Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
New York : Tom Doherty Associates, 2017.
Description
"The year is 1850 and Great Britain is flourishing, thanks to the Royal Society of the Esoteric Arts. When a new mage is discovered, Royal Society elites descend like buzzards to snatch up a new apprentice. Talented mages are bought from their families at a tremendous price, while weak mages are snapped up for a pittance. For a lower middle class family like the Gunns, the loss of a son can be disastrous, so when seemingly magical incidents begin cropping up at home, they fear for their Archie's life and their own livelihoods. But Archie Gunn isn't a talented mage. His sister Charlotte is, and to prevent her brother from being imprisoned for false reporting she combines her powers with his to make him seem a better prospect."--
User reviews
LibraryThing member cuentosalgernon
This novella is the first entry in a new series by Emma Newman, and it mainly functions as a sort of introduction to its characters and urban fantasy setting.
Charlotte is a young girl with plenty to hide (she has strong magical powers and she works in secret as an illustrator). She lives in a
This is a quick and entertaining enough read. The plot and the writing were not bad, but, on the whole, I found the story a bit predictable and too easy to read, with a bit too much emphasis on the incipient romance (on how handsome and attractive Magus Hopkins was), and with characters not interesting and complex enough. I don’t know if this is supposed to be a YA novella, but that’s what it felt to me. I tried to keep in mind that this is just the first part of a series, but, despite that, I felt a bit disappointed and the story and characters didn’t grab my interest enough as to keep on reading the future installments.
Charlotte is a young girl with plenty to hide (she has strong magical powers and she works in secret as an illustrator). She lives in a
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London in which anyone with magical potential must join and work for the Royal Society, something she’s trying to avoid by all means. When her father, who has some serious financial problems, decides that her brother is a good candidate for the Royal Society, she’ll have to help him to pass the tests and in the process will meet three very different mages.This is a quick and entertaining enough read. The plot and the writing were not bad, but, on the whole, I found the story a bit predictable and too easy to read, with a bit too much emphasis on the incipient romance (on how handsome and attractive Magus Hopkins was), and with characters not interesting and complex enough. I don’t know if this is supposed to be a YA novella, but that’s what it felt to me. I tried to keep in mind that this is just the first part of a series, but, despite that, I felt a bit disappointed and the story and characters didn’t grab my interest enough as to keep on reading the future installments.
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LibraryThing member MillieHennessy
This is a fun fantasy/gaslamp novella that I read in one sitting.
As an aside, I don't know if writing a series in novella format is a trend now or if I just happen to be reading them all recently. I'm kind of not a fan, simply because novellas still cost as much as a full length and I'm always
Anyway!
This book is set in a world where people who have magic are strictly controlled. They're to report to the Royal Society so they can be properly trained in a specialized area and serve their crown and country. Those in the Society aren't allowed to marry or bear children, as their personal lives cannot come before their duty. Any who try to hide their powers and are discovered are taken by the Society anyway and their families are punished for hiding them.
Charlie and her brother, Ben, both have powers, though Charlie is far more powerful. Ben submits himself to the Society to help their family's financial troubles, but Charlie doesn't wish to submit herself. Charlie is headstrong and smart and while she does push the boundaries of what society expects of her, she still wants to marry and have children. I liked the fact that she wasn't the total cliche heroine who doesn't want to do any single thing that other girls want because she has to be special.
As with every short book I review, I feel like there's less I can talk about without giving everything away. But I really enjoyed this and I'm looking forward to more in this world, even though I wish this was a full-length novel.
As an aside, I don't know if writing a series in novella format is a trend now or if I just happen to be reading them all recently. I'm kind of not a fan, simply because novellas still cost as much as a full length and I'm always
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left feeling like the story ended just as it started.Anyway!
This book is set in a world where people who have magic are strictly controlled. They're to report to the Royal Society so they can be properly trained in a specialized area and serve their crown and country. Those in the Society aren't allowed to marry or bear children, as their personal lives cannot come before their duty. Any who try to hide their powers and are discovered are taken by the Society anyway and their families are punished for hiding them.
Charlie and her brother, Ben, both have powers, though Charlie is far more powerful. Ben submits himself to the Society to help their family's financial troubles, but Charlie doesn't wish to submit herself. Charlie is headstrong and smart and while she does push the boundaries of what society expects of her, she still wants to marry and have children. I liked the fact that she wasn't the total cliche heroine who doesn't want to do any single thing that other girls want because she has to be special.
As with every short book I review, I feel like there's less I can talk about without giving everything away. But I really enjoyed this and I'm looking forward to more in this world, even though I wish this was a full-length novel.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
In an England whose empire is sustained by magic, those with magical talents have to use them for the Crown no matter what, and can’t marry. Charlotte, an illustrator who loves her fiance, thus is desperate to keep her talent hidden, despite the serious penalties that might be imposed on her
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family as a result. When her brother is tested for magical talent, and she’s endangered as a result of her investigations into her father’s debt, she’ll have to decide who if anyone she can trust. This wasn’t anywhere near as interesting as Newman’s later work. Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
The Society for Esoteric Arts are the people who regulate magic in this world and they wield an iron rod. When a new magician is found they are obliged to join the order and contribute to the empire. When you are found and if you are found to be powerful you are bid on by various mages and this can
Charlotte finds herself caught up in a nefarious plot that could kill her father, she has to buy time but buying time is more complicated than it seems and one of the mages bidding on her brother is a little too interested in her.
