After twenty years as a journalist, Emily Croy Barker had great fun turning her writing skills to fiction to produce "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic," her first novel. A graduate of Harvard University, she is currently executive editor at "The American Lawyer" magazine. She lives in New Jersey.
Centered on more adult concerns than the Harry Potter books, Barker
s debut is full of allusions to dark fairy tales and literary
romances. If Hermione Granger had been an American who never
received an invitation to Hogwarts, this might have been her
story.
"People Magazine"
"A marvelous plot, clever dialogue, and complex characters
distinguish "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic." With the
intimacy of a classic fairy-tale and the rollicking elements of
modern epic fantasy, Emily Croy Barker s delightful debut will
sweep readers into another world. Fun, seductive, and utterly
engrossing, this wonderful tale of magic and adventure is a perfect
escape from humdrum reality."
Deborah Harkness, author of the All Souls Trilogy
"To read "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is to enter a
lush, fantastical dream filled with beauty and strangeness, love
and cruelty, playfulness and gravitas. Emily Barker has crafted a
wholly imaginative and witty debut novel that is unlike any I've
read. Mind candy for those of us raised on Harry Potters!"
Sara Gruen, author of"Water for Elephants"
Think of this book as Hermione Granger: The Grad School Years. An
entertaining tale capably told.
"Kirkus"
Barker weaves together classic fantasy and romantic elements
(including shout-outs to "Pride and Prejudice" and hints of
"Wuthering Heights") to produce a well-rounded, smooth, and subtle
tale.
"Publishers Weekly"
"Like in Harkness s work, as the novel closes, Barker leaves Nora
poised on the brink of a decision that could lead to another
adventure. This reviewer can t wait. . . . Readers who love magical
fantasy adventures with strong female protagonists will enjoy
Barker s novel. And fans of Lev Grossman s "The Magicians" may also
want to try this.
"Library Journal"
"This dark fairy tale has plenty of curb appeal for a wide range of
fantasy, time-travel, and alternate-reality fans."
"Booklist"
"The Thinking Woman s Guide to Real Magic" is a medieval fairy tale
with a deliciously dark twist . . . a thoroughly enchanting read. .
. . Barker has spun a clever, lush yarn that is uniquely its
own.
"BookPage"
"The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic" embraces many of the
things that make portal stories so perennial, with just enough
twists that it seems to be in conversation with some of its
forebears . . . and . . . suggest[s] deeper issues of power and
gender waiting to be explored.
NPR
"Emily Croy Barker has written a sophisticated fairy tale that has
one foot through the looking glass and the other squarely planted
in the real world. Both classic and wholly original, "The Thinking
Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is an imaginative synthesis of the
stories that delighted us as children and the novels that inspired
us as adults."
Ivy Pochoda, author ofVisitation Street
'I wish my life were different. I don t care how.' So begins
perpetual grad student and recently jilted Nora Fischer s grand
adventure into a wonderfully imaginative world of illusion and real
magic that reveals the importance of a curious and open mind,
learning and love. Author Emily Croy Barker has great fun toying
with our ever-shifting notions of work, beauty, belonging, and
reality creating a delightful book for anyone longing to escape the
everyday (and who isn t?!)."
Karen Engelmann, author of "The Stockholm Octavo"
A clever and scrumptious debut fantasy, the kind you happily
disappear into for days.
Kelly Link, author of Magic for Beginners"
"Centered on more adult concerns than the Harry Potter books,
Barker's debut is full of allusions to dark fairy tales and
literary romances. If Hermione Granger had been an American who
never received an invitation to Hogwarts, this might have been her
story."
--"People Magazine"
"A marvelous plot, clever dialogue, and complex characters
distinguish "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic." With the
intimacy of a classic fairy-tale and the rollicking elements of
modern epic fantasy, Emily Croy Barker's delightful debut will
sweep readers into another world. Fun, seductive, and utterly
engrossing, this wonderful tale of magic and adventure is a perfect
escape from humdrum reality."
--Deborah Harkness, author of the All Souls Trilogy
"To read "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is to enter a
lush, fantastical dream filled with beauty and strangeness, love
and cruelty, playfulness and gravitas. Emily Barker has crafted a
wholly imaginative and witty debut novel that is unlike any I've
read. Mind candy for those of us raised on Harry Potters!"
--Sara Gruen, author of "Water for Elephants"
"Think of this book as Hermione Granger: The Grad School Years. An
entertaining tale capably told."
--"Kirkus"
"Barker weaves together classic fantasy and romantic elements
(including shout-outs to "Pride and Prejudice" and hints of
"Wuthering Heights") to produce a well-rounded, smooth, and subtle
tale."
--"Publishers Weekly"
"Like in Harkness's work, as the novel closes, Barker leaves Nora
poised on the brink of a decision that could lead to another
adventure. This reviewer can't wait. . . . Readers who love magical
fantasy adventures with strong female protagonists will enjoy
Barker's novel. And fans of Lev Grossman's "The Magicians" may also
want to try this.
--"Library Journal"
"This dark fairy tale has plenty of curb appeal for a wide range of
fantasy, time-travel, and alternate-reality fans."
--"Booklist"
""The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is a medieval fairy
tale with a deliciously dark twist . . . a thoroughly enchanting
read. . . . Barker has spun a clever, lush yarn that is uniquely
its own."
