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The Oxford Book of Magick #1
Starfall
Not yet published
Expected 7 Jan 27An electrifying dark academic fantasy set in an alternate Britain, from an exciting new voice in fantasy.
Oxford, 1830.
London is a smouldering ruin.
Tension is rising between humans and fae.
And a red star burns overhead.
War has left the British empire broken and bleeding. The Industrial Revolution has driven the fae courts into the light. Oxford, now the capital, is a city on the brink, haunted by whispers of apocalypse.
Aria came to study magick under the brilliant Professor Ashcroft. But her hunger for knowledge is dangerous, and her power even more so. When attacks erupt across the city, Aria and Ashcroft are pulled into a conspiracy that could shatter the fragile peace between human and fae, and unleash a dark magick which could bring the country to its knees.
Aria's powers may be the kingdom's last hope... or its ruin.
The first in a dark, atmospheric trilogy for fans of Babel, Blood Over Bright Haven and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Oxford, 1830.
London is a smouldering ruin.
Tension is rising between humans and fae.
And a red star burns overhead.
War has left the British empire broken and bleeding. The Industrial Revolution has driven the fae courts into the light. Oxford, now the capital, is a city on the brink, haunted by whispers of apocalypse.
Aria came to study magick under the brilliant Professor Ashcroft. But her hunger for knowledge is dangerous, and her power even more so. When attacks erupt across the city, Aria and Ashcroft are pulled into a conspiracy that could shatter the fragile peace between human and fae, and unleash a dark magick which could bring the country to its knees.
Aria's powers may be the kingdom's last hope... or its ruin.
The first in a dark, atmospheric trilogy for fans of Babel, Blood Over Bright Haven and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 7, 2027
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 13, 2026
Well, that was an unexpected ride, and it was this close to being my Book of the Year.
First and foremost, thank you to #NetGalley, #Hodderscape and #Jamie Cass for the ARC.
Starfall is set in an alternative 1830s Oxford, where magic exists alongside humans. Jamie Cass creates a richly imagined world filled with humans, Fae and a whole host of magical creatures.
You’ll encounter creatures and terms from British mythology, including the Unseelie and Seelie Courts, Morgana’s Mark, sphinxes hiding out in libraries and hunting mice, and even Mother Shipton (who I absolutely had to Google).
I also loved how Cass takes elements we know from history and twists them into this alternate timeline. The Napoleonic Wars, for example, involved magic users, as well as a devastating attack on London that ultimately led to Oxford becoming the new capital.
When I first started reading, I couldn’t help thinking: Is this basically a book version of Carnival Row? And honestly… I was here for it.
I had such a fun time with this book. It has fantastic dark (and) academia vibes, and I loved the way how the magical elements are woven into the story. The characters are complex, with fascinating backstories and motivations.
Our main character, Aria, is fleeing a traumatic incident and hopes Oxford will give her the fresh start she needs to begin studying the arcane. Naturally, things don’t go quite according to plan. Her journey becomes increasingly complicated as hidden factions, old secrets and the aftermath of a devastating war begin to intertwine.
I was genuinely devastated when I learned why Aria had left her home on the Isle of Skye. Having visited Scotland several times myself, I immediately added Dunvegan to my list for my next trip.
And then there’s the villain. I won’t name names because that would be a massive spoiler. Let’s just say… I was SHOCKED. Around 80% in, I finally figured out who he was, and I immediately needed to know why. At first, I thought we might be heading toward the familiar “the villain’s grievances against an unjust system actually make a lot of sense, so the story has to make them go too far” trope. Thank you for writing this out (see the another review of Quinn).
But there is so much more going on here.
I’m genuinely excited to see where the second book takes his storyline and whether there’s any chance of redemption.
And finally: THANK YOU for not giving in to a love triangle 🙌 or something similar.
It’s marketed as dark (I would add “and “ in there) academia, and it actually is. Yes, there’s a little romance, but romance is definitely not the main trope here. I was actually surprised when we got a hand-holding moment and a kiss because, honestly, that’s pretty much it, and I appreciated it SO much.
The pacing and plot were well done, and having the entire story centred around Oxford added another wonderful layer of atmosphere. It’s a page-turning fantasy that feels refreshingly different, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something with dark (and) academia, Fae, magic and a fascinating alternate history.
I also really enjoyed Cass’s lyrical writing style. I know it won’t be for everyone, but I thought it suited the story beautifully and brought Aria’s Oxford to life.
However, there was one major issue for me: the editing.
The amount of misspellings and errors genuinely threw me out of the story. And I mean… Icannotreadlikethis.
This is ultimately why I’m taking off one star. I really, really hope these issues are fixed before publication, because otherwise this could easily have been a five-star read for me.
First and foremost, thank you to #NetGalley, #Hodderscape and #Jamie Cass for the ARC.
