Scan barcode
sarahna's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
4.5 stars!
I didn't expect to love a marvellous light as much as I did! I've read and liked the Magpie lord series by KJ Charles but this was even better in my opinion. The prose was absolutely stunning, the world building was carefully done albeit a bit slow in the beginning and the plot doesn't suffer from focusing too much on the romance between Robin and Edwin. This is more than porn with plot despite getting some clear fanfic vibes and I mean that in the best way!
Spoilers and sex scene discussion ahead!
I struggled getting into the characters in the beginning and was confused as to who was going to be the main set of characters. It opened up with Reggy getting hurt and being saved by the skin of his teeth but then he ends up getting murdered. Edwin, a practicing magician, and Reggy's successor Robin try to solve the mystery of his disappearance and end up getting closer in the process.
I absolutely loved the magic system and how consistant it was. While Edwin managed to use some magic, he wasn't infinitely powerful and had to recover until he could cast spells again. Other magicians were more powerful and using a blood sacrifice was an option to temporarily strengthen their power.
It was fascinating to see the curse on Robin develope and how Edwin eventually rid him of it. Even the way they used light to get by during the night was a stunning detail. I'm not the biggest fan of magic systems in fantasy but this one really did it for me since no chosen one trope permeated the plot and magicians in this story weren't omnipotent.
The romance aspect was very well done as well. I love how reserved yet needy Edwin was and how Robin's childhood trauma and need for affection influenced his approach to Edwin. The sex scenes are also some of the best ones I've ever read! No obsession with ridiculously large dicks, lube is mentioned AND foreplay is a key part of every scene. There's even a scene where they don't penetrate each other and still love the intimacy of it all. Just chefs kiss.
Really excited to read the sequel which is rumored to star Maud in an f/f romance plus, I just want more content of this magical world. Highly recommend!
I didn't expect to love a marvellous light as much as I did! I've read and liked the Magpie lord series by KJ Charles but this was even better in my opinion. The prose was absolutely stunning, the world building was carefully done albeit a bit slow in the beginning and the plot doesn't suffer from focusing too much on the romance between Robin and Edwin. This is more than porn with plot despite getting some clear fanfic vibes and I mean that in the best way!
Spoilers and sex scene discussion ahead!
I struggled getting into the characters in the beginning and was confused as to who was going to be the main set of characters. It opened up with Reggy getting hurt and being saved by the skin of his teeth but then he ends up getting murdered. Edwin, a practicing magician, and Reggy's successor Robin try to solve the mystery of his disappearance and end up getting closer in the process.
I absolutely loved the magic system and how consistant it was. While Edwin managed to use some magic, he wasn't infinitely powerful and had to recover until he could cast spells again. Other magicians were more powerful and using a blood sacrifice was an option to temporarily strengthen their power.
It was fascinating to see the curse on Robin develope and how Edwin eventually rid him of it. Even the way they used light to get by during the night was a stunning detail. I'm not the biggest fan of magic systems in fantasy but this one really did it for me since no chosen one trope permeated the plot and magicians in this story weren't omnipotent.
The romance aspect was very well done as well. I love how reserved yet needy Edwin was and how Robin's childhood trauma and need for affection influenced his approach to Edwin. The sex scenes are also some of the best ones I've ever read! No obsession with ridiculously large dicks, lube is mentioned AND foreplay is a key part of every scene. There's even a scene where they don't penetrate each other and still love the intimacy of it all. Just chefs kiss.
Really excited to read the sequel which is rumored to star Maud in an f/f romance plus, I just want more content of this magical world. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
THIS is what fantasy romance ought to be. After engaging in more than my fair share of ranting on the subject, I had a longer list of examples that displeased me than those I would champion. This one melds the two genres into something wonderful with an Edwardian-inspired backdrop and queer characters to pave the way.
In terms of fantasy, we have Robin, a civil servant uninitiated in magic, who is accidentally assigned as magical liaison and then promptly attacked and cursed on the street. We also have Edwin, the other half of the liaison pair, a magician with only a kernel of power to his name who prefers books and magical theory to any sort of company or risky behavior. The world-building comes through as things are explained to Robin, and I found it an effective tool for informing the reader without burying them. Edwardian manners and social structures are woven through expertly in all their pompous glory (see:vomit-inducing sexism, colonialism, rigid class structure, and laws that kept queer people in hiding). It has me primed with excitement to see how this series is going to let loose the hints of subversion that started to grow in this first outing.
Now, let's talk romance. You can look forward to these tropes: sunshine and grump, the brains and the brawn, and magician and normal potato human (I made that last one up, so sue me). All of those terms fail to fully sum up these characters, who are gifted with too many dimensions to be listed, classified, and discarded. It would be a disservice not to recognize Robin's areas of non-bookish intelligence on top of his general sportiness or not to see the seeds of Edwin's unhappiness and the way he cautiously inches towards the light once offered. Ultimately, it's a love story with "us against the world" vibes that were very endearing.
Both the good and bad feels hit hard and take no prisoners. All the big emotional pivots you expect in a romance plot somehow feel new and singular because of their emotional crafting, not just the latest iteration of a favored genre. Robin and Edwin left an imprint on me, and some minor characters hold a lot of promise that I hope will lead to full-fledged obsession on my part down the line.
Highly highly recommend it. Treat yourself to this decadent queer series opener ASAP. Thanks to Tordotcom for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Outing
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-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? No
4.0
Thanks to Tordotcom for the free advance copy of this book.
- A MARVELLOUS LIGHT is one half magical murder mystery, one half slow burn queer romance.
- Robin and Edwin are a wonderfully mismatched pair, and the world they inhabit is unlike anything I've read in a long time, with an inventive magic system woven into the structure of Edwardian high society we know.
- I did feel like it dragged quite a bit, unfortunately: there necessarily needed to be a lot of speculating and planning happening. One of those books where a thing happens and then we discuss and re-discuss it, you know?
- A MARVELLOUS LIGHT is one half magical murder mystery, one half slow burn queer romance.
- Robin and Edwin are a wonderfully mismatched pair, and the world they inhabit is unlike anything I've read in a long time, with an inventive magic system woven into the structure of Edwardian high society we know.
- I did feel like it dragged quite a bit, unfortunately: there necessarily needed to be a lot of speculating and planning happening. One of those books where a thing happens and then we discuss and re-discuss it, you know?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness and Alcohol
More...