I enjoyed this, Emma Newman is an author I enjoy reading. The characters were well drawn and I liked reading about them. They were also quite true to period.
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be the difference between gentile poverty heading to bankruptcy and living a good life. This is the case with the Gunns, their son is not powerful, but their daughter is; however the daughter has no value, so their son and daughter have to combine forces to appear more powerful.Charlotte finds herself caught up in a nefarious plot that could kill her father, she has to buy time but buying time is more complicated than it seems and one of the mages bidding on her brother is a little too interested in her.
I enjoyed this, Emma Newman is an author I enjoy reading. The characters were well drawn and I liked reading about them. They were also quite true to period.
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LibraryThing member pwaites
Brother’s Ruin is the first in a planned series of historical fantasy novellas.
Charlotte Gunn is the daughter of a lower middle income family in 1850 England. Her father barely scrapes by as an illustrator, but Charlotte has her own secret artistic career that she’s using to help her older
In addition to her own career as an illustrator, Charlotte has another secret – she has significant magical abilities.
Hiding magical abilities is illegal, and if Charlotte is discovered involuntarily, her family would be presumed to help her and face prosecution. But if Charlotte voluntarily announces her abilities to the Royal Society of the Esoteric Arts, they would pay her family a compensation of funds analogous with her abilities. It could offer the solution to her family’s financial problems, but it would mean the end to Charlotte’s dreams. Mages are forbidden to marry, but Charlotte has a fiancee. Mages are forbidden to have incomes independent from their work with the Royal Society, but Charlotte loves her art. Can Charlotte find a solution to save her father and her own dreams? Or will she have to make a sacrifice?
My favorite thing about Brother’s Ruin is Charlotte. She’s such a spunky heroine! On the surface, she acts very hard to be the proper Victorian lady. As such, her family and others pay very little attention to her, and she has a lot of leeway to lead her own life. She’s smart, determined, and by golly, she’s got gumption. I’d love to read more about her.
I also enjoyed the alternate history Newman has crafted. She pays heed to historical details but embellishes them with fantastical twists. The Royal Society is appropriately mysterious and intimidating. If you’re discovered with magical powers, you’re taken from your family and made to devote your life to the Society. An early scene with a young boy being dragged from his mother by Society enforcers shows just how real this threat is. It’s abundantly clear why Charlotte doesn’t want to join them.
Brother’s Ruin is a novella, and thus a pretty quick read. It is clearly the beginning of a series, feeling much more like a “Part One” than an independent story. The next novella is also supposed to come out in 2017, but there’s no firm news. That’s too bad! I really want the next part of this story.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received this novella from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
Charlotte Gunn is the daughter of a lower middle income family in 1850 England. Her father barely scrapes by as an illustrator, but Charlotte has her own secret artistic career that she’s using to help her older
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brother pay for engineering school. Then disaster strikes – Charlotte finds out that her father is in debt and doesn’t have the money to pay and is facing debtor’s prison or worse.In addition to her own career as an illustrator, Charlotte has another secret – she has significant magical abilities.
Hiding magical abilities is illegal, and if Charlotte is discovered involuntarily, her family would be presumed to help her and face prosecution. But if Charlotte voluntarily announces her abilities to the Royal Society of the Esoteric Arts, they would pay her family a compensation of funds analogous with her abilities. It could offer the solution to her family’s financial problems, but it would mean the end to Charlotte’s dreams. Mages are forbidden to marry, but Charlotte has a fiancee. Mages are forbidden to have incomes independent from their work with the Royal Society, but Charlotte loves her art. Can Charlotte find a solution to save her father and her own dreams? Or will she have to make a sacrifice?
My favorite thing about Brother’s Ruin is Charlotte. She’s such a spunky heroine! On the surface, she acts very hard to be the proper Victorian lady. As such, her family and others pay very little attention to her, and she has a lot of leeway to lead her own life. She’s smart, determined, and by golly, she’s got gumption. I’d love to read more about her.
I also enjoyed the alternate history Newman has crafted. She pays heed to historical details but embellishes them with fantastical twists. The Royal Society is appropriately mysterious and intimidating. If you’re discovered with magical powers, you’re taken from your family and made to devote your life to the Society. An early scene with a young boy being dragged from his mother by Society enforcers shows just how real this threat is. It’s abundantly clear why Charlotte doesn’t want to join them.
Brother’s Ruin is a novella, and thus a pretty quick read. It is clearly the beginning of a series, feeling much more like a “Part One” than an independent story. The next novella is also supposed to come out in 2017, but there’s no firm news. That’s too bad! I really want the next part of this story.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received this novella from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
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LibraryThing member Mithril
Oh, it's quite all right.
LibraryThing member jazzbird61
I liked it, right up to the end that kind of...ended? IMO, although I can accept the ending, it felt too much like a novella that should be a full book. There is a lot of story left to be told.
Subjects
Awards
British Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novella — 2018)
Language
Original publication date
2017-03-14
Physical description
184 p.; 21 cm
ISBN
0765393964 / 9780765393968