BOOK REVIEW: 'A MARVELLOUS LIGHT' BY FREYA MARSKE

Introduction

A Marvellous Light is about the baronet Robin Blyth who is appointed as the special liaison of a mysterious magical society. This is following the mysterious disappearance of his predecessor Reginald Gaitling, and the people responsible for this are now targeting Robin. Now, with the help of his typist Miss Morrissey and colleague Edwin Courcey, they have to discover what Reginald was hiding before he vanished. Robin and Edwin grow closer as they try to lift Robin’s curse. There is growing sexual tension between the two men as they deal with Edwin’s bullying family who judge him for not being physically strong in magic but desperate to study magical rules. Edwin discovers that he has inherited Sutton Cottage, which questions his lineage. Robin’s sister Maud visits the Courceys, whilst Robin’s and Edwin’s relationship becomes intensely sexual. Robin then discovers that the Courceys take humans to their house, shows them magic and drugs them to forget, as if it was a game. Robin, despite discovering that he can see the future after the curse was lifted, becomes angry and decides to leave with Maud. Robin and Edwin are separate for some time, but then Robin comes back to save Edwin. They defeat the main villains Billy and Walt with the help of Miss Morrissey and her sister. Robin and Edwin decide to get and work together.

The reason why I chose this book was because it was sent to the Chicken and Frog bookshop in August 2021, which was four months before publication (November 2021).

When I started reading the book it was fascinating as to whether the story would turn out as I expected since I was glad to read it due to its intrigue. It made me want Robin and Edwin to have a relationship because the sexual tension between them is always bubbling to the surface. I also wanted Edwin to become more powerful so that he could stand up to his mean family. I was not surprised when the sexual tension formed a sexual relationship, but I am glad that there was still romance there as I could feel the emotion between the characters. I also saw lots of signs of connection and willingness to ask for consent which is a good message in the #MeToo era. Although there were a lot of pages, I was very pleased that I committed myself to reading this book, and I am looking forward to the future television or film adaptation.

Blog posts and the comments at the front of the book made me hope that it was good because even though there is a conventional plot, these comments suggest sticking with the book because it is very good as the writing style makes it an absorbing read. It drew me in from the very start and kept me reading and knowing the positivity surrounding it made me want to commit to reading the book.

My expectations of A Marvellous Light were initially that it would be intriguing as a portrait of magic set in Edwardian England, an interesting fantasy mystery and an exploration of sexual tension. I also thought that it would create a magical world.

My expectations were that it would create a magical world not previously written about by other authors and would have a non-tragic representation of queer romance. All my expectations were very well met as this book was more about queer relationships and the mystery exposed divisions between humans and magic. Also, throughout the novel I was rooting for Edwin’s and Robin’s relationship to work and for Edwin to discover more about magic so that he can help Robin and be strong against his family.

When I finished the book, my initial first thoughts were that this is a book that could be adapted for Netflix and would become a future go-to example of non-tragic queer romance. I wanted Marske to write another book so that I can see more about Edwin’s and Robin’s relationship, learn more about the magic system in this world and see if Walt will return. It is nice that after 50 Shades of Grey became popular as well as porn on television, film, and literature, A Marvellous Light focuses more on intimacy and emotions in sex than the act itself. I also liked the discussion of the division between humans and magicians as that is not often discussed in detail in fantasy literature beyond what is outlined.

The genres are historical, mystery, fantasy, romance, and LGBTQ+; and I usually read all these genres. It did meet my expectations of good literature, especially as it definitely met my previous interests in romance and its world-building helps me to pique my interests in reading as it is a fantasy and mystery.

I was looking forward to reading the book because the cover looked appealing due to its attractive colours, and its genres were ones that I typically read. It was exciting to read a book before its official publication, especially since it continued to be intriguing after Chapter One so I definitely wanted to see how it ends.

What makes this book unique is that it is set in the Edwardian era because it is not connected to previous Edwardian-set novels such as The War of the Worlds or influenced by any context connected to Victorian England. It also stands out because of a positive male gay romance, especially with references to romantic sex that would be shown if the characters were heterosexual. Not only does it display queer romance at a time it was not discussed, but it also explores sexual tension via emotions rather than actions because of the exploration of consensual sex through magic, which shows emotions in the bond within loving gay sex. It also places magicians at different levels of magic rather than power, not everyone is capable of producing the same amount of magic. There is a central character named Edwin who has magic but is not very powerful, and Marske uses this to show that he is more tortured by family legacy than by inner and social homophobia.

What I liked about the book is that it displays magic not typically shown in literature, television, and films, which is often spells and incantations with wands, magical objects, and detailed spell books. Within this book the magic system is constantly developing unlike other books about magic such as Harry Potter; so, I like that I am at the historical beginning. I also liked the intrigue from the very start about how the mystery would evolve because it was clear that Reginald and Sutton Cottage were hiding something shocking, so I wanted to know what happened to him as a result. I also liked that there was a psychological focus of Edwin and Robin so that you can have empathy for them and imagine what is going on at the time; and it made want to know what would happen between them. I also like that Robin and Edwin are becoming more rounded as they grow closer, and the build up to their sexual encounter paid off well in a hot but not lewd way since Marske focused more on the emotions than the act.

What was good at the start of the book was that it was too early to say what I did not like and what disappointed me; thus, it prompted me to continue reading. However, I did struggle with the portrayal of Edwin’s family because they were quite obnoxious about the amount of power they had, yet this probably would not have been written if Edwin was not portrayed uniquely as not having much magic since his complex relationship with them influences his character. I would have liked more development of Edwin’s family before they became too one-dimensional, as I would have liked his sister Bel and his mother to be less passive and support him. I would have liked more explanation about Edwin’s connection with the Suttons, it cannot be a coincidence they are connected. Furthermore, I did not like the sudden introduction of characters, especially when it came to the villains as Marske decided to introduce Billy then Walt as the villains when they both had the same motives. Therefore, they should have been introduced at the same time, but maybe I wanted this because I have watched too many shows where there are always a pair or group of villains. Hopefully these characters would be further explained in future sequels.

Writing Style

Overall, I really liked the writing style because there is a positive portrayal of intimacy and a detailed understanding of the personalities of the protagonists Edwin and Robin. It is clear that Marske wants the reader to absorb every detail despite seemingly encouraging them to read it in one day.

The writing style appealed to my senses of sight and sound I was imagining being a witness to the characters’ physical and mental journeys especially due to the brilliant writing displayed in the passages about Robin’s and Edwin’s dynamic; as well as trying to picture how the magic would be made. Also, the writing appealed to my feelings of wanting intimacy and touch for love.

The pace was a bit too fast when it came to the mystery because certain events were revealed without much explanation but when it exposed the characters’ thoughts and feelings it slowed down so I could understand their character development. The slow pace made me feel like I was on the journey of the development of Robin’s and Edwin’s relationship and in how they try to break Robin’s curse. Marske knows when to be slow and when to be fast, as it is almost thriller-like when the two men deal with a murderous hedge. Overall, the pace of the writing worked with the story because it allows me to take my time to fully absorb the story until I understood how close I felt to the two protagonists and how I want them to be okay.

The writing was sometimes difficult to read so I had to re-read those sections so to fully understand what was going on and who the characters were, especially Edwin’s family and acquaintances, and Edwin’s connection to Sutton Cottage. However, it was mostly readable because it was as if I was reading other people’s thoughts like diaries.

Marske is very good at trying the set the stage with her writing since she is trying to connect all the ideas together. The writing style of consistently switching between Robin and Edwin shows they are central but also helps to learn more about them, which is consistently with the perceivably planned plot despite different locations mentioned. The writing was consistent because even when the long sexual tension turned into sex, there was still a long build-up to Robin and Edwin forming a relationship even when Edwin feels conflict between humans and magicians. The mystery part was not always well-written because at time it was underdeveloped, so it was not as interesting as the romance and fantasy because the ideas and part of the story were too quickly connected which made me lose focus.

The writing reminds me of romance, adventure, fantasy, and mystery series reflected in movies and televisions series (often on Netflix) where these plots are very conventional. The writing also reminds me of a third-person account of Normal People which also deals with complex families, consensual sex, and unspoken words; as well as novels where romance is part but not the entire story in the way erotic literature is, such as Atonement and Birdsong.

I liked the writing style because it focused on describing the plot and the characters’ personalities rather than just describing what is just seen or what the areas and characters look like. This leaves the reader to connect the dots as it is meant to be a mystery so the reader can imagine what is happening. This makes the reading tight as the reader want to carry on figuring out the plot. It is nice that the romantic sections focus on sexual tension and affection rather than the act of sex, which is much more intimate and emotionally powerful. The use of magic within sex is written as if it is a natural part of the act rather than to look strange or be funny. Furthermore, what I like about the writing style is that the descriptions of the interiors and the exteriors of locations reflect the characters’ personalities and relationships so to get the reader to observe every detail because it adds to the mystery; as well as making the reader feel all the thoughts and emotions of the main characters so that you emphasize and sympathise with them.

There could have been more writing about what type of magic exists in the world as it is not always clear. It did feel rushed during discussions about magic and the Magic Assembly, although surely it would show more development in Edwin’s, his family’s, and any acquaintances’ magic. There was also a lack of development until the very end about Edwin’s discovery about his connection to Sutton Cottage since it could have been better explained about why he was a black sheep. The introduction of Walt also felt rushed because he was placed at the end of the novel when he clearly is a huge presence within the Courcey family.

Plot

A Marvellous Light is about Robin Blyth who has become Assistant in the Office of Special Domestic Affairs and Complaints, and Edwin Courcey who is Special Liaison to the Chief Minister of the Magical Assembly, trying to find Robin’s predecessor Reginald Gaitling and undo Robin’s curse. As the sexual tension brews between Edwin and Robin, they try to find ways to break Robin’s curse with the help from Edwin’s family. It is unsuccessful and there is not luck in finding Reginald which leads them making a narrow escape from a deadly maze. Robin and Edwin try to navigate their relationship whilst dealing with their identities as human and magician in a magical world. They come back together after falling out over the divisions between humans and magicians to defeat Billy and Walt, whilst uncovering the mystery behind Reginald’s death. They decide to work together and stay together in Sutton Cottage given to Edwin by Flora Sutton.

The story made me excited because I wanted to know what Reginald Gaitling was hiding, how the curse gets lifted and what Edwin’s and Robin’s relationship turns into. I also liked that it included a large amount of steamy romance without feeling icky at all, because sex was explored as an act of love and communication which is a good deterrent to porn. Also, the heroes and villains win which is a more realistic plot in my opinion.

The conflict was thoroughly executed with care because it will keep the reader wanting to plot to be resolved in the way that they want. There was well-paced tension in emotions and safety of Edwin and Robin, which built up to an interesting climax about how their relationship turned out. The tension between humans and magicians exposed by these two characters was emotional to read but it was positively resolved which is typical of stories within the same genres. I would have liked Walt and Billy to have worked together as they have similar motives; but the overall resolution was executed well because it set the characters in a different place that makes sense.

What I liked most about the story is that Marske decides to develop her own magic based on cat’s cradle and mentions gay sexual tension without explicit homophobia. I also liked the inclusion of strong female women who in future sequels look like they will be more than a plot point for men. My favourite scene was the dynamic between Edwin, Hawthorn and Robin because it started to reveal more of Edwin’s humanity so that he becomes a more rounded character, and it was also tough to be queer in Edwardian England, hence the importance of the relationship between Robin and Edwin. Another moment that stood out to me was when Edwin admits that he ‘feel more myself’ to Robin because I felt it tapped into the ultimate need of wanting to feel yourself around your romantic partner which is the ultimate compliment to them.

This story is typical in terms of mystery and magic, but not in terms of its humour that feels like a comedy of manners in a fantasy setting, focus on Edwardian England, and the blossoming LGBTQ+ relationship. What makes the book worth reading compared to other similar books is that it reminds me of discussions of intimacy by intimacy coaches on film and television – sex-positive for people to see because by focusing on the emotional beats is that it carries on some form of narrative rather than have a moment for the sake of it. What is also unique about A Marvellous Light is that it explores how legacy can be shaped not just by DNA but by who they are to other people – explains how Edwin can be an heir to a non-blood relative as Flora Sutton identified him as a worthy heir in the maze.

The cover and the first chapter hooked me in as it plunged me right into the action, so I wanted to know what was going on. The plot is not original but the writing style in the form of flash images made it very interesting, as it displays the most powerful through the brain rather than through the physicality of someone which sets up interesting character development and potentially changes hierarchy. As a result, the reader becomes optimistic rather than frustrated by the predictability that Robin’s curse will lift, and Edwin and Robin will eventually get together. The story’s greatest strength is that Marske does not rush the blossoming romance between Edwin and Robin so there is a large amount of longing and yearning that creates a real connection so there will be a happy ever after.

The brief mentions of the Magical Assembly and the history of magic in England did not work for me, but hopefully there will be more in future sequels. The parts of the story that did not work for me were the sudden connection of Edwin to Sutton Cottage because unless the Reggie mystery connect to it then why mention it; and that the conflicts with Billy and Walt were separate which felt too rushed and thus felt messy as it could have been less repetitive.

There are stakes as to whether Reginald will return and the curse on Robin will be lifted, and the sexual tension between Robin and Edwin is starting to brew. I am interested in everything but the Courcey family, not because they were boring, but because they were awful and rude, but I get that this is because it is from Robin’s and Edwin’s perspective. I also get that the lack of development in the Courcey siblings feeds into the human/magic divide but surely over time they grow fond of Robin and Maud. Moreover, the lack of investment was in the villains because whilst their aims were understandable there could have been more development about who they were especially as they are very much connected to Edwin and his associates the Morrisseys.

The plot with Robin’s sister needs more development because there needs to be more explanation as to why she is important and why it is necessary to make the setting the Edwardian era. I also would have liked the mystery to be more developed, so it becomes gripping, and I had issues with plot points relating to Robin. I did not understand the definition of curses in the magical system so how can Robin be cursed and a secret fortune teller, and there was a sudden acceptance that Robin could tell the future even though he was not from a magical family but how can he be when his curse was lifted.

Characters

The main protagonists are Robin Blyth and Edwin Courcey. Robin is open and determined, who wants to change jobs, be a good brother and lift his curse. Meanwhile, Edwin is cold and grumpy, and who wants to find Reginald so that Robin can leave his life but eventually becomes protective over Robin whilst also being kind under his reservedness. A Marvellous Light is about their relationship, and they are determined to free Robin from his curse, but who are slowly becoming more open emotionally (Edwin) and braver (Robin) whilst navigating their relationship, deal with the villains and decide the future of the magical society.

It is clear that Robin Blyth and Edwin Courcey are queer, and these identities are important to the story because it is centrally about their relationship and the book is labelled as a queer romance with lots of explicit gay sex. Neither are scared of being queer, but they are vulnerable over being open about feelings; until the end when they decide to work and be together, thus showing the reader that it is important to show representation.

It is expected from the beginning that Edwin and Robin will grow as they become closer, and Robin will embrace a world of magic whilst expecting Edwin to become braver going against his family’s ideas, to want to be with Robin and to find his own freedom. The character development the reader can be expected to see is consistent with the author’s aims because Edwin starts to grow as a magician in his own right away from his family regardless of his level of magic, whilst Robin becomes more able to navigate this world and embracing of what he can do and not having to be with someone as ‘a dirty secret’ despite accepting his queerness.

At the start, my favourite character so far was Edwin Courcey because he reminded me of a magical version of Mycroft from the Sherlock television series, especially as he is smart but also loyal. He slowly becomes more dimensional and open to a relationship because he has been hurt in the past, not ashamed over sexuality. Overall, his journey was the most interesting is he turned into someone that refused to let his past and perceived flaws defy him with someone that can only be as believable to the reader as Robin is. Also, Miss Morrissey is a good character because she is funny as a form of light relief, whilst Robin Blyth has the warmth to make Edwin let down his guard and form a tender and caring bond alongside helping him to be a parent to Maud.

The most important relationship in the book is Robin’s and Edwin’s because the story focuses on them getting closer despite having an important mission, as the story alternates between their perspectives for character development. Apart from the relationship between Robin and Edwin because it has progressed to love and sex despite conflict with his family; the relationship between Robin and Maud is important too. They rely on each other and have a pact to never lie to each other because their parents were neglectful and vain; thus, they had a strong bond because of their levels of honesty and trust. Another important relationship is the villains’ relationships to other characters shape who they are. Snobbery over hierarchy that would be common in human Edwardian society is reflected in the magical world as Billy was rejected by Mrs. Kaur before she got married because of his limited amount of power. Meanwhile, Edwin and Walt expose the theme of complex sibling relationships. Walt was very cruel to Edwin, and this shapes who Edwin becomes yet this is affected for the better by Robin. Edwin no longer has to hide who he is because Robin shows him love and trust.

