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The Midnight Bargain

C.L. Polk (Goodreads Author)

3.83 · Rating details · 1,910 ratings · 718 reviews

Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress who practices magic in secret, terrified of the day she will be locked into a marital collar that will cut off her powers to protect her unborn children. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged Magus and pursuing magic as her calling as men do, but her family has staked everything to equip her for Bargaining Season, when young men and women o ...more

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Hardcover, 384 pages

Published October 13th 2020 by Erewhon

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Average rating 3.83 ·

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Aug 13, 2020 Nilufer Ozmekik rated it liked it

Hmmm stuck in my inner evaluation purgatory: Another book gave me mixed feelings and I couldn’t decide if I hated it or loved it.

There are so many things I truly enjoyed: having equal rights between men and power to hold and use magic, to have rights to be Magus parts are thought provokingly well established.If you are a woman, you have to sacrifice your potential to have and hold the magic because when you get marry, you may put your unborn children’s lives into danger( they may be corrupted by Hmmm stuck in my inner evaluation purgatory: Another book gave me mixed feelings and I couldn’t decide if I hated it or loved it.

There are so many things I truly enjoyed: having equal rights between men and power to hold and use magic, to have rights to be Magus parts are thought provokingly well established.If you are a woman, you have to sacrifice your potential to have and hold the magic because when you get marry, you may put your unborn children’s lives into danger( they may be corrupted by vicious spirits)

Overall: The world building, bargaining system to choose yourself a wealthy, charming husband, rules of magic were the original, well developed and most interesting parts of the book.
But... yes... here comes the parts which bothered me a lot:

Firstly let’s talk about characters:

I found the characterization a little flat, superficial. MC Beatrice carries feminism vibes to fight for her rights to use her magic and become a Magus as like the other men do. But she was mostly too annoying, irritating, acting selfishly. Those facts made her unlikable. Her character suffers from lack of emotional depth. Poor, charming Ianthe shows his feelings from the beginning and I wanted to scream at her face and tell her “ get marry with this guy, what are you waiting for!”

Thankfully even though we suffer from heroine’s obnoxiousness, Nadi, lovely spirit she summoned to help her get back the grimoire, was my favorite character.

Romance parts are haphazard, instantaneous, too. I couldn’t get the part how they suddenly fell for each other. I really thought maybe I missed some pages and returned back to find them. Oh, no. I didn’t skip or miss any pages!

And the pace was a little bumpy. It gets slower and something happens to captivate your attention back. But a few chapters later the boredom comes back!

Fantasy parts and creative world building were truly amazing. I wish there would be less romance and more magic in this book with more tolerable characters. I’m so sure with this formulation: I would give it five stars.
So I stayed in Switzerland territory: it was not great but it was okay read so let’s meet in the middle by giving it three stars.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Erewhon books for providing me this unique ARC in exchange my honest opinions. ...more

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Dec 13, 2020 Melissa ~ Bantering Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss-arc, on-my-kindle

Be sure to visit Bantering Books to read all my latest reviews.

Let’s see if I can build some buzz. (Cracks knuckles.)

C.L. Polk’s latest offering, The Midnight Bargain, is a Young Adult Fantasy Regency Romance that, for some reason, hasn’t received much attention in the bookish community. And the minor attention it has received has been somewhat mixed and unenthusiastic.

But I hope to change all that. I want to give it a little love. Shower a little praise upon it. Because The Midnight Bargain is ...more

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Oct 01, 2020 Camilla rated it it was ok

Shelves: arcs

I requested the ARC because I loved the cover, but unfortunately this didn't work for me. The author's writing style is very similar to Renée Ahdieh and Naomi Novik, so if you enjoy those two, you might like The Midnight Bargain better than I did.

The story follows a seemingly historical world, in which women have way lesser rights than men. The magic consists in summoning spirits and only men can be mages. The protagonist, Beatrice, wants to study magic and stay away from the society patterns fo ...more

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Jul 20, 2020 ☀ Kat Nova ☀ rated it liked it

Shelves: standalone, arcs

“The talent for sorcery in women is a curse when it ought to be a blessing.”

Basically, in a world that doesn’t allow women the freedom of sorcery, there are secret grimoires that Beatrice learns magic from. She plans to make a deal with a great spirit to live her life as a mage and not have to get married.

