| Title | : | Sorcery Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot (Cecelia and Kate, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 015205300X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780152053000 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 326 |
| Publication | : | First published April 15, 1988 |
For starters, there's the witch who tried to poison Kate at the Royal College of Wizards. There's also the man who seems to be spying on Cecelia. (Though he's not doing a very good job of it--so just what are his intentions?) And then there's Oliver. Ever since he was turned into a tree, he hasn't bothered to tell anyone where he is.
Clearly, magic is a deadly and dangerous business. And the girls might be in fear for their lives . . . if only they weren't having so much fun!
Sorcery Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot (Cecelia and Kate, #1) Reviews
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One of my all time favorite books, Sorcery and Cecelia started out as a letter game between two brilliant writers. The authors clearly enjoyed themselves and the resulting novel is a joy to read, both as a story and as a window into the fun experienced by to marvelous authors.
Set in Austen-like 1817 England, which just happens to have some very polite magic rolling around, the plot is largely driven by excellent characterization, two strong heroines, and a great deal of humor. There are several ditty-like romances, and a tidy little ending that makes for an amuse-bouche of a read - tasty and bite sized. There are two follow up books, however, this one stands beautifully alone. Highly recommended! -
A magical marquis, his suspicious friend, and a pair of strong-willed and mischievous young ladies get entangled in Regency-era England. Their story is told entirely in epistolary form, as lifelong friends Kate and Cecilia exchange letters. Kate is experiencing her first Season in London, while Cecy is left home in the country. But life gets unexpectedly complicated when both Kate and Cecy meet up with Thomas (aka the Mysterious Marquis) and his friend James, who are trying to stop a dark magical plot that endangers them all. Vauxhall and vouchers to Almacks are mixed with spells that turn people into trees and a magical blue porcelain chocolate pot.
This novel is noteworthy for having its genesis in a Letter Game between the two authors, each of them writing to the other in the character of one of the girls, and neither of them knowing what the other would be writing back to in response to their latest letter. With some post-game trimming and polishing, they actually ended up with a publishable novel.
Given that each author was writing as a specific character, it's interesting that both of the girls' voices sounded so much alike to me. It was a little difficult to distinguish between Kate in the city and Cecy in the country, except that Cecy has discovered she has some magical skills and Kate has somehow found herself in an engagement of convenience. Notwithstanding the post-game editing, I could also see several bits and pieces of the plot that didn't really lend themselves to the work as a whole, and the plot occasionally got a little confused and muddled (and I don't think it was just me).
However, the story overall is a fun, light Regency, with some nice bits of magic and witty dialogue between the characters. Some of the humor was truly delightful, like when Cecy writes to Kate:Aunt Elizabeth and I called at the vicarage yesterday and spent a stimulating afternoon listening to the Reverend Fitzwilliam discourse on the Vanities of Society and the Emptiness of Worldly Pleasures. Aunt Elizabeth hung on every word, and we are to return and take tea on Thursday. I am determined to have the headache Thursday, if I have to hit myself with a rock to do it.
There are even a few deeper moments, like when Kate is examining a magical chessboard with enameled pieces:I bent close to admire the detail of the white queen's cloak (I could see the black-tipped ermine) and jumped. "Oh, it moved!" I exclaimed--for as I watched, the queen had taken a step to her left, to a black square, where her cloak showed to best advantage. As I stared, the white knight beside her stepped aside politely to clear the next square. "That's not a proper knight's move," I protested. "They're just wandering around at random."
A light read, but clever and enjoyable, with just a little romance.
Lady Sylvia smiled. "This is the King's pride and joy," she explained, "but the enchantment merely animates the pieces. It doesn't instruct them in the finer points of play."
"How dreadful," I replied, "to be caught up in a game and have no idea of the rules."
"It's not a plight unique to this chess set," Lady Sylvia observed dryly. -
2023 Review
I found the book on audio this time and the best part was the history of its writing from the authors at the end. They describe the letter game and how it began to absorb them so intently they started talking about the characters as if they were family members--much to the annoyance of their friends!
As someone guilty of jabbering about the antics of characters in the Regency themed DnD I play with my friends, that hit close to home.
