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10 min read
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4.8
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A Tale of Magic... Paperback Boxed Set by Chris Colfer Review: Complete Bestselling Fantasy Trilogy
Chris Colfer's boxed set gathers all three A Tale of Magic… novels — the #1 New York Times bestselling prequel trilogy to The Land of Stories — following Brystal Evergreen, a girl who discovers she is a fairy in a kingdom where women are forbidden to read and magic is outlawed. A complete, age-9-to-11 arc in one package.
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
A middle-grade fantasy reader aged roughly 9–11 — or their gift-giver — who wants the complete Brystal Evergreen trilogy in one purchase, whether coming to Chris Colfer fresh or moving on from The Land of Stories.
Worth it if
It's worth it if the recipient is new to the series and likely to connect with Brystal in book one, since the complete, resolved three-volume arc gives them hundreds of pages of runway in a single, gift-ready package.
Skip if
Skip it if the reader already owns the individual paperbacks — the box adds no new content — or if a collectible hardcover edition is the goal, or if nearly 1,500 pages would overwhelm a reluctant reader.
What readers & critics say
On Hachette Book Group's page, the boxed set's commercial record is plainly documented — a #1 New York Times bestseller with IndieBound, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal list placements — alongside a critical coverage quote praising how the ending "ties the plot's multiple strands up while leaving room for further fairy tale adventures," and Wikipedia records that the sequel A Tale of Witchcraft... Also debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list. Barnes & Noble's listing carries Booklist's notice that it "will please fans of the series while offering an entry for new readers as well," while independent blog reviewers split: Pechey Ponderings "could not get enough of the story," whereas The Cosy Dragon found the book over-explained and over-foreshadowed — and Common Sense Media's community of parents and kids pegs it at age 11+.
“Community feedback from parents and kids — five parent reviews and twenty-six kid reviews — lands on an age 11+ recommendation.”
— Common Sense Media4.8from 642 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
Buy on AmazonAge & Reading Level
Recommended age
Ages 8–12
Reading level
Middle grade
2 content notes · who it suits
Content to know about
child protagonist convicted and sent to a correctional facility
oppressive regime that criminalizes literacy and magic
Best for: Ages 9+ — the publisher-stated band is ages 9 to 11 (grades 3 to 7), and the trilogy's length and interlocking plot strands suit confident middle-grade readers.
Skip if you already own the three paperbacks individually, since the box contains no new or exclusive material.
In This Review
- What Works & What Doesn't
- Three Novels, One Brystal Evergreen
- Where It Sits in Colfer's Universe
- What the Notices Praise
- Where It May Frustrate
- Who This Box Serves
- The Bottom Line
What Works & What Doesn't
What Works
- Collects the complete three-book trilogy — A Tale of Magic…, A Tale of Witchcraft…, and A Tale of Sorcery… — in one set
- Series opener was a #1 New York Times bestseller and a Barnes & Noble Best Kids' Book of the Year
- Strong premise with real thematic weight: a girl punished for reading in a kingdom that outlaws magic
- Works as an entry point for new readers while rewarding Land of Stories fans, per Booklist's notice
- Squarely pitched at ages 9–11 (grades 3–7), making it an easy gift for middle-grade fantasy readers
What Doesn't
- Contains exactly the three previously published paperbacks — nothing new for readers who already own the individual volumes
- A paperback package, so gift-givers wanting a collectible hardcover shelf edition should look elsewhere
- Some of the longer praise lines circulating on retail pages describe The Land of Stories rather than this trilogy, so the critical record is thinner for these books specifically
- At roughly 1,500 pages across three volumes, the full box may daunt reluctant readers
A complete, well-received middle-grade fantasy trilogy gathered into one package — an easy entry point and gift, though readers who already own the individual volumes gain nothing new here.
A Tale of Magic... Paperback Boxed Set by Chris Colfer front cover
Three Novels, One Brystal Evergreen
The A Tale of Magic... Paperback Boxed Set collects Chris Colfer's three-book prequel series in full: A Tale of Magic…, A Tale of Witchcraft…, and A Tale of Sorcery…, totaling 1,488 pages across the three paperbacks. The premise, per the publisher's synopsis, is a strong hook: when Brystal Evergreen stumbles across a secret section of the library, she discovers a book that opens a world beyond her imagination — and learns the impossible, that she is a fairy capable of magic. The problem is the setting. In the oppressive Southern Kingdom, women are forbidden from reading and magic is outlawed, so Brystal is swiftly convicted of her crimes and sent to the miserable Bootstrap Correctional Facility.
