Delusion

May 14, 2013 Krista rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-fiction, royal_may_2013

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. *Reviewed from an Advance Reading Copy*

Twin sisters Phil and Fee headline their family's magic show with breath-taking optical illusions in the great Hall of Delusion, a mainstay in London's entertainment district. But when the blitzkrieg bombings rain war and chaos over London, destroying businesses around the theater, the family is separated and the girls are harbored at a working farm in the tiny nearby village of Bittersweet. Adventurous Phil, not content on farm work and instead looking to...more *Reviewed from an Advance Reading Copy*

Twin sisters Phil and Fee headline their family's magic show with breath-taking optical illusions in the great Hall of Delusion, a mainstay in London's entertainment district. But when the blitzkrieg bombings rain war and chaos over London, destroying businesses around the theater, the family is separated and the girls are harbored at a working farm in the tiny nearby village of Bittersweet. Adventurous Phil, not content on farm work and instead looking to start a village Home Guard to support the war effort, stumbles upon a clearing revealing a hidden school of magic, the College of Drycraeft. Soon, the sisters' (and the villagers) lives are turned upside down when the school reveals family secrets and dark, unbelievable truths behind the cause of WWII.

Magic, mystery, war-time romance; brave boys, beautiful girls, and possibly muggles and monsters? Sounds like a must-have read for fans of Harry Potter and historical fiction alike!

However, poorly developed, one dimensional characters and sloppy, rushed pacing makes this a difficult fantasy to fall head over heels for. The twins are at times oddly juxtaposed with gendered traits of tom-boy, hot-headed, thrill seeker versus the passive, romantic dreamer. Then at other times, the author hits us over the head with stomach-clutching descriptions (often at times of trouble) of the sisters consoling one another with bent heads so that their red hair creatures "an alchemical creature of a siren", leading us to believe this is not the last we hear of this mystical science (or power?). The girls fight and fall in love with the token joker and rebel of the Drycraeft school, who as it turns out has separated from an "evil" faction in Germany that has given special powers to help Hitler rise to power.

Throw into the mix the concept of "essence" that every living being has that provides subtext for the shifting balance of power that drives the war-weary plot as well as not-so-thinly veiled nationalism (bordering on xenophobia) that calls England the center of the "essence" and thus all that is good in the world and you have a lot going on. Too much going on!

Only for the most dedicated fans of fantasy and speculative fiction, and if they survive, a strongly foreshadowed sequel is in their future.(less)

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May 09, 2013 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Summary:
Phil and Fee are twin daughters from a family of magicians. They are about to have their stage debut when there is a Nazi attack. This leads their family off to war and the two girls out to the country. In the country, they find a real magician school. Phil attempts to recruit these real magicians into the war, but it is very complicated and they don't want to. Arden is a magician at the university who eventually falls in love with Phil. Fee also ends up with a sweetheart.

My thoughts:
I g...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Meagan Myhren-bennett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: drama, family, fiction, forgiveness, friendship, murder, romance, war

Delusion
By Laura L. Sullivan

World War II is about to change the world as 17 year old twins Phil and Fee Albion know it. The House of Albion has been in their family for generations. It is opening night at the Hall of Delusions when the blitzkrieg ends their act just as it is beginning.

Phil and Fee are sent to Weasel Rue in Sussex to the town of Bittersweet as their parents and brother Geoff join the war effort against the Germans. But Bittersweet is a town that has been forgotten where the war...more Delusion
By Laura L. Sullivan

World War II is about to change the world as 17 year old twins Phil and Fee Albion know it. The House of Albion has been in their family for generations. It is opening night at the Hall of Delusions when the blitzkrieg ends their act just as it is beginning.

Phil and Fee are sent to Weasel Rue in Sussex to the town of Bittersweet as their parents and brother Geoff join the war effort against the Germans. But Bittersweet is a town that has been forgotten where the war is concerned - no rationing, no blackout curtains, no Home Guard. Phil is determined to rally Bittersweet for the cause, but no one is willing to listen.

