talkmagic.co.uk

The effect:
Spectator thinks of a number, then looks at a list of items and remembers the item or phrase next to the thought of number. The magician then reads out a list of unrelated things and the spectator makes any association with any one of them. The performer reads into his mind and says out loud the very thing he was thinking of.

What you get:
Instructional booklet, supplied cards for multiple performances, and a wallet to keep them in.

Difficulty:
No sleights. Could be considered self-working. Will require good performing skills to make believable and powerful.

Set-up:
No set-up required.

Review:
This is a neat trick I'd say. Its different than a card or coin trick. There is not much required of you. The secret is simple but decently disguised. There are some hoops to jump through but nothing outlandish. I think it is the kind of trick people will need to fix up to fit them. A clever performer will be able to routine this to be very good. Someone who takes it as is will not get as much from it. And in that case the spectator will likely figure out the secret of how it works. I personally do not like the supplied cards. They are nice but look a little too nice and prop-like. So I make my own. That is just my preference. You get cards that can be used for more than one performance. They should not be repeated on the same person however. The price is reasonable. And I think people will agree when they get this that it has a certain merit to it that can be something special.

Pros:
Different style and type (verses a card trick)
Easy to do
Packs small and ready to do anytime
Fair price
Room to make it your own and something special

Cons:
Needs a skilled presentation to really get the most out of it
Limited number of times and outcomes
To get to the outcome you take an indirect path
The secret is brilliant or transparent depending on your performance.

Rating: For me it is a 7/10
For others I can see it ranging from 5.5/10 to 9/10 depending on the person.

nice review but a couple of things missing there.
1) a link to the item on review.
2) a price for the irtem on review.

there is a review template to help this but yours is laid out well and imformative just missing thoughs two small points.

Good review, thanks for your thoughts. I was going to get this a while back but I'm still in two minds about it. Not sure if it's for me.

Also reviewed here. Available from Magicbox for £8.99 > click here for details and a video demo.

Thanks for letting me know of the two missing items from the review Magicdiscoman. I'll be sure to include in the future.
And thanks Bicycle808 for posting them (the links and price).

In my last few strolling gigs, I've had Mental Yarn tucked in a pocket just on the off-chance. And I've found myself using it more and more.

I will only use it with two people at a time - for reasons that anyone who has the effect will understand. That makes sense of the initial caveat and gives a sense of fairness to the proceedings. It also kills any suspicion that there might be only one 'out'.

Without exception (and despite my own skepticism of how effective this trick would be), reactions have been fantastic.

My only criticism is that some of the language used on the cards can be ambiguous for British spectators - the use of the word 'Holiday' rather than 'seasonal' or 'christmas', for example. Or the use of the word 'button' rather than 'badge'.

That's a minor gripe though, as it takes relatively little effort to make your own cards with more appropriate phrasing.

All in all, I like it.

pcwells wrote:
My only criticism is that some of the language used on the cards can be ambiguous for British spectators - the use of the word 'Holiday' rather than 'seasonal' or 'christmas', for example. Or the use of the word 'button' rather than 'badge'.

That's a minor gripe though, as it takes relatively little effort to make your own cards with more appropriate phrasing.

All in all, I like it.

Mine uses the term popsicle for an ice lolly which is another anachronism.

However, as is said above the effect is easy enough to make once you have bought it and is very neat as a one off.

I'm with Discoman, price and where from please.

I got mine from the Magic Box for £8.99.

Pete

Bicycle808 gave the price and link above.

I did hear recently that there is some debate whether the creator of Mental Yarn Bill Goldman had permission to release it or not since he was not the original creator of the method. I do not know what is all involved. Maybe someone here knows...

More value for money and a better premise iin my view comes with Kioku from Outlaw...the method is much better hideen.

But Kioku is a more sober effect, takes more time and requires more attention from the audience.

Mental Yarn can be done in under a minute with a couple of half-drunk people at a bar.

I agree that Kioku is great, but the two effects play completely differently and suit different working environments.

To each his/her own....

pcwells wrote:I agree that Kioku is great, but the two effects play completely differently and suit different working environments.

That's true, Mental yarn is for kids and Kioku is for adults.

just kiddin man, no I'm not heheh...

This trick is very easy to perform. I bought this trick last year~ But it doesn't work with all the people i perform.

I have the BIP book which seems to be rather similar in the end effect.
Is there any forcing involved?