2021 Review
Today I feel the opposite of my 2019 review—I think the more I read this one, the more I love it. The romances are satisfying. The characters endearing. And the combination of Regency and magic a nice blend of Georgette Heyer and Howl's Moving Castle. It all adds up to an enduring favorite perfect for a re-read every other year.
2019 Review
The more I seep myself in the Regency world, the less I think I love this one. Don't get me wrong: it remains delightful. Delicious, I believe I originally called it. But too many plot elements get left undeveloped for the sequel (which I do not remember enjoying very much) for me to truly find it satisfying. And I guess...I just find the conclusion to the romances a little disappointing too. The heroes are lovely, of course. Good showing not telling. But overall I would say the novel always leaves me wanting more and not in the sense of more linear story. I want more fleshed out.
Still recommend, of course!
2015 Review
Delicious. Witty, unpredictable, and very fun. I meant to read only a few chapters before going to bed, but ended up reading the entire thing in one sitting. I love the epistolary style, Regency feel, and twisting plot (with adorable romance thrown in for good measure). It is one of those books that would have garnered a 5 star review from me a few years earlier, but a few things bugged me.
Such as, all the Regency slang thrown about. It was goofy and delightful but kept me from taking anything too seriously.
Or the main characters, who seemed really similar. I realize they are written by different authors, but while I could keep track of any number of suitors and aunts, remembering which one was which took effort. I thought of them as 'the London one' and 'the country one' for the longest time. (I liked Kate better)
The suitors are even worse. By the end they began to show their own personality a bit (a wee, tiny, tiny bit) but mostly it felt like they were the same person except one had magic. (James, however, was everything that is amiable and superior. I liked him a lot)
Not necessarily a bad thing, but at the beginning there were so many young men introduced (from Twins to neighbor boys) that I was reminded of writing as a teenager. You write in a lot of men and cast about for whichever one your heroine has the most chemistry with.
Thankfully, in this the author succeeds, as the characters have dramatic misunderstandings followed undoubtable chemistry.
The book has everything you could want, from sham betrothals to balls to evil villains to witty one liners to untapped magic and two dark, brooding romantic leads.
Oh yes, definitely an immediate favorite. -
A perfectly charming little epistolary tale with a number of problems. This is the story of Kate and Cecelia (does this spelling of the name bother anyone else? I had to type that name three times before I got it right, it seem so unnatural!) two cousins who are seperated for a few months while one experiences the London Season, and the other stays on their country estate, and write letters back and forth to each other. Kate falls into the path of an evil magician, Cecelia trips over related magical problems of her own- plotting and hijinx to follow. Appropriate males are found to counterpart them, and we're off!
The good bits: The wannabe Jane Austen voice was fairly good, there were several witty one liners that were laugh out loud worthy, there were some truly excellent capers, and I appreciated the spirit of both the young ladies. Also, it really does captivate you and for the most part sweep you away. I finished this book in a matter of a few hours. If you shut your brain off and enjoy it as a light, fluffy, delicious bon bon, its wonderful.
The problems: The authors wrote this by doing "The Letter Game"- in which the participants write letters to each other in character. You're not allowed to discuss the plot at all, it just has to unfold organically. In this particular case, the authors began to coordinate the plot towards the end so as to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion, but other than that, it is obvious that this was not planned very well as a book. The plot doesn't fit very well together, at least one of the romances is ridiculous, and there's a good deal of world building that is left out- understandable since the book is in epistolary form, between members of the same family (though its never made clear how they are related) and the authors wouldn't see the need to do a bunch of exposition. I do feel that some compromise between reader enjoyment and realism could have been made, though.
Another thing that bothered me- it seemed like the authors did all of their research out of Georgette Heyer and a basic reference guide to the times and grabbed random bits. And they were wincingly, pompously, and embarrassingly proud of dropping clunky bits of historical slang, information, and characters into the text. These two-bit, apparently rather low on the social register characters go to intimate parties at the Countess de Lieven's? and Lady Jersey makes it a point to talk to them (and of course they use her nickname, because they are such close, personal friends)? Both male characters totally know the Duke of Wellington! Its kind of like people writing out a Star Wars roleplay, and insisting that their characters are just like the ones from the movies and they're best buddies, and going around saying, "Oh, so Luke and I were hanging out the other day..." and expecting this to impress everyone. It was simplistic and unrealistic.