But one day Phil comes across a group of young men who live hidden away from Bittersweet. But this wonderland is populated by something more than she expected - magicians. But these magicians think that she is unable to see them or breach their boarders. When Phil crosses over onto the grounds of the College of Drycraeft she is captured and imprisoned in the armory along with the young magician who tried to kill her.

For reasons the Magicians can't understand Phil cannot be touched by the Essence or tricked by its illusions. As punishment for his attempt to kill her Phil is given authority over Arden's life as his crime was against her and her alone. Phil reserves the right to claim his life at some future date.

Phil returns to Drycraeft with Fee in an attempt to rally the magicians against the German threat. But the magicians have no interest in fighting until a German magician from Dresden comes and threatens their existence. The the magicians of Drycraeft prove to be ineffective against the Dresden magician to the point that Arden is being drained of Essence and only Phil's boxing skills are able to save him from death. Afterwards some of the magicians agree to allow Phil to train them to fight. But Phil has been targeted by the magicians of Dresden as a threat and someone is coming for her...

Will Phil lose her heart to her war efforts? Or will she be betrayed in the end by those in whom she has put her trust? Read Delusion and find out for yourself, no secrets will be divulged here!

Delusion is a story of World War II unlike any you've ever read before. I found it enjoyable and am hoping there will be a second book. I enjoyed Laura's previous books Under the Green Hill and Guardian of the Green Hill and was not disappointed with Delusion. Delusion is written for the older YA audience and not the middle grade audience as the Green Hill books are.

I received a digital loan of this title from the publisher for the purpose of reviewing this title and no expectations were placed on this review.(less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Liviania rated it 3 of 5 stars

DELUSION is one of those books with a killer premise. Twin magicians (as in Harry Houdini) are sent to the countryside during WWII wherein they find as school of magicians (as in Harry Potter). Unfortunately, it takes a long time to live up to the promise of that premise.

The novel is narrated in omniscient third, although it usually sticks close to Phil Albion, that is. After the death of her little foster brother in a bombing, she's determined to convince the sleepy, forgotten village of Bitter...more DELUSION is one of those books with a killer premise. Twin magicians (as in Harry Houdini) are sent to the countryside during WWII wherein they find as school of magicians (as in Harry Potter). Unfortunately, it takes a long time to live up to the promise of that premise.

The novel is narrated in omniscient third, although it usually sticks close to Phil Albion, that is. After the death of her little foster brother in a bombing, she's determined to convince the sleepy, forgotten village of Bittersweet to due its duty for the cause. When she stumbles upon the College of Drycraeft, she's just as determined to convince the magicians to fight in the war. But the war has touched the village in some ways, as evidenced by wounded veterans Uncle Walter and Algernon. The magicians present their reasons for staying out of it, including their determination to never use magic to take a life. But it takes Phil a long time to even admit shades of grey exists and that she might not know what's best for everyone.

DELUSION slips into other characters' heads randomly, for a few lines or a few paragraphs. It is not done smoothly and often provides clumsy exposition. Those other characters include Fee, Phil's twin, who is particularly wasted. She's a romantic and falls in love with one of the magicians at first sight. She has almost nothing to do in the story aside from that. As for Arden, the magician Phil falls in love with, he's a real winner. He's a jerk and possibly his only redeeming quality is that he agrees with Phil that the magicians need to protect the country that shelters them.

But I didn't totally hate DELUSION. Once Phil finally agreed with every other person around her that war is complicated, the story began taking on layers. Before that, the only layers were people offering their differing views to a brick wall pretending to be a redhead. Plus, there are some really exciting developments toward the end of DELUSION. Basically, by the end of the novel I was loving it. But it was a bit of a slog to make it to the good stuff.

