Image: Ace via Zen Cho
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: Taking place in Regency London, Sorcerer to the Crown follows the leader of the country’s magicians, Zacharias Wythe. Zacharias was bought and freed as a child by Sir Stephen Wythe, the Sorcerer Royal of Unnatural Philosophers. Sir Stephen trained him in magic and groomed him to take over his position. Now, after Sir Stephen’s death, Zacharias is suffering the difficulties of being a black man in a position of power over white gentlemen–no matter how polite and dutiful he remains, the country’s problems are blamed on him. The biggest of these problems is a general decline of magic in the country, which Zacharias is obligated to fix…
Prunella is something between a ward and a servant to the proprietress of a school for gentlewitches–a school that teaches young ladies how not to use magic. Prunella is a mixed-race orphan with a talent for magic, a legacy from her family she’s yet to unpack, and an ambition for more. When she crosses paths with Zacharias, she attaches herself to him in the hopes of reaching her own goals, and Zacharias–always striving to do the right thing–determines he should teach her magic and reform the country’s laws on women who practice it. (Oh, Zacharias…)
Zacharias is in a precarious position already. Will his association with a talented, headstrong sorceress help him, or cause him even more trouble?
Series: Stands alone, but there will be a sequel.
POV: Third person limited, from the perspectives of Zacharias and Prunella.
Preview: Here.
Poor, poor Zacharias.
There’s no getting around it–the way he’s treated is horrible, and that can be hard to read. The fact that he’s so ridiculously nice, so conscientious of literally everybody else’s needs before his own, makes him all but defenseless against the attacks on his person. Naturally, this isn’t an accident–the world he grew up in forced him to become overly conscientious. Any perceived flaw on his part would be magnified under the scrutiny of society. And though he is genuinely a nice person, overdoing it to the point of not valuing himself is something he was taught. The story shows us Zacharias struggling not to let the rest of the world see his emotions.
It’s not all suffering for him, but it’s a hard road.
This is part of what makes him and Prunella, his tempestuous ally, such good foils for each other. Prunella won’t accept anything less than her own happiness. She won’t balk at the means to achieve her desired end. And she won’t sacrifice everything in the name of duty. Zacharias really needs someone like Prunella in his corner, fighting for him.
Even with the sheer numbers–and the weight of society–arrayed against them, Zacharias and Prunella are powerful and resourceful, with enough reach to accumulate information few other characters are privy to. Coming along for the ride with them is almost like being part of a secret world, because so few others know what they know. There were times when I had no idea how they’d get out of their predicament, but it’s so natural for Zacharias’ knowledge and Prunella’s power to play a role.
Other than the two of them, the character that stood out most–at least for me–was Mak Genggang. There’s something truly entertaining about this powerful Malay witch, coming in from a society with very different rules, essentially running amok through London. Breaking rules, overturning expectations, and outrunning trouble at every turn.
Overall, Sorcerer to the Crown was an interesting read. What kept me turning pages the most, though, was the desire to see Zacharias find some happiness for himself. Especially since he wasn’t really looking for it.
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