Controlling Fire, Earth, Water, and Air with a simple touch would have been much more impressive if it paid the bills.
For nearly 200 years, the Wrights have controlled the Elements, shaping them to their will. But, the new era of industrialization threatens their extinction. Journeyman Wright Rebecca Fuller has more important things to worry about, though, like paying bills and keeping a roof over her head. Unfortunately, she inherited her father’s debts along with his shop. With the Guild limiting her prices, even a brisk business barely makes ends meet.
If only the Guild would consider her application for Mastery. But between having the audacity to be female and studying under the most unconventional Master in the Guild, her chances were as thin as Air.
Unfortunately for Guild Undersecretary David Enright, barrister, procedural maven, and all-around rule-follower, the Guild violated its own rules where Rebecca was concerned. With her irascible temper and unorthodox approach to working the Elements, she’s exactly what he wants most to avoid. Unfortunately, he can’t simply ignore her.
Rule-following aside, though, what she knows, what she can do, could be the key to saving the Wrights from extinction.
Audacious barely describes David’s strategy to right old wrongs. If Rebecca agrees, his plan could solve both their problems—or cost them everything.
An exciting new gaslamp fantasy adventure from the author of Jane Austen's Dragons perfect for fans of Gail Carriger, Charlie Holmberg, AJ Lancaster and V. E. Schwab.
Six time BRAG Medallion Honoree, #1 Best-selling Historical Fantasy author Maria Grace has her PhD in Educational Psychology and is a 16-year veteran of the university classroom where she taught courses in human growth and development, learning, test development and counseling. None of which have anything to do with her undergraduate studies in economics/sociology/managerial studies/behavior sciences. She pretends to be a mild-mannered writer/cat-lady, but most of her vacations require helmets and waivers or historical costumes, usually not at the same time.
She stumbled into Jane Austen fan-dom in the mid '90s with Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility film, having somehow graduated HS without ever having read Austen. It was only a short leap then to consume all of Austen's works, in all their various media forms. In the hopes of discovering more works by Austen, she stumbled into the fan fiction forums, which naturally led to asking 'What if...' herself. Twenty nine books later, she still asks that question.
She writes gaslamp fantasy, historical romance and non-fiction to help justify her research addiction.
Pre-review - nabbed for FREE from amazon.com on 16/5/25. Thanks to the Fussy Librarian email blast for bringing this to my attention 🤓
Gaslamp & Elemental magic from the author of Jane Austen's Dragons Series which has been on my want to read radar for so long...cos c'mon, what a fun idea! 🙃
I’ve read the author’s Jane Austen’s Dragons series and have enjoyed them immensely. The way she intertwines Austen’s characters with dragons is well thought out and quite intricate.
When I saw she had started a new historical magical series, I was intrigued! This book definitely fits in with my previous experiences with this author. The magic calls upon the elements - Fire, Water, Earth, and Air - like many other magic systems I’ve read, but the treatment of it is different than I have read before. The characters are relatable, and I’m always offended at how women were treated in the 1800s, which the author describes quite well.
The ending was very satisfying but still left me wanting more. I can’t wait to read more about Rebecca and David!
My grouse with this book is that I don’t expect so much sexism in my fantasy. This book started with heavy, frustrating female rage. I wanted to toss it out the window with how angry I was getting. Every single man in the first third was a massive, misogynistic, sexist piece of shit. (Except the black constable, just him)
I love the FMC. She is strong, and smart and lonely and so tragic. I get her bitterness and anger. It is absolutely justified. But I don’t think that’s the expectation I had going into this book. It’s got such high reviews here, so many 4-5 stars and a lot of them say it’s “cosy” but like. Did we read the same book?? There is no cosiness. There is sexism so deep and entrenched it is literally a main character. And I hate it. Everything messed up in this girls life is because of older white men fucking with her. Especially her own father (thank fuck he’s dead because if he wasn’t I’d be rooting for him to die already)
At least the male lead isn’t a sexist pig and admires our girl’s work? Small mercies. Unfortunately, I found nothing in my heart for him. He’s a bit too whiney and self righteous and worse - possibly the worst sin for a leading male - boring. Half the book seems to be his POV and it is excruciatingly dull. I couldn’t help thinking the book would be vastly improved without his POV altogether. Am I mean? A little 🤏🏻
The world building is kinda eh too. Fire, earth, air and water. And then they use those four words as curse words too. Literally. There are exclamations when something crazy happens and it’s: “Fire-earth-air-and-water!” Just cutting those out would save like 3 pages overall in the book 😪
I started reading this because I loved the authors Dragons + Pride and Prejudice series. That was so cute! And this is… different. It’s also so very verbose, there is so much extra writing when I feel like it could have been made much tighter, I didn’t get that feeling in Pemberley, in fact I would have preferred the verbosity in that series because that fit the “cosy, comfort” vibe a lot better
The middle third of the book was a slog to the point I thought of DNFing every few pages and forced myself to keep going so I could see if the high reviews here are worth it. There’s one review on here where she says “can’t help but think all the problems would have been solved if girl just moved away” and ya know. SAME.
