The Magic Hour by David Wolstencroft

The Book in Rhyme…

“Ailsa Craig is one of those folk who never makes it on time,

Try as she might she just can’t do it, no reason nor no rhyme.

We first meet Ailsa on Hogmanay, some say New Year’s Eve,

She lives half with mum and half with dad and two cats both named Steve.

But don’t be fooled by festivities, a happy time this is not;

Her house has just exploded right there on the spot.

Soon amongst the rubble she finds a hidden door,

But what do hidden doors in books usually have in store?

She’s off to a parallel universe where she lives an extra hour each day,

An hour to ensure shes never late – ‘Perfect!’ You may say.

But all magic comes at a cost and is everything as it seems?

As in a split second, at any time, nightmares can turn from dreams.”

So the saying goes – ‘You should never judge a book by it’s cover’ However I am admitting now that this is exactly what I did! The vibrant gold and purple of the cover instantly drew me to it and then the premise intrigued me greatly so I was very thankful when Scholastic sent me a copy to review!

Ailsa Craig lives in Edinburgh spending half her time with her dad and half the time with her mum. With her sister working abroad, she has her two cats both named Steve and the memory of the recently diseased grandmother keeping her company.

When her house she shares with her dad suddenly explodes on New Years Eve, her life takes a surprising turn when she uncovers a secret door that takes her to the Magic Hour!

With a whole cast of characters, including the most popular girl in school, can Ailsa uncover the hidden secrets and forgotten histories of this magical place before it’s too late?

I loved the whole premise of the book and it is done so well! It interweaves magic, with some Scottish folklore and brilliant humour but is underpinned by the themes of seizing the moment and valuing the time you have with people as it wont last forever.

The Edinburgh setting was so real. Having visited Edinburgh a few times, I was instantly transported back and remembered walking down the cobbled streets etc.

A unique feature of this story is the sassy and witty footnotes littered throughout the story. They add a quirky humour to the book which makes it memorable and also something I’m looking forward to revisiting in the next book in the series.

The way the story explores the theme of making every second count and living life to the fullest is a really poignant feature of the story and certainly left me thinking. The particular line when her dad explains that by being late, you are wasting other peoples time really resonated with me – I need to work on my punctuality.

Overall a wonderful magical adventure with humour and heart – a strong recommend.

The Magic Hour was published by Scholastic on 08/06/23 and so is available to buy now. Why not try purchasing from an independent bookshop who would really appreciate your custom.