Perfect for fans of ‘Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell’ and ‘Sorcerer to the Crown’, ‘A Marvellous Light’ is a historical fantasy and queer romance set in Edwardian England.

Robin Blythe starts his new job as a civil servant to discover he has been appointed as a parliamentary liaison to a magical world he didn’t know existed. But before he can find his feet in this dazzling new reality, he is cursed by rogue magicians searching for a magical artefact hidden by his predecessor. His magical counterpart, Edwin Courcey, is his only hope to remove the curse before it kills him – unfortunately Robin and Edwin are very different people and don’t exactly hit it off.

I was thoroughly charmed by this story - an intriguing magical mystery with a Bridgerton level of romance.

4.5 stars
Dazzlingly sharp and enchantingly funny, Freya Marske’s stunning debut takes the charm of Downtown Abbey, adds a dash of magically induced deadly peril and a sizzling LGBTQ+ romance to rival even Brigerton. An Historical Fantasy that simply cannot be missed.

When Young Baronet Robin Blythe agreed to take minor governmental position,he never expected to be appointed parliamentary liaison to a secret magical society—he never expected to discover magic existed at all!

But due to the administrative mix up, Robin becomes cursed by mysterious attackers and plagued by visions. Determined to get answers from his missing predecessor, he’ll need the help of his antisocial,magical society counterpart—Edwin Courcey.

Unwillingly thrown together, Robin and Edwin will discover a dastardly plot that threatens every magician in England—and a secret that many have died to protect.

This was such an incredible book, the writing was exceptionally detailed and the world building truly exquisite, it’s honestly hard to believe it’s Marske’s debut novel—her prose is simply ‘Marvellous’.

The characters were really well written and full of complexity,Edwin and Robin especially. The scars of Edwin and Robin’s pasts (via childhood experiences and upbringing) were perfectly captured by Marske; bringing a sincerity to their emotions and actions ,that made them feel all the more relatable (and real.)

I loved the opposites attract relationship between the hostile, standoffish Edwin and the sociable,fun loving Robin was —it’s clear from the beginning that they have chemistry but,watching the slow build of their attraction (and relationship) was absolutely swoon-worthy.

The attention to detail in the descriptions was also pretty great—as an art lover I enjoyed the mention of William Morris wallpaper and Tiffany glass (and Robin’s sheer love of both)

I also very much enjoyed the manor house party/murder mystery vibe, very Agatha Christie meets Deborah Harkness. I’d definitely recommend to murder mystery loving, historical fantasy and LGBTQ+ romance fans.

Also thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

If you are a fan of magic and mystery set in Edwardian England with a large spoonful of gay romance. Then this is the book for you.
This has been compared to Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell, The Binding and also Red White and Royal Blue, though, like a few reviewers have said, I don't feel that Red White and Royal Blue is a good comparison apart from having a gay romance.
This is a book to think about, not one that I feel most people will race through. There are lots of characters and situations that you will need to remember and also many clever subtleties that you will miss if you read too quickly.

The story in general was good, but I think that there is too much name, too much people. I find myself lost near the end because I can’t remember who was who, and that makes the understanding of the story much harder.
The love scene are super cute, and I love how the two main character interact.

In early 20th century London Robin has been shoved into a minor government post, with no hint of what it's about, after the previous postholder disappears. When Edwin arrives at the office to brief him, he discovers his new job is magical liaison and he promptly gets cursed on his way home. The cheerful Robin and the prickly Edwin have to work together to lift the curse and solve the mystery of why Robin was cursed in the first place - which involves a weekend trip to Edwin's home, with other magicians around to make it all that little bit more difficult.

I really wanted to like this. It has a really good premise and some good characters (the women are particularly strong -I'd like to read more just about Miss Morrissey and her sister), as well as a romance between the leads. But I struggled a bit with it, it starts very slowly and then picks up pace, but if you don't get through the slow bits early on then you'd give up on it. There's a set up for a sequel, although I'm not charmed enough by this first installment to be wondering when that will be coming out. It's fine, but others are doing similar styled stories better.

I feel really sad that I couldn’t get into this and love it. From the description, and with SUCH a gorgeous cover, I was hoping it would be a chefs kiss top tier book.

The formatting just didn’t work for me, whether on my kindle or phone. That definitely took away some enjoyment but also the beginning just feels really slow.