·???????Family Tropes: Aristocrat Team; Big, Screwed-Up Family, Black Sheep, Bonding Over Missing Parents, Brother-Sister Team, The Clan, Dysfunctional Family, Family Feuds/Honour, Bonding Over Unloved Parents, The Clan, Dinner and a Show, Family Disunion, Family Honour, In the Blood, Mage Born of Muggles, Muggle Born of Mages, Successful Sibling Syndrome.

·???????Friendship Tropes: Befriending the Enemy, First-Name Basis, Friendly Enemy, I’m Not Here to Make Friends, Interclass Friendship, Lonely Together, Loner-Turned-Friend, Opposites Attract, Muggle-Friend, Friends to Lovers, Bash Brothers, Commonality Connection, Family of Choice.

·???????Love Tropes: Belligerent Sexual Tension, Homoeroticism, Anger Born of Worry, Battle Couple, The Big Damn Kiss, Bite of Affection, Break His Heart to Save Them, Can’t Live with Them Can’t Live Without Them, claimed by the Supernatural, Closet Key, Commitment Issues, Confession Triggers Consummation, Headbutt of Love, Held Gaze, Hollywood Kiss, Lonely Together, Loving Look, Act of True Love, Aborted Declaration of Love, Battle Couple, The Big Damn Kiss, Declaration of Protection/Love, Even Evil has Loved Ones, Magic Contract Romance, Unrequited Love, Sugar-and-Ice Personality.

Robin is a good character because his behaviour could easily have been me and he would be a typical lead in a Netflix series. Edwin is interesting because it is not often that there will be levels of magic within the family, and it is good to show characters unashamed of their sexualities. Robin and Edwin are great characters because they make the novel engaging, as they are endearing to read about because they show that the scars of the past via childhood experiences and upbringing brought sincerity to their emotions and actions that made them relatable and real. Another interesting character is Mrs Sutton as she is somehow connected to Reggie and Edwin which can explain the overall mystery, as we do not know much about her, but Edwin’s blood connects to her house and hedge.

I like the character development of Robin and Edwin as they become braver and more involved in the world and slowly open to their positions and each other. This especially applies to Edwin because he grows in confidence around Robin, so hopefully this extends to his family and embraces his level of magic. Marske takes her time peeling back the characters so that their true natures, dreams, fears, hopes, and desires are revealed.

I liked the romance between Edwin and Robin because the romantic development is subtle so to keep reader invested rather than explicit sex scenes which when done in erotic literature is often boring when constantly mentioned. Marske presents enjoyable and subtle writing when exploring the developing romance between Edwin and Robin as there is a level of sweetness underneath the sexy queer romance. Their romance Is slow burning as they get to know one another by understanding each other’s minds and bodies to make a bond of love, sex, and affection.

There is no character I disliked based on how interesting there were. However, I did not like Hawthorn or Edwin’s family though because they were arrogant bullies. Although it is clear that Belinda and Edwin’s mother care for their family and Edwardian times means that women had little voice, it would be nice to actually show they care. Moreover, Edwin’s brother Walt felt like a sudden character, so it was very hard to engage with him, especially as he was not as much explored as Edwin’s other siblings, and it is only revealed at the end that Walt abused Edwin.

There is not much character development in Edwin’s family, which is a shame as I would like more about how they turned out the way they are especially as I struggle with people stuck in their ways. I also felt that Miss Morrissey and Mrs Kaur were a bit side-lined, so I hope there is further development in future sequels.

World-Building

The worldbuilding is set in the fictional houses of the Suttons and the Courceys within the non-fictional setting of Edwardian England (1908). The world of this book is believable despite being in an alternative England, because there is a clear presentation of social traditions and a general history of the time.

There was not a large amount of world-building yet at the beginning about the historical setting and magical system but there are snippets of magic slowly being introduced from the very start, and all of this is forgivable in the vibrant setting. I liked the worldbuilding because Marske chooses Edwardian London over the popular Victorian London and portrays it as glamourous akin to 1920s non-fantasy novels such as The Great Gatsby in exploring the excesses of the rich in terms of power and strength in magic and a house party that contains morally dubious characters wanting to party. Although there could have been more detail about the Magical Assembly and the history of magic; there were well-written explanations that take place as Robin discovers more about the world he did not know existed – magic, families, spells, rules, cradles.

