A Marvellous Light

I'm a sucker for any love story that actually makes me laugh out loud. Marske's narration is unfailingly funny in the best tradition of witty British humor. The plot may be magical, but the protagonists were refreshingly, uniquely human--two very different men, with very real flaws, falling very much in love. What could be better?

The descriptive writing in this book is beautiful and full of evocative metaphors and similes. Still, it’s the central relationship between the forthright Robin and the secretive, standoffish Edwin that keeps me re-reading it repeatedly.

Unlike the first few recommendations, we see Edwin’s POV, so we know straightaway why he feels the need to hide his true intentions and desires. We also get to experience his quiet, almost reluctant yearning as his and Robin’s shaky friendship turns into more. This one is a lovely, well-developed romance and generally an excellent historical fantasy with an interesting world-building and magic system.

I’ve been a huge advocate for queer representation in kids’ and YA stories for years, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to crave stories about queer adults. I want to know what life looks like after coming out, after coming of age. That’s why I was delighted to discover A Marvellous Light, an Edwardian-era romantic caper chock-full of sprawling country manors, scheming aristocrats, and lots and lots of magic!

If you’re looking for a golden retriever/black cat romance with Jane Austen or E. M. Forster vibes, this one might be for you, though the previous warning regarding unsuspecting… show more.

Another queer and magical book: are you sensing a theme in the things I love?

This story is like if E. M. Forster (whose books I adore) had included magic in his novels. Like Forster’s books, it’s set in Edwardian England and explores class friction and subtle introspection in elegant prose, but—unlike Forster—it’s also about magic use and the nefarious and marvelous things it can be put to.

In addition, it’s a beautiful love story between our two male protagonists—a sunshine one and a grumpy one—and it gets steamy enough a few times to please any romance fan. It’s one… show more.