You don’t usually experience a slow beginning in fantasy so it again threw me for a loop.

Maybe I’ll try reading this again in the future, a physical version, and my mind will be blown.

Definitely understand why it’s on so many radars with people absolutely loving it!

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Pan Macmillan and Tor, for the chance to read and review one of my most anticipated reads in 2021!

I was so happy when the publisher granted me this chance, this book is magnificent!

TW: emotional and physical abuse, torture, murder, kidnapping

"You woke me up. You're incredibly brave. You are not kind, but you care, deeply. And I think you know how much I want you, in whatever way I can have you" (quotes are from the earc)

Robin Blyth is a young baronet and he thought he was taking up a minor governmental post, but he's been appointed as parliamentary liason to a secret magical society. It's because of this error he discovers a new world and magic. Threatened, cursed by mysterious attackers, plagued by visions, Robin is determined to find his answers and he's forced to join forces with Edwin Courcey, his hostile magical-society counterpart. They begin an investigation, trying to understand what happened to Robin's predecessor, to undo Robin's curse and they soon discover a complex plot that will threaten all the magicians in England.

This book is absolutely amazing! Set in an alternative England, in the Edwardian times, the story is told by two POVs, Robin's and Edwin's, a mystery with manor houses and peculiar siblings, hedge mazes, murders, kidnappings and artifacts, magic, books and spells and a sweet slow burn queer romance I loved every page of it. There's mystery, magic and murder and the mix is perfect!
The main characters are skillfully written and complex. Robin is a young baronet and he didn't know anything about magic, until he found himself with this job, followed and attacked, cursed and forced to find a solution to his curse.
On the other side, his magical counterpart, Edwin is, apparently, cold and hostile and he's determined to fix this situation and get everything back in order. They are very different from one other. While Robin, though weighed down by family problems and memories, is more vibrant and extrovert, Edwin is quiet, reserved and introvert. It was intriguing and interesting getting to know them better, behind their façades, lies and masks, to really understand what they've been through.

The worldbuilding is intriguing and well written and explained, bit by bit. The reader feels like Robin, thrown in a magical world he didn't know existed, without knowing anything about it, its rules, spells and important families. Slowly, everything is explained, the magic, the cradles, the legends and families, the acute differences between people and the amount of magic in their blood. The main characters are amazingly written and they are surrounded by side characters, also complex and intricated. In the Edwin's manor house, his siblings and friends stand out with their games, cruelty, indifference, underlining the differences between those with more magic and those with less and Robin and Edwin fight to escape their games and plots.
If Edwin's relatives, except his mother, excel in their pettiness and indifference, I loved Maud, Robin's sister and her desire of learning and escaping their parents' world and cruelty and Adelaide Morrisey, a brilliant civil servant, that helped them in their investigation, im a fight between what's right and wrong, between entitlement and intelects.

Robin finds himself thrown into a world he doesn't know, a dangerous one, without any means to protect himself. At the same time he's fighting for his sister and home, struggling with his parents' death and what they left them, the house, the financial problems. Finding himself involved in a magical plot wasn't in his plans, but he is thrown in a world made of magical manor houses, curses and spells.
Edwin has always lived in the magical world, but, because he doesn't have much magic, unlike his other siblings, he doesn't feel like he belong anywhere, he struggles to fit, to fight against his family's abuses and cold words, against his own insecurities and fears.

It was so intriguing following the investigation, the murder mystery, following the clues, trying to understand what was going on, who were the culprits and how brilliantly the pieces were set as puzzles' pieces and Robin and Edwin followed them, consulting books and visiting maze hedges, magical manor houses. In a world where Edwin was disregarded because of his magic and Robin because his lack thereof, they are brilliant investigators, using their forces, their minds and bond to overcome every obstacles and difficulties.
It was so satisfying seeing Edwin using his mind, his ability to think and see patterns, Robin's stubborness and abilitities to uncover everything.
The murder myster was such a pleasure to read and follow and I loved how it was side by side with their slow burning queer romance, how they peeled each other's armours and slowly understood, helped, supported and loved one other.

