I have to be transparent, I have some serious PTSD when it comes to King Arthur legends/stories thanks to public schools sucking every ounce of whisky and magic in the name of interpretation essays. So hard, hard side eye before I started reading. Then I blinked and next thing I know it’s 193 pages later and I’m mad I have to work for a living rather than keep reading this book. 

Fine. Fine. Y’all win. I really like this one! (You still can’t make me like Once and Future King though!) Dammit. Another series I’m sucked into that’s not done being written. Why do I do this to myself? I blame you all. 

The magic system is what’s so inventive here. Not just the Arthurian mages but the underlying root magic and where it comes from. I can’t decide if it’s dark academia, magic, Arthurian retelling, a searing indictment of the system racism of the south that endures to this day, or all four. (Yep, definitely all four.) Regardless, the hype is true. It’s evocative and beautifully written. You can’t help but get pulled along the story uncovering truth after truth. Pick this one up. It’s worth the time to read!