Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview
  • Innate Magic

  • The Marrowbone Spells, Book 1
  • By: Shannon Fay
  • Narrated by: Peter Kenny
  • Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (18 ratings)

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Innate Magic

By: Shannon Fay
Narrated by: Peter Kenny
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £22.99

Buy Now for £22.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

From debut author Shannon Fay comes the first novel in the enchanting Marrowbone Spells series featuring Paul Gallagher, a lower-class magician who aspires to high society through spells, wits, and irresistible charm.

Delightfully cheeky, unquestionably charming, and sometimes maddeningly naive, cloth mage Paul Gallagher is desperately trying to make a name for himself in a reimagined postwar London. But in a world where magic is commonplace, sewing enchanted clothes is seen as little more than a frivolous distraction. Paul is hiding a secret, however: he possesses a powerful - and illegal - innate magic that could help him achieve his wildest dreams.

Unfortunately, Paul confides in the wrong person - his latest crush, Captain Hector Hollister - and is drawn into a sinister plot that risks reigniting the machinery of war. To make matters worse, the pretty American gossip reporter Paul just met reveals her personal quest to expose a government cover-up may be related to Hollister’s magical goals. When Hollister threatens the life of Paul’s dearest friend, he realizes that his poor judgement has put not only his family and friends in danger, but also the whole world.

The only way to set things right may be for Paul to undergo the dangerous ritual to become Court Magician - the most powerful magician in the country. But is becoming part of the institution the best way to enact change in a terribly unjust society?

©2022 by Shannon Fay. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Complete Annika Brisby Series cover art
The Last Sun cover art
Songbird in a Storm cover art
Wormwood Summer cover art
Of Feathers and Thorns cover art
White Trash Warlock cover art
Prince and Assassin cover art
Steal the Wind cover art
Heir to Thorn and Flame cover art
Prince of the Sorrows cover art
Dangerous Games cover art
Darling Girl cover art
Queens of the Fae: Books 1-3 cover art
Resurrection Reprise cover art
Lowbridge cover art
The Lonely Hearts Book Club cover art

Critic reviews

"Peter Kenny narrates an alternate-reality fantasy set in post-WWII London.... Kenny imbues his portrayal of Paul with both cheerful optimism and a staggering naïveté.... Kenny's accent is impeccable. Paul is a Scouser; having grown up working class in Liverpool, he retains his accent despite his time in London. Other characters from a wide variety of social backgrounds and nationalities are performed with equal verve and believability, making Kenny's performance truly outstanding.”AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award Winner

“Fay expertly crafts a delightfully adventurous tale, animated by Paul’s chance encounters and audacious antics. This promising series starter announces Fay as a writer to watch.”Publishers Weekly

“An absorbing debut fantasy novel…This great first fantasy outing from Fay will be well received by adults and young adults who like V. E. Schwab and Leigh Bardugo.”Library Journal

What listeners say about Innate Magic

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    14
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    10
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fun Story and a little shout out to North London!

A Fun and original story on magic and mages set in 1950s London. Didn't expect to get so drawn in!

The story includes characters from all over the UK including Northern England, Wales, Scotland as well as the USA. I have to say, the narrator is very talented and switches to multiple accents impressively within the same lines. I really enjoyed the narration.

There are some reviews that say the author doesn't know too much about life in the UK. Yes there are a couple of Americanisms. But being a native of North London, the great details of the area I grew up in is actually awesome! There are details I think you could only really know if you've actually lived in the area, so I don't doubt that the author spent some time living in Haringey/ Wood Green/ Alexandra Palace Area.

Really fun story once you get into it! Also, yes, there are some instances of gore and blood that were hard to listen to (and had to skip over) but luckily wasn't often or constant.

Recommend for a fun listen!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable Story

The concept is interesting and well written. The characters are likeable and the narration is good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

not for the sqimish

enjoyed the book can be a bit graficin places once passed this not to bad

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book, well written and narrated

I enjoyed the world-building, and both the main and supporting characters are well-rounded and sympathetic. The plotting is enjoyable, and pushes the narrative forward.

I’m afraid the poor review left on this title is in error. ‘Dean’ is a title, and post, in UK universities and colleges. Cambridge, Oxford, and King’s College London have them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Oh dear

I’m afraid I only got a little way in but I couldn’t cope with the lack of understanding of Britain’s way of life by what I can only assume is an American author. Simple mistakes like talking about the Dean of a University (in turn referred to as a school with programmes of study). In Britain Deans work in Cathedrals not unis. If you’re not as pedantic as me you’ll probably enjoy it more.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful