Spellbreaker
Spellbreaker (Spellbreaker Duology #1)
By: Charlie N. Holmberg
[Fulfilling “A book with magic” as part of the 2021 Fall Reading Challenge.]
“There were two kinds of wizards in the world— those who cast spells, and those who broke them.”
This was a fun book set in Victorian England. A world where magic is normal and accessible. Well, at least for the elite, and mostly men.
But when something is valuable, violence surrounds it.
Synopsis:
Elsie, mysteriously separated from her family when she was little, is an unregistered spellbreaker who has been doing spellbreaking work for an underground Robin Hood-esque group she calls the Cowls. Her work is illegal but she will do anything to help those who are taken advantage of by the elite’s magic.
She is caught by Bacchus who is working toward becoming a Master Spellmaker. He has his mind set on acquiring a very rare and specific spell. He decides to keep Elsie’s work a secret if she will help him.
As their working relationship turns into friendship, and maybe something more, Elsie is realizing the people she thought she could trust may be part of a sinister plan to kill spellmasters and steal their magic.
And her childhood may have more to do with the Cowls than she thinks.
Historical Setting:
As mentioned, this world is set in London during the 1800s. There are gaslights and carriages and corsets.
And there are inequalities in terms of gender and of class. In this book there is a thread of social justice that weaves throughout. Elsie has a passion to help the poor and a resistance to magic being mostly reserved for men.
This, along with her insecurities and feeling unloveable, is the main character definition for Elsie.
Bacchus has his own social challenges. He is a mixed-race illegitimate child who spent the majority of his life in Barbados with his father. Even though he has a lot of money, there are still stigmas he has to deal with.
Both being on the fringe of their social class, perhaps, creates a special bond in their friendship.
Worth Reading?
I had previously read Holmberg’s The Paper Magician— the first book in that series. At the time, I didn’t have access to the rest of the series to finish it.
It was awhile ago, but I remember it being an intriguing premise and good writing. But there was a chunk of that book that was kinda strange and left me a little confused.
So based on my limited memory, I found Spellbreaker to be a better book. It was more historical fiction (with magic) than fantasy. It was easier to follow and understand.
I found Holmberg’s world and magic in this book very creative. It made me want to know more. It’s a duology— only two books— but I think she could have easily written more for this world.
Holmberg took her time setting up the world and using her characters to explain terminology and how the magic works, so the beginning is a bit slow. But the last third of the book picked up in pace and the ending was great!
It definitely leaves you on a cliffhanger!
If you enjoy stories with magic and don’t need high-impact action and adventure, I think you’ll like this one a lot.
Give this book a shot!
And if you would rather have a book with magic AND a lot of action, try Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
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