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Review Details

Review type: Book

Title: Modern Divination

Author: Isabel Agajanian

Publisher: Tor

Release date: 30th January 2025

Modern Divination

Reviewed by: Elloise Hopkins.

Other details: Paperback RRp £9.99

Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian

Book Review

Elloise Hopkins.

The National Museum of Scotland is still missing some of its rare artefacts, yet the authorities make no mention of this in their investigations. Not the iron collar, nor the cursing bone, that now lies in the possession of a certain Leona Sum.

Aurelia Schwartz is a green witch, a fact that she very much conceals from her peers at Cambridge University, and even from her dearest friend and roommate, Ryan. For reasons unknown to her, Aurelia’s magic is failing, adding to her worries as she tries to navigate the world of academia as an American medievalist within the establishment.

Her life at Cambridge is further thwarted by one Theodore Ingram. Born to wealth, part of the elite set, and determined competitor to Aurelia, how can she possibly compete? Could tonight, and her invitation to dine with her tutor and rub shoulders with the influential, be her chance? All seems to be going well. Until Ingram arrives, that is. 

Modern Divination begins with the threat of evil, and that is a threat that continues throughout the narrative, remaining very much on Aurelia’s mind and driving some of her actions. What lets the story down, for this reader at least, is its extremely languid pace, and the lack of any real, present conflict–that is other than that of Aurelia’s developing relationship with Teddy as they journey from enemies to friends, and readers will probably predict how that is going to end up. The consequence is that whilst there is an intriguing under-bubbling of tension, very little actually happens in the story outside of that developing relationship.

Knowing Aurelia’s story is going to be continued in the Spells for Life and Death series helps with that. We should perhaps look at this as very much laying the tracks for the rest of the story, where we will perhaps get the answers we seek and see the greater threat in more tangible form as time passes. Those who are solely looking for slow-burn fantasy romance, and a heroine on a journey of self-growth, will find satisfaction in this gradually unfolding tale–and it is beautifully written–but for the more traditional among us it lacks a little in magical excitement and bite.

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