Oh I loved this! Dark Academia is just my jam, plus I loved Emily Tesh's Some Desperate Glory so I was anticipating a good time. It felt like both a love letter and a critique of the UK boarding education system and hooked me immediately.

I deeply enjoyed Dr Saffy Walden as the MC, with her dry and witty voice, and it's great to get a dark academia book from a proper adult's point of view, someone who's grown and competent and yet who also has flaws.

This book is my outstanding read of the year so far. And it’ll have to be something REALLY special to knock it into second place before the end of 2025. It’s also a love letter to the teaching profession and all that teachers do. I’ve read a fair few books that include teachers – no one has ever portrayed the sheer unending nature of the job in such a realistic manner. It also defines what teachers aren’t. They’re not friends or buddies of the children they teach – they can’t afford to be. I loved Tesh’s unsentimental assessment of what teachers represent and the limits of what they can do.

I also love Saffy Walden, who is at the height of her powers and constantly on a knife-edge. Chetwood Academy is the top school in the country providing magical tuition. It also happens to be a private boarding school which charges a great deal of money for said tuition – a school with a history that stretches back hundreds of years. A school surrounded by hungry demons, desperate to tuck into the deliciousness of young, inexperienced magic-users – and the top predator, who has previously attacked the school with devastating results – Old Faithful. The biggest, baddest demon of them all. It’s Dr Walden’s job, amongst teaching A-level Invocation, is to ensure the wards in and around the generously sized campus and all its grounds are secure enough to keep out all but the most inoffensive imps.

The story hooked me from the first sentence and didn’t let go. Tesh is an amazing storyteller, whose characterisation, plotting and scene setting are top-notch. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy following a skilled, confident protagonist – which is a pleasant change, anyway – we also got to see her vulnerabilities as the story progressed. And that story… Not only am I an avid reader, I also write – which means I often get an accurate sense of where the story is going. That isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker, so long as the tale is engrossing and well told. But not this time around. I happened to be reading this one in a café and I actually yelled with shock at one point in the story. That doesn’t happen all that often.

The downside? Tesh doesn’t write series, so I ended the book with a deep sense of loss. But that was balanced by the happiness that comes when I read a masterful read by a highly talented writer at the top of her powers. That also doesn’t happen all that often. Very, very highly recommended. While I obtained an arc of The Incandescent from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing a eARC for this book. I wasn’t paid to read and review this and any opinions expressed are my own.

The first half of this book had me completely hooked—utterly captivated, enchanted, and desperate for more of its magic. A solid 5 stars right out of the gate.

The middle section didn’t quite reach the same dazzling heights, but I was still thoroughly enjoying myself. It felt like a comfortable 4.5—still compelling, still rich with atmosphere and emotion.

Then came the final ten percent. And… what happened? A major narrative moment—arguably the moment—was skipped over entirely. I was eager to experience the events that transpired, instead, we got a sudden cut to black and a six-month time jump. It felt abrupt and unsatisfying.

I appreciated the ambition behind switching narrative tense and the shift into second person, but without a clearer setup or transition, it was jarring rather than illuminating. Seeing the Phoenix take over before shifting to its perspective might have helped smooth that moment and made the tonal pivot more impactful.

The climax, as a result, landed with a thud rather than a blaze. Which was a real shame, because Tesh writes fight scenes so well. The showdown with Old Faithful was a high point—absolutely electric and gorgeously choreographed. I genuinely thought that was leading into a final epic crescendo.

So much of this book sang, with rich worldbuilding, layered and well-developed characters, and a refreshingly original take on the magic boarding school trope. I especially loved the teacher POV—unique, emotionally resonant, and grounded in the day-to-day life of the school in a way that made everything feel tangible and alive.

Ultimately, I still really enjoyed The Incandescent and would rate it a strong 4 stars. The bulk of the book is brilliant—but I can’t help mourning the 5-star experience this almost was.

Really enjoyed this one! It's so much fun to read a magical dark academia story from the point of view of an adult teacher, rather than the students, and it was very entertaining to get that adult perspective on the various teenage dramas. The magic system was new and intriguing, and the characters were likeable without being two dimensional. My one gripe was that it was kind of obvious who the villain would be - but then maybe that was deliberate, and I certainly wasn't expecting the aftermath of that revelation. I've already recommended this to most of my friends - definitely a winner for me.

