Sorcery and Cecelia Or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot (being the correspondence of two Young Ladies of Quality regarding various Magical Scandals in London and the Country)           By Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevemer     Release Date: Buy it Today! Magic Carpet Books Ratings Action Romance Characters Overall Purchase on Amazon. Purchase at Powell’s. Find independent bookstores near you.

Two romances, two mysteries, and two captivating heroines all in one book. Written as a letter game between Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, these two excellent young adult fantasy writers created a captivating Regency England where magic is a part of life and a misunderstood science.

Kate Talgarth and Cecelia Rushton are two Young Ladies of Quality who are cousins and were inseparable until this London Season. Split apart by their aunts, who fear for the safety of London if the two girls were unleashed on society at the same time, Kate goes off to London with her sister, while Cecy is left in the Country. The two correspond via letters as their stories unfold. In Town, Kate is nearly poisoned by a mysterious woman, while back in the Country, Cecy finds a charm bag under her brother’s bed and a new young lady becomes suspiciously popular in local society. When it seems like the new girl’s feared step-mother and Kate’s poisoner are the same woman, the cousins begin to piece together their oddly connected mysteries. Between London and the Country, the odd coincidences build up as the two girls are drawn into a deadly power play.

Cute, quick, and clever, the reader will enjoy this book until the last word. The use of language and description draws us into the time period. My only concern with the book is that the characters tend to blend together.                   

I must say, I don’t really like the cover. Or, more specifically, I don’t like the art of Kate and Cecy on the cover. The faces look odd, with a very nineties American comic art styling that seems out of place. Otherwise, the use of black and white, along with the blue chocolate pot, entices the reader. Another thing I do like about the cover is the fact that the spine looks like a fantasy book, incorporating gold and black, along with the chocolate pot. To me, that’s an important element, because at large book stores the most you get to see on the shelf is the spine. Unless the spine makes me want to pull the book out and take a look, I might accidentally walk by a really great book with an ordinary title.

The third Sorcery and Cecilia book came out in November, so now is a great time to see these two from their first Season to parenthood. The Grand Tour takes place right after this book ends, and The Mislaid Magician (Saturday’s review) moves ahead ten years.

Ratings

Action 4 – The action is quick, despite the storytelling style. There are spells to cast, evil wizards to out think and the most famous incident of the breakage of a blue chocolate pot.

Romance 4 ½ - Light-hearted and witty, we see each of the girls developing their feelings throughout the story, and know from the beginning who their matches will be. Still, each profession of love is wonderfully cute and required a moment to giggle and smile.

Character 3 ½ - This is the one element where the book falls somewhat short of its previous excellence. Kate and Cecy tend to blend into one character. By the third reading, I know who each is and know their differences, but I remember being confused on my first time through. The antagonists are also generically “evil” and “power-hungry,” without very specific motivations. Still, the characters are interesting, just not as deep as they could be. The characters do grow more distinct in each successive book.

Overall 5 – This book is enjoyable to a large variety of readers. While magic takes a role in the story, it can also be read as a Regency England romantic tale, and for readers who don’t usually find themselves in the fantasy section. Sorcery and Cecelia lends itself to many rereadings and is so full of little details that it takes those rereadings to catch onto all of them. Mystery fans will also be drawn to the book, as there are two central mysteries that will keep readers trying to fit together the pieces.

Extras:

Both authors have long histories as writers. Patricia C. Wrede’s bibliography can be found here, while this is Caroline Stevermer’s. There is also a fan site for the books, which includes interviews and appearances for the two authors, along with book news.

Patricia C. Wrede also has a great resource for writers on the web, with her Guide to Fantasy World Building.

To put you in the mood, here is some history about the time period where Kate and Cecy live. While magic was added to the book, the details are mostly true to Regency England, which is the name given to the years 1811-1820. This is the time period of Jane Austen, and when Young Ladies of Quality desired to have a Season in London, so that they could make a good match. The Napoleonic wars have just ended two years before the book begins, and there is a great emphasis placed on manners and society.

A very extensive site is the Regency Collection. This offers a multitude of articles about the time period. You can find answers for most questions that might bother you while reading, like “What is a neck cloth/cravat and why does Oliver care how people tie it?” (The answer can be found here, by the way.) Another helpful site is here and features information about wedding and shopping at the time. Fashion-Era also has some good information on everyday life.

Parents- 13+. This is largely my gut instinct about the book. There is nothing in this book that is inappropriate for younger readers, but the language tries to be true to the era and therefore there are a lot of unfamiliar words. The second book does contain mentions of sex in discussion of the wedding night, and done in a very proper way (though of course as Young Ladies of Quality, it is not referred to in such a vulgar way).

Trackback Post

Related Posts