Review: A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry
I discovered author H.G. Parry earlier this year with the fantastic novel The Magician’s Daughter, of which I wrote a review that you can find here. Parry has become my new standard for what it takes to make what I consider to be ‘a favorite novel’; using beautiful prose and imagery, this author manages to weave what I consider to be masterpieces that almost lead me to believe magic might be real.
The Magician’s Daughter is the touching story of a wizard and his adopted daughter as they navigate a perilous situation together, learning that some people can be trusted and others can not. I was enthralled by the relationship between Bridget and her father, not to mention their magical familiar who is a talking rabbit. The setting in that novel, as well as a specific, beautiful flashback that reminds us that many times, family is chosen, made me into a devoted follower.
When I purchased A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians, I was first delighted by the length of the book. Like many other readers, I have an obsession with stories that are long and sweeping, though I acknowledge that there are some short, poignant gems which can take one’s breath away. That said, I grabbed the book for its length first, and then saw the name of the author. I wouldn’t say it was an impulse-buy, but I didn’t think much more about my choice as I took it to the register.
Echoes of Dickens shimmer between the lines of this epic tale set during the time of the French Revolution. Maximilien Robespierre is introduced to us as, not only a talented speaker, but a man who had a special gift which contributed to his ability to draw large crowds and win their support for his cause.
The question is, in this book, what is his cause?
He longs for a France where all magicians, regardless of social class, are free to practice magic if they are born with such a gift (in an amusing twist, the King of France in this novel was not born with magic, but Marie Antoinette was). That freedom is what Maximilien fought for; we eventually learn that he had a ‘benefactor’ who turned his good vision into a horrific persecution, laden with bloodshed and betrayal.
The existence of this book proves that the French Revolution will forever capture the imaginations of those who learn about it. Enough time has passed since those dark events that we can embellish them. H.G. Parry turned an awful season of French history into the deeply moving story following a man who wanted to make a difference for people like him…and who paid the ultimate price for it.
Robespierre is portrayed as sensitive, brave, and a little naive. By the end of this book, I cared deeply for his character. He will live in my memory as a favorite character, much like Biddy’s father in The Magician’s Daughter.
A Declaration is told from the viewpoints of multiple characters, including Robespierre. We also see these events through the eyes of British Prime Minister William Pitt, who has a secret of his own, and Fina, a slave girl who escaped from a Jamaican plantation with a heart steeled to make a difference and free her people. These viewpoints allow us to explore the turmoil from many angles, taking sides and feeling horror that human beings could be capable of such evil at any time in history.
That’s the thing, though—in A Declaration, it is not only human error that causes so much bloodshed. Someone is arranging it, deep in the shadows, someone who has been alive for a long time.
I’ve seen other readers complain that, compared to the heartwarming Magician’s Daughter, A Declaration is too dark for their tastes. I can see why a person would say that; though I will not spoil it, there are elements that made me close the book at times to catch my breath.
Yes, there is darkness in this novel, but that does not make it any less of a masterpiece; in my opinion, it makes it even more so, because you cannot perceive light if you don’t have darkness to compare it with.
Again I must say that H.G. Parry’s work has raised the bar for me with fantasy fiction and long novels. It has also made me more critical of the stories that I tell. I can only hope to one day manage a tale so enthralling as these, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of the sequel, A Radical Act of Free Magic. I will escape once more into the deep, often gruesome, but hopeful world that is described in these pages.
I will be waiting eagerly for more work from H.G. Parry.
