Spellbreaker

By: Arlene Allen

Spellbreaker is the latest book by Charlie N. Holmberg, author of The Paper Magician duology. It’s a charming mix of alternate history, fantasy and romance that’s sure to appeal to readers of all three genres. Holmberg also tackles issues of class and race and manages to handle them deftly, creating an enticing and engaging journey into a new extraordinary world where magic is legal only for the rich while the poor face imprisonment or worse for practicing her craft. It felt like reading a Harry Potter novel written for adults, something long overdue.

Our heroine, Elsie Camden, was abandoned as a young child in a remote village. Not knowing what to do with her, Elsie is placed into a workhouse in London. Elsie hides another secret, a dangerous one – she is a spellbreaker. Spellbreakers are a rare breed of magicians who can undo the spells of any wizard in one of the four colleges of magic. Because Elsie is poor she can’t afford to pay for a license and, thus, if she is caught will most likely go to prison for life or worse. She is eventually hired by a stonecrafter as housemaid and shortly thereafter recruited by a clandestine group called The Cowls.  They use her spellbreaking skills to fight back against the aristocrats who hoard magic for their own gain.

During one such adventure she is caught by aristocrat Bacchus Kelsey, who is one step away from becoming a master spell maker. He agrees to keep Elsie’s secret if in return she helps him fix some malfunctioning spells on his estate. Working closely together it should come as no surprise that Elsie falls for the tall, dark, handsome nobleman, even though she knows there is no hope for a romance as he is so far out of his league. Bacchus faces challenges of his own, for although he is of aristocratic blood, his mother was an island mistress of his father and with his dark skin sets him apart from the rest of society.

With its four colleges of magic and a mysterious villain manipulating dark magic, there is a Harry Potter-ish feel to the novel’s set up, but Homberg’s style is definitely all her own. She creates likeable characters, her own stunning version of an alternate Victorian England and a great romp of an adventure. Then, there’s the simmering romance between Elsie and Bacchus, which practically steals the show. As much as I turned pages to see what happens next, I turned them even faster, waiting to see if the two finally. If you need a walloping dose of unrequited sexual tension, this is definitely your novel!

Bestselling author Holmberg is at her best here with an engaging style that pulls the reader into the story. She knows exactly how to build up the slow burn romance (I’m waiting or that kiss). Her world creating skills are excellent and her unique magical system is well developed and fascinating. No wonder her Paper Magician series has been optioned by Disney. Once you meet her characters, you never want to let them go.

But alas, dear readers, this is book one of a duology (book two comes out in March 2021, so we don’t have too long to wait for the sequel, Spellmaker). It ends on a massive cliffhanger with a plot twist I certainly didn’t see coming. A little bit history, a little bit of social commentary and a whole lot of adventure and romance make Spellbreaker a wondrous treat for readers. I highly recommend you run straight out and get this novel, which will make your COVID quarantine a much more pleasurable experience.