If you are longing to read a historical fantasy, then go ahead and pick up DELUSION. Otherwise, you might be a little wary. I want to read the next novel, but where Laura L. Sullivan goes next will definitely affect my opinion of the readability of DELUSION. (less)

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Nov 19, 2012 Wandering Librarians rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, romance, series

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Phil and Fee Albion come from a long line of stage magicians and they're exceptionally good at their craft. When the London Blitz begins, their parents join the war effort to put their skills of illusion to good use, but Phil and Fee are sent off to the country, much to Phil's frustration. Out in the country Phil makes a shocking discovery - a school of real magicians. If only she could convince them to use their powers to help England win the war!

So this was all working fine for me until the en...more Phil and Fee Albion come from a long line of stage magicians and they're exceptionally good at their craft. When the London Blitz begins, their parents join the war effort to put their skills of illusion to good use, but Phil and Fee are sent off to the country, much to Phil's frustration. Out in the country Phil makes a shocking discovery - a school of real magicians. If only she could convince them to use their powers to help England win the war!

So this was all working fine for me until the end, where it seriously fell apart. We have two sisters, one who is sweet and gentle and romantic (Fee) and one who is brave and headstrong and logical (Phil). Phil is able to discover the magician's hidden college because an ancestor of Phil and Fee's was a magician who was cast out of the college.

Fee occupies herself romanticizing about living in the country and then falling in love with one of the magicians, who immediately falls in love with her too, but tis all in vain! For the magicians can never marry or leave the college. For a rather vague a suspicious reason that Phil does not completely buy.

Phil, meanwhile, is determine to do her part for the war effort and busies herself with organizing a home guard made up of the locals, and works on convincing the magicians to use their powers to fight. They refuses, as they have live violence free lives. Phil is a fiercely determine sort of girl, and someone telling her no one time or 20 is not going to deter her. She feels passionately about her country and wants to help anyway she can. This is important to know, as if makes what happens at the end all the more weird. This is the first thing we learn about Phil, and it's reinforced over the course of the entire book - nothing is going to stop her trying to protect her country or the people she loves. Nothing.

Phil's romantic interest is Arden, a powerful, sulky magician, who tried to kill Phil when he first saw her, which lucky for all involved, didn't work because the Essence (magic the wizards can control which is drawn from the earth) can't hurt Phil or Fee. It has no effect of them. Arden and Phil find each other excessively annoying, which of course means they are destined to fall in love at some point, which they do. Laura Sullivan did a good job of showing how their feelings for each other change. As they get to know each other better, they come to respect the other's characteristics and dedication.

Just when it seems the two might get together, Arden is put in the very awkward position of being asked to seduce one of the evil female magicians from Germany who is trying to wipe out all the English magicians. Arden, who would do anything for the college as Phil would do anything for England, does so. There was a lot of seducing. A lot of caressing. More than I really needed, thank you. Ick. Phil sees them together, misunderstandings abound, and we're almost at the end of the story.

Arden, due to the seducing, knows when the German magicians will attack, so they are able to prepare. Phil has her home guard circled up outside the college, because the German magicians are stronger than the English one, since they drain people of their power (bad), but are not immune to guns. Arden begs Phil to leave, he can't bear the thought of her in danger. Phil, of course, refuses. So Arden does something that makes absolutely no sense based on the entire rest of the book: he restores Phil's power, under the reasoning that once her powers are restored, she won't be immune to the Essence anymore and will have to hide.

#1 - Phil would never run away and hide no matter what - you know this Arden, it was one of those things you were reflecting on about why you love her so much. #2 - Phil SAID she did not want to have magical powers. Arden asked before. She said no. SHE SAID NO. And then Arden forced them on her to suit his own need. I found that incredibly disturbing. It seemed like such a violation, especially since there had been a lot of magic/sexual references throughout the book, so the Essence before forced on Phil against her will was kind of like rape. And afterwards Phil is all messed up and can hardly handle all the power in her and accidentally kills a bunch of people, bad magicians, but also her own home guard. So. That was kind of a downer ending. And she did not seem appropriately upset with Arden for doing this to her.

