The Secret Science of Magic

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Sophia is smart, like genius-calculator-brain smart. But there are some things no amount of genius can prepare you for, and the messiness of real life is one of them. When everything she knows is falling apart, how can she crack the puzzle of what to do with her life Joshua spends his time honing magic tricks and planning how to win Sophia's heart. But when your best trick is making schoolwork disappear, how do you possibly romance a genius In life and love, timing is everything. From Melissa Keil, the award-winning author of Life in Outer Space and The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl, comes this captivating novel about two extraordinary teens, and the unsolvable problem of life after high school.

Reviews

Sophia and Joshua will crawl into your head and heart ... their story is nothing short of magic.
Will Kostakis, author of We Could Be Something and Monuments

The irresistible gravitational pull between these two geeky outsiders is smart, funny and magical.'
Lawrence Leung

Another winner from Melissa Keil, this time involving a genius-level girlwhose anxiety threatens to overwhelm her completely. Sophia suddenly findsherself spending time with history geekand nerd magician Joshua, and Keil explores the notions of timing, attraction, and of course, mental health through a thoroughly entertaining, diverse and satisfying story. A terrific Australian voice,Keil is consistent and authentic. No long review here, just all the love.
Trish Buckley, CBCA Reading Time

Melissa KeilsThe Secret Science of Magicis a heartwarming story. Keil avoids pigeonholing characters and issues. Here she considers diverse personalities and intelligences, while subtly touching on race.
Year 12 students Sophia and Joshua share the narrative. Sophia is a maths genius with an eidetic (photographic) memory. She seems to be at the higher end of the autism spectrum. People have always tried to fix her, so shes unsure how to be normal and has learned to be silent rather than embarrass herself. Shes awkward but not shy, needs space, lovesDoctor Whoand can quote fromGame of Thrones.
Joshua barely speaks at school. He is remarkable for his height and for hiding behind his messy hair. He does magic tricks and his longstanding but unnoticed interest in Sophia is kindled because she sees magic in maths.
He cant focus on things that dont interest him, so his academic studies are faltering. Outside school, though, he is a different person: he could never be overlooked and stands out like a cosmic spotlight is following him.
He is friends with Camilla and Sam, characters who return from Keils first novel,Life in Outer Space.Josh makes his move with magic tricks, leaving a two of hearts in Sophias pencil case. He progresses to the grand romantic gesture of a flaming paper rose and screens aDoctor WhoChristmas special on the vintage projector in biology.
Sophia starts to notice Josh like a nebulous element in the universe that has suddenly become perceptible but mistakes her symptoms of love for illness. He is encouraged by her willingness to meander down our weird conversational rabbit holes but is always aware of timing, the magicians fundamental tool, as he pursues the secret science of magic.
Joy Lawn, The Australian

Melissa Keil is one of the best new voices in Australian YA fiction. Her wonderful contemporary rom-coms are always populated with a brilliant cast of well-drawn characters, andThe Secret Science of Magicis no exception. The two teenagers at the heart of Keils third novel are Joshua, an amateur illusionist who taught himself magic to help manage crippling social anxiety, and Sophia, a maths genius with an eidetic memory and a terrible fear of burning out and disappointing everyone around her (not least herself).
As the end of high school looms, Sophias panic attacks increase, exacerbated by her best friends impending departure, an ill-advised enrolment in drama class, and sudden occurrences of unexplained phenomena that seem, well, to be somehow centred around her. The person responsible for the phenomena is of course Joshua, who has loved Sophia from a distance for over five years and recently decided to make a long, complicated, elaborate play for her heart. A play that involves exploding roses and trick coins, and definitely has absolutely nothing to do with avoiding the big question of what hes going to do after he finishes Year 12.
Like her previous novels, KeilsThe Secret Science of Magicis a book with a lot of heart that deals with complex questions of love, identity, friendship and family in a sympathetic and realistic manner. Sophia is a fantastic character, and her first-person narrative reminded me how refreshing it is to read a story from the perspective of a female character who is almost certainly on the autism spectrum. Sophias observations of the world around her are unexpectedly witty, and her pragmatic view of the world contrasts beautifully with Joshuas empathetic and romantic nature. If youre looking for a sweet, sparkling YA novel with hidden depths and one of the sexiest first kisses Ive read, then this is the one for you.

Lian Hingee, digital marketing manager,Readings

Another winner from Melissa Keil, this time involving a genius-level girlwhose anxiety threatens to overwhelm her completely. Sophia suddenly findsherself spending time with history geekand nerd magician Joshua, and Keil explores the notions of timing, attraction, and of course, mental health through a thoroughly entertaining, diverse and satisfying story. A terrific Australian voice,Keil is consistent and authentic. No long review here, just all the love.

Melissa KeilsThe Secret Science of Magicis a heartwarming story. Keil avoids pigeonholing characters and issues. Here she considers diverse personalities and intelligences, while subtly touching on race.

Year 12 students Sophia and Joshua share the narrative. Sophia is a maths genius with an eidetic (photographic) memory. She seems to be at the higher end of the autism spectrum. People have always tried to fix her, so shes unsure how to be normal and has learned to be silent rather than embarrass herself. Shes awkward but not shy, needs space, lovesDoctor Whoand can quote fromGame of Thrones.

Joshua barely speaks at school. He is remarkable for his height and for hiding behind his messy hair. He does magic tricks and his longstanding but unnoticed interest in Sophia is kindled because she sees magic in maths.

He cant focus on things that dont interest him, so his academic studies are faltering. Outside school, though, he is a different person: he could never be overlooked and stands out like a cosmic spotlight is following him.

He is friends with Camilla and Sam, characters who return from Keils first novel,Life in Outer Space.Josh makes his move with magic tricks, leaving a two of hearts in Sophias pencil case. He progresses to the grand romantic gesture of a flaming paper rose and screens aDoctor WhoChristmas special on the vintage projector in biology.

Sophia starts to notice Josh like a nebulous element in the universe that has suddenly become perceptible but mistakes her symptoms of love for illness. He is encouraged by her willingness to meander down our weird conversational rabbit holes but is always aware of timing, the magicians fundamental tool, as he pursues the secret science of magic.

Author Bio

Melissa Keil is a writer, children's editor and compulsive book-buyer. She has lived in Minnesota, London and the Middle East, and currently resides in her hometown of Melbourne. Her debut young adult novel, Life in Outer Space, was published in 2013 - the inaugural winner of the Ampersand Prize, Hardie Grant Egmont's initiative for debut authors. The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl was published in 2014 and was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year (Older Readers) and the Gold Inky. Say hello at www.melissakeil.com or www.facebook.com/MissMisch77 or find her on Twitter @MissMisch77