Sylvia Izzo Hunter
Author of The Midnight Queen
About the Author
Series
Works by Sylvia Izzo Hunter
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Other names
- Hunter, Sylvia
- Gender
- female
- Birthplace
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Map Location
- Alberta, Canada
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Reviews
Graham "Gray" Marshall is a student at the prestigious Merlin College at Oxford. Bullied by his professor, the lanky young magician stutters his way through his lessons. Agreeing to help some of Professor Callender's teachers pets on an errand leads to heartache. Given little choice after the death of a friend, Gray spends his summer vacation at the Professor's estate in what would be Brittany, tending the garden and doing other menial tasks.
Here he meets Sophie Callender, the Professor's show more middle daughter. She is enamored of magic, though she's known her whole life she is talentless. Taking pity on this downcast student of her father's, she befriends him. Their friendship allows both to blossom: Gray tutoring Sophie in Magical Theory and growing into the man he should be under her regard.
Circumstances conspire to overtake them as the Professor is involved with a plot concerning the British Royal Family. Taking Sophie's younger sister and their guardian along, they flee for England ahead of pursuit. On the journey, Sophie's natural talent finally manifests itself and another great secret is uncovered. In London, Gray and Sophie make allies and grow in both talent and love. But will they be able to save the King and be together?
I absolutely loved this book. Every time I had to put it down, I looked forward to picking it up again. Set in an alternate history Regency period where things happened considerably differently - Roman gods are worshipped, for example. This reads a great deal like Dickens with magic. A truly fantastic debut, any fan of Mary Robinette Kowal and her Glamourist History series would enjoy this book. show less
Here he meets Sophie Callender, the Professor's show more middle daughter. She is enamored of magic, though she's known her whole life she is talentless. Taking pity on this downcast student of her father's, she befriends him. Their friendship allows both to blossom: Gray tutoring Sophie in Magical Theory and growing into the man he should be under her regard.
Circumstances conspire to overtake them as the Professor is involved with a plot concerning the British Royal Family. Taking Sophie's younger sister and their guardian along, they flee for England ahead of pursuit. On the journey, Sophie's natural talent finally manifests itself and another great secret is uncovered. In London, Gray and Sophie make allies and grow in both talent and love. But will they be able to save the King and be together?
I absolutely loved this book. Every time I had to put it down, I looked forward to picking it up again. Set in an alternate history Regency period where things happened considerably differently - Roman gods are worshipped, for example. This reads a great deal like Dickens with magic. A truly fantastic debut, any fan of Mary Robinette Kowal and her Glamourist History series would enjoy this book. show less
This book would be perfect for readers looking for a well-balanced blend of fantasy with a historical fiction-type setting, overlaid with a story laced with a heavy dose of the kind of chaste, slow-burn romance one might find in a traditional Regency novel.
Graham Marshall – Gray to family and friends – finds himself out of favor at Merlin College when a midnight errand goes terribly wrong, landing himself and a couple friends in the infirmary while another boy loses his life. Disgraced, show more Gray is sent away to the summer home of the arrogant and unpleasant Professor Appius Callendar until such time the college can decide his fate. It’s there that Gray has the pleasure of meeting the professor’s middle daughter Sophie, who for some reason Professor Callendar seems to neglect and disdain. There’s certainly no love lost between father and daughter.
Even though he was told none of the Callendar girls were born with any magical talent, Gray senses something strange about Sophie. Because proper women studying magical theory is considered scandalous in their society, Sophie has been secretly learning it herself from the books in her father’s library. She’s delighted to meet Gray, finding him very different from the pretentious and foppish young men her father usually invites home from the college, and is grateful when he offers to fill in the gaps in her knowledge. The two of them strike up a friendship, and so when astounding revelations are revealed about Sophie’s past, Gray is wrapped up in the whirlwind of events. And here he was, thinking his life was complicated!
From page one, I was drawn in by the gorgeous writing. Admittedly, it can be somewhat difficult to get used to. Clunky and awkward in some places, it’s not exactly what I would call easy on the eyes, with a style and tone suited to the historical era. But it’s extremely effective when it comes to setting the mood, and once you adapt to it, the reading goes much faster and smoother.
The novel’s greatest strength is the characterization. Gray and Sophie take center stage, and the whole book is told through their perspectives, which alternate back and forth – a lot. Again, it can be distracting, at least initially. The author jumps between Sophie and Gray whenever it suits her, so that sometimes you can get a few paragraphs of Gray’s point of view and then abruptly we would switch to Sophie as she picks up the narrative. Regular readers of romance are probably used to this, but it was something else I had to adjust to at the beginning.