So things were going along just fine but that ending...no thank you. This is a start to a series, but I'm not interested in reading any more.

Delusion comes out January 8, 2013.(less)

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Dec 26, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 3 of 5 stars

This books seemed to have a split personality. It began like some sort of drawing room farce (perhaps by Noel Coward) complete with overblown and unbelievable situations and characters who were more caricature than character. The last half of the book took a turn for the grimly serious.

The main characters of the story are two young girls about age seventeen who have grown up in a family of performers. They are all stage magicians. Phil and Fee are polar opposites. Phil is the level-headed, phleg...more This books seemed to have a split personality. It began like some sort of drawing room farce (perhaps by Noel Coward) complete with overblown and unbelievable situations and characters who were more caricature than character. The last half of the book took a turn for the grimly serious.

The main characters of the story are two young girls about age seventeen who have grown up in a family of performers. They are all stage magicians. Phil and Fee are polar opposites. Phil is the level-headed, phlegmatic pragmatist and Fee is the starry-eyed dreamer and optimist.

When the two of them are evacuated from London to protect them from the World War II bombings, they are sent to a quiet English village called Bittersweet that her father can't even find on the map. As a family of stage magicians, their father, mother and older brother are joining the war effort to use magical tricks to slow down the Germans. Phil is determined to do her part for the war effort too and immediately tries to recruit the locals to the war effort but it is as if they have never even heard of the war. She doesn't have much success.

The girls are staying in a country home that is also inhabited by Uncle Walter who is mentally ill (shell-shocked) because of his involvement in World War I and Algernon who was blinded in an earlier battle of World War II. Both provide a more realistic perspective than Phil's about the glories and dangers of war. Neither one convinces Phil to change her gung-ho attitude.

When searching for recruits for her Home Guard, Phil stumbles on a magically hidden college in a castle which is filled with real magicians. These guys control the elements but their leader is a determined pacifist who is also determined to keep all of his college from taking any part or interest in the outer world. As it happens, Phil and Fee are descendants of a magician who was exiled from the college and are immune to the magic that these men have.

It takes a lot of work to convince even a few of them that they should get involved with the war. It really isn't until some magicians come from Germany and try to take over the college that she manages to convince at least some of them to get involved. The girls each fall in love with one of the magicians. Phil's love is Arden who is a master magician; Fee's love is Thomas who is a naive young apprentice magician.

The writing in this story was fluid, crisp, and witty. I found myself alternately laughing and wincing in the beginning of the book. But, for me, the writing lacked the transparency that would have let me slip into the story. While I appreciated the writing, I wasn't engaged with the story or the characters. I wasn't able to suspend belief and immerse myself in this story. The over-the-top characters and situations kept me feeling removed. (less)

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Dec 01, 2012 Ava rated it 3 of 5 stars

Most of my enjoyment of Delusion came from Phil and Fee, two theatrical fish-out-of-water in the quiet country village of Bittersweet. Shipped out of London by their parents to keep them out of harm's way, their arrival disrupts the villagers' complacent ways. Having been caught in a German air raid in London, Phil is driven to wake up sleepy Bittersweet and get it to prepare for a possible German invasion. No one takes her seriously, but that doesn't stop Phil.

Desperate to find volunteers for t...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Jaclyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, itchy-witches

Welcome to the House of Delusion

"If danger and evil were hideous, everyone could avoid them. The wickedest things are cloaked in beauty."

I love reading about red-heads. These are usually the best heroines that I have come across. When I read the blurb for this book, I was thrilled because I love magic and it seemed right up my alley.