The characterization is brilliant and I loved how the author slowly peeled away the characters' layers, revealing their true selves, their desires, fears, dreams and hopes. Forced to work together, in an inauspicious start, Robin and Edwin slowly get to really know one other, behind the first, wrong, impressions of each other, building a strong bond, made of affection, love, consent and attraction. Edwin and Robin start to investigate Robin's predecessor's fate, getting themselves involved into a mystery plot, made of legends, murders, books and spells.

I loved how the consent had a huge part in this book, both in spells, granting magical access and permission and in their relationship, asking and granting it, while they discovered each other, their wants, desires and limits, how the trust was paramount since the very beginning, while building their relationship and accepting one other.
Their bond was one of my favourite thing in this book. It was moving and intriguing reading how they start to know one other, understanding each other's minds, bodies and quirks, how they overcame their initial impressions of one other, building a strong, brilliant and sweet relationship, made of love, sex and affection.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone looking for a intriguing murder mystery, a sweet and slow burning queer romance, magic, mystery and a magnificent worldbuilding.

I asked for a #netgalley ARC of this book mostly because the cover is just gorgeous. Also, some of the authors I've enjoyed recently in the sci-fi/magical/fantasy fiction genres highly endorsed this book. It's categorized as "LGBTQIA | Romance | Sci Fi & Fantasy" and as a netgalley noob, I didn't know I should pay attention to the order of these genre listings. I came for the Sci Fi & Fantasy; but honestly while the world of magic is neat and new (so new that Marske has to spend eons explicating) the romance (and, yes, graphic sex) is very much front and centre. I had neither expected nor wanted that. So, if that's your cup of (English) tea, you'll be delighted. I was less than so.

I found the set up ponderous and academic. I actually paused with 95% of the story done and didn't come back for the BIG denouement for a whole day (so, definitely not an edge-of-my-seat, nail-biting finish for me) because it was all getting tooooooo drawn out, by which time I was really quite meh about the whole thing! The social mores and context of early 20th century England were actually interesting. But to me, the magic system and magic world (lay lines, spells, objects) could have been dealt with less pedantically. The characters' inner monologues didn't affect me, I thought they were a bit forced and while I know the book IS fully wishful and fanciful, all of the behaviours seemed really idealized.
The plot plods slightly but I did finish it, I did want to know who was behind the plot, and I was rooting for Robin and Edwin to work it all out. All of which it more or less delivers on, but it ends with an opening to a sequel and I just can't work up the interest in that. I know some of the readers are going to love this and die for more, but I think even a 3 is generous here. I feel like apologizing for not loving it. I really wanted to, I swear.

Also, a note for the publisher/editor: I liked that there are people of Indian origin in the story, but their names are wrong. They just doesn't work. If the sister is married, her last name cannot be Kaur. And the "Indian" name for Robin's secretary doesn't exist, at least not in Punjabi or Hindi. I'm sure you can find an actual Punjabi to double check these details with.

I got a free ARC from #netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved A MARVELLOUS LIGHT so much!

It’s set in Edwardian England and opens with Robin, who’s basically just become the Home Office’s liaison to the secret magical world, except he had no idea, up until now, that magic is real. He’s quickly drawn into a deadly conspiracy and has to flee to his opposite numbers magical country estate so they can investigate.

A MARVELLOUS LIGHT has so many of the trope I adore: awkward allies, himbo jock meets nerdy librarian, administrative fantasy and isolated country house parties. It has a ticking clock curse, secret societies, killer hedge mazes and William Morris wallpaper.

The relationship between Robin and Edwin is gorgeous and jam-packed with teasing chemistry. The romance is sweet and the sex hot. The supporting characters are all fabulously written too, even the ones with little page-time feel like complete characters. I especially loved Miss Morrissey, Robin’s ridiculously efficient secretary.

As often happens, there’s little to say about a book you utterly love, other than to push it at everyone you can. I thought this was a five-star read, and I absolutely cannot wait to see where Edwin and Robin’s story takes them next.

