Review Detail

If you go into this thinking it's another "chosen one" prophecy trope, it's actually much more than that! I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this more than I thought I would.

In a fantastical Victorian England, "Ancients" terrorize the country, magicians are evil, and sorcerers are honored.

16-year-old Henrietta Howell is found to have special fire powers, and after hiding it for years, is urged to train as a sorcerer, a high honor. Instead of following a straight plotline of "training montages" in order to become a great sorcerer, (and then fight the evil villains), the prophecies and truths are flipped up, down and sideways. Her path may not be the one you imagine. I really enjoyed the twists and turns. She's also told she isn't the only special one, and that she isn't completely unique, despite what is said about her by some others.

I think while some may not have liked her training within a society of males, I think it reflects the day and age, where women couldn't even vote and had to do a lot to be taken seriously. I find Henrietta (also nicknamed Nettie by her dear friend Rook) spunky and ready to take on the predominantly male environment.

I wasn't bored at any point. I wanted to keep reading. This may just be my kinda fantasy!

I withheld a star for a few reasons. First, I felt Henrietta and the apprentices sounded too old for 16, when they talked to each other. I felt like they were at least 20. (I'm in my mid 30s)
Also, sometimes an abundance of possible love interests can be a turn off. Some lovely women I know can't even find one completely suitable partner, yet women in books sometimes have to choose between many!