An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard

The magic that Kat Howard weaves in these duels is so unique and interesting. At first, they’re non-mortal, but past a certain point it’s expected that one person in the duel won’t walk away. In order to pick the next leader of the magical world, there’s a ruthless competition of duels. Magicians have magic, but they aren’t nice or helpful with magic. The world at the heart of this book is a harsh, cruel one.

There’s a slight mystery involved, too, but it’s very obvious, in my opinion, what the solution to the mystery is. Oops.) ANYWAY - if you like urban fantasies with heavy magic use, you’ll probably like this one. (Though, to be fair, I had forgotten a great deal of it. I am so glad that this book stands up even after reading it a second time. I was lucky enough to be granted access to an e-ARC of the next book in the duology, so a reread was definitely in order. I read this book for the first time during the height of quarantine, and I absolutely loved it then, and even after a reread I love it now. Sydney comes from the House of Shadows, which controls the magic with the help of sacrifices from magicians. But Sydney doesn’t want to help the system, she wants to destroy it. No one knows what is happening, except for Sydney-a new, rare magician with incredible power that has been unmatched in decades, and she may be the only person who is able to stop the darkness that is weakening the magic. In New York City, magic controls everything. There is a dark secret that is hiding at the heart of New York City and diminishing the city’s magicians’ power in this fantasy thriller by acclaimed author Kat Howard.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo or The Magicians by Lev Grossman.

CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, Murder, Child abuse, Gore, Torture.

WHAT BOOK DO I START WITH? An Unkindness of Magicians.

An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard