Mathilde of the Mages

Mages in the Mundane #0.5

by Julianne Munich

Prequel to the Mages in the Mundane trilogy.

My family sold me to the highest bidder. Betrothed against my will.

I ran away in despair, leaving my enchanted village and family behind. No one prepared me for what—or who—I would find as I explored the world of non-magical folk.

Independent and stubborn, I found work as a maid, keeping my powers discreet. Life was mundane, yet so much better than the fate I'd escaped, and I reveled in making my own decisions.

Keeping my magic hidden would prove harder with time. A powerful man would take advantage of my naïve and caring nature, luring me into the depravity of the French royal court. And the consequences would tear my heart to shreds, ruling my destiny for years to come.

Historical coming-of-age fantasy with tragic fairytale themes.

Genres: Fantasy

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 23, 2023

About the author

Julianne lives in Wisconsin with her husband and son, while her two daughters are grown and flown.

She writes romantic fantasy filled with swoony and sweet love stories, angst, magical world-building in period settings, battles, and adventure.

When not writing, Julianne enjoys reading, baking, traveling with her family, taking walks outdoors, and watching true crime or historical dramas on Netflix.

Reviews

[MikeLikesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a prequel to the Mages in the Mundane trilogy. Written after the trilogy was completed, it introduces us to the mage, Mathilde, and how she ran away from her home after being sold into marriage at the age of 17. She ends up as a maid in Prince Theo’s household. Witches are put to death in the kingdom, so she has to keep her powers a secret. Eventually, Prince Theo seduces Mathilde (without much of a struggle). This girl is so naive. It’s part of her charm but it also makes her vulnerable. As the Prince’s mistress, she bears him a son. She shows the Prince her magic. This isn’t going to end well. It doesn’t. She is tossed out losing the love of her Prince and her baby boy. What does she do? Read the book and find out.

I have not read the trilogy. You can read this before or after you read the trilogy. I really enjoyed the book. It has lots of elements of a sweet fantasy. Well, a bittersweet fantasy. I’m curious to see what happens next in book one. What kept me from giving this book five stars is I wanted to see her fight more for her son. She just seemed resigned to accept what was happening to her. Fight back, Mathilde!

I want to thank BookSirens and the publisher for a free e-copy of this book. This is my honest review and I provide it voluntarily.

[Romantacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mathilde is a mage living in a magical village. When she becomes of age her parents throw a party to find available suitors. Forced into an engagement she does not want, she leaves the only home she’s ever known. But being magical in the land of non magical comes with a price, one she thought she was willing to pay. I devoured this book in hours! It will forever live rent free in my mind. I had to set it down a few times because it was an emotional roller coaster. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side and the consequences of her actions broke my heart.

[Julie Bihn]

I inhaled the crisp air, reveling in swirling rust-autumn leaves that marked October, a brand new month of my life passing as a Sans-Magie.

A tragic prequel to the excellent Mages in the Mundane trilogy. I read the trilogy first (starting with The Reborn Prince), and I'd honestly always found Mathilde to be a bit of an enigma. It was really interesting to see her origin as a naive girl, compared to the (I thought) more sophisticated deception she uses in the trilogy. Her decisions here aren't ones I would have chose, but I started to see how she made them. Having read the trilogy first, it was also a pleasure to get little glimpses of characters I remembered from those books.

(Funny enough, the most recent Finding Your Roots episode showed that one of Bob Odenkirk's ancestors was the mistress of a duke, so that really drove home to me how plausible Mathilde's story could be.)

As usual, I found Munich's style engaging and easy to read. I enjoyed the first-person narrative and how it got closer into Mathilde's head. I'd say this had a wee bit more spice than the trilogy, but nothing explicit--though there is adultery, so if reading about that is an issue for you, you'd do well to just skip to the excellent trilogy.

This was a satisfying prequel. If you want an HEA, you'll have to--or perhaps I should say get to--read the rest of the series. But if you're up for an engaging read with a secret magic society and a heroine faced with bad choices making some questionable decisions, this book should be right up your alley.