I love the idea of following an teacher instead of an student, but this book didn't connect with me. I did not care about the plot and I found the worldbuilding quite uninteresting.

Read courtesy of NetGalley.

This was among my most anticipated books for this year. Academia, magic, sapphic longing. The actual novel was really unputdownable, fascinating and utterly fun. And for all the HORRID lack of work-life balance that struck me as a self-inflicted injury from the character, the teaching was described in a way that did work for me as a teacher, most of the time.

I also love how Tesh writes fallible and imperfect protagonists. Walden can get so horribly frustrating and it reads so real. Stuck in her ways, short-sighted, passive. But her narration is all the more compelling for that. I wish the novel had been a little longer, so the students could have received greater space. I wish the romantic storyline had been a little better paced (but probably so does Walden). The proportions didn't always work for me, but I still loved the overall story and can't wait for Tesh's next book.

If I may be a little nit-picky, once again, I find myself, ultimately, a little unsure if I agree with the politics of the text (or maybe, if the text has fully cohesive politics in significant ways). But that's for every reader to decide for themselves, I suppose.

Thank you to Little, Brown and NetGalley for providing me an eARC to review!

I wanna caveat this by saying I didn't think I would be a fan of the concept of this book, and only picked it up because I'm an Emily Tesh stan, so this is definitely a more 'it's me not you' kind of 3 star.

I'm not a cozy fantasy girl and not really much of a dark academia girl, so going into it I wasn't expecting a whole lot. I liked that we got the perspective of a teacher which I haven't seen before in the genre, and Tesh's characterisation clearly came from a very personal love of teaching and watching her students grow. Dr Walden seems like a workaholic and loner at the beginning - which she is - but I liked the slow reveal of her backstory colouring why she is this way, and actually how deeply she cares for her students. The magic system was also cool, and I liked the idea of demons being attracted to areas like schools because of all the wild magic around and being brought into being by personifying them, and being able to explore the lingering memories of the history of the school in the magic plane. There was a section near the end which I thought was especially slay and kind of gave me everything I wanted, but it was unfortunately very short-lived.

I think a lot of my critique boils down to this just not really being my thing - the very end in particular felt like a bit of a let down after the very cool climax, and since the focus was often on the relationships and the school rather than the cool demon magic, I was just kind of hoping for this to be something it wasn't. I also thought a lot of the plot hingeing on Dr Walden being charmed by a hot man was something I kind of thought she was above/past, so it seemed strange to me that she would be so taken by it (though I guess hot cop lady was kind of off limits so maybe it was like a channel for that and girls just wanna have fun I guess).

Would recommend for fans of A Deadly Education and An Academy for Liars but looking for something with an older protagonist and a bit cozier.

Magical ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ₊⊹⁀➴ 4.5
─..★.──────────

I didn't realise this was going to be a Slice-of-Life style story and it is hit and miss if those can hold my focus at the moment, unfortunately I think I need to set this one aside for a bit - but The Incandescent is so so well written and I am so impressed with Emily Tesh that I want to share my thoughts here anyway!

This is my first read from Tesh and I don't know quite what I was excepting but this type of humour and whimsical world building was not it. From page one she expertly introduces us to this wonderful and eerie magical school where demon possessions are as much a daily nuisance as traffic jams, and inanimate objects can become cursed if you talk to them too much. I loved the magic system, this idea of making a space for a demonic entity by giving an object an identity with words like 'you' and 'them'. The possessed copy machine was ADORABLE and I would die for him.

Walden is a refreshing and enjoyable protagonist to follow, she is smart and introspective, and chronically underestimated. I love that she is shown throughout the story to be so powerful, even if, from appearances, she might not necessarily fit the stereotypical look of a dangerous woman. She is empowering and confident, and yet relatable, and I am sure that many reader will like her. Her care and affection towards her students really shines through in the way she talks about them. And even if it is not a found-family story, I do think people who enjoy that trope will vibe with this cast.

The pacing is on the slower side. But as I said above, I wasn't anticipating this to be a little bit Slice-of-Life and it definitely is. You get to see all the inner workings of the school and the faculty, and their lives outside of the classroom. I enjoyed this even if my brain was fidgeting through it. I think for readers who do well with cosy fantasy this will be a good match even if I wouldn't quite class it as cosy. The stakes are definitely there and there are action scenes as well.

