Marissa Doyle's debut novel is an entertainng mixture of the social scene of the 1837 London season and Harry Potter esque magical mischief. Now, right there, you're already intrigued right? So was I.
The main character, Persephone, and her twin sister Penelope, both have a magical gift that must be kept under wraps since witches were burnt at the stake less than a century ago - but just because they can't make a huge fanfare out of it doesn't mean that they can't hone their skills for private use, right? Right. So they're longtime governess, Ally, does just that. Persephone is the more studious and shy, and is not in the least bit happy about her coming-out season. It means talking and dancing and (gulp!) boys. And when a childhood friend, whose quite the handsome gentleman now, returns to the fold, her nerves are even more frayed.
At first Persephone and Penelope's characters felt a little off for me. I didn't love Persy's awkwardness right away - but I fell into it later. All the characters became more fleshed out and likable with time and patience.
What really made this book a fast-paced read was the plot. Once some devious doings on behalf of the crown start to happen, the novel becomes a lot more than a book about a couple nice girls being introduced as the years most eligible wives. But I'll be the first to admit, that was fun too.
With all the romantic intrigue, spying, and flat out fun this book brings to the table, I definitely recommend it. In fact, after some patience I fell in love enough with these characters to want a sequel!
What say you, Ms. Doyle?
The main character, Persephone, and her twin sister Penelope, both have a magical gift that must be kept under wraps since witches were burnt at the stake less than a century ago - but just because they can't make a huge fanfare out of it doesn't mean that they can't hone their skills for private use, right? Right. So they're longtime governess, Ally, does just that. Persephone is the more studious and shy, and is not in the least bit happy about her coming-out season. It means talking and dancing and (gulp!) boys. And when a childhood friend, whose quite the handsome gentleman now, returns to the fold, her nerves are even more frayed.
At first Persephone and Penelope's characters felt a little off for me. I didn't love Persy's awkwardness right away - but I fell into it later. All the characters became more fleshed out and likable with time and patience.
What really made this book a fast-paced read was the plot. Once some devious doings on behalf of the crown start to happen, the novel becomes a lot more than a book about a couple nice girls being introduced as the years most eligible wives. But I'll be the first to admit, that was fun too.
With all the romantic intrigue, spying, and flat out fun this book brings to the table, I definitely recommend it. In fact, after some patience I fell in love enough with these characters to want a sequel!
What say you, Ms. Doyle?
Comments
And thank you!