EPISODE · Apr 23, 2026 · 59 MIN
Jennifer Mandula — The Geomagician: A Novel - with Camila Domonoske
from Politics and Prose Presents · host Politics and Prose
When a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him, with the help of a fellow scholar—her former fiancé—in this enchanting and transporting historical fantasy.Mary Anning wants to be a geomagician—a paleontologist who uses fossils to wield magic—but since the Geomagical Society of London refuses to admit women, she’s stuck selling her discoveries to tourists instead. Then an ancient egg hatches in her hands, revealing a lovable baby pterodactyl that Mary names Ajax, and she knows that this is a scientific find that could make her career—if she’s strategic.But when Mary contacts the Society about her discovery, they demand to take possession of Ajax. Their emissary is none other than Henry Stanton, a distinguished (and infuriatingly handsome) scholar . . . and the man who once broke Mary’s heart. She knows she can’t trust her fellow scholars, who want to discredit her and claim Ajax for their own, but Henry insists he believes in the brilliant Mary and only wants to help her obtain the respect she deserves.Now Mary has a new mystery to solve that’s buried deeper than any dinosaur skeleton: She must uncover the secrets behind the Society and the truth about Henry. As her conscience begins to chafe against her ambition, Mary must decide what lengths she’s willing to go to finally belong—and what her heart really wants.Book One of The Geomagician DuologyJennifer Mandula lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, three daughters, and a neurotic corgi. She first learned of the historical Mary Anning while studying for her master’s in education at the University of Oxford. In her spare time, she visits local bakeries and plans her next escape to the beach. The Geomagician is her debut novel.Mandula is in conversation with Camila Domonoske, who covers cars, energy and the future of mobility for NPR's Business Desk. Before she joined the business desk, Domonoske was a general assignment reporter and a web producer for NPR. She has covered hurricanes and elections, walruses and circuses. She has written about language, race, gender and history. In a career highlight, she helped NPR win a pie-eating contest in the summer of 2018. Domonoske graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina, where she majored in English, with a focus on modern poetry.PURCHASE:https://politics-prose.com/book/9780593983300?ic_referral=y_8NzUv5IK_Xn0aUfpp3AeADFdu4Hqiuw0Ay-ftF6X8wM0ZPwOkIEk8ui55CcYdg4FXIiZl5M8_rE3SPziy1XxfowRoTT195Q7LxITuZN0vYTvXvfqhcFtv1m2NfkOkEuK_Gilc
What this episode covers
When a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him, with the help of a fellow scholar—her former fiancé—in this enchanting and transporting historical fantasy.Mary Anning wants to be a geomagician—a paleontologist who uses fossils to wield magic—but since the Geomagical Society of London refuses to admit women, she’s stuck selling her discoveries to tourists instead. Then an ancient egg hatches in her hands, revealing a lovable baby pterodactyl that Mary names Ajax, and she knows that this is a scientific find that could make her career—if she’s strategic.But when Mary contacts the Society about her discovery, they demand to take possession of Ajax. Their emissary is none other than Henry Stanton, a distinguished (and infuriatingly handsome) scholar . . . and the man who once broke Mary’s heart. She knows she can’t trust her fellow scholars, who want to discredit her and claim Ajax for their own, but Henry insists he believes in the brilliant Mary and only wants to help her obtain the respect she deserves.Now Mary has a new mystery to solve that’s buried deeper than any dinosaur skeleton: She must uncover the secrets behind the Society and the truth about Henry. As her conscience begins to chafe against her ambition, Mary must decide what lengths she’s willing to go to finally belong—and what her heart really wants.Book One of The Geomagician DuologyJennifer Mandula lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, three daughters, and a neurotic corgi. She first learned of the historical Mary Anning while studying for her master’s in education at the University of Oxford. In her spare time, she visits local bakeries and plans her next escape to the beach. The Geomagician is her debut novel.Mandula is in conversation with Camila Domonoske, who covers cars, energy and the future of mobility for NPR's Business Desk. Before she joined the business desk, Domonoske was a general assignment reporter and a web producer for NPR. She has covered hurricanes and elections, walruses and circuses. She has written about language, race, gender and history. In a career highlight, she helped NPR win a pie-eating contest in the summer of 2018. Domonoske graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina, where she majored in English, with a focus on modern poetry.PURCHASE:https://politics-prose.com/book/9780593983300?ic_referral=y_8NzUv5IK_Xn0aUfpp3AeADFdu4Hqiuw0Ay-ftF6X8wM0ZPwOkIEk8ui55CcYdg4FXIiZl5M8_rE3SPziy1XxfowRoTT195Q7LxITuZN0vYTvXvfqhcFtv1m2NfkOkEuK_Gilc
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Jennifer Mandula — The Geomagician: A Novel - with Camila Domonoske
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