The world-building focuses on the history of the Edwardian era, magical systems and the Magic Assembly through mentions that are not detailed from the start. There is more of a focus on what the characters do and how they interact with each other rather than the historical context and magic. There is uniqueness within the magic because it uses plant and nature magic within a system of magic similar to cat’s cradle; and cat’s cradle magic is shown with the curse and during consensual sex. All of this connects to the dual POV of Edwin and Robin so that there is not much miscommunication nor unnecessary drama in order to focus on the main plot and the men’s slow-burning romance.

World-building is more contextual because it is about developing the characters so that the reader can understand and like them. It is important to the story because it feeds into the hierarchy of magic where the most powerful is the most respected and portrays magic in a way that is not often discussed. It is built from the perspective of someone who has stumbled into this world by accident rather than destiny and from the perspective of someone who is part of it but cast aside. Robin’s foresight is used to further the plot and get readers interested in future novels as he sees things that have not happened yet.

I like the world-building because I like reading and watching period dramas and fantasies. Within this novel we are at the start of magic within this world because it is Edwardian England, making me hope for more development in future novels. This shows that whilst there is a history of the magic system, it is always developing and changing. Furthermore, it showed what it could of a very ridged and intricate magic system where everyone is taught and there are characters that teach themselves more inventive methods because they were not allowed access to the standard magical education due to discrimination. It showed a deeper exploration of the concept of magic in a stagnant magical culture, with little innovation and desire to embrace new methods that are not the old and trusted ones, hence how Edwin wins.

There is not much sense of the Magical Assembly because it is not fully explained so it is hard to make sense of it, but it was unlikely that any consistencies would be revealed straight away. If the context allowed it I would have liked more information about magic because why not if one character (Robin Blyth) has just entered the world. The worldbuilding was not believable when it comes to any story mentions of the mystery because it is just made in snippets with little explanation; as well as not realising that Mrs Kaur would not take her husband’s name and Edwin’s secretary name does not exist in Hindi or Punjabi.

The magical world-building lacks development, especially in reference to the Magical Assembly and the history of magic, but hopefully there will be more as the mystery develops. There was not a huge amount of worldbuilding as more clues to mystery were uncovered so it was strange a maze suddenly wanted to kill people and it was unclear for a while where Reginald was. I also got confused about Edwin’s connection to Sutton Cottage as I was not sure if Edwin was a Sutton or a Courcey; and how could Robin have gained foresight when he has never been a magician.

Themes

The themes and ideas are romance, sex, magic, LGBTQ+, legacy, mystery, human relationships, family hierarchies, the development of the human experience and how it affects relationships, confidence vs. insecurities, overcoming fears, acceptance/tolerance, honesty, teamwork/goals/collaboration, loss of innocence, nature vs. nurture, love, fate/destiny, taking advantage of, unexplained, bravery vs. cowardice, social class structure, uncertainty, life/death, good vs. evil, power of one, innocence and experience, choices and possibilities, family bond/loyalty, greed and selfishness, commitment, personal vs. group identity, alienation, attraction, betrayal, empowerment, communication, ignorance vs knowledge, emptiness/loneliness, traditions, responsibilities, peer pressure, conflict, relationships, force, human needs, arranged marriages, abuse, sibling rivalry, privilege and class, and consent.

The themes are portrayed in the story, worldbuilding conflict, and characters. The themes matter because it explores magic within family in a manger from fantasy novels such as Harry Potter, and it is also rare to write about historical LGBTQ+ romances. They form the conventional plot, but Marske develops this form her own take on relationships and magic and to show that even in a non-fictional setting, they are relatable themes commonly discussed in today’s society. This suggests that fiction can be a representation of what has or it currently happening in being discussed in the current non-fictional (i.e., our) society.

The story I think it is about is trying to uncover corruption within an organization (‘The Magical Assembly’), and two officers teaming up to become permanent colleagues via the turning of hate into love. It explores the vulnerability you feel when you become attracted to someone and what it feels like to be the black sheep of the family, as well as uncovering secrets and learning to let people into one’s life whilst discovering love for someone unexpected. Moreover, A Marvellous Light is about the perspective of a magical world within our current history and whether anything has changed from then. Abuse can lead to repression, so it is essential to have trust in relationships in order to end this. Hierarchy is reflected in the attitudes of magicians to those of their own with little or no magic and to the non-magical population; as well as privilege and class, of who’s the negative attitudes the UK is very guilty of.