--"BookPage"
""The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic" embraces many of the
things that make portal stories so perennial, with just enough
twists that it seems to be in conversation with some of its
forebears . . . and . . . suggest[s] deeper issues of power and
gender waiting to be explored."
--NPR
"Emily Croy Barker has written a sophisticated fairy tale that has
one foot through the looking glass and the other squarely planted
in the real world. Both classic and wholly original, "The Thinking
Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is an imaginative synthesis of the
stories that delighted us as children and the novels that inspired
us as adults."
--Ivy Pochoda, author of Visitation Street
"'I wish my life were different. I don't care how.' So begins
perpetual grad student and recently jilted Nora Fischer's grand
adventure into a wonderfully imaginative world of illusion and real
magic that reveals the importance of a curious and open mind,
learning and love. Author Emily Croy Barker has great fun toying
with our ever-shifting notions of work, beauty, belonging, and
reality--creating a delightful book for anyone longing to escape
the everyday (and who isn't?!)."
--Karen Engelmann, author of "The Stockholm Octavo"
"A clever and scrumptious debut fantasy, the kind you happily
disappear into for days."
--Kelly Link, author of Magic for Beginners
"Barker weaves together classic fantasy and romantic elements
(including shout-outs to "Pride and Prejudice" and hints of
"Wuthering Heights") to produce a well-rounded, smooth, and subtle
tale."
--"Publishers Weekly"
"Like in Harkness's work, as the novel closes, Barker leaves Nora
poised on the brink of a decision that could lead to another
adventure. This reviewer can't wait. . . . Readers who love magical
fantasy adventures with strong female protagonists will enjoy
Barker's novel. And fans of Lev Grossman's "The Magicians" may also
want to try this.
--"Library Journal"
"This dark fairy tale has plenty of curb appeal for a wide range of
fantasy, time-travel, and alternate-reality fans."
--"Booklist"
"A marvelous plot, clever dialogue, and complex characters
distinguish "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic." With the
intimacy of a classic fairy-tale and the rollicking elements of
modern epic fantasy, Emily Croy Barker's delightful debut will
sweep readers into another world. Fun, seductive, and utterly
engrossing, this wonderful tale of magic and adventure is a perfect
escape from humdrum reality."
--Deborah Harkness, author of the All Souls Trilogy
"To read "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is to enter a
lush, fantastical dream filled with beauty and strangeness, love
and cruelty, playfulness and gravitas. Emily Barker has crafted a
wholly imaginative and witty debut novel that is unlike any I've
read. Mind candy for those of us raised on Harry Potters!"
--Sara Gruen, author of "Water for Elephants"
"'I wish my life were different. I don't care how.' So begins
perpetual grad student and recently jilted Nora Fischer's grand
adventure into a wonderfully imaginative world of illusion and real
magic that reveals the importance of a curious and open mind,
learning and love. Author Emily Croy Barker has great fun toying
with our ever-shifting notions of work, beauty, belonging, and
reality--crea
"A marvelous plot, clever dialogue, and complex characters
distinguish "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic". With the
intimacy of a classic fairy-tale and the rollicking elements of
modern epic fantasy, Emily Croy Barker's delightful debut will
sweep readers into another world. Fun, seductive, and utterly
engrossing, this wonderful tale of magic and adventure is a perfect
escape from humdrum reality."
--Deborah Harkness, author of the All Souls Trilogy
"To read "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is to enter a
lush, fantastical dream filled with beauty and strangeness, love
and cruelty, playfulness and gravitas. Emily Barker has crafted a
wholly imaginative and witty debut novel that is unlike any I've
read. Mind candy for those of us raised on Harry Potters!"
--Sara Gruen, author of "Water for Elephants"
"'I wish my life were different. I don't care how.' So begins
perpetual grad student and recently jilted Nora Fischer's grand
adventure into a wonderfully imaginative world of illusion and real
magic that reveals the importance of a curious and open mind,
learning and love. Author Emily Croy Barker has great fun toying
with our ever-shifting notions of work, beauty, belonging, and
reality--creating a delightful book for anyone longing to escape
the everyday (and who isn't?!)."
--Karen Engelmann, author of "The Stockholm Octavo"
"Emily Croy Barker has written a sophisticated fairy tale that has
one foot through the looking glass and the other squarely planted
in the real world. Both classic and wholly original, "The Thinking
Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is an imaginative synthesis of the
stories that delighted us as children and the novels that inspired
us as adults."
--Ivy Pochoda, author of Visitation Street"
"A clever and scrumptious debut fantasy, the kind you happily
disappear into for days."
--Kelly Link, author of Pretty Monsters"
"To read "The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is to enter a
lush, fantastical dream filled with beauty and strangeness, love
and cruelty, playfulness and gravitas. Emily Barker has crafted a
wholly imaginative and witty debut novel that is unlike any I've
read. Mind candy for those of us raised on Harry Potters!"
--Sara Gruen
"Emily Croy Barker has written a sophisticated fairy tale that has
one foot through the looking glass and the other squarely planted
in the real world. Both classic and wholly original, "The Thinking
Woman's Guide to Real Magic" is an imaginative synthesis of the
stories that delighted us as children and the novels that inspired
us as adults."
--Ivy Pochoda
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