Review by Booklist Review
Elsie knew from a young age that she could break spells by merely touching the runes inscribed on a cursed object. This ability is not well thought of in a world that relies on magic, and not only because there is money involved in casting, but removing the magic is free. When working for an underground group, Elsie is caught by Bacchus, a mixed-race aristocratic magician from Barbados. Bacchus has come to London in an effort to finish up his studies, but the one spell he needs is locked away in an exclusive library that he is not allowed access to because he does not fit in with the established idea of a magician in England. As Elsie and Bacchus get to know each other, Elsie becomes concerned about reports of the deaths of magicians and the theft of their spell books. As she gets more involved with the world of magicians, she feels more urgency to solve the mystery. Elsie and Bacchus are both compelling and interesting characters, and readers will be pulled into the story by their struggles to see how they come out on the other side.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Holmberg (The Will and the Wilds) kicks off her Spellbreaker duology with this romantic and electrifying gaslamp fantasy. Orphan Elsie Camden is a spellbreaker with the rare ability to disable any wizard's spell. At age 11, she's recruited by the Cowls, a mysterious organization who order her to use her powers to disenchant spells for the good of their cause. Now 21, it's been 10 years since Elsie interacted with any of the Cowls in person, instead receiving her assignments through cryptic letters. On one of her missions, she's caught by Bacchus Kelsey, a powerful wizard, and agrees to work for him to keep him from reporting her to the authorities. As a series of wizard murders and grimoire thefts sow fear among the magical community, Elsie discovers that the Cowls are not who she thought they were. Holmberg maintains the tension and suspense in the magical story line even as light romance blooms between Elsie and Bacchus. Though the cliffhanger ending will leave some frustrated, the fast-paced plot and fully realized world will have readers eager for the next installment. Fans of Victorian-influenced fantasy won't want to put this down. Agent: Marlene Stringer, the Stringer Literary Agency. (Nov.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Set in Victorian England, Holmberg's (Plastic Magician) newest fantasy is also a mixture of mystery and romance. Elsie Camden is a young child when she is "rescued" from a workhouse by a shadowy figure. She is set on a path to use her special talent to help people for whom justice has been magically denied. She is proud to be useful, and wanted, as a tool for good. After a decade, the missions come more frequently, until one day, she is caught. The man who interrupts her latest spellbreak, Bacchus, is handsome, strong, and even a bit distracting. And confusing, because if he is so just, how can he be working against her mentors? Bacchus is not the only distraction, either. Someone is killing aspectors (or spellcasters) in order to steal their magical essences (called opuses). VERDICT Those who enjoy gentle romance, cozy mysteries, or Victorian fantasy will love this first half of a duology. The cliffhanger ending will keep readers breathless waiting for the second half.--Elizabeth Masterson, Mecklenburg Cty. Jail Lib., Charlotte, NC
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A plucky young woman with the ability to unknot and dispel magical runes finds herself in the middle of a trans-Atlantic conspiracy in this fantasy-mystery adventure. By day, Elsie Camden works a mundane job in a stonemason's office, but by night, she carries out missions from the Cowls: the secret order that once came to her rescue and now calls on her to use her anti-magic abilities in service of the greater good. As an unregistered spellbreaker, a person born with the power to unmake magic, Elsie lives her life in fear. Spellmaker Bacchus Kelsey has traveled from Barbados to London to be named a master of his craft, for which he will receive one spell of his choice as a reward. When the powers that be deny Bacchus his prize spell because of his Caribbean origins, he begins searching for an opus--the unique spellbook each magician leaves behind upon their death--containing the spell. After a mission from the Cowls lands Elsie in Bacchus' debt, the winner of a recently auctioned opus becomes the latest target in a string of robberies and murders, all of which leaves Elsie to wonder whether her work for the Cowls is truly a social boon. Timely discussions of race, class, disability, and gender turn up throughout Holmberg's magic-infused version of Victorian England. Although it's not immediately clear how the various plot elements will connect, readers will have trouble stepping away once the game's afoot. Powerful magic, indulgent Victoriana, and a slow-burn romance make this genre-bending romp utterly delightful. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
