Description:
For fans of witchcraft and wizardry looking for a new, inclusive story, about finding strength from within and potential where you least expected it.
Brief description: Climber, tattoo-enthusiast, and peanut-butter addict, Xan van Rooyen is a genderqueer non-binary storyteller from South Africa, currently living in Finland where the heavy metal is soothing and the cold, dark forests inspiring. Xan has a Master's degree in music, and-when not teaching-enjoys conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. You can find their short stories in the likes of Three-Lobed Burning Eye, Daily Science Fiction, Cast of Wonders, and The Colored Lens. Xan hangs out on instagram, twitter, and facebook so feel free to say hi over there.
Review Quotes: "I absolutely loved My Name Is Magic. The novel is a gripping, page-turning mystery and a wonderful, welcome addition to the Magic School subgenre. Drawing from Finnish mythology, Xan Van Rooyen creates a spellbinding setting brimming with wintry darkness and ancient sorcery while introducing a diverse cast with a marvelous non-binary main character. I found myself immediately longing for a continuation to Taika's story - in the meantime, I may just have to read My Name Is Magic again!" - Emmi Itäranta author of Memory of Water and The Moon Day Letters
"A whirlwind magic-school mystery, full of Finnish mythological lore. I adored Taika and their found family of delightfully complex misfit mages. A whimsical, edge-of-your seat adventure that navigates powerful themes of overconsumption and degrowth alongside queer adolescent challenges of bullying, unsupportive parents, and toxic thought patterns." - Sim Kern author of Seeds for the Swarm and Depart, Depart!
"Immersive, enchanting, and spellbinding! Xan van Rooyen weaves a powerful tale that's as inclusive as it is magical!" - Brooks Benjamin author of My Seventh Grade Life In Tights
"If you've been looking for a magic school fantasy that's also diverse and inclusive, My Name is Magic will give you what you need. Rich with Finnish mythology...van Rooyen gets inside the head of a misunderstood teen as they slowly realise their prejudices against others, and see their own worth. My Name is Magic perfectly captures the bittersweet emotional rollercoaster of the outsider teen, wraps it in magic, adventure, and mythology, and manages to be both dark and charming." - Cat Hellisen author of King of the Hollow Dark