This book was such a wonderful surprise! The plot was great, but what really shines in this story are the characters and the chemistry between them. Jessamin is lovably geeky, and the constant references to mathematics made me smile every single time. She is the strong, opinionated, intelligent, fiercely independent female lead that is so often missing from young adult fiction. I love, love, loved the relationship she builds with "Sir Bird". Though Bird is silent, his actions and interactions give him a sarcastic, loyal personality that I adored. But Jessamin is not the only female powerhouse in this book. Her friend Eleanor, while more sly about it, uses her whit and cunning to make her place in the world and rise above the blatant sexism that is present in the world she lives in.

Finn is another rather well done character, although I did not love him as much as the girls. His hidden, troubled past and boyish charm make it almost impossible not to like him. I particularly enjoyed the chemistry between Finn and Jessamin. Their witty banter felt genuine and was immediately endearing.

While the characters were amazingly well done, I found myself constantly wanting more world building. I wanted to know more about the magic, more about the island Jessamin is from, more about the interactions between the countries, more about the government, more more more. Since this appears to be a stand alone, I guess I will have to deal with what I got, however.

The story had me constantly on my toes, wondering what would happen next. Many of the twists and turns were completely unexpected, and I really enjoyed the fact that the plot got rather dark at times. That is something I haven't seen White do before, and her first foray into this realm was wonderfully frightening.

This was not like any of the other books I have read by White. The plot and characters felt significantly more complex, giving the overall story a much more grown up feel than her previous work. It is always great to see authors grow as they release new books, and if Illusions of Fate is any indication of what we can expect from White's future releases, she is definitely an author to watch.

Share/Like this Review?

I loved Whites Paranormalcy trilogy and was curious to see what White would come up with next. This was a very well done historical fantasy with a lot of magic in it (one of my favorite types of stories). It was an engaging story that I really enjoyed reading a lot. This is a stand alone book and I was sad to hear that no sequel is planned.

Jessamin has recently moved from her island home of Melei to country of Albion. She wants to go to school in Albion and get her degree but hates how the women of Albion are treated as inferior to men. She is struggling to make ends meet but it doing alright; until she draws the attention of the wrong man. Finn is a charming nobleman but when Jessamin gets involved with him she is introduced to a whole new world of magic in which she ends up playing a part she never wanted to play.

I really enjoyed the characters, the world, and all of the magic in this story. Jessamin is a wonderful character. She is smart, determined, but also a little starstruck by some of the things she is introduced to in Finns world. I loved that mostly she made smart decisions and that she was very resourceful. Jessamin is dealing with issues of racism (residents of the island Melei are seen as second class citizens) and with sexism (in Albion women are treated as less than men). It brings up a lot of interesting societal issues, even if they are issues we have seen in stories time and time again.

Finn was another wonderful character: funny, mysterious, swoon-worthy, vulnerable, and full of wonderful secrets. I really enjoyed his character a lot.

I love historical fantasies filled with magic, so it was easy for me to love this book. The magic system could have been explained better, but I enjoyed it all the same. I also really enjoyed the setting of Albion and the contrast between the cultures of Albion and Melei.

This was a quick read and very engaging. There is mystery, magic, and a sweet romance between Finn and Jessamin. I loved the witty dialogue between the characters and I loved Jessamins spirit. This was one of those books that wasnt anything spectacular but was just generally well done. It made me smile while I read it and I enjoyed everything about it.

Things are tied up nicely at the end of the story. Although I would really love to read more about this wonderful magical world.

Overall a very well done historical fantasy by White. This was very different from her Paranormalcy series, but in the end I actually liked this book better than that series. I would recommend to those who love light-hearted historical fantasy with some mystery and romance.

Share/Like this Review?