1) It is an interesting concept, but the prep work while the spectators wait is too much for me. The video shown in the ad was very misleading.

2) There is the question of why go through this mechanical process to read minds - why not just read their mind?

3) There is an element of spectator error, in fact, it happened in the full video.

4) There is very little impact on the audience, as shown by the filmed audience who are supposed to show a big reaction - and don't.

5) It requires a full sheet of paper and a pair (or better two pairs) of scissors.

Coming from Max Maven, I expected more and was very disappointed...

Max Maven is a very good performer. He can make almost anything look very good, and he makes this look good. However, it is definitely not one of his best. WAY too much time has to be spent first explaining what they are going to do, then turning your back and re-explaining what they need to do as they are doing it. This is a case of Max Maven making a really poorly structured effect look good. I would rather take a well structured routine and try to make it look great.

Max has given us another great effect here with detailed explanation that shows us exactly why it works. Basically, if you can write 8 letters on a piece of paper (and you can even do that ahead of time if you are afraid of messing up during performance), and if you can explain how to cut the edges off the paper (basically, "cut the edges off the folded paper"), you can do this self-working mentalism effect.

The only possible way I could see this not working would be if your spectator either did not follow your instructions (again, not difficult) or if they might not have the best vocabulary to draw from. Otherwise, any teenager or older should be able to do this with you.

Can you repeat it? Well, that depends. If you want to do it for two spectators like Max does in the video, then no. However, if you decide to do this for the same spectator at different times, you could do this twice and they wouldn't notice the discrepancy between the two performances.

I love material that allows you to concentrate on performance rather then worry about method through the whole thing. Kirigami fits that perfectly. There are so many ways you can play this, it's really limited only by your performance style. It's powerful and easy to do, and taught by a master of the craft.

I expected more from Max Maven. Here is a big clue, Just watch the video, even with the great one himself at the helm, his audience is clearly underwhelmed by this trick.

This is interesting but not practical for my specific purposes. I perform strolling magic. This is better for table top mentalist demonstrations.

I always learn so much by watching and listening to Max. Having said that, in this case I have to subtract one star. Personally, I wouldn't perform this as a word divination. There are many more straightforward ways in mentalism to allow a person to just think of any word they like, and then divine it. What I think would be a better use of this method is to place more emphasis on how the myriad ways of folding could potentially produce at least dozens of letter combinations, and that the performer would have provided sealed predictions for the participants' resulting words before
asking them to make the folds. It could therefore be more convincingly sold as the performer having some subtle influence on the manner in which the spectator folded the paper. The implied odds of him having done so correctly psychologically seem more impressive than diving the word as if it were only thought-of.

I have always been fascinated by the mentalism of Max Mavin. Kirigami can be presented almost anywhere with a very short prep time (just paper, pen or marker, and scissors). Very impressed by the results and it will fool those that you present it to. A very good buy.

Good idea, sure it will be nice to do. But if it's not in English one realy has to figure out how to make it work. I had some help in the Q&A section. Without going too deep: the difficulty is not getting one word, number ... combination; but having other part that is not suitable. in Dutch only one combination with following letters possible. And even then You have to find a way to explain you don 't start with ABC . So You need to do some or much thinking before You can present the trick. Therefore 4 and not a 5 star

Leave it to Max Maven to turn something pretty simple into a delightful moment of mentalism. In the download you see the performance and then in about 18 minutes (maybe less)he explains how he did it. Not complicated to perform at all and making time for as he does,the presentation. The performer is 'clean' throughout and, the effect is useable with one or, two, 'hands on' spectators. Others can be watching from anywhere. Behind the performer, over the shoulder. wherever. This can be done spontaneously but 2 minutes of preparation are better. Because my 'marker' bleeds through the paper just a bit, I modified the fold so when the packets are handed out, IF it has bled through at all, the spectators both may see a portion of the A. Saying nothing, this, just reinforces the similarities of what they have been handed. Nice trick with the right presentation, good for any age and can be put together in a moments notice (almost anywhere) for an apparently spontaneous miracle. Worth the price to me! Thank You Max!

It was kind of like love at first sight. I saw the demo the first day on Penguin's website, and bought it spontaneously. (I cannot report that all such quick purchases have, in hindsight, seemed like a good idea! But this was a great idea.)

I vaguely recalled reading about the effect in Maven's Prism; I had turned the page down, but never returned to it. Seeing it performed made the difference.

As I have reflected about it, Kirigami would be good for parlor or stage, very good for close-up, and very very goodl for the many casual settings in which we discover the need to perform something for folks at the table.

To perform it, it requires a moment of spontaneous preparation, and another moment of preparation for the spectator. You are then set up for a minor miracle. Maven teaches the effect quite thoroughly, but performers might want to also read its earlier incarnation in Prism.

George