This book is the first part of a major fantasy trilogy, the Shattered Lands. In general this focuses on Naila who is a student mage in Amoria's Academy. In Amoria magic is everything - the city is even covered with a magic glass dome. People who have no magic are looked down on and known as "hollows". While it seems Naila has magic no one has managed to get her to use or develop so far and she is in danger of being thrown out and exiled. For now she is saved by the interest of Haelius, who is the city's most powerful magician. He believes that he can teach her and stakes his reputation on that.

Within Amoria there are definite political dimension. Oriven (a mage) is the leader and seeks to increase his power. Hollows are also trying to make a real power base. The city has also attracted people from outside Amoria whose interests are unclear. This book follows what goes on in Amoria and the area more generally.

There is little real world building in this book. It's one of those that you work things out as it progresses. Personally I have no issues with that - I like the journey involved in finding out and too much explanation can make the read tedious. I enjoyed the feel of Amoria and the gradual discovery of what is important in this. There are quite a few characters in this and some of them came through well. Naila was someone I liked and the visiting priest (& his companion) turned out to be good characters. Haelius was also very good however there are quite a few other characters who felt rather thin.

My real issue with this book is pace. Frankly much of the first half was pretty slow. There is a sense that this comes sharply in to focus in the last third when the pace is fairly breakneck. I really enjoyed this latter part of this book and became far more interested in what was going on. By the end I felt that there will be some interesting parts of the next book with what I imagine may be revealed. However I can't honestly say that I am likely to read it based on the earlier parts of this book. Not a bad read but not really gripping enough for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. Short Version: You should read this book. Every so often a book comes along that just ticks every single box for me and this is one such book. The characters, their relationships and conflicting interests were all written wonderfully, especially Naila who is such a compelling heroine. I am a sucker for a good teacher/student relationship and I really enjoyed this aspect as well. The worldbuilding was also great and allowed a really immersive reading experience. The story itself is really well paced and gripped me to the very end (which was very surprising!!) One of the best epic fantasies I've read this year, especially for a debut author! I am really looking forward to continuing this series

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

This is a debut? I am shocked with how much I loved this book. I requested the ARC on a whim, my backlist was low and I wanted to read some true fantasy. I didn’t really have an expectations for it.
But this was stunning.

I’m floored by the world building; I’m getting used to fantasy novels feeding us every scrap of info, over explaining their world and magic systems. And this never does that. I’ve finished the book and I still have so many unanswered questions, in a way that has me very excited for the sequel.

The glass dome enclosed magical city is a great setting. I felt worried about the many, many characters but it really enriched the story; especially because they all have conflicting motivations and allegiances. I am very fond of this whole cast.

I honestly can’t believe this is a debut novel. This is already a fantasy classic. I will wait impatiently for the sequel, and highly recommend this to any fantasy lover.

This features fierce female characters, disaster wizards and all the fun tropes.
Magic schools, mystery, multi-pov, fear, fracturing, FANTASTIC!

Naila is a prospective mage, training at the magical Academy of Amoria. Yet, despite having magic, she cannot perform even the simplest of practical exercises. She is a hollow mage.

Larinne is the Consul of Commerce, a part of the mage Lieno Council. She is trying to deal with the growing tension between mages and non-mages, fuelled by a power-grabbing mage who uses this fear to legitimise his own private army - the Justice.

Finally, (less prominently) we have a priest from a country that had been responsible for the exodus of mages before they escaped the Empire. He calls himself a Seemer. Others view him as a spy.

Naila is such a compelling coming-of-age heroine to follow. She is so unsure of herself and feels misplaced in every part of her identity. She is an orphan, she doesn’t look like the rest of the populace, and she is also at least three years older than any of her classmates who all hate and bully her.

<b>She was surrounded and quite alone.
</b>
She finds belonging in the strangest place she could have imagined - the most powerful wizard who seems at odds with the council and wants to tutor Naila so she isn’t expelled.
Their relationship was one founded on both feeling like outsiders. They are both headstrong, act before they think, and are extremely passionate.

The use of fear, mistrust, and ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ was relevant to our current climate and also very fascinating to read from the point of view from a protagonist who is caught between the two worlds.

<b>Is this how it would always be? Wherever she went, whatever she did, would she find herself as the problem? The enemy?
</b>
The prose was extremely accessible (sometimes I did wish for more poignance).
The magic system well-explained with big hinting implications at the end!

Arc provided by Little, Brown Book Group.