Knowing that alone made me so excited to read this. I was ready for some magical badassery, but unfortunately, I was not feeling the magic. I really liked the story, and I believe a lot of re ...more

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Sep 16, 2020 Carolyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-2020, romance, netgalley, 2020, fantasy, ya

Beatrice Clayborn lives in a patriarchal fantasy world where most people have some magical talent. However, only boys are trained in magic and inducted into a magical society. Girls are allowed to learn charms and minor childish magic but are never taught higher skills. When they marry they must put on a collar that blocks their magical abilities in order to protect their unborn children's souls being taken by a spirit. Beatrice, however, has taught herself magic from grimoires that she found an ...more

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Aug 30, 2020 Kirsty Hendry rated it really liked it

Thank you Netgalley for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Beatrice is a young sorceress,who dreams of becoming a mage. Only one thing stands in her way, she is a woman. Women are only permitted to practice magic after they have produced heirs for their husband. Until then, from their wedding day, they are required to wear a collar which suppresses their magic. Beatrice practices magic in secret and is determined to remain unwed. She has been hunting for a grimoire which hold ...more

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Aug 23, 2020 ✩ Yaz ✩ rated it liked it

Shelves: standalone, historical-fiction, 2020-releases, fantasy, romance

3 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Erewhon Books for sending me a free e-Arc of The Midnight Bargain in exchange for a review.

I liked this book it had some interesting elements and it’s set in a fictionalized regency-era England and many of you probably know how much I love anything that has to do with the regency era.

The story as the synopsis hints at follows Beatrice, a young Sorceress dreams of becoming a full-fledged Mage, however.. women in Chasland “Fictional England” as it was perceived a ...more

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Aug 28, 2020 CYIReadBooks (Claire) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

A gorgeous book cover so appropriate for the beautiful fantasy romance novel it contains. In The Midnight Bargain, Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress that yearns to become a full-fledged magus; but she needs a special grimoire to accomplish this.

Because women practicing magic is frowned upon in her country, Beatrice must secretly search for the coveted grimoire in the various booksellers of Bendelton. Once she finds the grimoire, she is swindled out of it by another sorceress.

Desperate to get the ...more

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Jan 21, 2021 Juliana (Midnight Book Blog) rated it liked it

I wasn't sure about this book in the beginning, but I'm glad I stuck it out! ...more

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Jul 27, 2020 Kenzie The Dragon Queen rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, books-i-have-reviewed, fantasy, fiction, romance, arc-advanced-readers-copies, 2-star, arcs-i-have-read

I was given an ARC (advanced readers copy) of The Midnight Bargain by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

The Midnight Bargain was an interesting historical romance fantasy novel, with themes of feminism and choice at its core.

I found the magic system intriguing and unique. The world building from that perspective was well constructed and written in my opinion. I thought the way magic was used in this book was original and creative, but still easy to understand, which is a strong ...more

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Sep 30, 2020 jenny✨ rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020, adult-fantasy, arc, fempower, adult-historical, canadian-author, queer-authors, poc-side-character, author-of-colour, black-authors

10/13/2020: PUBLICATION DAY! ✨

“The talent for sorcery in women is a curse when it ought to be a blessing.”

This is a beautiful Regency-era fantasy that tackles female empowerment with more gusto (and explicit passion) than any speculative OR historical fiction I’ve read in a long while. Also, C.L. Polk is a Canadian author of colour—my favourite kind of writer!

“But no one is looking for another way,” Beatrice said. “The current system lays all of the restriction, all the responsibility, a

...more

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Oct 03, 2020 Lucie V. rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, netgalley, kindle-ebook

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Erewhon Books). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars.

Beatrice is a young girl with an affinity for sorcery who longs to be free and to be able to become a sorceress. Alas, in Chasland (a land that reminded me a lot of England seen in Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility), the only purpose of a girl is to make an advantageous marriage and to bear children. Even worse, to prevent any malevolent spirit from inhabiting a baby I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Erewhon Books). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars.

Beatrice is a young girl with an affinity for sorcery who longs to be free and to be able to become a sorceress. Alas, in Chasland (a land that reminded me a lot of England seen in Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility), the only purpose of a girl is to make an advantageous marriage and to bear children. Even worse, to prevent any malevolent spirit from inhabiting a baby before it is born, married women need to wear a collar that cancels their powers until they stop being able to produce heirs.

This story is about Beatrice’s quest to find a different path, to get a hold of a special grimoire that will tell her how to bind herself to a greater spirit. Once it’s done, she thinks her father will let her help him with the family business instead of getting married.

