''The Magician's Assistant'' is a novel by American author
Ann Patchett, published in 1997 by
Harcourt Harcourt may refer to:
People
*Harcourt (surname)
* Harcourt (given name)
Places
Canada
*Harcourt Parish, New Brunswick
* Harcourt, New Brunswick, an unincorporated community
* Harcourt, Ontario, a village
*Harcourt, Newfoundland and Labrad ...
. The book was shortlisted for the 1998
Women's Prize for Fiction. The narrative follows a young woman named Sabine in the aftermath of her husband's death.
Summary
A magician named Parsifal dies of
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
. He leaves behind a young widow, Sabine, and a series of mysteries. Sabine discovers various secrets and details about her husband and meets his family members.
Reception
''
The New York Times'' praised the novel as "beguiling" but argued the protagonist "never generates enough sympathy to make her predicament truly absorbing." Writing in ''
The Independent'',
Penelope Lively described ''The Magician's Assistant'' as "a lovely book by a writer to watch".
Awards
''The Magician's Assistant'' was shortlisted for the
Women's Prize for Fiction in 1998.
References
{{reflist
Novels by Ann Patchett
1997 novels