A College of Magics

In her book Caroline Stevermer takes a well known plot line (girl is normal ordinary, not very special, girl finds out she's magical and has to save the world, girl falls in love) and puts her own distinct twist on it. Stevermer's writing style is subtle. She doesn't shove details under our noses, she lets the reader figure out what's going on, and paints the world with hints dropped throughout the book. While some people may find this book difficult to understand at times, I thought that Stevermer's writing style was a kudos to intelligent readers out there.

"A College of Magics" is for Jane Austin fans who are also fond of fantasy. The magic is not the Harry Potter 'swish and flick' variety, but something altogether strange and beautiful. Most of the time the heroine, Faris Nallaneen does not even realize she has done anything magical. The setting is an early 20th-century alternate world, where young ladies are sent to Greenlaw College (in 'real' life, the Benedictine Abbey of Mont St. Michael!) to learn Greek, Latin, Deportment, and Magic. Faris Nallaneen is heir to the small Middle European dukedom of Galazon. Her uncle, who rules Galazon until Faris's majority sends her kicking and screaming off to Greenlaw until his other secret plan for her future matures. Naturally Faris resents this, but she slowly begins to make friends at school and also acquires one mortal enemy, a distant relative named Menary. Menary is one of the more interesting students at Greenlaw College. She possesses a wild magic, whose source is unknown to her teachers. She is also fond of anything in trousers, but very unfortunate things happen to her lovers. She is finally expelled on the morning after Faris's magical vigil, after turning Faris's friend, Tyrian into a tomcat. Our heroine loses her temper and sets Menary's hair on fire: "It was not natural fire, Faris realized...It blazed pale gold and green, Menary's wild halo. In its own way, it was beautiful, as cold and strange as the northern lights." Naturally, after this breach of etiquette, Faris is also asked to leave Greenlaw College. She sets out on a mission to Paris with her friends Jane, a professor at Greenlaw, and Tyrian, who has been restored to his former shape. This would turn out to be a very proper, Edwardian excursion to the City of Lights if it were not for repeated attempts on Faris's life. She and Jane still manage to get in a bit of clothes shopping, and then Faris meets the man (or ghost) who interprets the results of her all-night vigil of magic, and points her toward her true destiny. Meanwhile, there is a tangled web of Middle European politics to be gotten through, including the discovery of Faris's uncle's plot, more unexpected magic--Jane transforms a bomb into a hat and proceeds to wear it, thrones to be won and lost, and a love story. "College of Magics" (1994) is a very unexpected and satisfying fantasy for fans of magical alternate history novels, and for those of us who also love a good comedy of manners. The sequel to this book, "A Scholar of Magics" was published in 2004, and I will definitely be reading it.

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be heir to the throne? What emotions might flow through you like a river? What sea of troubles might you get into? Well here is a brief look at just that. Faris Nallaneen may seem like your 18 year old, ill-tempered Princess. (But all in all she is definitely not out of the ordinary.) If you push her to the limit your head might burst into flames or you could be pushed off a sleigh. The story takes place at Greenlaw College, but everyone majors in magic. You learn it, not practice it. Her reaction when she first gets there is pretty good, but she is a slacker. The story starts when Faris is trying to claim her throne without getting killed first. Then learning she has a different destiny. The main characters are Faris Nallaneen, Jane Brailsford (best friend), Menary Pegan (enemy), Uncle Brinker, & Tyrain. Faris falls in love with one of the characters and another saves her life countless times. Personally I really liked this book because of all the action and unexpected twists.

Set in the early twentieth century, A College of Magics is pleasingly peopled and carefully plotted. Faris, the young duchess of Galazon, is simply delightful, as are her 'menial paramour,' dastardly uncle, and malevolently beautiful arch nemesis. These characters, far from being mere caricatures, are often humorous and lively. Clever dialogue and many surprises abound. If you enjoy this type of quasi-historical fantasy, also try Patricia C. Wrede's Snow White and Rose Red, set in Elizabethan England and Mairelon the Magician (and its sequel, Magician's Ward) set in quasi-Jane Austen England. For excellent reads from the Victorian era, try Teresa Edgerton's Goblin Moon. Lastly, Caroline Stevermer has written two other books well worth reading: The Serpent's Egg (again, set in Elizabethan times) and her collaboration with Wrede-- Sorcery and Cecelia.

This book has the unusual quality of never quite letting you know what time frame you're in. It was done so perfectly that i hardly noticed it happening and once I did it gave the book that magical quality one wants from a fantasy. The story is about a girl who gets sent away to school far from her homeland so that her uncle can rule while she's gone. The school she is sent to is not an ordinary one but a school where one goes to become a witch. Once she leaves school the story continues with how she deals with her uncle and the enemies she has made. She is accompanied by a number of supporting characters that make this story what it is. This book is one that will stay in your mind for quite a while after finishing. The only thing i didn't like about this book was that when the story was over i still wanted to know more.