Magic Tricks

I read through the other reviews before writing mine, and I was surprised by one or two comments from people complaining that Cartesian requires the participant to use their mobile phone. First of all, that’s not necessary—it’s just that Phedon wants to ensure that no miscalculation ruins the experience. It’s no secret: mental math has become a challenge these days. Moreover, its use is perfectly justified. And if someone says the method isn’t good, or that a fortune teller wouldn’t do that, then they’ve completely missed the point. The method works, it’s brilliant, and my participants are blown away.

And Cartesian is only the beginning. The other routines don’t disappoint. Zodiac & Name, for example, is a marvel of subtlety that I actually prefer to Bob Cassidy’s original Name & Place. So many hits with so little—it’s almost unfair.

I don’t know if it’s because the book is dedicated to Orpheus, but Phedon’s prose is stunningly beautiful, especially for someone whose native language isn’t English! Some passages are breathtaking, and even Eric Samuels, in a glowing review posted elsewhere, praised this “mentalism Marvel”. His words.

The final section on Phedon’s “secrets” is worth its weight in gold. Simply incredible. Maybe, just maybe… my favorite!

10 stars out of five for me.