A review by scijessreads
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

4.0

Seriously, I wanted to wrap Edwin up in a giant hug and say everything would be OK the entire damn book. He was just SO unsure of himself (and based on his family dynamic, that is totally understandable). And Robin's more open attitude was refreshing and pushed at Edwin in all the right ways. These two were achingly sweet in ways that I did not expect, and there was so much left unsaid that actually spoke volumes (yes, an oxymoron is necessary here).

The magic system and world here, a version of London at the turn of the century, was vividly cast and easy to fall into. The mystery and the underlying tensions were done so well. The story was on the slower side, especially at the beginning, but it never dragged. It unfolded and unfolded and unfolded some more. I loved the supporting characters (good and bad), and am excited to continue on in the series.

The love that unfolded between Edwin and Robin was done with care, especially in a world where it was looked down upon and could be dangerous. There was a surprising amount of danger and violence in the magic here, giving much more weight to an already heady story.