Overall, I would highly recommend this one. It might not be for me, but it so well crafted and humorous, and the possessed copy machine is everything I promise.

────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
✦ Rep: sapphic love, bisexual FMC, diverse characters
✦ Mood: playful, cosy, humorous

3.5🌟 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘖𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊.

I'm in conflict with this one because the writing itself is lush and thoughtful and chock full of everything that makes a dark academia novel good. It differs from the usual offerings by following the POV of a middle-aged (ish) teacher on a mission to stop her school from being overwhelmed by demons (guiding her A-level students though examinations and incursions both). It's a love letter to teachers and academia and learning to let go of the past, and the magic systems are there to facilitate those themes rather than as their own draw. Am I any clearer on why demonic magic is used in this alt-contemporary society by the end of the book? No, not really.

I think I struggled with The Incandescent slightly because there was no real drive to the plot. It wouldn't be fair to call our FMC (Dr Walden) passive, but the majority of the book is people coming to her with problems (both minor and major) and her just kinda dealing with them? Taking it all in her stride. And then several weeks pass and it's just on to the next problem. I also really can't deal with second-person perspective, and we got at least a couple of chapters of it (YUCK).

It I'd been in the mood for something slower-paced and more meditative, this would have more than scratched that itch. I accept it was likely a ME problem that it couldn't always hold my attention. A shame, because it was refreshing to read something so resolutely British. The school lunches! The underage pub drinking! The gross commute into London! The seasonal sports rota that was thrust on you every Wednesday afternoon! I also liked what it had to say on educational access and privilege and the state vs private sector.

There's genuinely a lot to love here, but I'd be surprised if anyone was drawn into binge-reading it. Very much a chapter here and there kind of novel - a gentle contemporary fantasy read with some nice (if rather contained) world building.

dnf @ 7%

i'm sorry i really tried to read it but it was literally just straight up info dumping 7% STRAIGHT. and it got too much i'm afraid😟 i was really excited to read this book too so it's a little disappointing 😣 and maybe it's my fault and that the timing is wrong but oh well😔
maybe in the future i will give this a try again but for now i have to let it go

There are so many magical academy books now that they have become a definitive sub-genre. While the first fantasy book to feature a magic school was Ursula K LeGuin’s The Wizard of Earthsea in 1968, the current trend can clearly be traced back to the Harry Potter series. Since then there has been a flood of books about magic schools, dragonriding schools, vampire schools and so on. The majority of books in this genre are pitched at the YA market – they are about children and young adults surviving school and its strictures and in particular in spite of the adults that inhabit it.
Thankfully, for those of us who have grown up, there is now a corner of this sub-genre that is pitched at adults. Lev Grossman’s Magician series started this more mature trend and since then we have also had Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House - a dark journey into the ancient houses of Yale. In her new novel The Incandescent, Hugo winner (and clearly: teacher) Emily Tesh, flips the script a little further. This is a magical school novel in which the protagonist a head teacher and the secret to defeating the demons which threaten her school: being a great teacher.
When The Incandescent opens, Dr Saffy Walden, Director of Magic at the prestigious Chetwood school in the UK is writing up a risk assessment for a demon-summoning practical that she is conducting with her A-level class the next day. Even here, Tesh is more interested in the universal mechanics of school bureaucracy than the fantasy aspects of this task.
That practical, when it happens and the consequences of it will echo through the rest of the book. Because Chetwood, an exclusive private school, due to its role and its practices is a magnet for demons. Most of those are small and manageable and live in the school’s electronics, but there are bigger, more dangerous creatures in a shadowy other world that are summoned and used for their power but can also be extremely dangerous. Saffy’s job is not just to teach the students at Chetwood but to keep them safe, a job that keeps being made more difficult either by school bureaucracy, failing ancient protections, or something mysterious and more sinister.
Saffy Walden is a great central character to carry this story. In some ways she epitomises the trap for teachers – educated at Chetwood, scarred by her experiences there as a teenager, but back there as a teacher so that she carries that history with her. As a result, Saffy is an amazing teacher but is not so good at other parts of life such as romance or relationships. Her knowledge and belief in the protection that her knowledge provides is also a blind spot and her journey in this story is a really unique and fascinating one.
As already intimated, Tesh is just as interested in the art and magic of the teaching profession as she is in the world of demons. There is plenty of commentary here about how best to relate to teenagers in a way that makes them want to learn and what makes a good teacher. There is a whole chapter where Walden is required, despite her reticence, to give careers advice.
But Tesh is also interested in interrogating the whole private school system in the UK (reflected very much in the Australian education system). And, in particular, the role of expensive boarding schools like Chetwood in the educational ecosystem and the advantages that it gives. Tesh also does this also through Saffy’s interaction with those who were not academically trained in magic, particularly one of the Marshalls (think magic police force).
Overall, The Incandescent is a great fantasy book with plenty to say about the real world which it is drawing on and mirroring. Readers will come for the mystery and mayhem and the detailed world building of a school for magicians that attracts demons. But they may well come away with a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the teaching profession and questions about the way education is organised and what it is for.

