Everyday Enchantments: Musings on Ordinary Magic & Daily Conjurings by Maria DeBlassie – Review by Francis O’Sullivan

Everyday Enchantments: Musings on Ordinary Magic & Daily Conjurings by Maria DeBlassie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Maria DeBlassie’s Everyday Enchantments is a collection of short reflections on the magic of everyday life. DeBlassie’s writing is wonderfully descriptive – I could often taste and smell what I was reading!
At times I found stylistic inconsistencies a bit jarring. Although most of the book was written in second person, immersing the reader in the scenes described, there were occasional passages in first person and a couple in third. This could be a hangover from the blog posts that inspired this book, but editing could have produced a more consistent, flowing style.
This is a good book for dipping in and out of, although it can also be read cover-to-cover. The reflections remind the reader to appreciate the world around them and make time to look after themselves. It’s an inspiring, comforting read!
For me, this is a three-star book. I enjoyed the descriptive detail in many of the passages but overall found the style a little odd. The second-person narrative would work better if the book was less focused on the author’s personal experiences – whilst there were some that were relatable, the vast majority at least included aspects that I had little or no experience of. A first-person narrative might have been more appropriate.
I would recommend this to readers interested in magic and how it relates to everyday life. If you’re not sure whether or not to get this book, why not start by reading DeBlassie’s blog to get a taste of her style!

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