A Marvellous Light, Freya Marske

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romance, Sci-fi and fantasy, LGBTQIA

What a fabulous, amazing debut novel. Very polished and well written, I had no idea til I came to write this that it was a debut.
I really enjoyed this, right from the start. An interesting world where some have magic and that's kept highly secret from the rest of the population, involving having its own Gov department and liaisons.
I loved the characters, the mix of grumpy, genuine, mean and cruel, evil and good. Robin and Edwin start off on the wrong foot, and appear total opposites, but gradually are drawn to each other. Although they both seem to be opposite natures, when it comes to it they are both good people, and learn to see the world from a different viewpoint when they are seeking a way of removing the curse. Its a time where, just as in the real Edwardian Britain, being Queer is forbidden and so those who are attracted to the same sex have to keep that well hidden, so as well as being discreet about magic, what's happening they have to be careful of their public appearance to each other.
The magic – confession, in my heart deeply hidden I suspect I still have that childhood believe that magic * could * be real. The magic here is perfect, interesting, different for each person, and can include, as we see, some nasty curses from those who seek power with it.
Its carefully paced, with a gradual increase in Robin's curse getting worse, and their feelings becoming stronger. I loved the mix of his family and friends, some bland people, some avaricious and some just plain mean and spiteful. One of my favourite characters is the forceful and very resourceful Adelaide Morrisey, not only a woman in a man's world but a coloured one, and instead of getting offended she uses it to her convenience to do things others assume she can't. Of course that didn't stop me getting offended for her, Liberalist through and through, that's me, but the world is slow to get there!
I adored the Sutton house and the scary maze, and of course the staff in all the magical inhabited homes who are so discreet. The tiny cleaning charms the housemaids did made me wonder how far the staff went in using magic. To cook? Do washing? Tend gardens? And how of course. There seems to be a logic to this magic, its not an abracadabra instant for everything, but working out the problem and crafting the solution specifically. I like books that make me think further, where everything seems so real it sparks questions.

I'd love to read more of this series, this book is complete but leads the way into the next, no horrible cliffhangers. They tend to put me off reading a series until they're complete, but here its a satisfying read, ending on a good spot while leaving the way forward for more.

Stars: Five, I really enjoyed this, a treat to read, magic, mystery, a bit of mayhem at times, wrapped up in a wonderful, understated romance. I hope the next book is well under way!

ARC supplied by Netgally and publishers

If you're looking for an exciting, inventive, sexy magical mystery, then A Marvellous Light is the book for you!

Robin Blyth has ended up in an obscure civil service position following his parents' deaths, his predecessor having vanished without trace. Edwin Courcey is the liaison to his office, a member of Britain's hidden magical society. When Robin is dragged even further into the wonderful and menacing world that Edwin inhabits, they find themselves bound together as they investigate the disappearance of Robin's predecessor and the sinister plot behind it.

I was initially drawn to this title by the comparison in the description to Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (one of my favourite books), and while there isn't really much linking these two books other than the fact that they both feature magicians and are both historical (although set almost a hundred years apart), I knew going in that these claims are often exaggerated (or plucked out a hat), and so I wasn't surprised or put off to find something entirely different lurking between the covers of A Marvellous Light.

The characters feel real and rounded, and the connection they make in the short period of time the book is set over feels organic. Starched, haughty Edwin is a study in Edwardian repression, and bold, athletic Robin is engaging and open to this new, bewildering world he is thrust into, and it's a delight to see them gradually find their way behind the other's initial impressions.

The plot is engaging and rolls along merrily, although Marske isn't afraid of scattering in moments of stillness and contemplation. These moments of stillness always hold a certain tension, and never last long enough to feel as though they're putting anything else on hold.

The magic in the book is inventive and intriguing, and Marske takes a fascinating angle on the colonial aspects of British magic which is great to see in a book set at the turn of the century. The attitudes of the magical population to those of their own with little or no magic, and to the non-magical population, are a wonderful examination of privilege and class.

I look forward eagerly to the next instalments!

I devoured this thoroughly engrossing and magical Edwardian romance with delight. The intricate magic system was fascinating to read and I liked how it shows us a very ridged system that everyone is taut and then show characters who teach themselves more inventive methods as they were not allowed access to the standard magical education due to discrimination. It felt like a deeper exploration of the concept of magic and one of the best I’ve read as it’s set in a magical culture that is stagnant, with little innovation and desire to embrace new methods that aren’t the old and trusted ones. One of our main characters Edwin is a magician who has forever been cruelly mocked for his small amount of power can find power by being shown a different way.

I also really enjoyed the look into non-magical characters who come from magical families or those with only a little power like Edwin. It’s safe to say that Edwin’s family is truly the worst. They are cruel, selfish, and spiteful and Edwin being the magically weakest of the family is often their target. I don’t think I’ve read a family I hated more and even the more sympathetic of them still cowardly do little to reign the worst of them in. If families are not being actively hurtful to their non-magical relatives then they are cruelly disregarded like Reggie who is missing at the start and whose family don’t seem all that bothered. Even though we don’t spend a lot of time with him you still know he was charismatic and bold and yet seemingly an afterthought due to his lack of magic by his family.

Overall, this was an exciting magical adventure in one of my favourite settings. The romance was sweet and full of angst as characters have to grow out of their feelings of inadequacy that stem from societal pressures. If you like K J Charles and Jordan L. Hawk then this is a book you need to pick up.

My one big gripe is with this is marketed on Goodreads. It’s being sold as similar to Red White & Royal Blue. The only thing these books have in common is that they are queer romances but that’s like saying you should read The Flatshare if you liked Pride and Prejudice. They are both good books, but wildly different genres. They're not even similar romance plots, with RWRB being more enemies to lovers. I understand the marketing choice of likening a queer romance to another very popular one, but The Binding is right there and the one you mention on the NetGalley page. There is also K J Charles, a figurehead in magical historical queer romances if you are really struggling that much to find similar books. You wouldn’t make this kind of choice for a straight romance, so don’t do it to queer romances.

A Marvellous Light is a historical magic novel crossed with gay romance, as a clueless baronet finds himself accidentally in a minor government role that comes into contact with the secretive magical side of Edwardian society. Robin Blyth starts a new job in the civil service, and suddenly discovers he's the liaison with the magical world, through his counterpart Edwin Courcey. After Robin is attacked and cursed by people looking for something his predecessor had, he and Edwin must put aside the different worlds they come from to uncover the mystery of what they're after.

This is a romp through a very different version of early 1900s England, in which magic is real but the power only resides in a few, who stay secret and have differing levels of ability. It has been compared quite a bit to Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, which admittedly meant that I went in reading it assuming it was set in the Regency, and was quite surprised when very early things that would've been anachronistic for then turned up, and then the date was actually mentioned in the story. Instead, the similarity is in the weaving of magic into a historical time period in a way that keeps the social traditions and general history of the time, as magic sits as something secret to most people. The magic in the book is distinctive in places, with a lot of focus on the physicality of it for people and also places, and as I think this is only the first book in a series, I'm assuming it'll be built upon further too.

The romance in the book is perhaps a bigger selling point for some people, with a lot of common tropes being included in the fairly slow burn romance. I hadn't realised that it would intertwine the magical mystery narrative with so much of a romance, so the sex scenes did surprise me at first, but this gave it the feel of something that was a magical AU romance, especially as the mystery plot is ongoing so this book had a lot of focus on the protagonists' relationship. I've not really seen so much of a fusing of romance with a fantasy mystery narrative like this outside of fanfiction, so it was interesting to see this done, combining the tropes of multiple genres.

I liked both Robin and Edwin and the ways their characters were unfolded, though I did find some of the supporting characters hard to keep track of. I hope some of the female characters get their stories furthered in any sequels, as I felt they deserved it, and the book does depict some interesting magical gender politics in terms of what is expected of magical women in this universe, seen as less 'adept' even when they're very powerful.

As someone who isn't a huge fantasy fan, I found this book a good balance of elements, and with magical worldbuilding that wasn't too in your face, but still definitely a historical fantasy. The romance wasn't quite as engrossing as I might've expected but the characters were sweet and the bookish type/sporty type combo was a good one. A Marvellous Light is a fun read, a queer romance crossed with historical magic that doesn't require you to understand a lot of complicated lore.

Sir Robin Blyth, an impoverished baronet in desperate need of an income, takes up a relatively minor position in the Civil Service. However, an administrative error sees him enter a world full of magic that hides in plain sight. But there is danger lurking in this enchanted world that Robin must confront.

A Marvelous Light is both historical fantasy and part LGBTQ romance. There is murder, mystery, and a magical romance.

At the heart of the story is Robin's blossoming relationship with the prickly Edwin Courcey, the Liaison to Robin's department. Freya Marske displays a skilled hand in the characterisation. Both Robin and Edwin are fully developed characters, and their connection is handled with a deft hand. This is particularly evident in Edwin, who is a complex figure and one not immediately likeable. His growth throughout the novel allows one to challenge their first impressions and become invested in this relationship.

