A College of Magics
by Caroline Stevermer

Because this Starscape book appears to be about a school for magic, comparisons to Harry Potter are inevitable. There's even one on the book jacket, from none other than Jane Yolen, claiming that this book is "a large step up...from Harry Potter." But I found that it compares more readily to the works of Joan Aiken and Diana Wynne Jones.

On the Aiken side, it is a fantasy novel set in a world geographically & historically similar, but not identical, to ours (it has England, France, and Spain, for instance, but also other countries you've never heard of). It's set at a more or less recognizable point in history (early 20th century). And its plot is a tapestry woven of equal parts political intrigue, tantalizing romance, mystery, and metaphysics. On the Wynne Jones side, a major thread in this tapestry is magic. And not just any magic. The kind of magic, rather, that effects the environment in unforeseen ways, that needs to be balanced and controlled, that has ethical limitations, and that arises from "the structure of the world" (implying that this world is one of many that overlap, that power and even people can sometimes travel between them).

OK, enough of the "Aiken meets Wynne Jones" stuff. Comparisons will only take you so far. Do you want to know what goes on this book? I'll tell you.

First, the title is a bit misleading. The story isn't primarily about a college of magics. In fact, only the first third of it takes place at Greenlaw College, where the teenage duchess of Galazon, Faris Nallaneen, is sent by her untrustworthy uncle to study, and to get out from underfoot, for three years. Until she comes of age, that is, and can return home to rule her beloved Galazon for herself.

In a little less than three swift years of study, Faris deals with homesickness, makes some friends and enemies, and studies literature, philosophy, mathematics, music, and so on, in a rigorous, classical-education environment. But it's not for nothing that the graduates of the all-female Greenlaw College are known as "witches." For they also study magic. Only, they're strictly forbidden to perform any magic as students, and many of them seem to prefer not to use magic after they graduate. It's an intriguing (read: odd) way to study magic, isn't it?

Things come to a pass where Faris' deadly enmity with a classmate named Menary Paganell-who is a princess from the kingdom next door to Galazon-gets them both sent away from the school. Menary is expelled because she performed illegal, not to mention evil, magic on school grounds. Faris, on the other hand, is sent on a mission. Because it seems Faris is one of the four Wardens of the World, and it is her task to close a rift that threatens to tear the whole world apart.

Only problem is, the rift is in the middle of the palace of Menary's father, the King of Aravill, who has romantic intentions toward Faris, though his daughters loathe her. Did I say that was the only problem? I forgot to mention, Menary is still trying to kill Faris. And Faris' Uncle Brinker is still up to some crooked scheme. And Faris is falling in love with her bodyguard Tyrian, though as a married man, a menial servant, and an adventurer (in the 19th century sense-see The Pickwick Papers), he would be a most inappropriate match for a duchess. Also, revolution is brewing in Aravill, and a leader of the revolution will have Faris as his figurehead if he has to force her to do it. And Faris doesn't know how to do any magic intentionally, though she has done some pretty awesome things by accident, so how is she supposed to close the rift?

Throw in a bomb disguised as a hat, a best friend disguised as an elderly chaperone, a ruined throne room guarded by lions, a long journey by train, coach, and horseback, an expensive shopping trip in Paris, multiple assassination attempts, a masked ball, an enchanted labyrinth, a glass key, and a fox hunt, and you have a wide-ranging tale of danger, love, intrigue, magic, sacrifice, humor, and bittersweet surprises. Fronting it all is the amazing character of Faris Nallaneen: a doubter who becomes first a believer and then someone to believe in, a bold heroine who is put to an awful test, a rough-and-tumble tomboy who develops poise and control. Her brashness and strength of character propel events forward and keep everything off-balance until a costly equilibrium is achieved.

I may have said too much already. I don't want you to read this review instead of the book. Read the book. I think you'll find it's no threat to Harry Potter (it's in a different class altogether). It's a bit more cerebral, but it's also exciting and colorful, and full of the kind of magic you love to read about. Oh, and just to charm you with one more incentive to read this book, I will risk a brief quote:

...When she could spare attention from the teapot, Jane looked sharply across at Tyrian. "Who are you, anyway?"
Tyrian was slicing the plum cake with a large knife of alarmingly efficient design. "I beg your pardon?"
Jane addressed him sternly. "You know what I mean. You appear like the slave of the lamp just in time to stop Faris killing that sailor. You bring out the worst in Menary and the best in the Dean. You can make the French railway produce tea and you carry a knife better suited to cut throats than to slice cake. Who are you?"

Robbie Fischer
Arizona USA

Recommended Age: 14+

If you would like to contact Robbie, you may do so here.