This Rough Magic is a picturesque mystery written in Mary Stewart’s trademark style. The book takes place on the Greek isle of Corfu and the idyllic descriptions of the scenery painted a beautiful picture in my mind’s eye. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least bit to discover that the author moonlighted as a naturalist.
This Rough Magic refers continuously to Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and while I have studied a smattering of his plays, I am not acquainted with that one in particular. I think that readers who are familiar with The Tempest would probably be at an advantage here and derive more satisfaction from Stewart’s references.
I found the pacing of This Rough Magic to be rather odd, alternating between slow, languid moments and a thrilling breakneck pace that didn’t seem to let up. I nearly set it down at a certain point, but luckily it steadily improved and I thought that the latter half was much better overall. While the book is somewhat dated, that didn’t hamper my enjoyment in the slightest.
Unfortunately, the plucky main character, Lucy Waring- a flailing actress vacationing with her pregnant sister- was mostly forgettable. I also had difficulty believing her dubious love connection. Surprisingly, it was the villain of the story who truly stole the show, proving themselves to be quite a capable and insidious character. And as many have mentioned, the appearance of the lovely dolphin’s radiant presence will capture your heart.
Overall, I much preferred Stewart’s other novel, Nine Coaches Waiting to this one and I would point readers who are new to her work in that direction first. Nevertheless, I ultimately enjoyed This Rough Magic and I think it would make a great beach read during the summer months.
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
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