A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians

This is an alternate history infused with magic that vividly realized the past. But more than that and at its core, this is a story about friendship and ideals. It's about how friendship and ideals can clash in ways both powerful and devastating, and how the choices of a few powerful men can change the lives of many.
Overall, I think this book is strong. It was often fun, definitely interesting, and a read I think people can talk about over drinks with friends. The characters were so richly drawn that I found myself deeply invested in them even when I didn't agree with them, which is a fascinating balance.
It wasn't entirely successful. The middle lulls quite a bit in connecting the beginning which was fun and full of youthful excitement and the end which was full of important consequences. The lull was hard to get through but the end was worth it.
I think the author was also balancing a lot of threads. To write a story about abolition that doesn't read like a white savior novel and to inject magic into the past without absolving very human evil. It was delicately handled, and I think overall worked though it was the part I found myself wanting to talk over with others. I would be curious how other people took these considerations.
Overall, I really liked this book. The beginning as I said was fun, the ending meaningful. If you enjoy a historical fantasy, along the lines of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, I would give it a go! I'm certainly going to read the authors work again in the future.