After getting the hang of things, it was easier for me to simply sit back and soak in the story. It bears emphasizing again that the characters are just great in this; because the relationship between Gray and Sophie are so integral to the story, it makes sense to establish and build upon them early, and that’s what we get here. Before Gray and Sophie can get to know each other intimately, the reader has to get to know them as individuals, which makes their eventual coming together that much more satisfying. As I mentioned before, theirs is a slow-burn romance (the kind where everyone around them can see what’s going on before the two can even admit it to themselves) so if you’re looking for instant gratification, this is not the book you’re looking for. We’re also not talking fiery passion or red hot love scenes here, keeping things clean and proper with good manners!
The heavy focus on G+S notwithstanding, that’s not to say the other characters were forgotten or underdeveloped. In fact, my favorite character was a supporting character, Joanna Callendar, who probably has more personality in her little finger than her sister Sophie had in her whole body. Sad to say, as much as I liked Sophie, she was an idealized character, a special snowflake that came across just a little too perfect in a lot of ways, and that makes her less interesting than the spunky, lippy and slightly insolent Joanna.
By the same token, plot is probably not this novel’s strong suit. A lost princess, a prophecy foretelling the return of “The One” and the pivotal role they play in the fate of a monarch and the kingdom...it’s a little clichéd, perhaps, but it’s also not a negative if you go in knowing what to expect. This book is obviously more interested in telling Gray and Sophie’s story, it makes its intention loud and clear right from the start, and so a lighter, less original plot is something I could overlook.
Bottom line: The Midnight Queen is a very beautiful, very atmospheric novel about young love, slow-going at times, making it feel like very little happens while the author develops the two characters. You can probably predict the outcome of the story with no effort at all, but the emotional payoff is worth it if you stick around and give the book a chance to let Gray and Sophie to resolve their feelings for each other. Recommended for fantasy lovers who want romance, but who also won’t mind the slower, sweet-and-tender but also more subtle approach. show less
Graham Marshall – Gray to family and friends – finds himself out of favor at Merlin College when a midnight errand goes terribly wrong, landing himself and a couple friends in the infirmary while another boy loses his life. Disgraced, show more Gray is sent away to the summer home of the arrogant and unpleasant Professor Appius Callendar until such time the college can decide his fate. It’s there that Gray has the pleasure of meeting the professor’s middle daughter Sophie, who for some reason Professor Callendar seems to neglect and disdain. There’s certainly no love lost between father and daughter.
Even though he was told none of the Callendar girls were born with any magical talent, Gray senses something strange about Sophie. Because proper women studying magical theory is considered scandalous in their society, Sophie has been secretly learning it herself from the books in her father’s library. She’s delighted to meet Gray, finding him very different from the pretentious and foppish young men her father usually invites home from the college, and is grateful when he offers to fill in the gaps in her knowledge. The two of them strike up a friendship, and so when astounding revelations are revealed about Sophie’s past, Gray is wrapped up in the whirlwind of events. And here he was, thinking his life was complicated!
From page one, I was drawn in by the gorgeous writing. Admittedly, it can be somewhat difficult to get used to. Clunky and awkward in some places, it’s not exactly what I would call easy on the eyes, with a style and tone suited to the historical era. But it’s extremely effective when it comes to setting the mood, and once you adapt to it, the reading goes much faster and smoother.
The novel’s greatest strength is the characterization. Gray and Sophie take center stage, and the whole book is told through their perspectives, which alternate back and forth – a lot. Again, it can be distracting, at least initially. The author jumps between Sophie and Gray whenever it suits her, so that sometimes you can get a few paragraphs of Gray’s point of view and then abruptly we would switch to Sophie as she picks up the narrative. Regular readers of romance are probably used to this, but it was something else I had to adjust to at the beginning.
After getting the hang of things, it was easier for me to simply sit back and soak in the story. It bears emphasizing again that the characters are just great in this; because the relationship between Gray and Sophie are so integral to the story, it makes sense to establish and build upon them early, and that’s what we get here. Before Gray and Sophie can get to know each other intimately, the reader has to get to know them as individuals, which makes their eventual coming together that much more satisfying. As I mentioned before, theirs is a slow-burn romance (the kind where everyone around them can see what’s going on before the two can even admit it to themselves) so if you’re looking for instant gratification, this is not the book you’re looking for. We’re also not talking fiery passion or red hot love scenes here, keeping things clean and proper with good manners!
The heavy focus on G+S notwithstanding, that’s not to say the other characters were forgotten or underdeveloped. In fact, my favorite character was a supporting character, Joanna Callendar, who probably has more personality in her little finger than her sister Sophie had in her whole body. Sad to say, as much as I liked Sophie, she was an idealized character, a special snowflake that came across just a little too perfect in a lot of ways, and that makes her less interesting than the spunky, lippy and slightly insolent Joanna.
