Review: A Marvellous Light

Hi everyone! Who needs a dose of serotonin and a good book to avoid obligations this season 🙋🏻‍♀️

A Marvellous Light follows Edwin and Robin as they are figuring out what happened to Robin’s predecessor and removing a curse from Robin’s arm. These two men must overcome an initially poor first meeting to solve a puzzle that could affect all of England if they don’t.

I love Edwin so much! He is such a sweet cinnamon roll, and to see him grow and slowly let Robin in was amazing. He is coming from a family that picked on him endlessly due to his low magical power and his preference to read instead of engage in magical mischief (same Edwin, same). Robin is coming from a family who viewed their public image as more important than their children and their children’s sole job was to bring them better standing. So when they die and leave the majority of their estate to charities, Robin and Maud are left to figure out everything for themselves.

There is a magical contract that is being hunted, which would give the wielder the power to transfer someone else’s magic power to themselves. Robin just happened to be put into the job of the person who had originally found it, but that the bad guys had killed before finding it’s exact location. Robin has a curse placed on his arm which immobilizes him with pain. Edwin’s sense of duty had him offering his help to Robin and they go off to remove the curse and find out what happened to the previous representative.

This M/M relationship was so slow burn and lovely. Enemies to lovers. With all of the fun twists and turns that magic can bring to a book. I could definitely see why this was heralded as Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell for YA. But all they were saying by the Red, White and Royal Blue comparison was it was an LGTBQIA+ representative book. Robin and Edwin are lovely and I can’t wait for the second one to be published! If you loved the Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell world but wanted a little bit more magic and playfulness then this is the book for you.

Favorite Quote:
“Oh, nothing of consequence,” said Edwin. “I’ve merely inherited one of the oldest magical estates in Cambridgeshire”
Which sums up Edwin perfectly.

Happy Holidays!
Kaitlyn