The Good

I was enchanted by Phil and Fee who are incredibly different personalities. Phil is the tough, brave, significantly stubborn red-head that I am used to readi...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Sara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Delusion by Laura L Sullivan stars sisters Phil and Fee, magician sisters who have been exiled to the country during the war so they'll remain safe. While there they find a college of real magicians and is determined to get them to help with the home guard. Magic and love of course romance ensue.

This book has many issues that drag the book down making it unreadable even with it's original plot. The author has issues with switching points of views to the point that the reader can get lost. The pl...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Montana G. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Both the premise and cover for Delusion were amazing, so I was eager to read it. I became a bit hesitant to read it after reading several negative reviews, but I hoped I would still enjoy it. Unfortunately, the plot dragged and I didn’t like the romance at all.

Delusion takes place during World War 2, when two magician sisters are sent off to the countryside after a bombing occurs in London. Both sisters, Fee and Phil, end up meeting magicians who practice real magic and Phil is determined to per...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, historical-fiction-read, my-library, paranormal-read, romance, young-adult-read

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

My Summary: Phil and Fee are stage magicians in the time of bombings and the London Blitz. World War II has rocked the world, but the girls are safe in the countryside, practicing their craft: magic. Or at least what looks like magic. The girls are stage performers, and they long to dazzle the world with their skills....

When Phil accidentally stumbles upon a gathering of actual magicians...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Nenia Campbell rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: gorgeous-covers, netgalley, x-2013s, historical-wotsits, world-war-ii-and-holocaust, did-not-finish-or-skimmed, the-pokeflute-failed, witches-not-bitches, urbane-fantasies, ya-baby-ya, cool-idea-poorly-executed, reviewed

You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian!

Delusion had some things that were good. I love the idea of stage magicians, and WWII is so crucial in world history that it's good for teens to learn about it, even if it's in a roundabout sort of way.

The world needs more young-adult historical fiction.

I personally found this boring. I'm sorry to say it, but I just couldn't get into this book. Third person narratives can make a storyline impersonal, especially if the characterization...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Chelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

The idea of magic and illusion has always drawn me in and I loved reading books and watching movies about either. Both, magic and illusion, allow you to believe in the unbelievable and I think that is how both Phil and Fee saw it as well. Their whole lives were spent learning and perfecting the art of performing illusion incorporated with magic tricks to an audience. It is in their blood. They are quite content performing night after night in the Hall of Delusion until the war hits London and fr...more The idea of magic and illusion has always drawn me in and I loved reading books and watching movies about either. Both, magic and illusion, allow you to believe in the unbelievable and I think that is how both Phil and Fee saw it as well. Their whole lives were spent learning and perfecting the art of performing illusion incorporated with magic tricks to an audience. It is in their blood. They are quite content performing night after night in the Hall of Delusion until the war hits London and frightens them all by taking their baby brother’s life. From that point on the Albion family is determined to do their part for the war effort. The sisters, Phil and Fee, are sent to live in a tiny English village called Bittersweet, where no harm can befall them. For Phil this is not good enough because she feels that she needs to do her part for the war effort.

Magic is the main internal theme throughout this book, well magic and war but we will get to that later. Like I said before I love the idea of magic and I love how much all the character’s worlds in this book revolve around magic. Phil is determined to use her knowledge of magic to help the British on the war front. She talks about making things disappear in a war zone exactly how she does in a theater. I don’t know about you, but I thought this was rather creative. Not only does she plan to use magic in unimaginable ways, but once she arrives in Bittersweet she discovers a college where the students secretly practice magic. Phil sees her prime opportunity for recruitment. I know how this might all seem a bit far-fetched, but once you read it and get behind Phil’s passion I am sure that you will love it just as I did.

The bond between sisters was really well written in this book. There was a night and day difference between Phil and Fee, and readers are able to detect that right from the very start. I really loved that about the girls. They each had different opinions on every topic, including how they felt about True Love. This kept the book interesting for me because you have two very different girls working to promote the same cause. Phil might not always agree with her sister, but she stands by her and her sometimes crazy ideas. Phil is more down to earth and what I would call a realist. Fee falls in love every ten minutes according to Phil and seems a little flighty at times but Phil loves her sister and it is the moments they share that are truly the best while reading!