I think Marske, the author is doing a good job with the themes. The relationship is not typical in the mystery and historical genres and the fact that Reginald strangely vanished makes the reader want to know what the corruption exactly is. Her writing style creates the sense of slow-burning and explains the journey Edwin and Robin will go on because she makes it clear from the blurb that relationships and identity are more of a focus within this novel than the magic and mystery itself. These themes are articulated well as they help the reader to understand the perspectives of the characters no matter how dimensional they are.

I felt charmed by the burgeoning relationship and entertained by the humour and trying to figure out the mystery; whilst also making me feel thoughtful about my life since I often have to think about these ideas whilst living my day-to-day existence. I felt connected to the story because although I have not had the same experiences as the characters, it made me think about who I am as a person and what I want in my life. I could relate to being a black sheep, so I felt like Marske understood me even though her book is fiction. And also shows that good romance novels do not just constantly have to have sex scenes in order to prove it is a romance novel.

The book is exciting but not challenging because it is not one promoting philosophy and is placed in a non-fictional setting (i.e., world of magic). Instead, it is more escapist as it was a fun read without tragedy as there was no mention of social homophobia. The book was not especially confronting because being in a fictional world presented a sense of escapism; but it did make me think about the importance of discussing these ideas when it is necessary to in my world.

I liked the themes because it was a presentation of well-known themes but with different interpretations, most of which I could relate to so that I can positively connect to the book as well as support a non-tragic LGBTQ+ romance. What I liked about the themes was that it helped create a different presentation of characters not often discussed in fantasy which was non-magical characters who come from magical families or those with little power such as Edwin.

The themes were thought-provoking because Marske shows that fictional settings act as representation of contemporary non-fictional societies. This was especially shown in the focus on consent despite reference to arranged marriages. Consent is important to spells as it reflects the power in negative relationships whilst in positive relationships explores magical access, permission, and trust.

I would have liked further development in the mystery and legacy themes, as this should be important to plot. Where the themes did not work was when there is minimal focus on other characters as it would be good to make them more understandable, such as when there were references to arranged marriages and abuse. Although I could see that they were important to certain characters and will be in future sequels, they did feel a bit sudden in its introduction within this novel.

Conclusion

A Marvellous Light does not have a completely original plot, but it is nice to have a book with LGBTQ+ protagonists. This book greatly builds up the protagonists and their relationships and provides a good introduction to a magical world not often discussed in fantasy literature. Marske has written an excellent book that is very long but hard to put down, and there are two important things for the reader to take away from it. LGBTQ+ romance in literature can be just as beautiful and natural as heterosexual romance, and family legacy ties to identity regardless of the setting.

The reader should read this book because the author has managed to create a fresh perspective in the currently crowded fantasy genre. Anyone who loves a well-constructed fantasy romance must read this book especially because of its enthralling premise and themes. It is top-tier Sherlock Holmes and literary magical groups/duos fanfiction, but it is also fun and brilliantly written especially in the romance sections. Although this book has so many pages, the reader can take a break and still be able to join the characters on an adventure who maybe experiencing similar things to them in their lifetimes.

A Marvellous Light is worth reading because it makes you imagine you are there, and its writing wants you to keep reading, so that you know what happens between Robin and Edwin and if Robin will stay in the magical universe of this novel. You will also want Robin and Edwin to say get lost to the Courceys, stay together, and discover more about Sutton Cottage. The developing romance between the two of them is a joy to read and whilst some parts were messy, it was a fun and romantic magical adventure with interesting characters and a charming atmosphere.

I heard through the grapevine that this book will be part of a trilogy, in which case I will read the sequels, as I go to find out more about the magical universe. It is common for there to be sequels in the mystery and fantasy genres, so I am looking forward to seeing how the overall story turns out, especially the romance between Edwin and Robin as well as the developing magic system.

I think who will enjoy this book will be readers of romance, fantasy, detective novels (especially Sherlock Holmes), murder mysteries, slow-burning romances, magic and who like introductions to interesting world-building. There is also enticement for people with dysfunctional backgrounds who want reliability in literature and who want more queer literary representation. There are often queerbaiting accusations relating to Sherlock Holmes and John Watson especially on television, but it is not the case in this book!

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?4 OUT OF 5 STARS!