“have what it takes to stop a sinister plot that risks the fate of the world, and magic, forever.”
From there the trilogy follows Brystal's training alongside classmates at a magic academy, with the publisher framing the central question as whether she and her classmates "have what it takes to stop a sinister plot that risks the fate of the world, and magic, forever." Retailer synopses confirm the arc continues past the first book: by the time of the sequels, Brystal and her friends have faced the evil Snow Queen and fought for worldwide acceptance of magic. That gives the set a complete, resolved journey rather than a single cliffhanger-driven volume.
Where It Sits in Colfer's Universe
The trilogy is set in the same universe as Colfer's The Land of Stories, the series that made him a #1 New York Times bestselling author, and the publisher pitches it as suitable for both new and longtime fans — functioning as a prequel that doesn't require familiarity with the earlier books. Colfer, widely known from Glee, has built a substantial second career in middle-grade fantasy, and this series extends rather than repeats that franchise.
The commercial reception is documented plainly on the publisher's and retailers' pages: the series opener was a #1 New York Times bestseller, an IndieBound bestseller, a USA Today bestseller, and a Wall Street Journal bestseller, and it was named a Barnes & Noble Best Kids' Book of the Year. Those are concrete markers of how broadly the books landed with their intended audience.
What the Notices Praise
Critical commentary carried on the publisher's own page gives a consistent picture of the first book's strengths. Publishers Weekly, as quoted by Hachette, noted the dedication to Colfer's grandmother and observed that he "gets off many good lines," praising an ending that ties up the plot's multiple strands while leaving room for further adventures. The same publisher-relayed coverage calls it "a thoroughly satisfying adventure," while critical coverage's notice, also relayed through retail listings, holds that it "will please fans of the series while offering an entry for new readers as well."
Beyond the plot machinery, the premise carries real thematic weight for its age band: a girl punished for literacy, a kingdom that criminalizes magic, and a protagonist whose arc bends toward acceptance. Those elements are stated outright in the synopsis, not inferred, and they give the trilogy more substance than a simple wand-and-spell adventure. The multi-strand plotting Publishers Weekly flagged also means the books reward readers who like interlocking storylines rather than a single linear quest.
Where It May Frustrate
The most honest limitation of this particular set is that it is exactly what it says on the box: the three paperback novels, with no announced bonus material or exclusive content. Anyone who already owns A Tale of Magic… and its sequels individually has no textual reason to double up. It is also a paperback package — readers or gift-givers looking for a collectible hardcover shelf edition should note the format going in, since this is the Little, Brown paperback release from October 2022.
On the text itself, the publisher-relayed praise is largely aimed at the series opener, and several of the longer review lines circulating on retail pages (from critical coverage and USA Today) actually describe The Land of Stories rather than this trilogy specifically — worth keeping straight when weighing the critical record. And at nearly 1,500 pages across three volumes, the full set is a commitment; reluctant readers may do better starting with the first book alone before the whole box lands on them.
Who This Box Serves
The stated reading level is ages 9 to 11, grades 3 to 7, and the packaging makes it a natural gift for that band — particularly for a reader who has finished The Land of Stories and wants more of the universe, or one coming to Colfer fresh. The trilogy structure means a child who connects with Brystal in chapter one has hundreds of pages of runway ahead, which is the practical argument for buying the set rather than volume one.
A note on scope: this review is based on the publisher's synopsis, stated contents, and published reception — the physical box, its construction, and its shelf presentation have not been examined first-hand, and no claim here rests on handling the object. What can be said with confidence is the shape of the offer: three bestselling, critically well-received middle-grade novels, one continuing heroine, and a complete arc in a single purchase.