[Marcee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish we could give half stars. I feel like it deserves a 3.5, but not quite a four. I have not read the trilogy, but feel like the prequel can stand alone. Often times a prequel is best read after the other in the series, but that didn’t appear to be the case with this novel.
Im not sure if the author intended it, but the book read to me like a young adult novel. That is by no means a negative thing, but overall it felt like the story was very one dimensional and the characters were simple and didn’t develop much along the way.
I loved the somewhat feminist angle to Mathilde’s character. I feel that could have definitely molded into a larger and more prominent theme of the book. That was a missed opportunity to me. Perhaps that shines through more in the trilogy!
The fantasy perspective was subtle and light. As someone who doesn’t have much background with the fantasy genre, I appreciated that it wasn’t overwhelmingly heavy with it. It allowed me to take baby steps into world of fantasy.
All in all, I found it to be an enjoyable and quick read. I will absolutely read the trilogy!
I received this book as an advanced review copy for free and this review is being given voluntarily.

[Megan Asher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mathilde of the Mages is a captivating introduction to the Mages in the Mundane series, masterfully blending elements of historical fantasy with a dark fairytale twist. This prequel provides a profound exploration of Mathilde's journey, a mage who defies societal norms by escaping an arranged marriage and hiding her true identity within a non-magical realm.

Her struggle with love and societal expectations, juxtaposed against the moody backdrop of Prince Theodore's castle, crafts an enchanting and thought-provoking narrative. The story is set in 1700 France, which can create beautiful backdrops. Being naive is just one step on her path to where she is meant to be.

You have the complexities of forbidden love and the peril of hidden magic. Add a story rich in character development and world-building. I was thoroughly engrossed in this book and eagerly anticipated the rest of the series.

This tale of courage, identity, and the quest for freedom is compelling for anyone who relishes a story where magic and historical ambiance intertwine seamlessly.

[TaniaRina · Rating 4 out of 5]

French sprinkles make any sad life gayer
Croissants, éclairs, fairy-floss, strawberry sponge cake…

If you can’t make it, don’t fake it. At some point, someone may find you out and call you on it. Career, education, relationships…whatever. Don’t take the chance. Better to roll up your sleeves and put in the time to achieve your goals. Who knows? Ya just might notice little treasures while taking a leisurely stroll that would have been missed when rushing along.


Now that I’ve finished this series, I’ll make myself a healthy French treat for breakfast (cheese, mushroom, onion, and tomato omelette with tarragon and black pepper served with a side of toast and Chivers’s black currant jam).

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must-read YA fairytale prequel. This novel explores one of the main characters in the Mages in the Mundane trilogy, set decades before 'The Reborn Prince' and its sequels.

Young Mathilde Sauvage is the daughter of a prominent family of mages from an wizard's village set in the 1700s. She's expected to marry a high-status mage. When she's forced into betrothal in a marriage market auction, she runs away.

Soon, she is taken by a handsome prince to his court, where she becomes his servant, and then his mistress. She will be led to a fate of heartache and the events that set up the trilogy.

The characters are charming, written in depth with shades of gray, and realistic even in a fairy tale world.

[Hannah Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. This magical historical fiction and a sweet tale about Mathilde, a young mage who wants more than what she's offered. With spells, romance, and the enchanting setting of 1700s France, this book keeps you turning the pages for "just one more chapter" to see what Mathilde is up to next! This story is sweet, and easily digestible, a great weekend read.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mathilde of the Mages is a fascinating and nicely written historical fantasy that is a prequel to the Mages in the Mundane trilogy.
Filled with magic,intrigue,drama and forbidden romance it’s characters and world building are exquisite as the forces that shaped MFC Mathilde’s past are revealed and lead her into the bittersweet future that awaits.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a strong prequel in this world and was engaged with what was happening in this world. The overall feel worked in what I was hoping for and was engaged with how the story was told. The characters were really well done and worked in this storyline. Julianne Munich has a strong writing style and am excited for whatever comes next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I struggled to finish and there was not really a turnaround that made me happy to read the book.

The world building and writing is good.

But I despise the whole story, I did not like any character except maybe Armand.
I understand the setting is in another time and society but still I struggled.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Megan Wrye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this prequel. It was such a fun introduction to the story and got me super excited to read the rest of the series. The setting is so charming and I've always had a thing for nobleman.

[Lina Ravenhill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mathilde of the Mages is a cute high fantasy story about love, betrayal, and magic.
While reading this story I was thinking about some similarities between MOTM and Jane Eyre.
If you enjoy sweet, low stake fantasy, I highly recommend you to check it out.

[Melissa Flanagin · Rating 4 out of 5]

*RTC*

[Christine Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really just didn't like any of the characters much. The lead Tilde was okay, but she was very dumb when she did that thing near the end and it was hard for me to care about her much at that point.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and bittersweet prequel novel set in a prince’s castle and Paris.

[Beth Troxel · Rating 4 out of 5]

From a woman who loves to read small town romances, I think I've figured out I like other genres that doesn’t involve a heavy romance and nice, packaged ending. I quite enjoyed this. I don’t typically read something that’s set years past our time but I found it refreshing and enjoyable. I knew from the summery there wasn’t going to be an happily ever so I knew this was going to one of those stories that stayed with me for a while.

This is a prequel to the series. I highly recommend reading this before the others.

Mathilde is the youngest daughter to a family of mages. When her society forces her to become betrothed to a much older, powerful mage, she runs off to the human world of Paris where she is found by prince Theo. Falling in love is a major crime to the mages. No matter how hard she denies herself, her feeling only grow. What would happen if her heart won? How much heartbreak can one person take?

I found the writing quite nice. It was easy enough for me to read and held my attention until the last page. There are a few twists and turns to keep me wondering what’s going to happen. Throughout the book, there’s plenty of heartbreak that makes you side with Mathilde, but the major one just breaks my heart. After reading so many happy endings in books, it’s nice when you find one that doesn’t have the ending you were hoping for or the ending the main character should’ve had.

Just like the writing was nice, it was a little hard for my eyes to fly over the words. I did have to take my time to really soak everything in. I enjoyed Theo, but he seemed to have his head up his butt. He never gave anyone a second chance and would say things that helped him in his favor. And as for Mathilde, she knew what kind of life she was going to have if she ran off. Why did she think she would have no consequences to her actions?

It was a great storyline, a wonderful world, and nicely written events. Will I be getting the others? Absolutely! Will I be telling others to give this one a try? You betcha! I really enjoyed the difference this book had compared to all the other books I’ve read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read the original Mages in the Mundane trilogy and didn't think Julianne could top them, especially considering the first three books already revealed much of Mathilde's backstory, but MotM exceeded my expectations and is my favourite of Munich's books.

First of all, I very much enjoyed the first-person POV, which is surprising because I normally prefer third. That's a testament to how well the author handled it. Through the character immersion, she was also able to keep me engaged and turning the pages even though, like I said, I already knew how much heartbreak Tildie was in for and much of what she was going to endure. That's a difficult feat to accomplish, so kudos to the author.

I appreciated Tildie's feminist views, especially given the era and the culture in which she was raised, and considering the direction in which present real-world society is once again heading. At the same time, as a result of her sheltered upbringing in a magical society that is removed from we mundanes, Tildie is extremely naive, which leads her to make some poor decisions. These errors in judgment are understandable when you look at her character as a whole. Unfortunately for her, Theo is there to take full advantage of her trusting and naive nature.

While I wish TIldie could have had the HEA she deserved, it was not meant to be, and isn't that all too often true of real life?

[Mary Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so pleased with this prequel as I have read all the books in the Mages in the Mundane series. It was a real treat to get the backstory to Mathilde in her early years and how she progressed through all that happened to her. She has a strong character from the very beginning, which her brother did not appreciate, and as the ending of this book shows in the newspaper article, neither did her beloved nephew. If you have read this book and haven't read the rest of the series, you need to do so! Armand plays his supportive role, and you will need to see how this story grows. If you have read the rest of the series already then you already know how welcome this prequel is! Thank you, Julianne!

[Books And Chocaholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad we get more Mathilde.

Mathilde was a great character from the original trilogy and I'm glad we got more of her. Is this book necessary? not really. Does it add greatly to the series for fans of the books? indeed it does.

I liked going back a little further and seeing more of Mathilde and what things were like before the first book. I also liked seeing more of her backstory and what might be behind some of her motivations throughout the series.

A great seasonal read and a wonderfully quick and enjoyable book.