You can tell 100% that Laura L. Sullivan knows London and knows World War II. This book was packed full of awesome historical facts, references, and realities. The war was a big part of the lives of many Europeans and that is reflected in a very convincing way through the characters in this book. Phil took the war and her efforts very seriously and in the beginning of the book so do most others, but when she comes to Bittersweet she finds the opposite. The people are very laidback and have no fear in their voices when they speak Hitler’s name. Phil just gives the war a whole new meaning and I love her passion to fight for her country. If you like books where feminism prevails then you should definitely check out this book as well!

***A HUGE thank you to the publishers at Harcourt Children’s Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***
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Jul 25, 2012 Molli (at Once Upon a Prologue) added it

Shelves: read-in-2012, young-adult

Looking back on Delusion, I'm conflicted as to really how to classify it, or what to say about it. Sullivan's tale is certainly imaginative, set against the backdrop of World War 2 - an event no one, not even our main characters could ignore. The War adds an element of unavoidable danger to the story, even as sisters Phil (Philomel) and Fee (Phoebe) are sent to live in the country, in a town that's almost impossible to find, on a map or otherwise. Here the story picks up, but despite the action,...more Looking back on Delusion, I'm conflicted as to really how to classify it, or what to say about it. Sullivan's tale is certainly imaginative, set against the backdrop of World War 2 - an event no one, not even our main characters could ignore. The War adds an element of unavoidable danger to the story, even as sisters Phil (Philomel) and Fee (Phoebe) are sent to live in the country, in a town that's almost impossible to find, on a map or otherwise. Here the story picks up, but despite the action, I was still left aching, wanting...something more from Delusion.

I enjoyed the characters: Phil was practical, but passionate when it came to preparing area for the War, while Fee was a hopeless romantic, dreamy and fluttery in a way that had me giggling quite often. Their hostess's son, Algernon was interesting, and Uncle Walter was eccentric, but definitely played a part. By far the most polarizing characters were the members of the school of magic, tucked away in plain site, where both Phil and Fee meet magicians who dazzle, amaze, and antagonize them. The Masters of the college were very misogynistic toward women and quite arrogant toward "outsiders," which didn't set well with me.

There are several side plots in Delusion, revolving around Phil's family and ancestors, as well as Fee's storybook romance, but the one that interested me most was the relationship between Phil and Arden. I loved their exchanges, their banter, and the attraction that slowly blossomed between them. I also thought the story arc between the dueling schools of magic was really interesting, even if I would have liked it to be fleshed out more.

I think what threw me off most about Sullivan's story is the narration. It flip flops back and forth a lot, sometimes from one paragraph to the next (this may be corrected in the final version), but the way Delusion reads...it's as if an omniscient third party is telling the story at times, and that really left me kind of nonplussed. It was difficult, if not impossible to click with the characters in an emotional way, so I never really felt like I was IN the story.

If you're looking for a quirky, not-of-the-normal story, then definitely pick up Delusion. There's a touch of romance, and a healthy dash of mystery, along with an element of sleight of hand mixed with the possibility of REAL magic. Despite the fact that I didn't love it, I did enjoy this unusual story and would recommend you check it out for yourself!

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Feb 01, 2013 Andrea (Cozy Up With A Good Read) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, netgalley

This review was originally published on Cozy Up With A Good Read

I'm not completely sure what I was expecting from this book, I knew there would be magic involved and obviously it takes place during WWII, but the synopsis didn't really give much to what would happen (which I liked). I definitely wasn't expecting what I got out of this story though. I enjoyed how Sullivan shows a different side of the world, I find it interesting to read a historical fiction book that adds in the supernatural (it...more This review was originally published on Cozy Up With A Good Read

I'm not completely sure what I was expecting from this book, I knew there would be magic involved and obviously it takes place during WWII, but the synopsis didn't really give much to what would happen (which I liked). I definitely wasn't expecting what I got out of this story though. I enjoyed how Sullivan shows a different side of the world, I find it interesting to read a historical fiction book that adds in the supernatural (it reminds me a little of FATEFUL by Claudia Gray, just with a different idea).

