Tag: historical fantasy

Book Review: Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy
Length: 544 pages
Author: R.F. Kuang
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: August 23rd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a historical fantasy epic that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British Empire

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world’s center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . .

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?

WHY DID IT TAKE ME SO LONG TO READ THIS?

Well I do know why, I didn’t love the conclusion to The Poppy War series, but I heard too many good things about this book not to give an [eventual] go, AND HERE WE ARE.

I loved it.

I loved how complex it was. I would sit there and be in absolute awe that R.F. Kuang created this amazing story. I felt like I learned so much and with the audio it really came alive (highly recommend this route, I think it saved me from thinking it was too slow).

Robin Swift is the definition of a tangled character. Going through everything he does and choosing some good and some bad decisions. I loved following his story and the intensity at which I felt for the high and low moments. Some of those moments towards the end had my heart breaking. There is so much I could discuss but also no way I could fit it into a review, if you’ve gotten this far just know YOU SHOULD READ IT.

I felt a whole range of emotions reading this and this dark academia story is a new favorite.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fantasy
  • Language: some strong
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, murder, colonization, war themes, discussions of slavery, physical abuse, racism, xenophobia, colorism, mentions of suicide, inhuman work conditions, police brutality, brief sexual assault, misogyny, anxiety depiction

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Book Review: The Shattered City (The Last Magician #4) by Lisa Maxwell

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction Fantasy
Length: 768 pages
Author: Lisa Maxwell
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: December 6th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Once, Esta believed that she could change the fate of magic. She traveled to the past and stopped the Magician from destroying a mystical book that held the key to freeing her people from the Brink, an energy barrier that traps all Mageus who cross it.

But the Book was more than she bargained for. So was the Magician she was tasked to steal it from.

Hunted by an ancient evil, Esta and Harte have raced through time and across a continent to track down the powerful artifacts they need to bind the Book’s devastating power. They’ve lost family, betrayed friends, and done what they’d both vowed never to do: fallen in love with the one person who could truly destroy them.

Now, with only one artifact left, their search has brought them back to New York, the city where it all began. But nothing in Manhattan is as they left it. Their friends have scattered, their enemies have grown more powerful, and as the deadly Brink beckons, their time is running out.

If they can’t find a way to end the threat they’ve created, then the very heart of magic will die—and it will take the world down with it.

I AM GOOD WITH THIS CONCLUSION.

I feel like I’ve worked really hard to get to this point because these books are THIIIICK. And here I am, finished. And I did like the ending a lot!! Things were wrapped up well and got plenty of happy endings for the entire cast.

What is still over my head is some aspects of the magic system. I can’t go into detail because of spoilers, but the time travel + magic artifacts + different timeline saga threw me through a loop occasionally. It mostly worked out enough at least.

I enjoyed these characters and I like the romance aspects weren’t locked up in miscommunication or third act break-up kind of stuff. Everyone worked together to defeat the evil terrorizing the foundation of magic and I love those kind of found family aspects.

If you’re in for a long haul series with multiple romances, historical fiction, time travel, magic, mayhem and more. Maybe try this on audio! I do love the audiobooks and it made some of the longer pacing balance out better.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction + Urban Fantasy
  • Language: some
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: racism, homophobia, near death experiences, magical and physical altercations, kidnapping

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Book Review: Ruthless Vows (Letters of Enchantment #2) by Rebecca Ross

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 432 pages
Author: Rebecca Ross
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: December 26th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The epic conclusion to the intensely romantic and beautifully written story that started in Divine Rivals.

Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements, they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger, knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign.

Since waking below in Dacre’s realm, Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time, Roman begins to write articles for Dacre, uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by wardrobe door, Roman is first suspicious, then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal, Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together…the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.

WAS IT GOING TO BE ANYTHING ELSE.

Five stars.

All the stars.

All the emotions too.

I loved this book. It was the kind of duology sequel you hope for. Dream about reading. After my total obsession with Divine Rivals the hype was real for this one. And hallelujah all the hype was deserved.

Just go into this book blind. The story unfolds with beautiful writing and a continuation of the storyline you won’t be able to look away from. I loved how the romance evolved, how the meddling gods affected the world and the stunning and raw conclusion.

It’s incredible. Worth the read x1000 over. I love the way Rebecca Ross writes and creates stories. They are always some of my favorite books each year.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Historical Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: war themes (bombing and loss of life), near death experiences, weapons violence

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Book Review: The Fire in the Glass (The Charismatics #1) by Jacquelyn Benson

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 498 pages
Author: Jacquelyn Benson
Publisher: Vaughn Woods Publishing
Release Date: February 1st, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

London, 1914. Lily’s visions could stop a killer… if she’ll trust a reclusive aristocrat with her darkest secret.

A monster stalks the gaslit streets of Edwardian London, draining the blood of the city’s mediums. Lily Albright knows who’s next.

Lily is plagued by visions of the future she can never change. When a mysterious fiend threatens someone she loves, she’s determined this time will be different.

But she can’t do it alone. To save a life, Lily must reveal her darkest secrets to someone she has little reason to trust—the reclusive Lord Strangford, a man haunted by his own unusual powers.

From the glittering galleries of Bond Street to the rookeries of Southwark, Lily and Strangford plunge into a dark conspiracy that lies at the heart of England’s rising eugenics movement. To thwart it, Lily must face a past rife with betrayal—and embrace the power she has spent her entire life trying to escape.

TOO LONG.

I found a lot of this really interesting and somewhat in the veins of Stalking Jack the Ripper. I am coming to realize I really enjoy historical fantasy books. I like the old world vibes with a bit of magic thrown in.

I enjoyed both Lily and Strangford as our main duo. It’s very much a slow burn romance between them as they both learn to release some of their long held secrets and hurts to each other. I was looking for a bit more romantic build up/interactions with them, but as I see this is a series I think there’s plenty of room to continue the romance.

This book is easily 100+ pages too long. Even listening as an audiobook (at 3x speed) I noticed that things weren’t happening. When the action scenes came up, they were good. When soft moments came up, also good. It was some of the in-between that felt dragged out along the plot lines.

I do have plans to read the next book because I’m curious if it upticks from here. It’s got a concept I like seeing and good themes too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fantasy + Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: human experimentation, loss of life, murder, near death experiences, alcohol and drug use, absent parent, blood/gore, anti-Semitic remarks, sexist remarks, physical altercations, sexual assault

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