The fantasy is well handled, and the drawing on folklore particularly intrigued me. It did not seem just a plot device. Marske, in fact, takes great care to explain her magical world and its systems. The Edwardian setting also works in the novel's favour.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Marvellous Light and will be gifting it to friends on publication. I am grateful to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the eARC.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF at 30% because I'm not connecting to the story or characters.
While I find the premise very intriguing, I find the writing slow and dry and it's hard to get into.

The story itself is also on the slow side and for such a short book, not even 400 pages long, I don't think slow is good. Personally, I still don't know what exactly is going on or what the purpose of the novel is as of yet.

I am mildly interested in continuing but not enough to actually keep reading.

Even though the characters have opposite setups, I get them confused every single time. Theoretically speaking, I know who is Edwin and who's Robin, I know the differences between them but every time on of them speaks or one of them uses the other's surname I get them switched and that's bc their personalities don;t really stand out to me.

The premise is great but I;m not a big fan of the execution

Beautiful combination of compelling characters, fantastic world-building and perfect pacing. Freya has created a universe that I can't wait to visit again.

First off, I had pretty damn high expectations from this book so maybe I did just expect too much.

This book follows Robin, a civil servant who gets assigned to a new post that he's never heard of after his predecessor goes missing. After meeting his prickly colleague Edwin and finding himself cursed and amid a search for a magical item that has the power to change everything for all the magicians known, he begins to realise he is well in over his head.

I found that the beginning portion of this book was a lot slower paced than one would think for a fantasy series. There were just so many questions, who even were the villains, what are they looking for, is anyone else not pretty concerned about this curse none of you seems to have heard of. Maybe it's just me but I did feel like the priorities were far out of line.

Despite this, the things you learn about the magic system I adored. Did I completely understand it, no, but it had to be the most original way I've seen magic used in a book before? It also set up a lot of different ways that magic can be used, like domestically and for entertainment, it wasn't just characters throwing fireballs or able to control light and I enjoyed that.

The characters I felt were a little lacklustre. Robin and Edwin had a romance that developed way too quickly for me, while I was convinced at it towards the end I was not at the beginning, that doesn't mean to say that their scenes together weren't great because they really were. I just didn't like either of them and were more excited by the plot, use of magic and 3 of the female characters including 2 sisters that turn up later in the book. I just was not invested in them or their wellbeing at all.

Overall, I enjoyed it, I especially enjoyed the magic and how that was used throughout and honestly that's what made the book for me. Would I recommend it, yes I would but I don't exactly feel strongly about it.

Freya Marske’s ‘A Marvellous Light’ is a nice read set in Edwardian England but with magic. I really enjoyed both characters. Robin and Edwin were both interesting and a little awkward which made them kind of charming. I liked how Robin isn’t really part of the magical world, and that Edwin doesn’t necessarily feel like part of his world either. In many ways, ‘A Marvellous Light’ is a story about finding your place. But it also has magic. And a mystery.

‘A Marvellous Light’ is a nice quick read with some more serious undertones. It’s a great beginning of a potentially longer series considering how it ends and how so many things are left unfinished. But I think, while I enjoyed the story, I liked the characters and their interactions the most.

This was spellbindingly (haha) romantic and a great mystery. I was completely hooked and drawn in by the brilliantly engaging prose, and I fell in love with the two main leads as they fell in love with each other. The magic system is fascinating and clearly very well thought out. I would highly recommend this book!

Cute-turned-steamy romance meets historical fantasy romp in this delightful debut novel. A Marvellous Light is likely one of the best romances to come out in 2021. I really had a blast with this novel! While Freya Marske’s historical setting and the magical system is not quite as detailed & complex as Susanna Clarke's in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell or Zen Cho's Sorcerer Royal series, its setting is vibrantly rendered and the fantasy aspect was a lot of fun and gave me some serious Diana Wynne Jones/Ghibli vibes. The main characters make the novel, and I found them incredibly endearing. The plot itself is fairly conventional, and it is Marske’s engaging style and her compelling protagonists that steal the show.