Oh and speaking of unrealistic- the tones that these girls wrote their letters in. They're supposed to both be adolescent females, and they both have the voices of thirty-something year old women with 20 years of world-weary experience behind them- except when they need to be adorable and naive for our male characters, or enthuse over clothes. One of them actually refers to her sister, one year younger than her, as "the poor child."
Having said all that though- I did order the next two books in the series as soon as I finished this one. So no matter how cranky the above stated problems made me... must've not bothered me that much! -
Bit of a slog at the beginning, which is likely due to my own problems with the story structure. It begins as exchanged letters between two teenage girls, seemingly Victorian era. I can see how this would be attractive to collaborating authors, and fans of letter writing everywhere, but I always have trouble wrapping my head around that kind of narrative. Once it gets going, it gets a little better. The authors do a decent jobs of within-letter asides that help explain things, but it's clearly best if one already knows something about Victorian society, structure and constraints. In the afterword, the authors explained how they didn't communicate directly about the plot until three or four letters within the ending of the novel, which is amazing given the relative coherence of the book.
Being generous, I rounded upward; I think this is a 2 and a half star book for me, but if you like the narrative structure, undoubtedly it will rate higher. -
2.5 stars
A cute, weightless epistolary romp. Perhaps if I were a bigger fan of Georgette Heyer’s historical romances I might like this more—people like to label any period fantasy “Jane Austen with magic” but this strikes me as far more Heyer-inspired. It has a fun origin story—the two authors wrote each other letters in character as a game, without discussing the plot, and then later cleaned it up and sold it as a novel—but I’m not convinced that makes for a good book.
Spunky, privileged teenage cousins Cecelia and Kate, living in Regency England, write each other about their misadventures as Kate gets her Season in London while Cecelia is stuck in the country due to past rule-breaking. Basically, they get tangled up with some evil magicians, while entering into romances with a pair of supercilious men.
On the positive side, it’s cute and fun and the pages turn fast. If you like a predictable romp where nothing too dark is going to happen, this is the book for you! There’s also at least some pretense of period language, which I mostly enjoyed. And it is a nice break from “not like other girls” heroines, as these two generally get along with each other and other women, enjoy pretty clothes, etc.
On the negative side, there isn’t much distinguishing Cecy and Kate from each other—it’s almost impressive that two authors managed to achieve such identical-seeming voices, but then, they were riffing off the same source material. But it seems each had the same vision for her character’s personality and plot importance, which in a narrative sense means they get in each other’s way. The cousins even get near identical climaxes, one right after the other! Once really was enough.
I also disliked their (again, nearly identical) romances, both involving men who think the girls are little idiots and refuse to share information but ultimately come around to falling in love with them. Perhaps this a teenage fantasy I’m just too old to enter into anymore; otherwise, while it’s marketed as YA now, the book was published before YA was a genre and generally avoids its tropes.
Possibly I had inflated expectations for what this book should be; it’s an adequate bit of escapism. But in the end, the original conception holds it back (even overlooking the fact that people don’t tend to write scenes and dialogue in their letters) while limiting plot possibilities, and I was never more than mildly entertained. Still, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading it who thinks it may brighten their day. -
This book took me far too long to read, and there is a pretty solid reason for that. I didn't like it. This had the potential to be a decent read. There are some great idea's and some interesting characters, but unfortunately, for me, this book was almost painful to actually get through.
This book consists of letters written between Cecy and Kate, so we get a distinct diary feel to the letters, and the enormous amount of gossip that comes with that, is, in a word, exhausting. I was bored before I was even at the halfway point. When things kind of moved away from gossip, and more intriguing events began to unfold, I found that my focus had been lost, and I was thinking about other books, and what I was going to read after this tedious book.
There were evidently some romance and happy endings within this story, which is fine, but the reader never feels the emotion that the character is experiencing, and I think that is what makes this a disappointing read, which is an incredible shame, as it could have been so much better. -
Ljubića smeštenih u period Regentstva ima kao partizanskih filmova; fentezi ljubića koji se dešavaju u tom periodu ima... malčice manje.
Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot je sve što mu ime kaže. Imamo dve klinke rođake koje se dopisuju na relaciji provincija-London, zle čarobnjake, dobre čarobnjake, seksi čarobnjake, začarane ibrike za kakao (od plavog porcelana, moliću) i začarane burmutice, dosta humora, balove i haljine na kilo (mnogo haljina. Shvatite me ozbiljno. I rukavica od zelenog moarea i rasprava o tome kome koja boja stoji. Čarobnjačke zavere pritom su u dalekom drugom planu.) i dve tete koje su knjigu sastavile dopisujući se vikendom i očigledno su se ludo provodile. Jeste da se glasovi ne razlikuju dovoljno i da u zapletu ima rupa kroz koje možete vola proterati, ali sve je tako šarmantno šašavo i nepretenciozno da ne znam ko bi se na ovu knjigu naljutio. -
Hmn. How did I feel about this book?
If critique previous to my reading would have been negative, I would probably be contrary and say "Nonsense, it was charming."
However, I had several reservations with this book.
1. It started out slow and confusing. It took me until around page 100 to really like the story line. I had a very difficult time sorting out Kate and Cecelia... there was very little to distinguish them one from another (the awful portraits of them on my cover didn't help!). Top that with mirror-image characters surrounding each of them divided between London and Essex. Thomas vs. James. Aunt Charlotte vs. Aunt Elizabeth. Georgina vs. Dorothea. It didn't matter which young lady was writing... to me they and their party were the same. For me this was so obvious that I would be surprised to hear that the authors didn't plan this (or at least notice). The only fairly well developed character was Sir Hilary.
2. It really irked me that the letters morphed into narration two or three paragraphs in. Each letter starts as a first-person description of events, but quickly becomes an unidentified omniscient narrator with quoted dialogue. No one writes a letter like this. Perhaps the authors were trying to make it feel like a movie where the letter-writer begins the narration that flashes back into the actual story. I didn't buy it.
3. I find it highly implausible that a young lady who has just been abducted by enchantment will start off her letter calmly reciting what color dress she wore to the party. (First she would declare, "You won't believe what happened!" Then she would drop in lines about her dress as she is describing the events leading up to her abduction... duh!) The tone of each letter was discordant with what had happened.
4. The anachronistic ways in which Kate and Cecy pushed aside all Victorian guidelines of propriety were also hard for me to believe. Elizabeth Bennett herself wouldn't have thought to be so impertinent and impulsive.
5. The ending was too convenient and contrived. ("Oh? You mean there's a homing beacon on my locket? How fortunate!")
6. This is just being finicky, but I really thought the title was cool before I read the book... Obviously "Sorcery & Cecelia" just rolls off your tongue, but what about Kate? What is this book without Cecelia AND Kate? I tried to come up with a better title, but I couldn't make it work. I think I would have just stuck with The Enchanted Chocolate Pot... but that would make sequels more difficult.
Okay, but I said it was charming. I know it is meant for a young adult audience and the method of passing letters back and forth between the two authors without sharing a plot was meant merely for fun. I really liked the overall premise. I just thought there was much more potential that wasn't reached. -
Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer first published Sorcery and Cecelia under that that title in 1988. In recent years, thanks to reprints with shiny new cover art by Scott M. Fischer in the case of the edition I read as well as two new sequels, this book has regained popularity and visibility. Aside from that, one of the most important things to know about this book is its alternate title: The Enchanted Chocolate Pot: Being the Correspondence of Two Young Ladies of Quality Regarding Various Magical Scandals in London and the Country.
Wrede and Stevermer wrote this book as a writing exercise of sorts called the Letter Game. Patricia C. Wrede wrote as Cecelia while Caroline Stevermer responded with Kate's letters. They did not plan the plot before they began writing.
Almost every review I have found online describes Sorcery and Cecelia as a cross between the books of Jane Austen and those of J. K. Rowling. The comparison does make sense, but I might venture to say I liked this book better than any of the Harry Potter series.
The year is 1817 in an England where magic is as much a part of life as letter writing. The latter is of particular importance to Kate and Cecelia as the cousins spend the novel in separate parts of England. While Kate and her more glamorous sister Georgina are in London enjoying a proper Season, Cecelia, much to her consternation, is left to languish in the country with her brother Oliver for company (at least until he's turned into a tree).