If you skim through a lot of it, I will say at least the romance was well written. I like when the romance is slow and you see WHY the characters like each other and that’s visible in abundance here. It also (THANK FUCK) has a good ending. Because after all that heart ache and anguish and me wanting to just burn all the fucking males in this story at least the ending was happy and sets it up well for part 2.
I actually really enjoyed this book (after the election results it was deeply cathartic to see some sexist, conservative, power-hungry, shortsighted, idiotic men get their comeuppance) and will probably move it from 3 stars to 4 since I can't do 3.5 like I want, but how could it not end in a proposal or at least an understanding or a declaration of love or something more romantic than being more sufficient company than colleagues. Maybe it's just being saved for future books, though. Do wish I lived in a world where progressives actually succeeded in gaining power for reform, though.
Enjoyed the worldbuilding and really like Rebecca. However, I can't help being a little annoyed when a plot takes a good female character and rips nearly everything she values away from her through no fault of her own, only to have a (rather annoying) male character come in to the rescue and smugly hand everything back. Yes, on the virtue of her own work, but... *sigh*
For once, Goodreads nailed the recommendation: Wrighting Old Wrongs was recommended since I had read Empire of Shadows. Both use very different tones, but I loved Wrighting Old Wrongs all the same!
It's my first time reading something from the author and I really appreciated her writting style! Very fitting and very enticing! Though some minimal editing was still needed in some scenes, but understandable, since this is a self-published book. Rebecca and David were a delight to read about! They made such a wonderful team!... And David was the perfect example of the powerful appeal cinnamon-bun male characters have <3 Ther little and subtle moments of affection were so (≧◡≦) ♡ I also love how the author made them both awkward and a little bit of excentric. And made them found their equal in each other. Wonderful story!
I would say Wrighting Old Wrongs fits in the historical fantasy category best, but, thruthfully, the only bit of fantasy this book touches is the control of the four different elements (that are not different at all ☆(>ᴗ•) ). An even then, it's more related to alchemy than magic (I loved it all the same, though!). Still, I'm finding slice-of-life historical fantasy stories to be one of my favourite niches of all time! A second book, please!...
Rebecca is an extremely talented Wright. She can wield all four elements -air, water, earth and her own element, fire, with ease and precision. But because she’s a woman (a fiery tempered one at that)and her now deceased father held some unconventional views, she is still only a Journeyman. The guild has refused to evaluate her petition for Master.
David Enright, Master Earth Wright and barrister for the guild believes that Rebecca should be given a chance - it’s in their bylaws, after all. And he needs to do something to get the guild to change their ways or the Wrights may fade out altogether. But dealing with the hidebound, sexist guild members is difficult enough without also trying to protect Rebecca from the vicious moneylender she owes.
Weighting Old Wrongs is an enjoyable historical Victorian-ish fantasy with a bit of romance. Both Rebecca and David were great. I enjoyed all the scenes with the two of them together. There were also some excellent side characters - especially Birdy, the pub owner and Rebecca’s friend. The plot was engaging and the magic was very interesting - my favorite part was the descriptions of the elemental magic.
It takes courage for an author to start a brand-new series. But Maria Grace is a world builder and has done just that. If you have read any of Maria Grace's series, you know she loves strong female characters. Rebecca in this series is no different. She is strong, willful, and powerful. Unlike most of the Wrights in the book, she can wield all four elements seamlessly. However, this is the start of her problems in this gaslight fantasy set in Victorian England. A powerful woman is something other members of the Wright's Guild fear. Maria Grace is building a New World where Wrights can wield one of the four elements and create new from the old. As the story unfolds, we find that Rebecca, with her newly found friend David Enright, is also trying to bring new to old. This is an exciting story with just enough familiarity for those of us already enthralled with Gaslamp and Steampunk fantasy. This is the first of the series, hopefully, one of many with strong characters and intriguing storylines.