“You woke me up. You're incredibly brave. You're not kind, but you care deeply. And I think you know how much I want you, in whatever way I can have you.”


Set in Edwardian England, A Marvellous Light follows Robin Blyth and Edwin Courcey. Recently orphaned Robin is in his late twenties and despite his newly inherited title, he’s in urgent need of an income. A clerical mishap lands him in the position of ‘Assistant in the office of Special Domestic Affairs and Complaints’, his predecessor, a certain Reginald Gatling having gone suddenly MIA. On his first day on the job, Robin meets Edwin Courcey, who is the special liaison to the Chief Minister of the Magical Assembly. Robin, baffled by the discovery that magic is indeed real, is sure that someone more suitable should be taking his place. While Robin and Edwin are not keen on working together, after a certain altercation with some dubious individuals, the two decide to join forces in their effort to find out what happened to Reginald. Much of the narrative takes place in Edwin’s family home, where we learn more about how magic works and we see the bond between the two men solidify in something resembling a friendship.

The narrative’s scope remains rather narrow, and the story is very much focused on the blossoming romance between Edwin and Robin. The growing sexual tension between them complicates their ‘mission’, as the two men will be forced to confront the magnitude of their feelings for each other.
The dynamic between Edwin and Robin is truly charming. By switching between their perspectives we learn more about their personal histories, their relationship with their family members, and their previous romantic ‘exploits’. Edwin is a brilliant scholar, and he possesses vast magical knowledge. However, he does not possess much magic, and this has made his family treat him with open contempt. His older brother, who has a lot of magic, is a horrid bully, and his sister and parents have always turned a blind eye to his relentless tormenting of Edwin. Because of this Edwin is slow to trust, guarded to the point of rudeness. While Robin was never particularly close to his parents, who were not nearly as charitable and selfless as they liked to pretend, he is far more open and carefree. Of course, after a certain ‘event’, Robin too begins to have a lot on his mind. At Edwin’s family home the two grow closer, and as they attempt to find the truth behind Reginald’s disappearance they find themselves growing attached to one another.

While we don’t learn much about the Magical Assembly or of the history of magic in England (other than a snippet here and there), the author does a fairly decent job when it comes to world-building, avoiding info-dumps and overly complicated explanations. The mystery storyline is perhaps the novel’s weakest element. There is an attempt at a twist villain but I’m afraid that it was fairly obvious that that person was indeed a ‘baddie’. The last 30% is slightly repetitive, and maybe I would have found it more gripping if the villains had been more fleshed out (we also get the uber cliched line: “Come on board, you'll have the power you've always wanted”). Speaking of secondary characters, they are somewhat one-dimensional. I kept confusing the people at Edwin’s house, as they all have ridiculously posh sounding nicknames and behaved in varying degrees of obnoxiousness.
I did however like Miss Morrisey and her sister, I mean: “And we are but feeble women,” said Miss Morrisey. “Woe.” They were a fun addition and I wish they had played a bigger role in the story (hopefully we will see more of them in the sequel!).

The romance between Edwin and Robin is the cherry on the cake. Their chemistry, banter, and flirting make for some thoroughly enjoyable and surprisingly sweet passages. I wasn’t really expecting the story to be quite this smutty and I have to say that the sex scenes did feel a bit overlong. I don’t mind sex scenes but smut...eeh, it does nothing for me. I either find it unintentionally funny or boring. But this is clearly a ‘me thing’ so I’m sure other readers out there will be *ahem* more appreciative of these scenes.

While the plotline is somewhat predictable (we have those fairly obvious twists, the usual misunderstanding that occurs around the 70% mark in romances) Marske does have a few tricks up her sleeves and she leaves quite a few questions unanswered (hopefully the sequel will resolve some of these).

Overall this was a very entertaining read. It has humour, mystery, plenty of magical hijinks, and a lively Edwardian backdrop. Robin and Edwin are guaranteed to give you ‘the feels’, and I really liked their character arcs. And, last but not least, their romance. While I could have done with fewer sex scenes and more plot, Robin and Edwin’s relationship was great. The author doesn’t rush it, so we have quite a decent amount of longing/yearning….which I have always been a sucker for (especially in historical fiction). I am super excited to read the sequel and I thoroughly recommend this: twas fun & gay + the perfect blend of fantasy and historical fiction.