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Search tags: Stephanie-Burgis
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review 2017-08-31 00:00
Snowspelled
Snowspelled - Stephanie Burgis I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy novella. The worldbuilding was intriguing - it's set in an alternate-history-with-magic world where magic is men's domain and politics is women's - and I'm looking forward to exploring it further in the rest of the book. Our heroine, Cassandra Harwood, is wonderful: she's the kind of woman who sees a problem, narrows her eyes and runs full tilt at it, which is exactly the type of heroine I love, and her strong relationships with her brother and sister-in-law were a delight. The thing I found most fascinating about her was her history: she fought to be the first woman allowed to learn magic, and she won that fight, but that wasn't the end of her story, and it didn't mean her society changed overnight.

Overall, this was a fun read and a great start to the series.

(I received an advance copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
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review 2016-04-22 15:23
Masks and Shadows by Stephanie Burgis
Masks and Shadows - Stephanie Burgis

Masks and Shadows is Stephanie Burgis’s latest book, out this month. She’s a favorite author of mine–I absolutely loved the Kat Stephenson series–and someone I really enjoy on Twitter a well. Masks and Shadows is her first adult novel, and I was very curious to read it and see that switch.

Like the Kat books, this is a historical fantasy. It’s set in 1779, in the court of Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy–another reason I was interested to read this one, since I couldn’t think of many other historical fantasies set in Hungary. The story takes place against a backdrop of a tumultuous political era, with many of the tensions appearing in the microcosm of the Esterhazy court. But it also weaves in the personal stories of Carlo Morelli, a renowned castrato singer, and Charlotte von Steinbeck, a widow and a new arrival to court. And there’s some really creepy magic, which probably didn’t happen. (Right?)

At first I was a bit taken aback because my impression had been that this book was focused on Carlo and Charlotte. As it turns out, there are actually a number of narrators! Once I adjusted my expectations there, I ended up really liking this story. It’s a complex and twisty plot with different threads that all come together at the end. And I did like several of the characters (the ones we’re meant to) quite a bit, especially Charlotte.

One of the things I really appreciated was the way Burgis depicted the society of the time, with its arranged marriages, acknowledged mistresses, and intrigues, while also giving us a character who is both part of that society and who also longs for something different. Both Carlo and Charlotte are, in their own ways, dependent on others, and they have a similar journey to finding a way to each other and to the life they actually want to live.

There’s also a lot of lovely writing about opera here. I happen to be an opera fan, personally, so I’m not sure how this would read to someone less interested in that aspect. Haydn is a minor character, and the whole plot hinges on the performance of one of his operas. Music is also the way that Charlotte and Carlo initially connect, as Charlotte’s talent allows Carlo to see beyond her conventional facade. There’s a clear sense of the love of music, especially opera, and its power, which I really liked.

[this paragraph is maybe slightly spoilery] I found the secret society that is the main magical force and the main antagonist a little less compelling. Although their presence makes sense given the fact that there were secret societies in Europe throughout this period, they never seemed entirely real as a threat to me. However, their magic is quite creepy!

That minor issue aside, I ended up really liking this book and the story it tells. It weaves different threads together in an expert way, but I found the central love story between Charlotte and Carlo, their slow recognition of the other’s worth, remained my favorite part.

Book source: ARC from the author

Book information: 2016, Pyr books; adult historical fantasy

Source: bysinginglight.wordpress.com/2016/04/22/masks-and-shadows-by-stephanie-burgis
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review 2016-04-19 00:00
Masks and Shadows
Masks and Shadows - Stephanie Burgis 2.5 Stars

I've been stewing on how to rate this one for a bit now. It was good, and kept me interested. It just never WOWED me. First I felt it was a bit too long, and by 75% I was starting to lose interest. Second, there were a ton of different characters and at times it was hard to keep track of who was who. And out of those tons of characters there wasn't a single one that stood out as being particularly engaging.

Still, the time period and setting (backdrop) of the story was interesting. I enjoyed the little details, and court intrigue. The details about the costumes, and the behind the scenes look at the Opera were enjoyable also. And that cover...amazing.

The ending though was a little too much. I found it hard to believe that the widowed sister and the castrato would become lovers. In any case, overall it was an OK read.

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review 2015-12-18 19:39
Review: Stolen Magic
Stolen Magic - Stephanie Burgis

A lot of fun, and yet much weaker than the second book. At some point, the inability of these characters to talk to each other or believe anything Kat says just broke my suspension of disbelief. 

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review 2014-08-13 00:00
A Reckless Magick
A Reckless Magick - Stephanie Burgis Charming regency magic story. Kat is getting older, her second sister is getting married despite objections from the prospective groom's mother who is determined that he shall marry his cousin. Kat is being stalked by magic and is trying to find a way to be a dutiful daughter and keep her magic practice going, her mentor thinks the worst of her.

She is also trying to work out what the mysterious Marquise has to do with her mother and why her life has to be so complicated.

Fun, Kat does rush in where angels fear to tread but she also has a good heart and a determination to do good and to do the right thing, as well as meddle in her family's lives, for their own good, of course. Enjoyable and I hope to read more by this author.
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