Sometimes I find myself so far down a dopamine saturated k-hole of smut that even the idea of picking up literature with (gasp) metaphors and similes feels like, in the words of Freya Marske, “pushing a lump of marble uphill”.

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske is a poetic adventure through a magically tinted human world, set in 1908. Watch-fobs and waistcoats, oh my! The story follows two men, Robin Blyth, a recently titled baronet, and Edwin Courcey, a magician and scholar, as they begrudgingly work together to uncover a secret that could endanger the lives of every magician in the world.

If the synopsis doesn’t get you, let me sweeten the pot. This book has secret magical societies, enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, LGBTQ+ representation, some racial diversity, spice, plot twists abound, and absolutely breathtaking imagery of historical England. Most importantly, the prose melts in your mouth and makes you savor every morsel.

I deeply enjoyed this story, to the point where, when I finished the last page, I closed the book and gave it a hug. The magic system is unique; magicians have varying levels of power, some with the ability to call their magic without much effort and some requiring the use of tools to “cradle” (certain sequences of hand movements that generate light). Women in this society are wholly oppressed, but, as we all know (and I mean ALL of us regardless of your gender), oppression only makes us stronger and more cunning. The time period also calls to attention the necessary secrecy required for homosexual persons, due to strict and conservative laws. Marske handles these elements in a delicate and lovely way, so if you are sensitive to these issues, rest assured that there’s no violence or outright harshness in these regards. The side characters are just as important to the plot as the main characters. Their antics drive the story towards unveilings that soften, brighten, or, sometimes, darken the outlook, depending on the moment. You’ll hate them, you’ll love them…but you’ll mostly hate them, but in a good way. All in all, I highly recommend this book and I gave it 5/5 stars.

Word of caution, it looks like A Marvellous Light is the first in an unfinished trilogy called, The Last Binding. Book two, A Restless Truth, is out now and the third, A Power Unbound, is set to be released on November 7, 2023. Of course I’ve already ordered book two and pre-ordered book three, so more to come in future posts.

Comment down below if you’ve read this book yet and let me know what you thought. If your comments contain spoilers for any of the released books, please please indicate as such at the very beginning, so we can skip those if necessary.