Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

71 reviews

mossgoblins's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This was a lovely read! Great plot, complex, easily lovable characters, and a very interesting development of the magic system!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Blood, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Death, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Child death, Outing, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Classism, Suicide, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Misogyny

northernfleabag's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping

marzreadz2's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Homophobia

wilybooklover's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

5.0

What an absolutely gorgeous novel. The writing and imagery were really evocative, so rich and lush in a way befitting the lavish vibe of the Edwardian era when this book is set. 

Sir Robin Blyth, a civil servant, discovers a hidden world of magic when he gets transferred to a new job and then unwittingly gets cursed and dragged into a magical conspiracy involving his predecessor. His magical liaison, Edwin Courcey, doesn’t like him much but is determined to lift the curse. 

Robin is basically a golden retriever in human form (with a little dash of himbo) so he takes the existence of magic and even his curse with remarkable equanimity. Edwin is much more prickly and anxious (understandably so, once you meet his family) and likes to retreat into books. Despite their differences, they really understand each other and their growing romance was such a delight to read. Edwin learning to trust someone other than himself and Robin reaching for a future he wanted was so heartwarming to read. And this book was way steamier than I expected it to be. There is a love scene involving magic that is HOT. I don’t normally like the third-act conflict (big understatement) but here it really works with the characters and story — they really needed that short time apart. 

The worldbuilding in this was utterly fascinating. You have rune curses, magical houses, enchanted libraries, murderous hedge mazes, a style of magic based on cat’s cradle... I’ve never read anything quite like it before. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Violence, Bullying, and Torture

Moderate: Misogyny, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Homophobia, Outing, Classism, Murder, Kidnapping, and Blood

Minor: Suicide, Grief, Racism, and Death of parent

aileron's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Bullying

Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Chronic illness, and Death

Minor: Suicide, Murder, and Racism

cameronreads's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this one! I think the concept and plot was excellent, and the characters and main relationship were compelling and very well written. I liked the mystery elements a lot and I think the magic system was very interesting - a magic based on cradling?? That’s so cool! I really liked both Robin and Edwin and was rooting for them the whole time, and there relationship was truly great. I did want a little bit more out of the side characters as I wasn’t very invested in them however, and I think there was a bit of a reliance on characters having lucky guesses to find solutions, but those are my only gripes. I think this was so much fun, a great historical fantasy!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Outing, Bullying, Misogyny, and Murder

Minor: Grief, Death of parent, Homophobia, Vomit, Suicide, and Alcohol

kenzie_roonie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Starts with a cold open, which is pretty jarring and doesn’t give the reader much time to care about the main characters’ plights, but the pace picks up and the characters come into focus after a few chapters. The writing is gorgeous, the characters lovable and relatable, and the magic system detailed and engaging. Very satisfying medium-burn romance with lots of pining and steamy scenes. Thoroughly enjoyed.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Bullying, and Murder

bluejay21's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Misogyny, Trafficking, Bullying, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

marleywrites's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Very gay. Very good. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Murder, and Violence

Minor: Suicide

lennie_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan / Tor for my arc. 

This book is set in an alternative Edwardian Britain where magicians exist in secret. And I loved the Downtown Abbey feel of the book with magic subtly threaded through the lives of the upper class magicians. 

This may be an odd take but I found this story oddly relaxing. Despite one of our MCs being cursed early on, a murder mystery and both of our MCs having to hide their sexuality due to society and laws of the time - I found I was quite happy to potter along with Edwin and Robin as they tried to solve the mysteries of the curse and the missing Reggie. To go on the journey with them as they navigated the magical and non magical upper class society, revealed their sexualities to each other, grow closer in the quiet alcoves of the Courcey Library and eventually start to fall in love was a joy. 

I loved the romance aspect of this book so much and I really appreciated the open door scenes, not just for the smut aspect but for the character insights and growth. 

However, there were a few parts of this book that I felt drew parallels with the series written by the transphobe; The Assembly being hidden in plain sight in London with government style employees, a fairytale detailing 3 magical items etc. Whether this was intentional or not I'm not sure, but it took me out if the story a bit. 

Overall I really enjoyed it though and found the world building and magical system fascinating, especially the 'cradling' based on the game Cat's Cradle. 

I'm also very glad that this is a series because this story was left very open ended. 
I want to see more of Robin and Edwin in future books but I know book two focuses on Robin's sister Maud so I guess we'll see what happens! 

CW: sexual content, blood, injury, abusive family members, death, murder

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse