Sorcerer to the Crown
Series: Sorcerer Royal / Book: 1
I received Sorcerer to the Crown in my fall BookBathBox. This was only my second subscription box, and I LOVED the first book I got (Tailchaser’s Song), so I was excited to see what this book had in store. It takes place in the 1700’s in England when gentlemen with familiars are the only acknowledged sorcerers and women are expressly forbidden to practice magic. The current Sorcerer Royal is about to change all that when he finds a talented female who has more magical potential than most men in England. Can she restore the waning magic to the country before their secret is found out?
I’m starting with the good things within this novel as I think there are more good than bad. This was a captivating storyline that I feel had barely started to peak before it was already almost over. Thank goodness there are more books coming down the line! I was enthralled with the politics of the magic world and how hard it was for the protagonists to try to do the right thing. I also loved seeing the theme of women empowerment come out through the story. Now for the one big downside: in the first couple chapters I had the HARDEST time getting the cadence of the story going because it seemed like the author plucked the most awkward words out of a thesaurus and dropped them randomly throughout the text. It was so dreadful that I thought I wasn’t going to be able to finish the book. I urge you to stick with this for a few chapters though, as it slows down immensely and flows much more smoothly thereafter.
I think this book was a commendable debut for the author and I encourage readers to pick it up if they like fantasy, especially if you liked the Ministry of Magic and political side of the Harry Potter series.
Malia's Pizza Rating
A breakfast pizza with dragon’s eggs on top.