of being grateful, Ceony treats him and his student horribly for no reason whatsoever, and continues to get into trouble until she becomes so intolerable, you'd wish the bad guys would just finish her off.

A great story concept ruined by a detestable protagonist, I awarded the final book of the trilogy 2 stars. ( )

It just became repetitive. I was hoping Ceony would mature, but no such luck.
Thankfuly Emery stayed his begrudgingly charming self. ( )