Starfall is set in an alternative 1830s Oxford, where magic exists alongside humans. Jamie Cass creates a richly imagined world filled with humans, Fae and a whole host of magical creatures.
You’ll encounter creatures and terms from British mythology, including the Unseelie and Seelie Courts, Morgana’s Mark, sphinxes hiding out in libraries and hunting mice, and even Mother Shipton (who I absolutely had to Google).
I also loved how Cass takes elements we know from history and twists them into this alternate timeline. The Napoleonic Wars, for example, involved magic users, as well as a devastating attack on London that ultimately led to Oxford becoming the new capital.
When I first started reading, I couldn’t help thinking: Is this basically a book version of Carnival Row? And honestly… I was here for it.
I had such a fun time with this book. It has fantastic dark (and) academia vibes, and I loved the way how the magical elements are woven into the story. The characters are complex, with fascinating backstories and motivations.
Our main character, Aria, is fleeing a traumatic incident and hopes Oxford will give her the fresh start she needs to begin studying the arcane. Naturally, things don’t go quite according to plan. Her journey becomes increasingly complicated as hidden factions, old secrets and the aftermath of a devastating war begin to intertwine.
I was genuinely devastated when I learned why Aria had left her home on the Isle of Skye. Having visited Scotland several times myself, I immediately added Dunvegan to my list for my next trip.
And then there’s the villain. I won’t name names because that would be a massive spoiler. Let’s just say… I was SHOCKED. Around 80% in, I finally figured out who he was, and I immediately needed to know why. At first, I thought we might be heading toward the familiar “the villain’s grievances against an unjust system actually make a lot of sense, so the story has to make them go too far” trope. Thank you for writing this out (see the another review of Quinn).
But there is so much more going on here.
I’m genuinely excited to see where the second book takes his storyline and whether there’s any chance of redemption.
And finally: THANK YOU for not giving in to a love triangle 🙌 or something similar.
It’s marketed as dark (I would add “and “ in there) academia, and it actually is. Yes, there’s a little romance, but romance is definitely not the main trope here. I was actually surprised when we got a hand-holding moment and a kiss because, honestly, that’s pretty much it, and I appreciated it SO much.
The pacing and plot were well done, and having the entire story centred around Oxford added another wonderful layer of atmosphere. It’s a page-turning fantasy that feels refreshingly different, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something with dark (and) academia, Fae, magic and a fascinating alternate history.
I also really enjoyed Cass’s lyrical writing style. I know it won’t be for everyone, but I thought it suited the story beautifully and brought Aria’s Oxford to life.
However, there was one major issue for me: the editing.
The amount of misspellings and errors genuinely threw me out of the story. And I mean… Icannotreadlikethis.
This is ultimately why I’m taking off one star. I really, really hope these issues are fixed before publication, because otherwise this could easily have been a five-star read for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!!
4.5/5☆ rounded up!!
it's astounding that jamie cass is a debut author. his writing is lyrical and you can feel the passion put into it. rarely am i taken in by historical settings but this gaslamp fantasy captured my attention from the beginning and didn't let go. i loved how immersive this is, especially the setting of oxford (which i hope to visit someday!!) as well as that of the fantasy world mixed with real life historical events. personally i don't know the details of ww1 or the london fire but adding magick to it? i am intrigued!!!
the story follows our fmc aria as she arrives at oxford to study magick under professor ashcroft, following a tragic incident that unlocked her powers and chased her from home. i liked seeing how determined she is and actually seeing her learn magick from zero was entertaining and i couldn't help rooting for her. from her first unwilling kill to helping ashcroft hold back a raging fire and everything her journey is a satisfying one and promises much more.
the plot starting with her making a deal with lesser faerie scail to find her bags leading her to have to chase a murderer might not be the most original idea for a fantasy but i really enjoyed the execution of it. her working with professor ashcroft who is trying to teach her to control her magick, i really liked their working relationship. you can see they care for each other (and thank god it's not a romantic thing here) even amidst suspicion and betrayal of each other. their mentor/mentee relationship is straight out of the y2k dystopian era peak in the best way and i'm crossing all my fingers that both of them survive this series.
also, i gotta say, thank you jamie cass for not turning henry/aria/rian into a love triangle. i would have rioted. i liked aria, rian and livia's dyanmic as a friend group, rian being the carefree guy who's all smiles and livia as her academic rival who also enjoys her company. i'd hoped we got to see more of them because once the plot picked up, they barely hung out together (which is understandable).
i think henry dawson might have broke my heart. genuinely he was such a sweetheart in the beginning, asking aria out but so careful not to overstep with being too forward. it's a very tentative courting between them and i liked seeing the slowburn romance slowly unfold. i liked that it's not the clothes ripping fire we always see in fantasy nowadays, but a slow simmer that never really got the chance to boil over after the first time they kissed. (yes all they did was go to a winter festival, stduy together, hold hands and kiss once) my favourite part was when he got her a locket with a painting of her hometown inside for christmas.
spoilers here!!! i might have suspected henry was involved with the whole leshy murder and gathering of ingredients thing from around halfway through the book. for someone so shy and constantly being stepped over by others, he sure is vocal about his radical thoughts re the government/department/war when he speaks to aria. honestly his hate being what easily turned him to the children of london and their blood magick was devastating, especially when he's possessed??? please they gotta save him TT
"i think he was pointed at us like a rifle and fired." the chils i got.
starfall is book 1 in this series and i genuinely cannot wait for the future installments!!
