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Title: An Unkindness of Magicians
Author: Kat Howard
Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press
Publish date: June 5th, 2018
Genres: Fantasy fiction, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, fairy tale, thriller
Synopsis:
In New York City, magic controls everything. But the power of magic is fading. No one knows what is happening, except for Sydney—a new, rare magician with incredible power that has been unmatched in decades, and she may be the only person who is able to stop the darkness that is weakening the magic. But Sydney doesn’t want to help the system, she wants to destroy it.
Sydney comes from the House of Shadows, which controls the magic with the help of sacrifices from magicians.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
So far 2022 has been about reading fantasy for me. I’m three books in so far, but this one isn’t my #1 pick. It is, however, a very solid recommendation from me!
The prose drew me in from the get-go, I didn’t have to struggle to get into the story. That, however, was the peak of the reading experience for me. I loved the reading of it, but wasn’t entirely enamoured with what I read.
As always with books that rank 3+ stars on my list, I do encourage you to give it a read for yourself to form your own opinion! I’d love to hear what you think.
Here’s where you can get your copy:
The Pros:
- As previously mentioned, the prose was delightful. Conversation flowed very well, and it was easy to have a clear picture of the setting.
- The use of magic in this novel is unlike any I’ve read before. From how it’s used, to why, to where it comes from— it was an utterly unique read.
- The story constantly surprised me. I’d have an idea of who would do what, or who was behind an event, and was nearly always wrong. A rare experience.
The Cons:
- The plot was often confusing. The story suffers from too many characters, and therefore too many points of view. Jumping around in the timeline doesn’t do the reader many favours either.
- In some ways, the conclusion seemed a bit too… easy? And obvious, in some ways. Although after being wrong about most other expectations throughout the book, it did feel kind of good to have an idea of how it was going to end before it did.
- The love story aspect of it deserved way more attention. We’re told about how wonderful the applicable characters are, and it’s evident that they love each other, but it’s not really evident why. There wasn’t any romantic build up at all.
Overall:
Even if just for the unique takes on the magical world, and for the lovely prose, you should give An Unkindness of Magicians a try. If you’re one of those people who love fantasy but could do without the huge romantic angle, this one could also be more your cup of tea!
This book is the first of a series, and I’m not in a huge rush to read the next installment, but I won’t rule out doing so at some point.
For me, it was like a mediocre slice of pizza— I’d still devour it at any hour, but I might want something different after.
Let me know what you thought of An Unkindness of Magicians in the comments below, or on social media!
Check out more of my book reviews for more recommendations!