This was a fun, enjoyable debut. I wouldn’t call it cozy, but it’s certainly on the lighter side. A good book to read for some escapism.
Our main character is Leovander Loveage (Leo), a ne’er-do-well student at a magical academy. His foil is the very well-named (a little on the nose to be honest) Sebastian Grimm. Leo doesn’t particularly want to be at the academy, but his father has made clear that he needs to graduate if he wants to receive his inheritance. Leo would much rather play his violin, drink, and cavort, but needs must.
Sorcerers in this world come in two types: scriveners and casters. Scriveners write spells, but cannot cast anything but the most minor of magics. Casters can cast spells, but only spells that a scrivener has written. Leo is a scrivener, and Grimm is a caster. Surprise, surprise, they’re made to partner up in class.
Leo’s is exclusively skilled at small magics: minor charms and cantrips. Cosmetic spells are a particular specialty. The grand magics are beyond him - anything he scribes is all but guaranteed to go terribly wrong. His skills are far from useless, but he embraces the frivolous aspects and takes every opportunity to annoy Sebastian Grimm.
The action proper kicks off when, during a class exercise, Leo gives Grimm a spell to cast that places Leo under a compulsion to obey any command Grimm gives him (it really is entirely an accident, on both their parts). As both of them find the idea of Leo being Grimm’s permanent slave to be utterly repulsive on many levels, they set out to chase down rumors of a sorcerer in an enchanted forest particularly skilled at counter curses.
The book is fun and charming. The two of them get under each others’ skin with effortless ease, and, as is often the case in these books, friction leads to sparks. As I said at the top, it’s easy to read and it’s very fun and enjoyable.
It’s not the greatest book ever. Leo and Grimm are both archetypal characters, and I knew the general shape of the story very early on. I can also predict a few twists that might come about in the second book.
Which I am looking forward to.
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