Okay, I love this card.
The Magician is card number 1 in the Major Arcana, with The Fool being number 0. This card can represent control over your own life as well as the magic and wonder of the world around you.
For this reason, I have very carefully selected two books to go along with this card. They happen to be two of my very favorite books, so I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do.
Book 1: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.
Following the story of a grown man's memories upon his return to a childhood friend's home, The Ocean at the End of the Lane takes you back to his life as a seven-year-old, small, awkward, and in love with quiet things such as Batman comics and kittens. His seven-year-old life is bliss, as all childhood memories are, until a series of events occurs that catapults him into the world of Faerie.
Interestingly, the book never uses the words Faerie or depression, although both are certainly present in the novel. Gaiman also avoids the character's name, perhaps implying that this character could be anyone, or perhaps implying that the character is Gaiman himself. He has admitted to this novel being one of his most autobiographical novels.
This book appealed to me, not only because Gaiman is one of my favorite authors, but because it tends to be a book that is very relatable. I identified with the themes of depression and became entranced by the use of faerie magic. Others have reported feelings of dream-like states, being swept away in a metaphorical rush of water, and being completely and utterly disgusted and seduced by the way the plot twists and turns as the main character matures.
Book 2: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
As you may imagine, a circus is involved. However, the Night Circus is not a typical circus. It only opens at night, true, but the entire circus is black and white. Dancers, jugglers, illusionists, tents, performers whose job it is to perform the art of being a statue, even intricate clockwork displays, are all black and white. The only color in the novel comes from visitors to the mysterious circus, as well as a group called the Reveurs, who wear a splash of red with otherwise black and white costumes to show their support for the Night Circus.
Within this intricate setting, two characters are locked in a silent battle. Unable to know who their opponents are, they must produce the most intricate and impressive magic over the course of the Circus' existence. One character, Celia Bowen, was born with magic running through her veins. The other, Marco Alisdair, has been taught magic from textbooks from a very young age. The two of them are pitted against each other, but soon find that entering a competition blindly has some rather complicated consequences.
I highly recommend both of these books, you see. If you're interested, they are both available as eBooks as well as print books, so definitely be sure to check them out. :)
They truly are two of my favorites.
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