But of course, things are never that easy. Beatrice meets Ianthe and his sister Ysbeta while searching for the grimoire. She connects instantly with the kind and gorgeous Ianthe and as the story moves on, she is faced with a tough choice: keep her magic or choose love.

The world-building was simple and elegant. As I said, it reminds me of Pride and Prejudice. The setting, the social events, the dialogues even. There is not a lot of action in this book. It is more about developing relationships and searching for the path that will lead to happiness. One thing that I liked less was the insta-love. There is (almost) no build-up, the attraction is fast and almost seemed suspicious at first.

The characters are fine. Nothing extra-ordinary, but I liked them enough to care about Beatrice’s choice and to root for Ianthe. He seems really sophisticated and understanding of Beatrice’s internal struggle, still he was not a character that I fell in love with. Ysbeta is a strong character and I liked her; it was nice to see her relationship with Beatrice go from a mutual need to mutual friendship.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, and the epilogue was very satisfying, but the story was predictable and sometimes a little too slow-paced. I would also have enjoyed knowing more about their magic system. It seemed interesting. But we know next to nothing about it. It is a good choice though if you enjoy romance and historical fiction. ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Lisa rated it it was amazing

Came for the romance, stayed for the feminism. Full review to come shortly.

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Sep 01, 2020 Sherwood Smith added it

Shelves: fantasy

Polk takes the popular Regency-romance-with-magic trope to another world, in order to give a reason why women are kept from becoming mages, while preserving all the fun trappings of a Regency romance social life. That gives our heroine, who wants to flout the system and become a mage in spite of the laws and limitations on women--until she falls in love, and is torn between two desires.

Meanwhile she forms a friendship with her heartthrob's sister, who also is desperate to become a mage, while be ...more

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Jan 03, 2021 Rincey rated it really liked it

Shelves: poc-author

3.5 stars

C.L. Polk writes books that completely enrapture my attention while I'm reading them but I wouldn't say they will stay with me. But they are breezy and light and fun to read

Watch me discuss this book here: https://youtu.be/B0wY0NsULUw ...more

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Oct 16, 2020 laurel [the suspected bibliophile] rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020-read, arcs, fantasy

Beatrice Clayborn has a problem. In a world where sorceresses are valued for their womb instead of their magic, she's in the middle of Bargaining Season. She wants out. She has a Plan, but it involves finding a Greater Spirit and convincing her father she's worth more as a spinster mage instead of a bride. But when she finds the right grimoire she needs, it's ripped from her hands by two of the most wealthy people in the country: the Lavan siblings. As Beatrice becomes more involved with the sib ...more

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Oct 17, 2020 Jane rated it really liked it

3.5 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is another good fantasy novel from the author. The great thing is that this is a stand alone, which is rare to find in fantasy books.

Beatrice Clayborn is a young sorceress that practices magic in secret. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged Magus like men and practicing magic full-time. Women are not allowed to practice magic other than simple charms once they are married. They are collared and their magic is suppressed to p 3.5 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is another good fantasy novel from the author. The great thing is that this is a stand alone, which is rare to find in fantasy books.

Beatrice Clayborn is a young sorceress that practices magic in secret. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged Magus like men and practicing magic full-time. Women are not allowed to practice magic other than simple charms once they are married. They are collared and their magic is suppressed to protect their unborn children from being possessed by a rogue spirit. Beatrice's family is broke and her father has placed the families' future on her making a good match during the Bargaining Season, when well-to-do families gather to negotiate marriage contracts.

One day Beatrice finds a grimoire that has the knowledge she needs to become a full Magus, but before she can buy it another sorceress steals it out from under her. Beatrice conjures a minor spirit to help her get it back, but the playful spirit demands something of her - a kiss from the brother of the rival sorceress. As Beatrice's relationship deepens with the siblings, her choice becomes more difficult to make. She can't have it all, and no matter what she decides, someone will be devastated. Does she sacrifice her freedom, dreams and happiness to save her family, or does she choose herself but doom her family and lose the man she may grow to love?

This is a good, fast-paced book with plenty of action. I really liked Beatrice and her rival, Ysbeta Lavan. They are unapologetically focused on what they want out of life and don't cower in the presence of men or dim their personality simply to fit in or please them. In contrast, Beatrice's love interest, Ianthe Lavan, is pretty one-note. He's earnest, wears his heart on his sleeve and his instantaneous infatuation with Beatrice is not believable. In fact, the whole romance part of the story felt forced and was the weakest part of the book.