Some notes - the FMC was very prickly and not very likeable. I can understand why she is like this but I feel like she was written too one sided. I would’ve liked to have seen more of her softer side, show us her sense of humour. She seems to soften up a bit more near the end. - the MMC was a bit too soft, he seemed too much like a push over when it came to interacting with Rebecca. I would’ve liked to have seen him stand up to her a bit more, like he does to the Brighton Council of Wrights It’ll be interesting to see how he acts in the next book. - I like the slow burn romance, that was well written. - I thought the magic structure was well thought out and presented well. I liked the discoveries that David and Rebecca make about combining powers, etc. - I really liked the resolution at the end of the book. - there were occasional typos which could be cleaned up. They didn’t change the story but were just a bit annoying for me coz they pull me out of the story. Frankly I have yet to find a book which doesn’t have a couple of typos in it so I think I’m being unrealistic. Lol
I fully expected to enjoy this new series by Maria Grace, and I did enjoy it but not fully (4 out of 5 stars) ..., for the background was shadowy dark like a Dickens novel, from old dislike of the heroine’s dead father, stifling prejudice against a woman’s capability, and upper class entitlement. The hero’s stiff legal precision was amusing, but the shining descriptions of the elementals’ flexing personalities in the material substances which the heroine coaxes and cajoles into conforming with her wishes are as delightful as the differing dragon personalities in the author’s Jane Austin series. I also enjoyed the hero’s growing joyous appreciation of the heroine’s subtle material manipulation techniques. And it is a gentle romance!
Another fabulous book and works from this great author. Wrighting is the ability to craft with the four elements. For years, men have been secretly wrighting with their own special element, and doing the bare minimum with the others. David is the near earth-wright in Brighton who is working for the Wrighters Guild and tackling all the legal issues. In the course of his duties, he meets Rebecca, apprenticed to her father who was a radical earth wright with bizarre and controversial ideas. Rebecca has continued to wright, follow the rules, use her craft for the betterment of those around her, but getting more and more frustrated that the Guild fail to acknowledge her abilities or her work - or allow her to increase her prices. An absolutely wonderful world, a joy to read and get lost in. Looking forward to more in this series!
This book may be different than the Dragons series, but it is every bit as good. I am astonished that anyone could fail to finish. As usual Maria Grace knows how to lead you forward until you are completely immersed in the story and the lives of the characters. I look forward to the next book. If you liked the Paper Magician series by Charlie N Holmberg you will undoubtedly find something to love here as well. Note to author: if you receive less reviews than expected, you can blame spell check. Goodreads refused to let me put the ING on Wright without changing it to writing. I persevered because I simple had to say how grateful I am that you continue to publish! I also adore your blog which tides me over between books.
A different side of Maria Grace, and a wonderful read even with no dragons. Ms. Grace moves from the Regency era to a slightly steampunky, slightly magical Victorian Brighton. But while there are no fire drakes, there is a very fiery tempered fire wright, who has her work cut out for her paying off her father’s debts and getting the recognition she deserves as the only woman master Wrights’s among the hidebound guild of wrights in Brighton. I enjoyed spending time in Ms Grace’s Victorian world almost as much as I do in the world of the Blue Order. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Poor Rebecca had the world against her. It was too much for me. How ridiculous the baddies were. Yes, men have always had innate superiority and will always act stupid when faced with intelligent and capable women. No need to shove it in readers face. I get it already. I was left wondering why it never occured to Rebecca to move somewhere else. Sentimentality is all good and expected from good girls. But when your life is threatened it should be put aside for obvious reasons. Instead of crying how unfair life and people are. So, too much drama. And repetetive and boring. Won't be able to continue the series.
What a great start to a brand-new historical steampunk fantasy series! I've devoured Maria Grace's Jane Austen's Dragons books, and I was excited to pick up Wrighting Old Wrongs. The setting is a slightly dark, alternate 19th century England, in which elemental magic—and the mages who can wield it—are threatened with extinction. The main characters, Rebecca and David, are elemental mages with very different techniques and personalities who must set aside their differences in order to to save their Guild, their livelihoods, and their budding romantic bond. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for Rebecca and David in the next book!
For those who like a cozy mystery historical novel with magic in it, it's the perfect read.
And for those who LOVE C.J. Archer, the "Glass and Steele" series, this is a perfect follow-up book, I did start with CJ Archer, so those books are still higher as far as which world-building and imagination, BUT BUT BUT not sure how I would have felt if I had started with this book instead.
I love the "heroine" as a contrary character, but not helpless or silly, and not too overbearing/too independent, but a good balance I believe between a strong character, kindness, wittiness, stubbornness, and intelligence.
I am a huge fan of world building. Maria Grace proves her skills in this start to a new series.
The elements rule but only a few can work with them. These Wrights are not known by the general populace. This secretive sect has a hierarchy of apprentices, journeymen, etc.
But this male-dominated society has long denied Rebecca Fuller her due. She has family “issues.” But David Enbright finds her intriguing.
Together the two of them learn how very wrong the Guild has been.
The only thing I wish Grace had done better is to have published everything all at once. :)
Let me just say - old white men will always be old white men no matter when or what kinda world you write them in.
That said, I do really appreciate the set up of this one and the ways the author attempts to diversify the cast of characters with the pub owner next door and the constable. It’s surface level, but it’s more than what some authors do so still worth mentioning for sure.
I do like how the plot comes to fruition with Dick (aptly named) getting his due, all the old white men getting the finger (metaphorically), and no one burning at the stake.
Even in Rebecca's time there was sexism. Has it changed at all?
Fortunately she has a companion who trusts her for who she is. And what she is, is Skilled. Far beyond that of the average wright. But she has to fight the same fights her father fought. Unfortunately he left a lot of anger with his cohorts who stubbornly clung to their dying beliefs.
She is a champion that you would love to know. The author brings her to you in a way that you definitely will get to know her and her struggles.
This is a great story for those who love an outsider, a strong female protagonist and a person who won't be denied. Definitely a recommended read.
Having devoured Ms. Grace's " Jane Austen's Dragons" series, I wasn't sure I would appreciate abandoning the Regency period, the Austen basis, and the talent for working with dragons. But this series, set in 1870s Brighton, offers us a believable talent in the wrights, the peril posed by hidebound "leaders" unwilling to open to new ideas (and gender), plenty of evildoers, a forthright maybe-hero, and a kick-ass heroine of surpassing talent. Don't miss this one!
Wrights can use one of the four elements to make, repair, or alter things, but must avoid notice by nonmagical people. A traditional Guild system has been used to train and certify Wrights, but fewer than before in rapidly industrializing 19th-century world. Can a hot-tempered woman working in unsanctioned ways shake up the fusty, inbred male-dominated guild, and perhaps save it in the process, or will they succeed in keeping her down to preserve the old way of Wrights? This promises to be a very enjoyable new series.
Maria Grace's new World Wrights universe is a complete departure from her Blue Order series. There are (spoiler?) no dragons, at least in book 1. The plot revolves around of magic users in the late 19th century, with elements of industrial revolution culture change and women's independence. If you've read the Blue Order books, or enjoy steampunk or historical fantasy, this book will not disappoint.
I am already a fan of this author's work. I enjoyed David and Rebecca's journey go her becoming a full master wright. Nothing came easy to Rebecca, and nothing had come easy for David. Thanks to Birdy and Sir Gilbert life took a pleasant turn when they least expected. The criminals such as the Lackwoods and Mallory's challenged Rebecca's resolve, but she persevered!Excellent story of dedication to one's craft and determination to survive.
Absolutely loving the World of Wrights she has created. It is intriguing, intricate, interesting and intelligent! Every seems plausible the way she weaves the Wrights Skill. The characters are exceptionally well done and interesting as well as the plot. The writing not only holds my attention, I read straight through night to finish to see how would turn out. Very glad to see will be another book.
The magic system of this alternate Victorian Era is wonderfully fascinating, and Rebecca is very believable in both her determination and her distrust of the Guild. At first, it was difficult to believe that David would be as interested in fairness as he was, although the more we learned about his background, the more it made sense. I look forward to reading more about these characters.
Great world building and magic system. I loved the MCs. The opposition was properly selfish, greedy, vain & hide bound. The romance was shy, sweet & loyal. I loved the next-door cook. And oh the delight of Having to consume massive amounts of food and not be able to gain weight... Now this is good fiction!
Maria Grace once again recreates our world with that little spin that makes it anew. She captures the manners and lives of an earlier time in the form of interesting characters and “if magic was real”. “Wrighting Old Wrongs” has given my brain yet another place in time to visit and enjoy a great plot, great characters, and a satisfying story.
Wrighting Old Wrongs is the first in a new series by Maria Grace, the author of the Jane Austen and Dragon series. I love the way Maria points out the obstacles and prejudices women face by placing them in the past. It makes it easy to see that not much has changed. I'm eagerly waiting for the next book in the series.
I really liked the premise of this book. Most importantly the characters were engaging and you could empathize with them. The world building was believable and well thought out. This includes the magic being used by the Wrights as it is a unique and novel. I look forward to reading the forthcoming sequels.
I give this book my highest praise, I will read this book again.
This new series is just as enthralling as Maria Grace's series about the dragons of the blue order. The main character is an independent woman Wright facing adversity in Victorian England who is as engaging to read about as Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. I highly recommend it.