Readers who enjoyed the first book in the Spellbreaker duology will relish sinking their teeth into its sequel, Spellmaker, which proves to be another thoroughly fun and frothy treat. It picks up a week after the conclusion of the previous book with our heroes in a state of limbo after the villain absconded with no obvious recourse for them to seek justice. Going to the authorities to turn in the murderer would only incriminate Elsie and Ogden for their unregistered magical abilities, leaving them at loose ends – but then the matter is taken out of their hands as Elsie is reported as a spellbreaker and promptly arrested.
The details in the blurb may seem juicy, particularly regarding Elsie’s imprisonment and seduction to the dark side, but for better or worse, Spellmaker is cut from the same cloth as its predecessor which means that this is a cozy, comfortable read and not one that will mire the audience down in angst and thorny moral quandaries. There are some darker angles that could have been explored, but the author makes a very deliberate choice to steer the story down a safe, easy path with minimal heartache to the main characters and a happily-ever-after dawning on the horizon. And that’s not a criticism at all! Personally I’m fond of feel-good stories where you don’t have to fret that some horrible fate is about to befall your favourite characters, so this book was immensely satisfying on that front. However readers hoping for plot twists and less predictable story beats may feel let down at the prospect of more complex storylines that are dropped too soon. There are some contrivances that are a little hard to swallow and characters who are too readily cooperative, becoming staunch allies with unrealistic ease, but that is the charm of the Spellbreaker world.
One change from the first book is the prominence of the romantic arc as the relationship between Elsie and Bacchus dominates the storyline this time around. They are such an adorable pairing and supremely shippable with fantastic chemistry, genuine affection and unshakeable loyalty built on a solid partnership that brought them safely through murder, mayhem and magic battles. The best thing about these two characters is that their delicate dance around each other never supersedes more important matters of life-and-death and they are both mature enough to stow their feelings away in a crisis so they can face each obstacle as it comes. It heightens the juicy tension of the fake marriage trope which is all the more enjoyable here when it’s employed with a couple that believes in clear communication to avoid silly, contrived misunderstandings that often plague a relationship purely for drama. Bacchus and Elsie’s courtship is a pure delight and utterly swoonworthy.
The found family aspect is expanded upon in this book, with the bond between Ogden and Elsie explored further as we see more of their father-daughter dynamics. Ogden also benefits from greater character development as he deals with the aftermath of the trauma he suffered and even receives his own point-of-view chapter so readers can relate to him more personally than before. Emmeline is still present as a supporting character without being fleshed out further, but her sweet uncomplicated friendship with Elsie is very welcome and poses an interesting counterpoint to Elsie’s interactions with Irene, a new prominent female character who is introduced as a foil to Elsie. The first book was very much focused on Elsie and this one benefits a great deal from fostering a fun team dynamic and allowing all the different personalities to play off each other.
A thoroughly entertaining read that transports the audience to a reinvented London with a unique and clever magic system, featuring a wonderfully nuanced villain, heroes you’ll enjoy spending time with and exciting action scenes galore! If you haven’t yet discovered Charlie N. Holmberg, treat yourself to this witty, polished duology for a satisfying back-to-back reading experience.
Spellmaker is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 9th 2021.
Will you be picking up Spellmaker? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Dead wizards, stolen enchantments, and broken promises force a young spellbreaker out of the shadows in the next thrilling installment of the Spellbreaker series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.
England, 1895. An unsolved series of magician murders and opus thefts isn’t a puzzle to Elsie Camden. But to reveal a master spellcaster as the culprit means incriminating herself as an unregistered spellbreaker. When Elsie refuses to join forces with the charming assassin, her secret is exposed, she’s thrown in jail, and the murderer disappears. But Elsie’s hope hasn’t vanished.
Through a twist of luck, the elite magic user Bacchus Kelsey helps Elsie join the lawful, but with a caveat: they must marry to prove their cover story. Forced beneath a magical tutor while her bond with Bacchus grows, Elsie seeks to thwart the plans of England’s most devious criminal—if she can find them.
With hundreds of stolen spells at their disposal, the villain has a plan—and it involves seducing Elsie to the dark side. But even now that her secret is out, Elsie must be careful how she uses the new abilities she’s discovering, or she may play right into the criminal’s hands.