The whole focus of the book is about magic, but there is actually very little magic practiced in the book which is a bit disappointing. The spirit that Beatrice conjures to help her, Nadi, is one of the best parts of the book. She's childlike in her joy of little things as well as her fierce devotion and desire to protect Beatrice.

Overall, this is a good, stand alone fantasy book that is a quick and easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Aug 03, 2020 ❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, fantasy, high-fantasy, kindle, magic, romance, adult

Come see this review and more at my blog, The Scribe Owl.

4/5 stars!

Thanks to Edelweiss and Erewhon for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This is a review of an uncorrected copy, so anything could be fixed in post.

This book was the epitome of a rollercoaster! We had a rocky start, with a slow plot, instalove, and thick writing, but I gradually warmed up to it and I couldn’t put it down near the end! I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with it, because it has so many flaws, but in th Come see this review and more at my blog, The Scribe Owl.

4/5 stars!

Thanks to Edelweiss and Erewhon for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This is a review of an uncorrected copy, so anything could be fixed in post.

This book was the epitome of a rollercoaster! We had a rocky start, with a slow plot, instalove, and thick writing, but I gradually warmed up to it and I couldn’t put it down near the end! I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with it, because it has so many flaws, but in the end it was a fantastic story and I can overlook the rest.

The absolute bests part of this book was the world-building and general ideas. The Midnight Bargain is set in what almost feels like the early 1800s with the stunning addition of magic. Most people have magic, but when a woman gets married she had to wear this collar that restricts her power so that she doesn’t put an unborn child in danger of possession by evil spirits. I loved the whole Bargaining Season part, where women go to Chasland for a series of balls and social gatherings to try and win a husband. The way it was described through Beatrice’s perspective got her views across effectively.

The first negative thing I need to address is the characters. Our MC, Beatrice, will definitely not be winning any awards. She was a one-dimensional character with her whole personality being “feminist.” She also came across as selfish and irritating when she’d only think of herself and her wants, not her family or poor, sweet Ianthe who shows his feelings right away as Beatrice ignores him own for her own pursuits.

Even if I disliked Beatrice’s personality, that was saved by the adorable childish wonder of Nadi, the luck spirit Beatrice summoned. Ianthe was also such a charming character, and I felt so bad for him each time Beatrice unthinkingly rebuked him for her own goals.

Secondly, the instalove. Ianthe’s the sweetest, but I can’t see him falling for Beatrice right away, or vice versa. But no, we had a bad case of true love at first sight, which is not anything enjoyable in a book.

Finally, the pacing was a little rocky. There were times when it would drag on and I would beg myself to dnf it, and others when I wouldn’t be able to put it down.

All in all, even though this review sounds negative I really did enjoy this book. If only there was more magic and less forced romance, I think I would have rated it higher. I would still recommend it, and I had a very enjoyable read!

Trigger and content warnings: Attempted murder, forced marriage, and misogyny. ...more

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Oct 13, 2020 The Captain rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

Title: the midnight bargain

Author: C.L. Polk

Publisher: Erewhon Books

Publication Date: TODAY!! (hardback & e-book)

ISBN: 978-1645660071

Source: Edelweiss

The Midnight Bargain

This book is a lite Regency romance type book with magic. In it, Beatrice is about to have her “coming out” season but she really wants to be a mage. Magic – no women allowed. Women are supposed t ...more

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Jul 27, 2020 Cori rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, netgalley, romance

Huge thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions and views are my own.

The Midnight Bargain pleasantly surprised me. The best description I can conjure is part magic system, part political system, part regency inspired, and two parts romance.

My brain kept nagging at me that there is an immense amount of subtext layered beneath the story; while that gave me pause from time to time, in the end this book just succeeded in reminding me of the blessings I have liv Huge thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions and views are my own.

The Midnight Bargain pleasantly surprised me. The best description I can conjure is part magic system, part political system, part regency inspired, and two parts romance.

My brain kept nagging at me that there is an immense amount of subtext layered beneath the story; while that gave me pause from time to time, in the end this book just succeeded in reminding me of the blessings I have living in today's world. A world where I can make decisions freely, own my life's decisions, and have no repression for the sake of my gender. The only roadblock I face to living my life the way I'm called to is...me. I don't know that this was the message the author was going for, but it was my takeaway. And I am grateful for the reminder of a daily blessing I can take for granted. Let's just say, I would not do well in Victorian England.

I loved the friendship dynamic between Beatrice and Ysbeta. Stories need more wholesome, go-to-war-for-one-another female friendships. I also loved Nadi. What a well written, endearing character. And Polk was able to write a leading male character who loved and supported our female lead without turning him into a quivering emasculated puddle. Their relationship was a tandem one which was refreshing.

