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A review by azrah786
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
4.5
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
** I was gifted a copy of the book by TorUK & Black Crow PR for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, kidnapping, torture, murder, blood, death, death of a parent, bullying, injury, homophobia, sexual content
Magic + London – two things that when put together will instantly spark my interest in picking up a book, and Freya Marske has combined them to create an enthralling world and fantasy romance story with a touch of mystery that was an absolute delight to read!
Set in Edwardian England A Marvellous Light introduces us to Robin Blyth, an amiable baronet who accidentally gets appointed as the government liaison to a hidden faction of magicians living amongst the upper classes of society.
Edwin Courcey, the very reclusive counterpart liaison for the Magical Assembly, turns up to work to find Robin in place of his usual associate and is none too happy about it. However, when Robin is cursed by faceless individuals hunting for an item that was in the possession of his predecessor – whose disappearance is becoming more and more of a mystery – Robin and Edwin put aside their differences to get to the bottom of it all.
We are instantaneously thrown into this secret world alongside Robin from the get go so I will admit I was a little lost at first. However, Marske’s fantastic prose both seamlessly draws you into the story and beautifully brings the characters together.
The worldbuilding predominantly focuses on the intriguing magic system which is rooted to one’s ancestry and family land, and the implementation of which is based off of the game of Cat’s Cradle. Hence for much of the story we are swept away to lavish country estates owned by aristocratic families with a magical background and the details to the settings were exquisite.
What I particularly loved though was that as the story progressed we got to see both the action side and the domestic side to the magic – each giving an insight into its marvels as well as its horrors.
The central mystery actually takes a back seat for much of the book, though don’t get me wrong it was a very gripping and explosive subplot all the same. Much more emphasis was put on the characters and their developing relationships, particularly our two protagonists. Through their individual perspectives and interactions with other characters Marske lays bare their personal strengths and struggles as well as touching on the harsh realities of society and its attitudes towards gender and sexuality at the time.
I instantly warmed to Robin and Edwin. They had great chemistry from the moment they met and their coming together was a beautiful transition from reluctant allies, to friends, to much more. The development of trust that forms between them was so wholesome and the ensuing romance has probably topped the charts for the steamiest I have ever read but it was also very endearing.
All in all this was a really fun debut and I look forward to further escapades with these characters and learning more about this magical world – I’m especially curious to discover more about the Magical Assembly – in the books to come!
Final Rating – 4.5/5 Stars
** I was gifted a copy of the book by TorUK & Black Crow PR for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, kidnapping, torture, murder, blood, death, death of a parent, bullying, injury, homophobia, sexual content
Magic + London – two things that when put together will instantly spark my interest in picking up a book, and Freya Marske has combined them to create an enthralling world and fantasy romance story with a touch of mystery that was an absolute delight to read!
Set in Edwardian England A Marvellous Light introduces us to Robin Blyth, an amiable baronet who accidentally gets appointed as the government liaison to a hidden faction of magicians living amongst the upper classes of society.
Edwin Courcey, the very reclusive counterpart liaison for the Magical Assembly, turns up to work to find Robin in place of his usual associate and is none too happy about it. However, when Robin is cursed by faceless individuals hunting for an item that was in the possession of his predecessor – whose disappearance is becoming more and more of a mystery – Robin and Edwin put aside their differences to get to the bottom of it all.
We are instantaneously thrown into this secret world alongside Robin from the get go so I will admit I was a little lost at first. However, Marske’s fantastic prose both seamlessly draws you into the story and beautifully brings the characters together.
The worldbuilding predominantly focuses on the intriguing magic system which is rooted to one’s ancestry and family land, and the implementation of which is based off of the game of Cat’s Cradle. Hence for much of the story we are swept away to lavish country estates owned by aristocratic families with a magical background and the details to the settings were exquisite.
What I particularly loved though was that as the story progressed we got to see both the action side and the domestic side to the magic – each giving an insight into its marvels as well as its horrors.
The central mystery actually takes a back seat for much of the book, though don’t get me wrong it was a very gripping and explosive subplot all the same. Much more emphasis was put on the characters and their developing relationships, particularly our two protagonists. Through their individual perspectives and interactions with other characters Marske lays bare their personal strengths and struggles as well as touching on the harsh realities of society and its attitudes towards gender and sexuality at the time.
I instantly warmed to Robin and Edwin. They had great chemistry from the moment they met and their coming together was a beautiful transition from reluctant allies, to friends, to much more. The development of trust that forms between them was so wholesome and the ensuing romance has probably topped the charts for the steamiest I have ever read but it was also very endearing.
All in all this was a really fun debut and I look forward to further escapades with these characters and learning more about this magical world – I’m especially curious to discover more about the Magical Assembly – in the books to come!
Final Rating – 4.5/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Torture, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Homophobia