Told across a school year, any book set in a fantasy boarding school in the UK can't help but feel like a response to the other series, but The Incandescent stands well as its own story while also commenting on some of the same things. The protagonist, Doctor Walden, is a teacher who specialises in the dangerous magic of demon summoning. She's also a talented administrator and has a few secrets that come up along the way. It's a hard plot to summarise without spoilers, but the story did a great job of portraying that complicated relationship between older high school students and their teachers. Walden's complicated personality is both a strength for her and a weakness, and I loved being inside her head. Tesh really has a way of bringing her settings to life, and the balance of mundanity and deadly magic was well navigated.

Absolutely hilarious! A must read for any teachers who love fantasy.

Those of us who always really wanted to teach at a magic school but just can’t find the right job listings may be reconsidering that desire after reading The Incandescent.
I strongly suspect Emily Tesh must be a teacher, because the accuracy of some of the jokes in here was just too fantastic! I laughed out loud multiple times, and have already leant it to a colleague at my school.

The characters were well rounded and wonderful, I really loved how Doctor Walden used her own life experiences to help her students, and her humour was absolutely perfect.
The world building was fun and fed well into the story, slowly unveiling itself as the plot developed, and what a plot it was. I loved the twists and turns as day to day life at the school devolved into disaster, and was totally gripped.

Overall, I absolutely loved The Incandescent and can’t wait to read more by Emily Tesh in the future!

A thoroughly entertaining and compelling take on the dark academia genre, shaking things up by telling the tale from the perspective of the teachers rather than the students. Fast-paced, fascinating and really, really well written, this was a joy to read from beginning to end. The magical system is well constructed, the characters are interesting, authentic and well fleshed out, and the plot is, quite frankly, genius!

I’m a sucker for a well thought out magic system and this has that in spades. It beautifully combines high stakes action scenes, complete with demons and possible death, with slower, more character driven and educational sequences. And for those who like a little romance with their academia then you won’t be disappointed.

My favourite dark academia I’ve read for a while. It avoids most of the tropes, and overused plot points and it’s refreshingly adult (not YA) in tone. An author I will definitely be reading again and recommending.

El año pasado Emily Tesh apareció de manera fulgurante en el panorama de la ciencia ficción, con premio Hugo incluido. Aunque a mí Some Desperate Glory no me pareció tan redondo, no niego que había cierto interés en The Incandescent, englobado en la fantasía y con la etiqueta de moda, dark academy.


The Incandescent nos habla de la vida de la doctora Walden, directora de un internado inglés, con la peculiaridad de que los alumnos que allí estudian tienen facilidad para las artes mágicas, así que su formación incluye asignaturas de este tipo. Y claro, también las amenazas típicas de un lugar plagado de magia desde hace siglos, con demonios pululando en la sombra para tomar apetitosos bocados de adolescente macerado en su propio jugo.

La elección de la protagonista no es casual. Tesh se desmarca un poco del típico adolescente influido por sus hormonas para dar voz a una profesora joven, que ha antepuesto su carrera a su vida personal pero que no se arrepiente de sus actos. No es la primera en hacerlo, claro, ahí tenemos Magic for Liars de Sarah Gailey sin irnos muy lejos. Esta elección le sirve a la autora para cambiar un poco el foco del género, para ver desde una perspectiva más madura el mundo siempre cambiante de los adolescentes, que al tratarse de un internado ves crecer desde pequeños hasta mayores, siempre rodeado de la misma energía vital. Es una aproximación muy atractiva, que sin duda llamará la atención de los lectores dedicados a la enseñanza, que puede que vean reflejadas sus experiencias en estos capítulos. La bisexualidad de Walden también se trata con naturalidad, sin darle apenas importancia, aportando al libro variedad.