A few spelling errors and a host of punctuation errors which I'm sure will be corrected before final release. Also, several times a spirit would lash out with a hex or a curse, and these felt underwhelmingly capitalized on. Especially the one time a curse was used. I'm honestly not sure what the outcome was.

Three out of five stars. For me, three stars is a solid rating so don't let that deter you from picking this one up. This would be a good read for fans of a well-developed magic system, regency period inspired romances (such as a twist on Pride and Prejudice), and possibly Grace Draven fans (although a PG version of her writing style).

I'd rate this book a PG. ...more

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Sep 19, 2020 Judy rated it really liked it

An interesting story of magic set in a fantasy England. Many people are born with inherent magical abilities. Men are allowed to develop theirs fully, but women are placed in a collar when married which keeps them from using their magic - because if they can use their magical abilities while they are pregnant, their children will have destructive magical abilities. When this happens occasionally, both the woman and child are put to death.

I enjoyed the story and it was well written. Beatrice was ...more

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Dec 19, 2020 Shaun Hutchinson rated it it was amazing

Absolutely delightful.

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Oct 17, 2020 Lauren James rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-magic, poc-author, stem-female-characters, magical-realism, nobility

This was everything I hoped it would be! There were a few logic issues in the decisions the characters made that had me perplexed, but I love the world-building and this genre of regency fantasy, so I was very happy.

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Jul 25, 2020 Kelly rated it really liked it

3.5 stars

I wish this was a new favorite book. With that cover, I would have loved to buy myself a physical copy once it's published. However, while it's not a five stars book, this was still a good fantasy romance standalone. Not one I'll remember down the road but one I enjoyed. I don't really agree with all the tags saying this is historical fiction but that's okay.

In The Midnight Bargain, you will meet Beatrice Clayborn, a young sorceress who is about to start her first bargaining season. It ...more

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Dec 31, 2020 Lata rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: auth-f, x2020-read, mystery, bipoc-author, scifi-fantasy

This was such a great melding of Regency romance and magic, and more importantly, a lovely interrogation of power and autonomy.
Chaslander main character Beatrice Clayborn and her family are in town from their home in the country so she can make a good marriage (“bargain”) and save her family’s fortunes, which are underwater. Beatrice doesn’t want to marry; she’d rather grow her already strong magic further, and function as her father’s financial advisor (their father is near bankrupting them aft This was such a great melding of Regency romance and magic, and more importantly, a lovely interrogation of power and autonomy.
Chaslander main character Beatrice Clayborn and her family are in town from their home in the country so she can make a good marriage (“bargain”) and save her family’s fortunes, which are underwater. Beatrice doesn’t want to marry; she’d rather grow her already strong magic further, and function as her father’s financial advisor (their father is near bankrupting them after a series of poor decisions).
Beatrice has no desire to marry as the marriage ceremony would have her strap on a collar to cut off her magic. (Women wearing collars from marriage to menopause invoked such a visceral feeling of disgust and panic in me because it so well illustrates misogyny of this world.) The reason women’s magic is throttled is to prevent spirits from taking control of any developing fetus.
Also, as with real historical laws, any money her father settled on her would automatically be under her future husband’s control, so, coupled with the collar, both would effectively render her a prisoner and at the complete mercy of the man.
Incidentally, no man’s magic is constrained, and they are free to learn spells and become mages by harnessing a greater spirit to them, because, well, misogyny. Beatrice has been working in secret for years, teaching herself ever more complicated spells so she can eventually harness a greater spirit to herself and become a mage.
The bargaining season is further complicated by Beatrice encountering and forming a connection with the sister and brother, Ysbeta and Ianthe, of a fabulously wealthy family in another country, Llanandras.
Together, the three play together, dance, and debate the merits of their societies and family obligations—all the analysis not normally found in Regency-based stories about the gentry.
Beatrice also forms a connection to a spirit called Nadi, and some of the most delightful moments in the story come when the two individuals are joined, bargaining and experiencing things together.
The romance between Beatrice and Ianthe is hard won, as they dissect a lot of his beliefs, forcing him to really examine the constraints and harmful rules his sister, Beatrice, and many women of Chasland, and even in his land of Llanandras, live with. It’s all handled well by author CL. Polk, and while there are some darker parts in the story, I found this book gave me the smart alt-historical Regency romance read I needed to finish the year. ...more

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Sep 19, 2020 Carola rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020

Thank you Erewhon Books and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

I just finished reading The Midnight bargain. The cover and the description drew my attention when I saw it on Netgalley so I requested it and was glad I got the opportunity to read this e-arc.