Right from the beginning, we are taken into the magical world where twin sisters Phil and Fee are preparing to go on stage and perform their own routine together. But because of certain circumstances, that doesn't happen and the two girls are taken out of the city into the country, where no one pays attention to the war going on around them, and they all have this idea that nothing will touch them. From there it seems like things happen so quickly and I didn't have time to let things sink in. I just felt like everything was thrown at me at once and then the story slows down a bit I missed big chunks, and the the ending hits you like a ton of bricks. Everything felt disjointed and I had a bit of trouble keeping my concentration.

I enjoyed the relationship between the two sisters, it was the part of the story that really interested me the most to be honest. I loved how these two sisters were complete opposite of one another and had such different views on the world, yet were so close. I always got the feeling that they were one person split in half. They have an adorable relationship where they share everything with one another, and they have this interesting way of calming each other down by touching foreheads, like they can share everything through telekinesis almost. Though I did find both Phil and Fee to have a skewed view of the world, Fee falls in love at the drop of a hat, and imagines herself in many of those romance novels that she reads all the time like the Bronte sisters, and Jane Austen. Whereas Phil has a stronger personality and wants to fight for her beliefs and wants to do what she can to win the war. I honestly liked Fee a bit better because I found that Phil refused to believe that the war was worse than she imagined even after speaking with people who have come back from fighting.

There was some romance to the story (more so from Fee's side of things) but a lot of the story focused on the magical and fighting of a war side of things. Phil finds a college of male magicians that hide out and protect the world, but are not interested in the war. I really didn't understand a lot of what was happening at this point because there was just so much going on, and then the ending there was the huge fight which was interesting but still confusing.

The story as a whole had an interesting concept, but in my opinion there was just too much happening to really understand the story and connect with any of the characters.(less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine, arc, back-in-the-oven-with-you-dear-book, could-have-been-so-much-better, damn-i-wish-i-could-write-like-that, please-no-more-slut-shaming, the-decent-shelf-of-meh

See more of my reviews sooner on The YA Kitten!

2.5 stars.

This is one of those books it's difficult to put my feelings into words for. There's a lot to like about Delusion and the premise is certainly a grabbing one because of my love of magic, but there are so many ways in which it goes wrong too. Simple ways that could easily be fixed and also ways that would require an overhaul of the entire novel.

Phil and Fee are fantastic and not a thing about them should change. One cheeky, lively sister an...more

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Jan 07, 2013 the golden witch. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, 2012, arc-galley, magical-reality, history, dnf, for-review, reviewed, teenage-shennanigans

1.5/5 stars.

Oh my. This one had a fantastic premise behind it - I can see why HMH snapped it up the way it did for a two book deal. However, the version I read in my ARC, really, really, REALLY needed a deep, good, thorough (like NaNoWriMo-worthy) overhaul of the whole thing. At least two more drafts' worth. Which is a shame, since this was one of my most-anticipated of 2013 so far. Basically, "Delusion" is a wonderful idea, with wonderful characters and a semi-solid lovely world, but just isn't...more 1.5/5 stars.

Oh my. This one had a fantastic premise behind it - I can see why HMH snapped it up the way it did for a two book deal. However, the version I read in my ARC, really, really, REALLY needed a deep, good, thorough (like NaNoWriMo-worthy) overhaul of the whole thing. At least two more drafts' worth. Which is a shame, since this was one of my most-anticipated of 2013 so far. Basically, "Delusion" is a wonderful idea, with wonderful characters and a semi-solid lovely world, but just isn't quite up to snuff just yet for prime time.

