Magic is drying up in Great Britain and the blame is about to be placed on the country’s most hated magician.… Sorcerer to the Crown was the debut novel by Zen Cho, which came out back in 2015. It’s a striking read-alike to a more recent release, The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk. Both explore sexism and clashing cultures in a magical alternate Regency setting. But Sorcerer to the Crown adds one more element that I love—the fae.
With the death of his adoptive father, Zacharias Wythe became the Sorcerer Royal, tasked with magically serving the interests of his country. But most of the other magicians are not pleased to see a Black man hold a position of such power. They question the circumstances of the late Sorcerer Royal’s death and even insinuate that Zacharias’s ascendency is the reason why atmospheric magic in the country has been slowly depleting. In order to clear his name and revive Britain’s thaumaturgical community, Zacharias must travel to the border of Fairyland and discover what exactly is impeding the flow of magic into the human world. Along the way, however, he encounters Prunella, an ambitious young woman whose immense yet untrained magical talent convinces him that British society should reconsider its custom of forcing women to repress their magic. But Prunella has a secret that could completely disrupt the balance of magical power in Britain. Could she be the answer to the country’s magical quandary?
I always love a ruthlessly ambitious heroine, and Prunella Gentleman embodies this trait with her whole heart. Multiple aspects of her identity decrease her chances for success in this society—she’s a female, mixed-race orphan who can’t keep her magic within socially acceptable limits—and when we first meet her, she’s painfully aware that she’s dependent on the unreliable whims of others for food, shelter, and stability. So when Prunella sees a chance to seize some power for herself, she dives in headfirst. Prunella is a master negotiator, always ready to bargain what she has for something bigger and better. This talent serves her well in her dealings with the fae and the cutthroat politics of London’s thaumaturges, but it does sometimes prevent Prunella from recognizing the true value of the things that are already right in front of her. Yet, despite her inclination toward cold-hearted social climbing, Prunella is just as capable of developing sincere, organic relationships. She finds a mentor in an older witch from the island nation of Janda Baik and empathizes deeply with injustices done to the old woman and her people. And of course, Prunella’s relationship with Zacharias quickly evolves into more than just the partnership of convenience she initially bargained for. Prunella makes some morally gray choices in the name of ambition, but ultimately these decisions give her the power to care for herself and those she loves, and to tackle the injustice she sees in the world.
Another unique element of The Sorcerer to the Crown is the way that it blends sorcery with fairy folklore. Traditionally, when a magician summons an otherworldly being to assist him with magical tasks, that being is a demon. We see this in tales of King Solomon, various occult texts, and modern novels like The Midnight Bargain. But Zen Cho cleverly substitutes in fairies for demons, with accomplished magicians taking fae familiars into their service. This substitution works surprisingly well because it hinges on one thing that fairies and demons have in common: you shouldn’t make a bargain with either of them. Fairies always want a price that’s higher than you’re prepared to give, and demons generally want your soul. Sorcerer to the Crown brilliantly blends these two traditions to highlight the steep sacrifices that must be made in exchange for power.
If you’re looking for smart fantasy with unique world-building and ambitious female protagonists, check out Sorcerer to the Crown and its sequel The True Queen. You can find Sorcerer to the Crown on shelves now at your favorite local retailer, or order it online and support The Gothic Library in the process using this Bookshop.org affiliate link. If you’ve already read this one, let me know what you think in the comments!