The topic of this book is not something very original; there are more writers who write books with the same topic. It is however a topic I find very interesting ...more

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Jul 14, 2020 Bookish Selkie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, historical-fantasy, witches, standalones, romance

The Midnight Bargain was a delightful read! Beatrice, a woman who must marry to save her family from debt, secretly wishes that she could openly learn about and use her magical powers. In her society, Beatrice’s role as a woman is to marry and produce as many children as possible. When a woman marries, her husband gains control of her magic. To save herself, Beatrice attempts to access a grimoire that may grant her the power she needs to avoid her fate. When she meets siblings Ianthe and Ysbeta, ...more

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Aug 03, 2020 Laura ☾ rated it really liked it

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *

3.75 stars

Beatrice is sorceress. Sorceresses in her time and country are locked into 'warding collars' once they are married, to avoid any unborn babies being possessed by spirits, and women remaining unmarried and pursuing sorcery is very unusual, and frowned upon. She, however, wants to pursue the magical path, and when she meets the Lavan siblings, one becoming her ally in trying to find a way t ...more

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Aug 15, 2020 Stephanie rated it really liked it

Shelves: f-sf-for-adults

Elegant, stylish and sparkling, with a fantastic and fascinating magic system, great characters, and a really nuanced look at how different people choose to maneuver (and what's worth sacrificing - or not) in a glittering but unjust society. ...more

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Oct 12, 2020 ReadBecca rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fromtbr, netgalley

I requested and received a copy of this book for honest review, thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author.

A heavy dose of Austen, a dash of magical tomes and summoned spirits, wrapped up in a very feminist package. This book was so many things I never even knew I needed in my life.

It's bargaining season for Beatrice Clayborn, a whirlwind of luncheons, games, and balls in which the most eligible young men and women solidify their courtship whether for love, money, or power. For Beatrice, all I requested and received a copy of this book for honest review, thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author.

A heavy dose of Austen, a dash of magical tomes and summoned spirits, wrapped up in a very feminist package. This book was so many things I never even knew I needed in my life.

It's bargaining season for Beatrice Clayborn, a whirlwind of luncheons, games, and balls in which the most eligible young men and women solidify their courtship whether for love, money, or power. For Beatrice, all her family's hopes hang on her neck as they sit on the cusp of financial ruin, yet a wealthy match could save them. Women of strong magical ability like Beatrice are desirable matches, to produce capable heirs, however the magical abilities that are obtained through summoned spirits carries a risk of said spirit overtaking the soul of any child they might bear, so these women are collared to cut off connection to spirits through their reproductive years. Beatrice is determined to escape social obligation and learn the secrets buried in grimoires that will allow her become a thornback - a solitary woman mage - keeping her magic. However, a run in with siblings Ianthe & Ysbeta Lavan in a bookshop, also in the bargaining season, make her realize that she may not be alone in her desire to avoid becoming a brood mare... but also that her steadfast desire may waver for romance.

I love how the cast of characters feel small and well developed, even while we have this grand event of Bargaining Season with lots of young men and women, and family politics behind them. The magic system and summoning behind it was brilliant, it reminded me a bit of Sorcery of Thorns or maybe Bartimaeus, in which the spirits (who miss being corporeal) and their summoner strike deals for use of physical function in trade for magical works - not only that, the spirit primarily dealt with by Beatrice is HILARIOUS and a real trickster. The world feels quite detailed as well, we learn a great deal about differences between the nations Beatrice and the Lavans come from, with one being less progressive or advanced, and also about the trade of different areas. I was also pleasantly surprised that there doesn't seem to be colourism/racism depicted in this world, a big change from other Austen stylings I've seen before. Most important rave for one of the major woman characters being unlabelled but quite clearly depicted in the text as aro/ace and childfree.

Beyond all this, the core of the book is a poignant and heart wrenching exploration of systemic sexism. Beatrice faces truly difficult decisions about her own desires (which are sometimes in conflict), family pressures, and social obligation. One conversation beautifully confronts how the magical system works as it does because it was set by men, who don't feel the biggest downsides, and so don't entertain even small changes because that is just the way things work. With her fiery determination to escape a system that would oppress her for her magical ability, Beatrice may instead be able to shape something new. ...more

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