Magic Tricks

Let me start with a disclaimer. This is my first time learning the magic square. So I will not be able to compare it to others in the same category. Also, I may tend to be more impressed with it than the more experience magic square people out there as this is a totally new trick to me. That said, on with my review.

I was always curious about the magic square, but I never got around to learning it. Now that I have, I'm glad I did. It is a much simpler trick to perform than I expected. Simple is good. It means I'm more likely to perform it. This trick is fail proof as long as you can memorize a few numbers (or you do a little prep like Tori shows... but to me the memorization seems to be the more organic method). If you're interested in the magic square, this version by Tori Noquez is a no-brainer. Get it. She goes through and teaches how it works. I know that some reviewers have said they were really needing to hear the explanation... but I for one appreciated it. I was still a little confused at the end (it's ok... my fault. I'm dumb when it comes to math) and I do wish that she went into more specifics about HOW she came up with all the numbers used (is it a pattern? What?), so that I could make up my own magic square or even do a totally original one on the fly. But still, good stuff. Maybe it's not that easy to come up with my own version... maybe this requires the work of a skilled mathmatician to make up a new one, so I won't ding her on that. Good job teaching this, Tori.

My proble with this trick actually has nothing to do with Tori's teaching, but with the trick itself. To me, this is a math trick, not a magic trick. It doesn't fit exactly in my own idea of what magic is. That's just my own personal opinion. Of course, I will not lower my review score because of this... that wouldn't be fair. But just my two cents: this is an incredible trick. Just not "magical". Yes, this can certainly be put into an act. But I think it more showcases one's intelligence than his or her magical abilities or sleight of hand. Does that make sense? Of course, again, it still can be used. I can easily see Derren Brown use this... his act approaches magic from a different angle than, say, Dynamo. This trick is great for mentalists who are demonstrating their intellectual mastery over the human brain. But someone like David Copperfield who does more of an illusionist, it would be a cool trick but not really feel as fitting in his act.

Ok I'm rambling. Sorry.

Let's wrap this up:

- Price? It's worth it. Now that it's on sale, the pricing is perfect. At full price, it's a little on the high side, but still a satisfactory purchase.
- Easy to learn? Yes, it's very easy to learn.
- Will I perform this? Yes, definitely. It'll make me look like a genius. (Remember, magic is all about illusion! Haha!)
- How magical is this trick? My personal opinion: this trick is not magical but impressive. This can be used to impress on someone that you're very smart and, if you're a mentalist that approaches your craft from a "realistic" approach (claiming to use body language, NLP, psychology, etc a la Derrik Brown, this trick will fit right into your repertoire to convince people of your intellectual prowess)

I give this trick 3.5 stars. I reserve five for mind-blowing "magical" tricks... which means that most of the tricks I review are going to be on a scale of 1 to 4 stars. Good job, Tori!


(By the way, I always try to be honest and straightforward in my reviews, while being respectful to the magician. If you appreciate my reviews, can you please click the "Yes" button below beside the question, "Did this review help you?" It's not like I actually benefit in any way by your clicking it... but it would be nice to see if my reviews are helpful or not. I hope they are. If you ever have suggestions or comments or questions about my reviews, please feel free to leave me a constructive comment. I'm just trying to be helpful. I love the Penguin community and hope that I can someday contribute my own product. :-) Thanks for reading and for any (hopefully positive, but either way, at least kind) feedback!)