Sorcery & Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer

This book began as a simple bout of fun. Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer corresponded to each other through letters for 6 months in what they called ‘the Letter Game.’ Wrede wrote as ‘Cecelia’ and Stevermer created ‘Kate’. They did not discuss plot at any point, but merely let their creativity run amok with lots of old-fashioned British gossip.

Set in England in the year 1817, Sorcery and Cecelia is all about what is proper for young ladies, and the woes of finding a suitable husband, but for the thrill, magic is tossed in. Yes, in this England, magic is real. There is even a College of Wizards, and the wizards themselves stroll about in society like any other well-educated Englishman.

Overall, Sorcery was entertaining. It was light and engaging with quick humor. However, my overall sense after closing the book was lacking. I never cared for the characters, though I admit I liked Cecelia and Kate. The plot was rather limp, but as I learned, the plot was never the point. The evil characters were downright shallow with the go to ‘steal each other’s magic’ plot. And whenever anyone tried to explain a wizard’s magic I was often confused. None of it ever made any sense and I found it very annoying how a person could simply be protected by magic by wearing an enchanted ring or necklace that the evil wizard could just as easily remove and do wrong doing.

It isn’t a bad book, but it isn’t great either.