What I fell in love with first was the idea of magic and the lingering traces of vaudeville therein within 1930s/1940s London. Give me any premise with those two elements in that time period and you've got me my attention as it is. The world was very slowly built, and it had the beginnings of very good and thorough worldbuilding, but then the author drifted into telling over showing, which is where we needed severe edit #1. Sullivan knows how to show when she wants to, but between the drifting into massive amounts of telling (and a certain amount of infodumping that could have been distributed a bit more evenly.

There's also the matter of transitions - Sullivan really needed severe edit #2 here. The POV transitions can be hard, I understand that, but these transitions were really just...well, to be a bit harsh, sloppy. To be honest, I'm not sure how this got to the ARC stage of things with such confusing transitions.

However, I loved the idea of the magic college - it was like a more historical-fiction version of Lev Grossman's "The Magicians" series, which if you've read my reviews/the blog, I absolutely adore, and I wanted more on it. I wasn't very keen on the insta-love that went on, and I wish that could have been left out in favor of a more natural romance. However, the idea of the magicians' ideas aligning and being more or less with Hitler's to show how severe they were in their ideals was absolutely brilliant, and I definitely wanted more on that.

The characters were fun - I absolutely loved Phil and Fee, and the dichotomy between them in how different they were, but almost twin-like in the sense that they were two sides of the same coin. For me, they saved this project more or less on their own, which is always a gratifying thing in such a situation. Because of them and them alone, I am tempted to read book two just to see what happens. They're fresh and interesting yet not entirely anachronistic for their time period.

So, as you can see, a lot of pros and cons here to be weighed. I just really hope the final published version is a lot more cleaned up. "Delusion" is out from HMH tomorrow, January 8, 2013 in North America, so be sure to check it out and make your own decision about things then!

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)(less)

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Mar 19, 2013 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars I liked the premise of the story. I would recommend it more for older teens. (view spoiler)

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Mar 11, 2013 Tracie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, romance, ya, historical-fiction

Two sisters from a famous line of magicians are sent off to the countryside after a close call with a blitz in London during the war. The two find remance and some purpose to their lives in the sleepy little village and later become embroiled in a dastardly magical plot where the villians are aiding the Nazis with intentions to dominate the world. Some mature situations.

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Nov 26, 2012 Alma Ramos-McDermott rated it 3 of 5 stars

Phil and Fee are as close as two sisters can get. They’ve grown up on stage performing feats of magic with their parents, but the bombing of London by Germany put an end to any further performances.

Read the rest of my review at: http://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.c...

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Apr 26, 2013 Doreen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good first chapter, rougher middle, exciting premise, exciting, sort of unexpected ending, even if it left room for a sequel, which leaves me wanting more.

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Feb 06, 2013 Leila Roy rated it 3 of 5 stars

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/feature...

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Jan 19, 2013 Heidi marked it as to-read

http://www.kirkusreviews.com/features...

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Jan 29, 2013 Krista Mercer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya, historical-fiction

Phil and Fee Albion, sister illusionists, are not at all happy about being evacuated from London. Then they discover a college of genuine magicians in their midst - and suddenly their war efforts take a decidedly more dangerous turn. Despite the ending being an obvious set-up for book 2, this was an unusual and interesting YA fantasy.

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Jan 04, 2013 Hafsah Faizal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overflowing with magicians, war, and bravery DELUSION is a action novel that will make readers emotional - and maybe even bored? Read on.

Read Full Review Here

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May 16, 2013 Heather Trahan marked it as to-read

May 16, 2013 Pam marked it as to-read

May 16, 2013 Saphire rated it 5 of 5 stars

May 14, 2013 Amanda marked it as to-read

Shelves: coming-of-age, fantasy-paranormal, psychological, historical-fiction-and-non, romance

May 14, 2013 Jess marked it as to-read

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