By the same token, plot is probably not this novel’s strong suit. A lost princess, a prophecy foretelling the return of “The One” and the pivotal role they play in the fate of a monarch and the kingdom...it’s a little clichéd, perhaps, but it’s also not a negative if you go in knowing what to expect. This book is obviously more interested in telling Gray and Sophie’s story, it makes its intention loud and clear right from the start, and so a lighter, less original plot is something I could overlook.
Bottom line: The Midnight Queen is a very beautiful, very atmospheric novel about young love, slow-going at times, making it feel like very little happens while the author develops the two characters. You can probably predict the outcome of the story with no effort at all, but the emotional payoff is worth it if you stick around and give the book a chance to let Gray and Sophie to resolve their feelings for each other. Recommended for fantasy lovers who want romance, but who also won’t mind the slower, sweet-and-tender but also more subtle approach. show less
In this alternative historical Britain, there is magic, intrigue and plots within plots, and even a runaway queen and missing princess!
I loved it, and found it very difficult to put down; it even kept me up a couple of nights longer than I ought to have allowed it to. That's pretty rare for me these days, and I value books that can do that!
I loved the richness of the characters. Even fairly minor ones clearly had their own agency- their own plans, reactions, and thoughts. None were just cogs show more in the plot machine.
And that is somewhat amazing, because the plot is intricate indeed, even including vital aspects that depend on who knew what and when.
Highly recommended for anyone who likes alternative history with magic- in a vaguely Regency Britain without Napoleon-- and complex characters and plotting. I am eagerly anticipating receiving the second book in the series! show less
I loved it, and found it very difficult to put down; it even kept me up a couple of nights longer than I ought to have allowed it to. That's pretty rare for me these days, and I value books that can do that!
I loved the richness of the characters. Even fairly minor ones clearly had their own agency- their own plans, reactions, and thoughts. None were just cogs show more in the plot machine.
And that is somewhat amazing, because the plot is intricate indeed, even including vital aspects that depend on who knew what and when.
Highly recommended for anyone who likes alternative history with magic- in a vaguely Regency Britain without Napoleon-- and complex characters and plotting. I am eagerly anticipating receiving the second book in the series! show less
"I know what I am running from. What an I running towards?"show more
Set in an alternate England in the early 1800s, we follow Graham "Gray" Marshall as he's expelled from Oxford’s magickal Merlin College after a midnight errand goes awry. Gray is taken by Appius Callender (the Professor who sent Gray and his friends on the ill-fated mission) to his estate where Gray has very little freedoms and trouble accessing his magic. The only thing that gives him respite during his dreary days is Sophie
Callender, the Professor’s middle daughter. Together, Gray and Sophie begin to unravel secrets about themselves and their histories as they discover more about their own magick.show less
Things I Liked:
I really liked Sophie. She's precocious and quizzical. She likes to discover things and learn. She is assertive and bold without ever being cold or distant. She also has a really great self discovery journey in the story.
I enjoyed the relationships in the story. There's a great found family aspect to the story that I really appreciated. We see these characters come together and support each other, encouraging one another to be better, and be more. The relationships all felt really real, they were easy to connect to.
I like that Gray could shape shift in the story. It was one of the more defined magickal elements we got in the story. And I really loved seeing it, because shape shifters are always cool.
Things I Didn't Like
Personal preference, but I found the chapters to be really long. I have a harder time getting into books with longer chapters, and they never hold my attention as well as books with shorter, more focused chapters.
I found the beginning of the story to be very muddled. You jump right into the action, which is good, but we have really no clue who-is-who, where they are, or what they're doing. We get a lot of information thrown at us and very little context to form the story in our minds.
Magick really seemed to take a backseat for most of the story. This is much more of a personal journey story, that happens to have magic in it. I was hoping for more magick and magickal worldbuilding, but it felt like the world in the story just existed. We weren't being introduced to it, it's already here and we should know about it.
I also thought the pacing was a little slow and drawn out. We actually get a lot of information in the first 100 pages, but then it takes time where nothing is really happening, to do something with that information. The book felt like it lacked urgency, even though there were high stakes and dangerous threats from the Professor.
The Midnight Queen has some great characters and micro relationships, but lacked worldbuilding and urgency for me personally. This is one of those adult novel that can have cross over appeal with
YA audiences, so I still think you can check out the story and see if it's for you. The story wasn't as magickal for me as I would have hoped, but I do feel like I read a complete story even though this is only the first in a series.
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
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- Rating
- 3.6
- Reviews
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