The Iron Trial

Ok. I'll admit it, I am impressed. Starting out, The Iron Trial feels more or less like any magical boarding school fantasy, complete with an evil enemy and a long sought chosen savior. By the time I was halfway through, I conceded that while it was entertaining, it felt largely juvenile (I have plans to read something much more grown-up next.) And then everything changed.I shouldn't act like the book does a total about face. From the beginning, Call isn't your typical hero. He's too smart, too acidic, and genuinely not interested in the spotlight at all. He's the weird kid on the bus who doesn't want to go to magic school, who really does suck at magic even though he has immense raw ability. His disability – a bum leg – keeps him from showing physical prowess of any kind, and though he comes to be somewhat skilled magically, as the climax of the book shows, not being able to move well will still get in the way of saving the day. It's not until the big switch mid way through the book that you begin to realize what Callum Hunt's story actually sounds like - that of a villain's. Because that's precisely what he is. His blonde-haired, Steve Rogers-esque best friend, Aaron, is the chosen hero, and if the laws of the Cinquian are to be followed (fire wants to be burn, water wants to flow, air wants to rise, earth wants to bind, chaos wants to devour) they will find themselves on opposite sides of a war over immortality and the void. And obviously, that's what's going to happen, we've got five books left, and don't we all love a story about brothers forced into conflict with each other.I haven't had the pleasure of reading Cassandra Clare yet (that was sarcasm there, mild sarcasm, but still), but I adored Holly Black's [b:White Cat 6087756 White Cat (Curse Workers, #1) Holly Black https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358274572s/6087756.jpg 6264661], and I could definitely detect her flavor in Call's wittiness and in many of the story's darker elements. Those who are familiar with Clare's reputation will probably raise an eyebrow at how derivative Magisterium sounds of Harry Potter. JK Rowling did not invent the magical boarding school, but I can definitely see the resemblance nonetheless. We have a golden trio of two guys and a girl, an evil enemy of the previous generation who seeks to conquer death, a protagonist who was raised dissociated from the magical world he should've been born into, and we even get a Draco clone in a pompous bully by the name of Jasper. However, I get the feeling that this was partly intentional - referencing the common tropes we see in the genre, and then giving them a little (or a big) twist. The magical lesson plan is deconstructed into something much more free form (instead of learning spells out of a book and making potions, Call and company spend hours sorting grains of sand), the bully begins to earn sympathy points early by being from a disgraced family and putting himself under immense pressure to reclaim their prestige (I realize that that's exactly Draco Malfoy's trajectory in HP, but in this case we didn't have to wait six books for it), and of course the whole fostering the soul of the enemy inside oneself is given way more play . It is derivative, sure, but I'm of the belief that that doesn't stop something from being entertaining or of possessing quality.Because this is very enjoyable. It's quick and clever, there are funny moments, scary moments, and touching moments too (I feel like we're looking at a long road of Call and Aaron having touching moments). The characters are complex and well-drawn, Call is character that you can really get behind, despite his obvious flaws. There's even an adorable zombie wolf-cub, and now I totally want one for myself. Even though it's very clearly middle grade, it doesn't talk down to its audience. Obvious twists and plot points aren't drawn out for the sake of suspense, it assumes that the reader is just as quick as the plot. On the downside, it's not particularly complex, and it doesn't have much depth in the world building or set dressing. So far, the use of magic seems really flimsy and all over the place, and I'm curious as to what kind of magical world exists outside of the Magisterium (I suppose that's the HP nut in me talking).I'm not really the type to get super eager about getting the next installment in a series, but I gotta tell ya, when I turned that last page, I was making grabby hands for the as-of-yet imaginary second book. I want to know where this goes. Badly. Because it looks like we're in for more bonding with creatures infused with the void, alchemical magic (seriously, we'd better get more about how this shit works), a protagonist debating the benefits of becoming the villain of the story (and there are serious benefits, for one, the body of Callum Hunt is high maintenance to say the least, and the body of Constantine Madden which he would return to if he chose to retake his identity is presumably in good condition), and angst (kind of super psyched about seeing Call interact with his dad, when his dad knows for sure that he is Constantine Madden, because they were enemies and presumably friends in a past life, and now he's his son, ugh, I love it). So much angst.

So I clearly enjoyed this book since it took me under 4 hours to read. I loved going back to the idea of a school to learn magic, just like how I got to in the Harry Potter series. But the similarities between the two stop there. Call is an interesting character because it seems that no matter how hard he tries to fail, he ends up doing something amazing (even if it is dangerous). But the one thing that makes him special is his determination. Call was determined to fail the Iron Trial, then he was determined to get kicked out of the Magisterium, and finally he is determined to not turn into what he truly is inside (and yes i know that is vague, but I don't want to spoil anyone).

I loved the trio of apprentices in Call's group. Aaron, Tamara and Call are all very different characters from various backgrounds that work really well together. While it takes some time for their friendship to develop, I appreciated that it wasn't an immediate thing. They took the time to mistrust each other and grow closer through their training exercises.

When I met Holly Black and Cassandra Clare they said that they wanted to shock people at the end and I can definitely say I was shocked. I had one theory towards the halfway point of the book. But boy was I completely wrong. I cannot wait for them to finish the next book so I can see what lies ahead for our three characters in their Copper year. But I also know it may be awhile since both authors have a lot they are currently working on.

Overall, I really enjoyed this middle grade fantasy book. The characters were great and I adored the world. Especially how complicated the Magisterium seems. I know I would definitely get lost.