Magic in the Mail

Inspectors' Review:

• WOOD and PAPER!!!!!

• Sniff test gives them a pass.

• Paper is so shiny.

• The boss cannot complete with this penmanship.

• Such beautiful artwork!

---

Boss' Review:

Magic in the Mail is an experience made by Felicity Banks, who also produced Murder in the Mail, which I reviewed previously. When I came across Felicity’s site I decided to order all her mail series. This review will address both Magic in the Mail "Feuding Fae" and "Emmeline's Empire."

To preface, both Magic in the Mails take part in an overarching world developed in Felicity Bank’s novels. I found, especially, for "Emmeline’s Empire," this was crucial.

Magic in the Mail: Feuding Fae

This three part experiences revolves around a phoenix and a dragon who are brought together in a world that seeks to keep the apart. There is a tie between these fantastical creatures and an ordinary family in the human world that was poignant. I found the relationships in this experience to be beautiful and impactful; it gave meaning to the journey. I would have liked more world building inside this fantasy world. It felt like I was only barely skimming the surface of what was going on. I also found the artwork didn’t help build the world for me. They were beautiful and made clear connections to the story but their meaning was not explicit.

There is an element of choice in this experience as you are given a question at the end of each mailing where the answer indicates which envelop to open first. The correct answer provides a smoother transition in the story. The intention behind the questions was to use the images and the letters to conclude the answer but I found the images to be a little too abstract for me (think boardgame Mysterium). The letters were sufficient to conclude the correct answer. I felt while the idea was interesting, the execution was not the best as opening the wrong one didn’t change the story – rather, you just knew you were missing a story component and would go and open the correct one to follow up. There was an attempt to engage the reader but it needed a bit more of a push.

Magic in the Mail: Emmeline’s Empire

This particular experience is entirely narrative that takes place across six mailings (I received them all at once). The story follows a shopkeeper named Xiong who becomes entangled in a rebellion led by Emmeline Muchamore. I found the story interesting, and the character develop of Xiong, through not just her letters but also those surrounding her, to be engaging but I feel like this was tailored more for people that had read the creator’s novels in the same universe. The lack of context about this world meant understanding the impact and influence of Emmeline fell flat for me. I also missed some world building to have a better understanding of this steampunk realm. The artwork was beautiful and the letters well written but I was left wanting more.

Customer Service and Conclusion:

In terms of customer service, these games were sent along with Murder in the Mail so they were prompt to arrive once I connected with the creator. I had no issues. I do wish there was a better way to divide the mailings (particularly for Emmeline’s Empire) as it generally just came as a stack of papers. More immersion could have included faded envelopes, folded papers, aged papers,, singed or water damaged. Like the previous game, these easily could be digital experiences which would save people money on shipping.

In the end, I can see some excellent character development and a promising fantastical world but there are a few areas I think need more flushing out so that anyone, regardless of context, could enjoy and discover the worlds within Magic in the Mail. At this point they feel tailored towards a specific market. I think if you are interested in these stories, maybe check out Felicity Bank’s novels here before diving into Magic in the Mail for a more rounded experience.

Check out Felicity's website here!