Problems begin for both cousins when Kate accidentally intercepts a rather nasty pot of chocolate in a London garden that was, apparently, meant for the eccentric Marquis of Schofield. If only he would explain exactly why.
Meanwhile, in the country, Cecelia finds herself following a shady figure spying on Cecy's new (and surprisingly popular!) friend Dorothea. When Cecelia repeatedly catches him in the act of spying, James Tarleton repeatedly refuses to offer any information.
As the girls learn more about these mysterious men, and the mysterious events, it becomes clear that something big is happening--big enough that evidence of the plan can be seen in both London and the country. The only question is what, exactly, is going on and if Kate and Cecelia can stop it in time.
Being an homage to Jane Austen, this novel has not one but two romances. Which couple is better has been a hot topic since the book came out. The librarian who recommended the book to me feels very strongly that the Mysterious Marquis and Kate are a more enjoyable match to observe. For my part, I preferred Cecelia and James.
This novel avoids all of the traps that can make an epistolary novel awful. There is no repetition, there is dialogue, the narrative reads like a, for lack of a better word, normal book in that the narrative flows in a fairly traditional way. There is neither too much information nor too little. And, most importantly, the novel is filled with suspense, action, humor and romance that shines through both Cecelia's and Kate's letters.
But then from two talented and well-known fantasy writers, what else can a reader expect but perfection?
Sorcery and Cecelia is the first in a series of books featuring Kate and Cecelia. Their stories continue in The Grand Tour (2004) and The Mislaid Magician of Ten Years After (2006).
You can find this review and more on my blog
Miss Print -
I quite enjoyed this book! It's a little bit mystery, a little bit fantasy, there's a little magic and a little romance, all set in the early 1800's England.
The story takes place around cousins Cecelia and Kate, one goes to London for the summer, the other remains in the country. Their correspondence begins ordinarily enough (what tea party had been attended, or the trouble with hand-me-down dresses), but you get a sense very early on that Cecelia and Kate are kindred spirits and that there's more to them than the dresses they wear or the balls they attend.
Soon after their written correspondence starts things begin to grow troublesome - and it's clear that all is not as it should be. Both girls quickly become involved in a dangerous and magic-related mystery. The cousins are eager to help the other - best they can - through their letters, as each tries to manage the mystery on their end.
I only gave this book 4 stars because, for me, the beginning was a bit dull and it took a while for the plot to evolve. Also, it took a while to sort out everyone on their relations. However, after about a quarter of the book, and definitely by the middle, I was pulled in and realizing that the plot was far more complex than I'd assumed.
Also, I applaud authors Wrede and Stevermer for telling one story with two protagonists. I enjoyed both stories and felt that both Cecelia and Kate were dynamic and complete characters. -
Since author Gail Carriger talked about this book on episode 191 of the Reading Envy Podcast, I’ve seen several of you reading it. Me too! This is an epistolary novel between two friends in Regency England but a version that also contains magic. It is very enjoyable as they navigate tricky witches and social expectations. I would have loved this as a younger me in particular.
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Nope. Officially bailed on this one. Read to about 50% and was forcing myself to read further every time I picked it up. The only interesting thing that happened was very early where Kate (or was it Cecelia? They are basically the same) one of the writing protagonists, stumbles into a strange room where a wizard tries to kill her with poisoned chocolate thinking she was someone in disguise. Ok great. Nothing else happens.
I loved the premise and the letter writing 2 authors but there was no meat to the story. And sorry,
But at 50% into the book, SOMETHING should have happened. The two girls were almost the same - each has evil aunt. Each has a nemesis they actually like. Each comes from money, etc... it was honestly as boring as reading notes passed between two 10 year olds "what r u doing this weekend?" " I dunno what r u doing?" "I might go out dancing. Do you like dancing?" "I do but I'm a horrible dancer".
...
Except write it all "British " and add lots of tea.