The Bottom Line
As a package, this boxed set does the one job it needs to do: it puts the entire Brystal Evergreen trilogy in a reader's hands at once. The story underneath — a girl criminalized for reading who becomes the fairy the world needs — has a documented #1 New York Times bestselling reception behind it, and the complete three-volume arc makes the box a sensible, self-contained gift for the 9-to-11 fantasy reader it targets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the A Tale of Magic... Paperback Boxed Set worth buying?
The review describes it as a sensible, self-contained gift that does the one job it needs to do: putting the entire Brystal Evergreen trilogy in a reader's hands at once. The story underneath has a documented number-one New York Times bestselling reception behind it, and the complete three-volume arc makes it a strong purchase for the nine-to-eleven fantasy reader it targets. The key caveat is that readers who already own the individual volumes gain nothing new here.
Who is the target audience for this boxed set?
The stated reading level is ages nine to eleven, grades three to seven, making it a natural gift for that age band. The review specifically calls it a great fit for a reader who has finished The Land of Stories and wants more of the universe, or for someone coming to Chris Colfer's work entirely fresh. Reluctant readers, however, may do better starting with the first book alone before committing to the full box.
What books are included in the boxed set?
The set collects all three books in Chris Colfer's prequel series: A Tale of Magic..., A Tale of Witchcraft..., and A Tale of Sorcery..., totaling 1,488 pages across the three paperbacks. The review notes this gives the set a complete, resolved journey rather than a single cliffhanger-driven volume.
Who is Brystal Evergreen and what is her story?
Brystal Evergreen is the central heroine of the trilogy, described in the review as a girl criminalized for reading who becomes the fairy the world needs. Her arc begins when she stumbles across a secret section of a library, discovers she is capable of magic, and is swiftly convicted and sent to the Bootstrap Correctional Facility in the oppressive Southern Kingdom. Across the three books, she trains at a magic academy and ultimately fights for worldwide acceptance of magic.
What are the main themes of the trilogy?
The review highlights that the premise carries real thematic weight: a girl punished for literacy, a kingdom that criminalizes magic, and a protagonist whose arc bends toward acceptance. These elements give the trilogy more substance than a simple wand-and-spell adventure, and the review notes they are stated outright in the synopsis rather than inferred. The overarching question the publisher frames is whether Brystal and her classmates can stop a sinister plot that risks the fate of the world and magic forever.
What does the review say about the writing style?
The review relays that Publishers Weekly noted Chris Colfer gets off many good lines, suggesting a witty, readable prose style. The same critical notice praised an ending that ties up the plot's multiple strands while leaving room for further adventures, calling it a thoroughly satisfying adventure. The review does not offer a first-hand assessment of the prose but grounds its characterization in published critical commentary.
How does this trilogy compare to The Land of Stories?
The trilogy is set in the same universe as Colfer's The Land of Stories, the series that made him a number-one New York Times bestselling author, but functions as a prequel that does not require familiarity with the earlier books. The publisher pitches it as suitable for both new and longtime fans, and the review notes it extends rather than repeats that franchise. Readers who loved The Land of Stories are specifically called out as a natural audience for this set.
Do you need to read The Land of Stories first?
No, according to the review the publisher explicitly pitches the trilogy as suitable for both new and longtime fans, functioning as a prequel that does not require familiarity with the earlier books. A reader coming to Colfer entirely fresh can pick up this boxed set without prior knowledge of The Land of Stories.
How well received was the series commercially?
The review documents a strong commercial reception: the series opener was a number-one New York Times bestseller, an IndieBound bestseller, a USA Today bestseller, and a Wall Street Journal bestseller. It was also named a Barnes and Noble Best Kids' Book of the Year, which the review describes as concrete markers of how broadly the books landed with their intended audience.
What did critics say about this book...?
Publishers Weekly, as quoted by the publisher, praised the book's good lines and called it a thoroughly satisfying adventure, noting that the ending ties up multiple plot strands while leaving room for further adventures. Additional critical coverage relayed through retail listings holds that it will please fans of the series while offering an entry point for new readers. The review cautions, however, that some longer review lines circulating on retail pages actually describe The Land of Stories rather than this trilogy specifically.
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- Cited in this review
- 1
thelandofstories.com
- 2
yvettecarol.wordpress.com
- 3
hachettebookgroup.com
- 4
- Further reading
- 5
Chris Colfer, Wikipedia
- 6
- 7
- 8
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