Read All About It: Sorcerer to the Crown
- Becca Evans
- Aug 7, 2017
- 2 min read
Zen Cho makes her stunning debut in the fantasy genre with Sorcerer to the Crown, an enchanting tale of class and magic set in an unstable European time. With a touch of romance and a hearty blend of historical fiction and fantasy, there is no doubt that Cho has found a brilliant new world to show us.
It took me a few tries to really get into the book, but I'm glad I finally sat down and read it. This is a must-read for every person who wished they could do their own magic, and find their own path into Fairyland.
Magic in England is running low, and for The Royal Society of Unnatural Philospher, this is an intolerable event. Their own ranks have fallen into disgrace, and infighting abounds when Zacharias Wythe, a man of African descent, is chosen as the next Sorcerer Royal.
Zacharias is tasked with venturing to the border of Fairyland to discover the cause of this magic drain, but he comes along a few surprises on his way. There is a woman with an unimaginable gift, a bargain with another nation, and a powerful familiar set in his way that may just alter magic in all of Britain, and spread across the world.
I had a bit of a hard time getting through this book, but that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it. I loved the intricacies of the plot and the racial tension Cho explores is one of the best parts of it. The thing I had trouble with was more of the language of the book, because of the time period in which it was set.
I heartily enjoyed the magic and the Fairies, as well as the main characters. Their personal struggle with racism is heartfelt and uncompromising, taking readers of a journey through sensibility and scorn that we like to think is now unthinkable. Cho is an amazing artist in how she draws the charming facade over this cruel world, and is determined to heighten the expectations for polite society through the pure effort of her unfailing will. Her characters are delightful, their personalities forceful, their magic captivating. Cho's writing brings all of this to the forefront, and does so without relying too heavily on a romance subplot or unnecessary action.
The plot itself is not as fast-paced as I would like, and the beginning is a bit slow, but it explores the connotations of race and gender in British society brilliantly, and demands a closer look at that culture if only to help us acknowledge how better we can do if we choose to.
I highly recommend that you sit down with this book and enjoy its fresh take on magic and familiars. Cho is brilliant at weaving together a narrative of race and magic, while also pulling back the curtain to give readers a glimpse at the nitty-gritty realities that comprise her background and experiences. This is definitely the beginning of an award-winning career. Until we eventually return to the shores of Britain, keep an eye out for those familiars--some of them are vicious.
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