Reviews with content warning for Blood - Sorcerer to the Crown

This book was so perfect for me ticking many boxes. It is definitly worthy of "Jane Austen but with magic" tag line.
If you enjoy: regency period books with light hearted wittisism; amusing characters and protagonists who find their way around the rules of society and snobbery; are happy to throw magic in to historical time periods; then you will love this book.
The plot is simple, enjoyable with enough intrigue to keep you reading as to how it will all fall out. There is danger and prejudice our characters must grapple with and a need for social reform.
But the frothy delightful writing style gives me all the Georgette Heyer I need, but without class prejudice or problematic casual racism involved.
I love both protagonists, the relationship between them and the side characters, and all enjoyable banter. Our female protagonist flies her feminist flag by being her unashamed true self and getting things done. And for all those reasons I love this book. It has an abundance of charm, whilst having darker moments due to the fey world and I ate it all up. Can't wait for the next one.

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maryannsophia's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

The setting and characters of this book are extremely unique, quirky, and at times bizarre. The style of the world, especially the Fairyland and magical people, definitely takes some getting used to. Overall, it was an interesting story and well-written, with lots of dry wit and blithe humor. But the characters do make decisions that are questionable and, often, creepy.

For one, while Prunella's use of her blood to hatch the familiar eggs makes sense, it felt a little unnecessarily TMI to me... however, one can't really expect anything less than a book that deals in the occult. But the really disturbing aspect was her sacrifice of Nidget to the dragon for her own purposes - and that this betrayal (similar to her mother's own murders, promiscuity, etc) was viewed as acceptable, and even appropriate. Similarly, the book had a rather confused view of religion, heaven, hell, morality, and dealings with spirits.

Overall, I found it a fascinating book, but one with large flaws that make it hard to recommend.

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n_asyikin_'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

A diverse historical fantasy that was full of wit & intrigue. The magical elements were fascinating, & the journey made more joyful due to the strong, easily beloved characters which made the story memorable.

The aspect to the book that resounds with me most is how it incorporated & addressed issues of racism, sexism & colonialism into the story; something I thought tended to be overlooked in magical realism, especially those told primarily through the White Western lens. In a sense, Cho definitely attempted to move away from that despite the book being set in Regency Britain.

Moreover, I thought that the exploration of the social dynamics were done in a nuanced way, showing & contrasting the experiences of our various key characters with differing backgrounds.

The thematic exploration wasn't necessarily heavy-handed. In fact, I thought one of the highlights of the book was how it showed different approaches to the practice & knowledge of magic, told through the Malayan witch Mak Genggang, the Chinese Sorcerer Hsiang, & even the brief appearance of Prunella's mother,

the Grand Sorceress of Seringapatam.

. This depiction made for a refreshing story.

One story arc I thought deserving of attention was the dynamics shared between Zacharias & his guardian, Stephen. It depicted the possible conflicts which may arise with being a part of a multicultural family,

with Stephen's seeming tendency to overlook the harrassment Zacharias faced in a racist society, not to mention their opposing views on colonialism.

. The love-frustration felt genuine; the complexity depicted rather subtle.

Cho has a way to surprise you with unexpected poignancy. A lot of the conflicts arising from the intersectional influences of their identities tend to resolve in a quiet manner. This is especially true when it came to Zacharias.

Being that I am not of African descent, my comment relating to his depictions is limited. Zacharias tended to be equanimous in his approach. Although his wisdom & compassion were admirable, I thought he deserved to be just as revolutionary as Prunella was. But I assessed that Zacharias' composure may derived in response to stereotype threat/anxiety; in order not to fulfil others' prejudices of him, he refrained from more explosive pronouncement. But that is not to say he wasn't revolutionary at all. In fact, he was the catalyst to a lot of significant changes.

I was, however, still quite concerned by the sort of hardship he was subjected to via his self-sacrifising tendency; his was much more violent in contrast to Prunella. It brought into mind Thomas' commentary (in The Dark Fantastic, 2019) on how Black characters tend to be brutalized for a mean to an end. I guess I was hoping for more verve & better resolution to the injustices Zacharias himself was subjected to. Also, at times, I felt that his power was restrained while Prunella & Mak Genggang appeared bold & unstoppable. That disappointed me a bit as it felt as if Zacharias' capacity, as someone in a position of power, was undermined. Though I did understand that he might've acted as the voice-of-reason (& compassion) in the story, but again, as I said, I was hoping for more when it came to this plotline (i.e., the racism a Black sorcerer face).

Despite that, the story is primarily lighthearted. Some of the scenes made me laugh out loud, particularly the dramatics our MCs engaged in to defend themselves against the antagonists; the disregard towards the oppressors, & the unforgiving (sometimes even careless) way they dealt with them were rousing to me, as a reader. This is especially true with our two powerful leading ladies, Prunella & Mak Genggang. The way that they played into the sexist system just screamed liberating!

Although there were times where the plot felt draggy, in general, the elements to the world & its characters will keep your interest. I know for a fact that I will never forget Zacharias, Prunella & Mak Genggang. The Sorcerer to the Crown is memorable & colourful with its celebration of multiculturalism. I highly recommend giving this a read!

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