The author of Wicked returns with a new spin-off series, which finds Elphaba's granddaughter Rain washing ashore on a foreign island, where she is taken in by a community of single women committed to obscure devotional practices.
The Brides of Maracoor once again shows Maguire’s rich, mesmerizing world building, full of small, frustrating human absurdities—from the silliness of government norms to the small betrayals within a family. It also shows off his gift for crafting compelling characters—Helia, the eldest bride, is a fascinating matriarch, and Lucikles is a relatable man just trying to do his job without alienating or losing his family. It’s an intriguing, witty start to a fantastical proposed trilogy.
Maguire is setting up for a spinoff trilogy here, and the obviousness of Rain’s origins for readers new and old alike allows him to spend more time fully creating the world of Maracoor Abiding with wonderful attention to detail. Sketching out just enough about Rain to build momentum for Book 2, this first installment does excellent character work with the people around her, particularly with regard to the power struggles among the brides on their strange island, with their strange task of weaving time. The larger world of Maracoor Abiding, with its priestesslike brides, mysterious artifacts, and its own systems of magic, myth, and politics, has echoes of Greek mythology and looks to be fertile ground as a setting for more books. An expertly crafted introduction to a new series of magic and adventure.
... [a] complex, enticing fantasy ... Maguire cleverly teases out the characters’ motivations and desires, turning what at first appears to be a straightforward tale into a gripping page-turner. Fans will revel in this triumphant return to the world of Wicked.