También el hecho de que en el internado se mezclen los alumnos de las familias más pudientes del Reino Unido y algunos casos de caridad nos hace ver el fuerte contraste de una sociedad clasista hasta la médula, donde solo los alumnos extremadamente brillantes pueden subir en el ascensor social mientras que los acomodados no tienen problema alguno. Y, ¡ay del que se le ocurra salirse del camino marcado!

En cuanto al ritmo, hay que reconocer que Tesh sabe cómo comenzar los libros de manera vertiginosa y, afortunadamente, en esta ocasión logra mantener el pulso a lo largo de casi toda la obra. El sistema mágico es el habitual de los tratos con las entidades mágicas, si bien la inclusión de la tecnología moderno ha variado un poco el sistema tradicional. Tesh también decide despachar la AMENAZA SUPREMA, bastante rápido, lo que nos da un idea de que el libro irá por otros derroteros.

Mi problema es que se trata de una novela bastante previsible, que está escrita con gran sentido del humor y que sin duda será muy bien recibida entre el público, pero a la que le falta algo más de enjundia para conseguir las cinco estrellas. No obstante, Tesh sigue en su camino para convertirse en una autora imprescindible.

I have been so looking forward to this release - and I'm so thrilled it lived up to my very high expectations. I loved every moment of this and I couldn't recommend it enough.

I loved fantasies with a magical academy setting, found this entertaining and gripping the whole way through and the magic system was really unique, highly recommend!!

First, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC!
The Incandescent offers a refreshingly different angle on the magical academic fantasy genre, largely due to its protagonist: an older, deeply competent, trauma-burdened magical teacher. It was incredibly satisfying to read from a perspective that wasn’t just another wide-eyed newbie or chosen teen, but someone experienced, battle-scarred, a bit of a nerd, and still figuring things out.
The magical system is both intriguing and well-developed, and as someone who adores magical school settings, I was immediately hooked. The narrative also engages with themes of privilege and institutional power in meaningful ways, adding depth to the world without bogging it down. I particularly enjoyed the approach to demons—not simply "evil," but complex, with some pushing back against the roles they're expected to play. The nuance here added a great layer of moral ambiguity to the story.
Where the book faltered for me was in its pacing and tonal consistency. For a novel with dramatic magical threats and urgent stakes, the narrative often slowed to focus on administrative tasks—meetings, procedures, paperwork, and professional decorum. While this might have been a deliberate commentary on institutional inertia or the burden of responsibility, it sometimes drained the energy from otherwise high-tension moments. The story spends so much time being competent that it forgets to let loose a little. There’s a kind of stiffness to the drama that made me wish the characters, or at least the storytelling, would embrace a bit more mess and unpredictability.
Ultimately, while the book has a lot going for it, I found that its final act lost some of the spark. The plot’s resolution felt overly tidy, the character dynamics got simplified, and the narration began to over-explain itself—at times reading closer to YA than adult fantasy, in terms of how it handled complexity and subtlety.
While it didn’t fully stick the landing for me, The Incandescent is still a rich, layered read that stands out in the fantasy landscape. It’s not flashy, but thoughtful; not chaotic, but quietly sharp. It’s a story about competence, control, and the weight of responsibility—especially when power comes with more red tape than glory. This isn’t a book for readers chasing adrenaline or gothic melodrama, but it’s a great fit for those who enjoy their fantasy grounded, their magic regulated, and their heroes a little tired, a little scarred, and still showing up.

Thank you very much to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK | Orbit for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read this authors previous work "Some Desperate Glory" before and enjoyed it immensely, so naturally, I was very excited to read another work by Emily Tesh.

In "The Incandescent" we follow Dr. (!) Sapphire "Saffy" Walden, the Director of Magic at Chetwood Academy. She's bi, tattooed and in her mid-thirties. A teacher with that profile? Iconic, I already like her from that description alone. The supporting cast is very lovely and well fleshed out. I love the apparent queer-norm in this universe. However, I disliked the male counterpart for Saffy that got introduced after The Incident (TM), and didnt like how her original love interest Laura got basically sidelined until the heroic sweep to the rescue at the end.
The 4 students we meet the most are lovely youngsters, full of mischief. The depiction of teacher-student-relationships and teenage boarding school behaviour was very spot on (and gave me some unpleasant flash backs to my own high school time).