People apparently will love it. -
I first read this book a bajillion (okay, fifteen) years ago and remembered nothing about it (which makes sense, since I was like nine). When I found this hiding on my shelves, I decided to give it another visit, since I was in a terrible slump, and OMG I cannot recomment this DELIGHTFUL little treat of a book more. It's Regency fun with ADDED MAGIC and hilarious, wonderful narrators. Kate and Cecelia, cousins and best friends, exchange letters in an alternate 1817 England where young men run the risk of turning into trees and beaux may be stolen by young ladies gifted in sorcery. Seriously, this book SPARKLES. it's so full of life and so charming and vivid and hilarious, and the heroines are so fiendishly clever and sensible and are always stepping in when their love interests bungle everything. God, I love this book. All the stars ever. It's an instant mood lifter and a classic for a reason.
Fuller review TK -
When Cecy is forced to stay behind in the countryside when her cousin (and dearest friend) Kate goes to London for all the parties and social connections of the season, a correspondence ensues to keep one another informed of all the delicious goings-on of friends and family members, fashion trends and the like. However, they are also intelligent young women and soon the plot begins to thicken as two seemingly unrelated "suspicious incidents" involving maddening-yet-charming young men and bouts of sorcery begin to take place around the girls. Before they know it, the girls are embroiled in helping their new-found friends (and, in truest Austen-esque sense, potential lovers...???) avoid the dastardly schemes of two noted bright-lights of society (who also happen to be well-versed in the most evil uses of magic!)
I didn't find this quite the "Jane Austen meets Harry Potter" that it's been touted as (no doubt as a marketing device in light of the resurgence of popularity for JA in recent years, and the blockbuster that is HP--this book was originally written in the mid 1980s, though!) but I didn't find it up to the standards of either. While I was definitely amused, it certainly wasn't as witty or deep as Austen, but I really don't think it was trying to be. Also, this is NOT that "magical"--one can learn to be a wizard and magic is certainly used, but it's not like HP in that the world is very much Regency England with a small smattering of magic worked in, rather than being a whole world created around magic. That is not to say, though, that it wasn't a delightful romp through Regency England complete with wizardry! :-> I give it four stars because the first 1/3 of the book was a bit slow-moving for me and I found some of it to be a bit sloppily written and confusing (I read this with my sister and she agreed, so it wasn't just me!) Perhaps this stemmed from the fact it was originally written as a letter game between the authors, so I'm not sure how well plotted-out the story was to begin with, though one would have hoped later editing would have cleared that up. Nevertheless, just don't expect TOO much from this and you should be pleasantly pleased if you like the premise. -
This book is a delightful mix of Regency romance and magic, written entirely in epistolary style, and is full of humour and a little danger for its protagonists Cecelia and Kate.
Cecelia is at Rushton Manor in the country, while Kate, her best friend and compatriot in schemes and jokes, is in London for her first Season. They both have encounters with wizards, resulting in multiple murder attempts on the young women, as well as articulate and amusing conversations and deepening relationships with attractive gentlemen who are misguided in thinking they know better than Cecelia or Kate how to handle the wizards, much to the gentlemen's folly.
I loved the whole, light tone of the book, and often quite witty comments from either Kate or Cecelia about people in their circles.
The authors' afterward on how and why they wrote the book was illuminating and funny.
As I liked this book so much, I'll just have to finish the series. -
What a delightful novel! I thoroughly enjoyed getting stuck in Cecy & Kate's story, which was a combination of magic and whimsy and friendship and romance. It did take me a little time to properly warm up to the epistolary style (as I don't read stories like that often), but it was definitely a story I was fully invested in by the end.
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I wonder what's so natural about the pairing of Jane Austen-esque Regency romantic comedy and magic -- because this book reminded me incredibly of Mary Robinette Kowal's Shades of Milk and Honey, or a lighter/fluffier Susanna Clarke. (In fact, I might follow this up with my long-awaited JS&MN reread, maybe?) Or even Gail Carriger's Soulless, though that one's in the Victorian era; also an appropriate comparison, considering I noticed on GR just now that Carriger cites this as one of her favourite books. Just as modern-day urban fantasy gravitates towards snarky, hard-bitten loner hero(ines), there's a definite niche for historical fantasy where the women are witty and clever and put-upon and everyone gets together in the end.
Reading this was also my purposeful way to cleanse my palate after The Magicians, by diving into something just light-hearted and fun. It's super cute, if predictable, and I wish magic/the role of magic had been fleshed out a bit more. Still, 3.5 stars! As one of my fellow reviewers has summarised it, Sorcery & Cecelia is an enjoyable beach read for when you want some fluffy fare but don't want to think too hard (and I liked the characters enough that I'll probably continue the series, too).
