Sorcery and Cecilia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer: I'm finally reviewing it!

Sorcery and Cecilia 

by 

Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer

Hey guys sorry about the late post! things just get away from you sometimes.

 Two ‘ladies of quality’ begin a correspondence with each other while one is away in London. They exchange gossip about their friends and family, the mysterious lords and ladies of London and the magical college’s newest professor. At least that was the plan. This book was written almost by accident while the authors were playing something called the Letter Game. The two authors weren’t expecting a plot to happen. It just did.

And I mean that in an entirely good way 

              I love this book. Not just because of it’s hilarious beginning and almost accidental creation though that’s cool too. It’s just fun to me. I like the world (magic and regency propriety how juxtaposed is that?) the characters and yes even the plot. For something that wasn’t even planned it worked out well and I can’t help but be impressed and a tiny bit jealous. In a good way for the record.

Characters

Kate and Cecilia: I’m just going to admit something now. I had trouble keeping Kate and Cecilia apart. In part this must be blamed on the letter format. I’d start a chapter, see the name at the top and assume I was reading from that character because . . . 

I don’t do logic apparently. 

But after rereading is Kate is more of a romantic than Cecilia and much less put together? I loved the description of her ‘shedding hair pins like Hansel and Gretel dropped bread crumbs’. Cecilia on the other hand is much more sarcastic and eventually finds a talent for magic that differentiates them further.

              I can’t say I’m surprised that the characters are similar though. I’ll explain more about the letter game in the likes below but I will say this. One of the biggest rules of the Letter Game is that, aside from world building at the very beginning, there is zero discussion between the two authors. 

No discussions of characters, plot or dénouement. 

I’ve read books from both authors and they tend to have main characters that are marginally similar so that coupled with the lack of communication probably contributed to people’s confusion.

Likes

The whole thing is just clever: It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that was just plain fun to read! The writing was smooth, witty and hilariously dry. Sure, the stakes weren’t that high. There wasn’t some world ending event or thirteen armies fighting each other (not counting the eagles of course they won’t show up ‘til the end) but that didn’t make it boring by any means. This is one of the books that encourages you to continue reading with humor and intrigue rather than holding a knife over the characters heads.

It was actually kind of nice to relax and enjoy the story without out the constant threat of mortal agony.

There is this thing called the Letter Game and Y’all need to be educated on it: Because it is fabulous. Basically, two people get together and build a world to play in. As the name suggest the two authors then write letters back and forth to each other in character about what was happening in their world. Initially this game began as more of an exercise than anything else. Actors and writers would practice writing (or speaking I suppose) in character then discard the characters and world in mid intrigue after they grew bored. Thankfully Stevermer and Wrede didn’t get bored.   

It’s post Napoleonic war England where MAGIC IS REAL!: how cool is that! There are parties and prim and proper tea times coupled with charm bags and magical colleges 

Oh and wizards secretly trying to steal each other’s power. that one's actually kind of important

Patricia C. Wrede is fabulous I love her: (And I’m sure Caroline Stevermer is equally fabulous) I’ve only read one of her books so I haven’t really gotten to the point where I’m full on fangirl yet. But I adore Wrede’s books. I’ve said it before I’ll say it ‘til the end of time.

Dislikes

It is written all in letters so it’s kind of hard to be worried about people: I still like the concept though. I’ve noticed that people complain about how the characters insisting on keeping everything in order when writing the letters was ‘unrealistic and a bit ridiculous’. Y’all they’re British regency ladies. I’m pretty sure a war could start and they’d begin the letter with what they had for breakfast.

I love this book. My sister and I are totally going to do the Letter Game sometime soon because it is a fabulous idea.