The atmosphere of The Incandescent is very well crafted - I could picture the school, the setting, the grounds, even the classrooms and boarding areas clearly in front of my inner eye. Excellent writing here. The descriptions of the demons, the demonic plane, the actual magic was so beautifully written. The fighting scenes were so athmospheric as well - on top of being not boring or drawn out too much.

The plot fell off for me personally right around where the big twist happened. I was also not too overly fond of all the minutiae around school administration/lessons/grading/student:teacher 1 on 1 heart to hearts. (I guess I'm just tad too old for that sort of content). Adding to this, I really really disliked Mark (aka White Toast Dude, bc he was as memorable as toast). He felt manipulative and out of place, especially in a book that is advertised as sapphic. I dont need a love triangle in my seemingly adult romances.

The twist with the Phoenix Demon taking over Saffys body was a tad unexpected - mostly in the way it actually happenend and was executed. I must give kudos to Dr. Walden to have taken lots of precautions for it and to have had the oath with Laura. The solution to Saffys demon problem was brutal, but inevitable. The conclusion was sad but also absolutely fitting. Not too happy about the rather abrupt ending as well.

"The Incandescent" takes up a lot of time with school admin and is also organized by the school terms. We get lots of mentions of how a school is run and what is needed to have it run smoothly. However, the cop issue (bc lbr, the marshalls are basically magic cops), is barely touched upon and that seemed a bit odd. I would have preferred this topic to be elaborated on, instead of having Saffy gallivant around campus with toast guy. (Who is also related to one of her students? Ick!)

Overall, I had a great time with this book, although the lull in the middle slowed my progress and put a slight damper to my enjoyment.

If you love demons, magical schools, a tad of high school drama and a chaotic actually-competent-and-world-savvy-adult Lady Protagonist, this book is for you.
3.75 stars, rounded to 4 for GR.

The Incandescent is a good choice for anyone who loves magical realism, especially magic in school settings, but who's looking for adult rather than young adult fiction.

I was trying something new with The Incandescent — I usually like my magical realism with more realism than magic. I am also not the target audience (waaaay too old!). So although the description intrigued me, I was out of my comfort zone here.

Which made this one quite hard to get into, initially. It felt very new to me and I had to concentrate hard in the early chapters to take in the magic education I was getting. The protagonist, Dr Sapphire (Saffy) Walden, is Director of Magic at a centuries-old boarding school in the south of England. Immersing myself in her life at the school, I did feel like I was following lessons at times!

Despite all of the unfamiliarity and my learning curve, I sank into the narrative and enjoyed it. While a lot of the characters were teenagers, and all of them were decades younger than me, it did not read like a YA novel. Dr Walden is a sufficiently complex adult character to hold my attention. And I actually enjoyed the details of her everyday life; she is in charge of a school that brings with it very special responsibilities, not least warding off demons poised to devour all the students and staff if its security is breached. Both her magical strengths and normal human weaknesses are well portrayed, and her relationships ring true. Dr Walden, initially a strong and confident figure, goes through a series of challenges that bring her face to face with existential questions around privilege, power, self-image and relationships.

Tesh is a teacher so perhaps it's no surprise that she understands young people! The older teenage characters in The Incandescent are well rounded and interesting. On the cusp of legal adulthood, they are at that age where any source of stress or high emotion can plunge them back into childishness or bring out the adult that they are becoming. The way their teachers struggle to navigate their charges' elusive, shifting characters is insightful and well described.

I loved that the story is set in a world that is our own world, today, except that magic is an integral part of it. The explanations of the difficulties of managing demons in the modern world – because they have a tendency to get into mobile phones, printers and other electronic devices, which are now ubiquitous – were particularly entertaining.

In terms of literary merit, I very much appreciated Tesh's strong writing skills. The Incandescent is well written, well paced, with unique and realistic characters, and a gripping story including several edge-of-your-seat dramatic scenes.

Balancing out the pros (story/characters/narrative style) and cons (not-my-genre/learning curve), for me it was a 3-star read. Readers in the book's target audience, and more versed in magical genre fiction, will probably get more out of it than I did, so for that I give it 4 stars.