Michael Cart (Booklist, Oct. 15, 2002 (Vol. 99, No. 4))
Although Lidi is already an accomplished magician, she is convinced her craft will not be complete until she masters the celebrated rope trick. To do this, however, she must first locate the elusive and legendary Ferramondo, the only one who knows how the trick is performed. Her quixotic quest brings her into the company of an assortment of characters, including a handsome fugitive, a supernaturally gifted waif, and a troupe of performing pigs. With one foot firmly planted in fantasy and the other in historical romance, Alexander is on familiar ground here, though his tone is a bit darker than usual. Alas, his cast, with the possible exception of Lidi, is unexceptional this time around, and Alexander's failure to resolve a number of plot points suggests a sequel (though there's no indication that one is in the offing). Nevertheless, Alexander couldn't write a totally dull book if his life depended on it, and this one has enough mystifications, surprises, and suspense to satisfy his legions of fans. Category: Books for Middle Readers--Fiction. 2002, Dutton, $16.99. Gr. 4-7.

Christopher Moning (Children's Literature)
Lidi is a wonderful magician, much better than her loser father had ever been. But she will never feel fulfilled until she has mastered the rope trick, the trick that only the great Ferramondo is rumored to know. Together with Jericho, Lidi's brusque but dependable canvassmaster, and Daniella, the young "Added Attraction" who can read minds, they travel Campania in search of the elusive magician. Along the way they befriend a young man, Julian, who is on the lam from an evil landlord known as the Baboon. As the troupe gather more clues about Ferramondo--each person who claims to know him seems to describe a different character altogether--Lidi falls more in love with Julian. Only the child, Daniella, seems have an awareness of the danger and sadness that lurk in the future. It is only when Lidi is ready to abandon her quest that she is finally able to complete it. Another fine, smooth narrative from Newbery medalist Lloyd Alexander. 2002, Dutton, $16.99. Ages 10 to 14.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2002 (Vol. 70, No. 17))
It's wonderful to be in the thrall of a master storyteller once more, as Alexander (The Gawgon and the Boy, 2001, etc.) spins this full-hearted tale of magic, illusion, and love. Lidi is a magician; she understands that her power comes from knowing that her audiences want to believe. She travels with Jericho, who tends the wagons as he had for her father. One night in one of the endless towns in Campania-a place very like medieval Italy-she rescues a small girl from an abusive innkeeper, and discovers Daniella can say what is true. People pay her for that, seeing in it their future. As they perform their shows, Alexander skillfully weaves the story of how it feels to create an audience and how to stoke it; he allows Daniella's preternatural gift to foreshadow what is coming. Other stories follow as Lidi searches for the magician who can teach her the Rope Trick, which her father swore she could never learn. The fugitive Julian, with ghosts behind his eyes, awakens Lidi's affections; another itinerant magician, Pompadoro and his dancing pigs, may know the whereabouts of the Rope Trick master; finally, the rescue of a wronged widow leads to a thrilling dénouement where character and illusion burst into a kaleidoscopic finale. The characters speak with undissembling directness and have the Italian gift for enfolding a kernel of wisdom in the language of the everyday. It is no illusion that this is a magical read. 2002, Dutton, $16.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 8 to 12. Starred Review. © 2002 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, January 2003 (Vol. 56, No. 5))
Lidi is a traveling magician seeking to master the perfect trick: the rope trick of legendary magician Ferramondo, wherein the magician tosses a rope into the air, climbs up, and disappears. She and her canvasmaster, Jericho, her only companion since the death of her father, travel from town to town, performance to performance. In the course of their journey they pick up a few more companions: Daniella, the traveling show’s “added attraction,” a child psychic and mind-reader; and Julian, a fugitive fleeing the unjust accusations of a padrone, an overseer on one of the feudal-like estates. Their journey includes encounters with colorful circus performers, a brief stay in the ghetto of magicians, the occasional romantic interlude, and a fair amount of close calls and slick escapes. Through it all Lidi seeks Ferramondo, determined to learn the rope trick that will make her a master magician, but when an unscrupulous landowner kidnaps Daniella, Lidi needs more than sleight of hand to save the little girl. Alexander places his picaresque adventure in an Italianate setting with details recalling the Tuscan countryside. The story contains the components familiar to romantic adventures: secret connections, shifting loyalties, vengeful betrayals, etc. The plot moves through some familiar but intriguing rhythms, following easily identified character types (although even when characterizations are more functional than three-dimensional, they are pithy and distinct). The suddenness of Lidi’s improvisational mastering of the rope trick in a time of great danger and her transcendence of the rules of stage magic unfortunately give the conclusion a contrived feeling that doesn’t jibe with the adventurous action of the earlier pages. Still, the carnival atmospherics combined with the chase-and-escape suspense makes this a reasonable choice for romance and action fans. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2003, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2002, Dutton, 195p, $16.99. Grades 4-7.

Mary Ann Darby (VOYA, December 2002 (Vol. 25, No. 5))
Beautiful and resourceful Lidi is a brilliant magician. As she travels through the countryside with her canvasmaster, Jericho, they are always in search of one man: Ferramondo. She believes that Ferramondo can teach her the consummate magical trick, the rope trick, because she believes it is the best trick in the world and one with which her life and fate are somehow entangled. A handsome outlaw, Julian, and an orphaned girl who sees the future, Daniella, join Lidi and Jericho, and the four of them continue to seek Ferramondo. When they meet Pompadoro and his dancing pigs, he helps them on their quest. There are, however, evil, greedy men chasing both Julian and Daniella, and when all four seem in hopeless peril, Lidi manages to perform the elusive rope trick to save them all. Alexander spins a wonderful tale with the compelling elements of magic, good versus evil, and romance, all of which will quickly engage middle school readers. The four main characters are appealing, and their quest is woven well by this master storyteller. The ending seems too sudden and too pat: All the bad guys are in collusion, and the quest seems to end in mid-air. Nonetheless, middle schoolers in search of a magical fantasy will undoubtedly enjoy both the story and its message, which seems to be that there is truly magic within us all. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2002, Dutton, 256p, $16.99. Ages 11 to 15.

Patrick Darby, Teen Reviewer (VOYA, December 2002 (Vol. 25, No. 5))
The book got off to a good start and quickly engaged me. The characters were well-described, and I felt as if I got to know them. The bad guys seemed overdone and a little too evil. The pursuit of the rope trick was intriguing, but the rope trick itself was not explained well. The end came together far too quickly, and many of the questions I had were not answered. Overall, however, it was a good book, and I would recommend it to middle school and younger students who like fantasy. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2002, Dutton, 256p, $16.99. Ages 11 to 15.