Probably the most fascinating thing about this book, actually, is how it was written, which the Afterword explains -- I was curious if the two authors really didn't discuss plot with each other, and was pleased/impressed to learn that Wrede & Stevermer did commit to
The Letter Game. So it's an epistolary novel, written in the form of letters between the two authors/characters, improvised along the way with no planning between each other about the plot.
I used to do letter games back in high school but they always petered out after 3 letters or so, so I'm fascinated to see this one finished and polished and so coherent. I'm interested in collaborative fiction and especially the mechanics thereof, so I love seeing the different ways writers can cobble their stories together. This one's a quick delight to read. -
8/9/19 $1.99 for Kindle.
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7/10
Regency romance is not my thing, and it took a while for the fantasy elements to really blossom
Still, it was a quick read, fun and pretty light. I will likely read the others in the Kate & Cecelia series. -
I first read this book as a teenager after searching out basically anything and everything of Patrica Wrede's (her Enchanted Forest Chronicles series basically represents my entire middle school reading experience considering how many times I've re-read it...). I was in love with it from the get-go; a novel written entirely in letters between two deviously smart and witty cousins trying to keep themselves and their odiously enigmatic love interests safe from certain disaster at the hands of witches and wizards?! Yes please, SIGN ME UP.
I've reread bits and pieces of this series as the years have gone by, but this is my first full reread of Sorcery & Cecelia in over 10 years and it was definitely needed! There is so much that I remember loving, but honestly so much more that I found to love with this latest read. I can't get over how perfectly awesome the two heroines are, and how great they are as role models to girls. I could only wish to have their propriety, sensibility, and tact at some point in my life!
The Regency era setting was done perfectly, and the way that magic was mixed in as a natural aspect of the time was done seamlessly. The romance was there, but did not overwhelm the plot in the slightest and the hate-to-love nature of both relationships was perfect. (Seriously though, if you love banterific dialogue, this is the book for you!)
I remember Grand Tour dragging a bit during the middle the last time I read it (although I was 17 and prone to fits of attention deficit), but I'm really wanting to re-read The Mislaid Magician now - I remember loving that one almost as much as I loved this first installment! Anywho - I loved this just as much (if not more) the second time around, and I am definitely going to re-up my attempts to get anyone and everyone I know that professes to love Regency era, magic, romance, or banter to give this one a shot! -
As the title states, this is a book of letters between two young ladies in England in the post-Napoleonic war era. In many ways, it reads like a 'typical' regency romance novel. Two young girls are corresponding; one is in London for the season, the other has been deemed too immature and likely to get in trouble and so remains on the country estate. The letters are filled with descriptions of items of clothing, dance, and people typical of that era.
The twist is the inclusion of magic. In this world, there are wizards and magicians all around, hatching evil plots which must be foiled. Like
His Majesty's Dragon and
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, this book combines fantasy elements with the traditional historical setting. In this book, it presents the perspective of very young and sheltered girls - which is probably why this is considered a young adult novel.
As mentioned in the afterword, this book originated as a letter game between the two authors. They agreed on a world and starting conditions; then they each assumed one character and wrote letters to each other. Neither author knew where the plot would go; they wrote their letters in reaction to the previous letter. After all of the letters were collected, they got together to edit the letters to make the final version a little bit more cohesive. While this probably adds to the charm and the uniqueness of the characters, it also means that the plot is a bit flimsy. Nothing is too complicated; often, magical intervention occurs just in time to resolve whatever little problem occurs. And there don't seem to be any limits to what magic can accomplish; while the spell-process is primitive and superstitious at some points (charm bags made out of herbs?) at other points the authors allude to advanced equations necessary for spell-casting.
This novel is unique enough to make it a fun read for anyone interested in historically based fantasy; it also should appeal to anyone interested in traditional regency romance, if you don't mind a bit of magic. -
YA Fiction. I had a lot of trouble getting past the first three pages of this -- it was exposition heavy and did not grab my attention -- but once I gave it another shot, I found it utterly charming. Cousins Cecelia and Kate write each other letters during the summer of 1817, while Kate is in London for the Season and Cecelia is stuck at home in the country. This is another of those Englands that just has magic lying around to spare, no big thing, it's just there, good for fighting off Napoleon and stuff.
