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emily_reads_things 's review for:
The Incandescent
by Emily Tesh
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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
The protagonist is a 38yo bisexual woman and academic magic professional fighting a demon invasion at the English boarding school where she is both an administrator and teacher (and it's maybe the most realistic depiction of a teacher I've read in a work of fiction).
The story follows her as she deals with the impact of increasing demonic activity at the school: it's effects on her students, her rattled sense of self, her growing questions about her relationship to her career, and the lingering trauma of her own past as a student at the school. A few romantic entanglements and their consequences are also thrown in for good measure.
Well-developed sense of place through the descriptions of the school. If you enjoy dark academia or magical boarding schools with a modern day setting this will check boxes for you.
While the book is often tense and serious, there are also enjoyable moments of humor and self-awareness peppered throughout.
The book alternates between periods fast-paced action and slower-paced contemplative reflection. There were a few points in the middle where the pacing felt a tad "off" - a little slow and some events felt a bit repetitive - but on the whole the pace works to both propel the plot forward and provide space for the characters to grow and for the reader's sense of the world to develop.
Enjoyed it and read it quickly (with an assist from a surprise COVID case at home and some associated free time isolating).
The story follows her as she deals with the impact of increasing demonic activity at the school: it's effects on her students, her rattled sense of self, her growing questions about her relationship to her career, and the lingering trauma of her own past as a student at the school. A few romantic entanglements and their consequences are also thrown in for good measure.
Well-developed sense of place through the descriptions of the school. If you enjoy dark academia or magical boarding schools with a modern day setting this will check boxes for you.
While the book is often tense and serious, there are also enjoyable moments of humor and self-awareness peppered throughout.
The book alternates between periods fast-paced action and slower-paced contemplative reflection. There were a few points in the middle where the pacing felt a tad "off" - a little slow and some events felt a bit repetitive - but on the whole the pace works to both propel the plot forward and provide space for the characters to grow and for the reader's sense of the world to develop.
Enjoyed it and read it quickly (with an assist from a surprise COVID case at home and some associated free time isolating).