A new favourite

Cant help but keep coming back to this book. The performance is also excellent and really adds to the already thoroughly enjoyable story.

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Elaborate writing and narration

I thought the narrator was exuberant, even during the spicy scenes, which fit with the written narrative, even if I’d rather it were more gently passionate. If you like the writings of Oscar Wilde you may enjoy this book. The romance was very heated and I liked that about this story. The games at the country house were goofy. Overall the narration was appropriate for the time period, in a blustery manner. The story didn’t really flow like a plot driven novel, more like scenario driven with crazy things happening that didn’t seem to lend to any plot, but some twists were linked in the end. As for character development Edwin and Robin had arcs that progressed through the growing lust for each other and through happenstance of magical afflictions. I’m not really a huge fan of reading Edwardian era fiction like Dickens and Wilde, outside of academia, so I’m glad this book was written in modern times and wasn’t completely stuffy as original works written in their own timeframes. I liked the main characters enough to finish listening to their story, but their personalities being very Edwardian and blithering, plus the blunt exuberant narration to go along with it, just doesn’t make me want to read on if there’s more books in the series. Too Edwardian for my tastes. I do like magical tales though. And I liked the fact that there wasn’t too much violence when fighting the bad guys, or surviving curses and sticky situations. Adventurous during those moments, but reflective narrative was stretched out a bit too much. This was definitely the most steamy male male novel I’ve ever read though. I loved it. Very spicy.

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Enjoyable Story

A well written story with and interesting  concept.  The characters are likeable and the narration is very good.

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Marvellous

A bloody marvellous piece of storytelling! Audiobook is spectacular and characters, setting and relationships are just stupendous. Can’t wait for more.

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Interesting approach and enjoyable romance

I did enjoy this story and the very different way in which magic was presented, I wasn’t overly keen on the narrator if I’m honest, I do generally prefer English narrators, but at times it felt like this chap was narrating a child’s story and the accent used for the secretary wasn’t consistent and the voice for the sister was just plain odd - it wasn’t so bad I couldn’t get through it, but I don’t think I’ll be listening to this story again, which is a shame, as with a different voice actor I’m sure I would have

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5 people found this helpful

Really a Romance Novel

Don't read this if you want a book with an intense complicated story. While the world building is delightful and the characters terribly charming, the book feels almost like a prologue to the real story.
Apart from the growing and deepening relationship of the protagonists... nothing much really happens. And I enjoyed this book for the romance sure, but I do wish we had gotten more of the mystery, of the lore. Understood more about the setting and about magic and how it works and how it remains hidden in plain sight. Am very disappointed that most of my questions were not answered.

TL;Dr: Read if you want a well written romance, and skip if you want some hard fantasy with a focus on plot.

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1 person found this helpful

Quite repetitive

The overall story was okay, but the constant repetition of subjects like the ownership of Sutton house and the unchanging emotional mindset of the main characters really detracted from it. It would have been way better with some editing, and it would have been nice if the author trusted the reader to remember what they've just read, instead of putting it on a loop.

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1 person found this helpful

Fascinating & entertaining

A bit confising at first but this really pulled me in. can't wait for the next.

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1 person found this helpful

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5/5

Are you looking for a light and gay fantasy reminiscent of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell? Want intrigue, engaging characters and lots of overt romance? Look no further than A Marvellous Light. Set in the Edwardian period a magician and a baronet are thrown together to solve the mystery of a disappearance. Curses, magical party games and queer intimacy ensue.

- The two main protagonists are really fun to follow. we have Robin, a new baronet trying to work out his new life as a peer, and Edwin, a magician working in the civil service. They were both distinct, wonderful men who I wanted to give the biggest hugs to. The narrator also did a really good job giving them their own individual voices.

- The story was amazing, swinging from magical mystery to cosy historical to raunchy sex scenes. Nothing felt forced or out of place and I enjoyed the way each facet enhanced the others.

- The magic system was a really cool idea. I played Cat's Cradle as a child and I could really imagine the possibilities and limitations of this kind of system.

A really enjoyable read and I plan to read the sequel A Restless Truth very soon.

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A marvellous delight

Magic, Edwardian manners, soul-deep connections, and the British civil service. What a mix. And you know what? It works. It really works. Some reviewers complain that there's not enough emphasis on the magic. For me, there's just enough. It drives the plot, steers the action, and has the sort of internal logic that holds it together. I don't want to be sitting through pages of lore or mechanics.

Without the magical mystery tour, the romance element wouldn't be enough to stand on its own. As part of the whole thing though, it's one more strand, One strand of many that bind Robin and Edwin together and tell us about both men. That exploration of character should make you root for them against their many, cunning foes.

I shall be looking out for Freya Marske's next book.

At first, David Thorpe as narrator grated. Then either he settled or I got used to him and it was generally OK. Robin's voice tended to come over as older, and sometimes too pompous, for the character as written.

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