If you like dry humor, epistolary novels, witchcraft, duels, Jane Austen, Regency romances, mysteries, antagonistic relationships full of squabbly love, plucky heroines, and men that need a little rescuing, then you'll love this. It's like
Jonathan Strange Mr Norrell meets
The Changeover, and it's very adorable, though not without its problems. The girls' voices are so similar it's quite difficult to tell them apart. The pacing is often awkward and predictable, an unfortunate artifact of the "letters game" the authors were playing by each contributing one character's letters to the story; similarly, this leads to a lot of repetition. There's also the unanswered question of what exactly happened to Cecelia's mother, and, even more distressing, Kate's utter carelessness in losing both of her parents. It's also unclear how old the main characters are, but ultimately it isn't a big deal; they're clearly mature, resourceful girls. They felt old enough to me. I just had to trust that the men they were hanging around weren't too old for them. But those are small problems. I loved the book, and I say that as someone who just read it for the first time as an adult. I only wish I had found it back when I was a kid.
Four stars because once I finally got past the first three pages, I literally couldn't put it down. Now for the sequel! -
A fantastical, young adult version of Austen’s Lady Susan and
Love and Freindship, or Burney’s Evelina, this is the story of two young girls who encounter Society, dangerous magical artifacts, and True Love. It is told through a series of letters between the two girls. It’s a fun, light read, and I especially recommend it for anyone yearning for a little more Austen. -
Cute, interesting, fast read. Really fun epistolary novel (written as letters between two friends). I somehow missed posting 2016 reading dates for this.
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Sorcery and Cecilia was a bit of a silly book. It felt a lot like Jane Austen, but with magic thrown in. The two main characters are young women (best friends) who are separated for the coming out season. The story is told entirely through their letters. They get all up into other people’s romantic lives, then they stumble onto a scheme involving magic and their romantic interests.
Actually, the story was light-hearted and a bit fun. The authors wrote it organically by writing letters to one another. The author’s note at the end explains their interesting process. -
I think this is one of those books you may need to first discover as a teen in order to really love it—otherwise I'm a bit bewildered as to how much I've heard people praise it for several years (the only reason I picked it up). There are a couple of nice ideas in here about how this alternate Regency England's magical system works, but as a whole the book's plot is far too pat, the character voices of Cecilia and Kate pretty impossible to distinguish from one another (ditto the love interests, who are stock Darcy Lite types) which is rather damning in an epistolary novel, and there's neither build-up nor payoff. Disappointing.
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An absolute joy to read, and one of my favorite books ever. I love the humor, the dual romances, and the mix of Regency England and magic. I can’t count the number of times I’ve read this book, but it’s a lot! If you haven’t read it and you love Regency romances, I highly recommend it. (Heat rating is similar to Georgette Heyer, i.e. no steam.)
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THIS WAS MY EVERYTHING.
1) Regency
2) Magic
3) Epistolary
4) Romance
5) ALL OF THAT ADDS UP TO ME BEING BLISSFULLY HAPPY
Forever bitter that I couldn't move this ahead. THANKS A LOT, MIREILLE. -
Practical Magic Meets Pride and Prejudice
Cousins Kate and Cecelia exchange a series of letters about their Season in Regency England. They inadvertently get tangled in a treacherous plot between three wizards and find love in the most unexpected way.
What I Thought
Enjoyable mystery, but with a slow start.
Witty banter btwn clever and brave wallflower cousins.
Book began as a "Letter Game" btwn two authors with each writing for a character but not discussing plot.
Oddly enough, each character's voice sounded the same with too similar plot lines.
Magical system and the world building were a bit vague and understated.
Love interest although obvious was believable.
Liked the evil witch, enchanted stepdaughter, protective charms and an odious brother turned into a breech tree.
Magical conspiracy started with a magical chocolate pot 🤔
Recommendation from Gail Carriger's 10 of the Best SF/F Romances That Romance Readers Don’t Know About:
https://gailcarriger.com/2016/05/23/1...
