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kjdubic 's review for:
The Incandescent
by Emily Tesh
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
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Lessons in magic, privilege, and survival
At Chetwood School, Dr. Walden runs her days with precision: teaching A-Level Invocation to a handful of talented, chaotic students, locking down the school’s boundaries against demonic incursions, and keeping centuries of tradition safe from collapse. She’s brilliant, confident, and capable...maybe too capable, because the biggest threat to Chetwood’s survival might be Walden herself.
The premise had me hooked right away, but the pacing felt uneven. The first half built toward a major confrontation that read like a climactic finale, and then the second half almost felt like stepping into a sequel, bigger, stranger, and shifting focus to deeper revelations. That structural split threw me off at times, but it also made the final act hit with even more force.
What really drew me in were the students. Each stood out sharply, and their dynamics were insightful, often more compelling than the central conflicts. I loved watching their relationships evolve. Through them, the book delivers powerful messaging about growth and maturity...that failures don’t just teach us, they shape us into who we become.
I also appreciated the unflinching social commentary woven throughout. Tesh tackles privilege in all its forms (generational, institutional, racial) with sharpness and clarity, grounding the fantasy in truths that feel urgent and real.
By the time the ending rolled around, I was deeply invested. It delivered urgency, emotion, and just enough clarity to feel earned while leaving me chewing on its ideas.
Overall, The Incandescent isn’t flawless, but it’s ambitious, inventive, and unlike anything else I’ve read. A bold, strange story that sparks and smolders long after you close the book.
Lessons in magic, privilege, and survival
At Chetwood School, Dr. Walden runs her days with precision: teaching A-Level Invocation to a handful of talented, chaotic students, locking down the school’s boundaries against demonic incursions, and keeping centuries of tradition safe from collapse. She’s brilliant, confident, and capable...maybe too capable, because the biggest threat to Chetwood’s survival might be Walden herself.
The premise had me hooked right away, but the pacing felt uneven. The first half built toward a major confrontation that read like a climactic finale, and then the second half almost felt like stepping into a sequel, bigger, stranger, and shifting focus to deeper revelations. That structural split threw me off at times, but it also made the final act hit with even more force.
What really drew me in were the students. Each stood out sharply, and their dynamics were insightful, often more compelling than the central conflicts. I loved watching their relationships evolve. Through them, the book delivers powerful messaging about growth and maturity...that failures don’t just teach us, they shape us into who we become.
I also appreciated the unflinching social commentary woven throughout. Tesh tackles privilege in all its forms (generational, institutional, racial) with sharpness and clarity, grounding the fantasy in truths that feel urgent and real.
By the time the ending rolled around, I was deeply invested. It delivered urgency, emotion, and just enough clarity to feel earned while leaving me chewing on its ideas.
Overall, The Incandescent isn’t flawless, but it’s ambitious, inventive, and unlike anything else I’ve read. A bold, strange story that sparks and smolders long after you close the book.