
The Magic City tells the story of Philip, a ten-year-old boy who feels adrift and unhappy after his sister Helen marries and he moves to live with her new step-daughter, Lucy. To cope with his loneliness and the unfamiliar surroundings, Philip constructs an elaborate miniature city using everyday household objects like books, chessmen, and candlesticks. Through a magical twist, he finds himself transported into this city, which is now alive with its own inhabitants and challenges. Philip learns of a prophecy foretelling a Deliverer and a Destroyer, and he must complete seven "Great Deeds" to prove himself the Deliverer. Much to his initial annoyance, Lucy also enters the city and becomes his co-Deliverer, leading to a shared adventure of bravery, problem-solving, and unexpected friendship. This classic fantasy explores themes of imagination, resilience, and finding belonging in new circumstances.
An extremely unhappy ten-year-old magically escapes into a city he has built out of books, chessmen, candlesticks, and other household items.