Scent of Magic

this book was a deciding factor in my childhood. if you want your child to love reading get this book. the Acorna series. and the enchanted forest chronicals

I first discovered Andre Norton quite by accident two years ago when I began an avid reader of fantasy quite also by mistake. This book was excellent. She is from the time when people wrote stories to take you away to far away worlds and places that only the imagination can lead you to. Scent of Magic was a great find for me. The characters were well developed and the story line was well done. I enjoyed it.

Andre Norton is one of those rare authors who can continue to create new characters and settings in well developed plots. The present book introduces Willadene, a bedraggled waif fostered to a distant cousin to work as a scullery maid in the cousin's inn. Her future prospects are scant, with the cousin wanting to give her in marriage to a bloated drunkard of evil character who frequents the inn - a typical medieval notion of an arranged marriage. But Willadene's sensitivity, which makes her ill working in a tavern kitchen, turns out to be an asset to a dealer in herbs and cosmetics, and even more of an asset to the Duke's household.Events carry Willadene into a grand and dangerous adventure. The Duchy is infested with evil which must be rooted out. She becomes involved with the Duke's daughter, the chancellor, a visiting prince, and "the bat," as the story moves forward to an action filled climax. The story seems to jump forward in a few spots, and switches between actions of different characters, but overall it's a good tale.

one of my favorite andre norton books. it was wonderful, through and through. the characters were superb.

This is the first Andre Norton book in my library, and it won't be my last. I very much disliked the author's science fiction, but the fantasy is amazing. The characters were very fleshed out and the plot was twisted with evil. Quite similar to _Crown Duel_ or _Court Duel_ by Sherwood Smith...maybe not as good as those two, but has the ability to grasp the reader from beginning til end.

Norton has consistently produced such good fantasy, that it is no surprise that SCENT OF MAGIC once again shows her to be the top in her field. There is a lot more here than first appears on the surface, and the language is a bit less straightforward than in many of Norton's earlier works, but it is a nice escape to a world filled with court intrigue, royal romance and black magic, too. It will especially appeal to fans of Norton's "Witch World series" and is highly recommended.