Something Close to Magic

A review in which I am a grump:

This book was very disappointing. It falls in the vein of stories that feel like they're going for cozy and just end up with a weak plot. There were so many holes and the villain was never given any kind of motivation. I did enjoy the twist of the villain's backstory, but it still didn't actually give them a motivation or explain their actions at all.

The worldbuilding was weak sauce. It's just random things put together. We're told early on that people *think* using magic has negative effects, but no one knows for sure--magic just has a bad reputation. And then it's never explored or explained, even though they use magic throughout the story. There's one non-human character, but no others, and no sense of how they fit into society.

Also, the pacing is super weird.

The characters are kind of fun, I'll say that. I did enjoy Prince Hapless, but mostly because his silliness was a breath of fresh air when most love interests are dark and brooding these days. Aurelie was...fine. She doesn't have much of a character arc and most of the plot is happenstance instead of her making decisions. Overall the characters were funny, but lacking depth, and it wasn't enough to make up for everything else.

“I could buy you a house somewhere, and a rug with flowers on it. I would do that if you let me. So please, just...let me.”

As an ardent fan of [b:Foolish Hearts|33275690|Foolish Hearts|Emma Mills|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487081647l/33275690.SY75.jpg|53998283] and an Elmify viewer back in the day, I was interested to see Emma Mills tackle her first fantasy! At first I wasn't really taken with it, then I was like “ok, this is cute,” then a few hours later I was unexpectedly crying. I loved it.

The characters remind me of a perfectly balanced ragtag D&D campaign, including a neglected magical baker, a wise practical troll, a hard exterior/marshmallow center bounty hunter, and a fashion-minded himbo prince. They take turns finding and rescuing each other, with some broader searches for treasured objects and missing persons thrown in the mix.

The plot started to feel a little scattered, but Mills managed to tie everything together neatly at the end. Except for all of Iliana's Stuff, which I've decided means a gay(er) sequel is forthcoming. She's a talented writer, and can get a lot across with few words, while still evoking emotions and creating an atmospheric reading experience. Chapters 44 & 45 were a complete delight.

I really liked Aurelie. I related to her reticence to step into a more lively, fulfilling, and — let's face it — good life. When you're used to things going wrong or feeling hopeless, allowing yourself to believe that life can be better than it has been, and that you are as deserving of love and excitement as anyone else, can feel like a scary or even foolish leap.I love, too, that Mills made sure Aurelie's freedom was not bestowed by a powerful wealthy love interest. The last bakery scene was not one of a knight in shining armor whisking away a helpless damsel. It was about Hapless keeping his word and Mrs. Basil finally facing the consequences of her actions. In the end Jonas was not forgotten, and Aurelie won herself independence.

Tiny qualms: the word “truly” was used too much, and younger generations do not use ellipses like this in written correspondence.

I'd recommend this to fans of a slew of things, including Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern, [b:Matilda|39988|Matilda|Roald Dahl|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388793265l/39988.SY75.jpg|1015554], [b:Mooncakes|44774415|Mooncakes|Suzanne Walker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565183719l/44774415.SY75.jpg|57982519], [b:In Other Lands|31944679|In Other Lands|Sarah Rees Brennan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1496783711l/31944679.SY75.jpg|52603350], [b:The Way You Make Me Feel|35704397|The Way You Make Me Feel|Maurene Goo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1505855827l/35704397.SY75.jpg|57200490], and [b:Small Spaces|36959639|Small Spaces (Small Spaces, #1)|Katherine Arden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539180297l/36959639.SY75.jpg|56656020]. Kate Forrester's cover art is also gorgeous.