4.5/5☆ rounded up!!
it's astounding that jamie cass is a debut author. his writing is lyrical and you can feel the passion put into it. rarely am i taken in by historical settings but this gaslamp fantasy captured my attention from the beginning and didn't let go. i loved how immersive this is, especially the setting of oxford (which i hope to visit someday!!) as well as that of the fantasy world mixed with real life historical events. personally i don't know the details of ww1 or the london fire but adding magick to it? i am intrigued!!!
the story follows our fmc aria as she arrives at oxford to study magick under professor ashcroft, following a tragic incident that unlocked her powers and chased her from home. i liked seeing how determined she is and actually seeing her learn magick from zero was entertaining and i couldn't help rooting for her. from her first unwilling kill to helping ashcroft hold back a raging fire and everything her journey is a satisfying one and promises much more.
the plot starting with her making a deal with lesser faerie scail to find her bags leading her to have to chase a murderer might not be the most original idea for a fantasy but i really enjoyed the execution of it. her working with professor ashcroft who is trying to teach her to control her magick, i really liked their working relationship. you can see they care for each other (and thank god it's not a romantic thing here) even amidst suspicion and betrayal of each other. their mentor/mentee relationship is straight out of the y2k dystopian era peak in the best way and i'm crossing all my fingers that both of them survive this series.
also, i gotta say, thank you jamie cass for not turning henry/aria/rian into a love triangle. i would have rioted. i liked aria, rian and livia's dyanmic as a friend group, rian being the carefree guy who's all smiles and livia as her academic rival who also enjoys her company. i'd hoped we got to see more of them because once the plot picked up, they barely hung out together (which is understandable).
i think henry dawson might have broke my heart. genuinely he was such a sweetheart in the beginning, asking aria out but so careful not to overstep with being too forward. it's a very tentative courting between them and i liked seeing the slowburn romance slowly unfold. i liked that it's not the clothes ripping fire we always see in fantasy nowadays, but a slow simmer that never really got the chance to boil over after the first time they kissed. (yes all they did was go to a winter festival, stduy together, hold hands and kiss once) my favourite part was when he got her a locket with a painting of her hometown inside for christmas.
spoilers here!!! i might have suspected henry was involved with the whole leshy murder and gathering of ingredients thing from around halfway through the book. for someone so shy and constantly being stepped over by others, he sure is vocal about his radical thoughts re the government/department/war when he speaks to aria. honestly his hate being what easily turned him to the children of london and their blood magick was devastating, especially when he's possessed??? please they gotta save him TT
"i think he was pointed at us like a rifle and fired." the chils i got.
starfall is book 1 in this series and i genuinely cannot wait for the future installments!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the advance copy.
I really wanted to like this book. Based on the description and the cover, I expected something more "dark academia" and less "YA urban fantasy wearing the aesthetics of dark academia".
The biggest craft weakness I noticed throughout was the pattern of "show and then also tell"; leaving no room for subtext, ending so many paragraphs with an, imo, redundant sentence repeating plainly what could've been already easily inferred. Or adjectives after "said", or multiple instances of "Aria said. And she meant it." All these felt to me like the story anxiously overexplaining, not trusting the reader.
For a debut novel, though, I would've ignored these issues.
Unfortunately, the two characters who frustrated me the most were the protagonist and the villain.
My frustration with Aria really just stems from the plot's need to make her lose all self-awareness to manufacture tension: lying and violating someone's privacy multiple times, then not only being indignant and angry when she learns that that person might have doubts about trusting her, but the story seems to invite us to feel for her in this. As opposed to acknowledging that she earned that distrust.
The villain... Their motivation seemed to change and shift from scene to scene. At first I thought the story might go for the "the villain's grievance against an unjust system makes too much sense, so the story discredits it by making them go too far and hurt civilians" trope. Then it seems like they might just be unhinged, their motivation pathologised. But the final reveal made me write the note: "I'm sorry, this is a cartoon".
The rest of the cast was okay, I didn't have strong feeling about them one way or the other.
Actually, I did like Scail a lot at first, but eventually she proved to be pretty one-note.
The premise is very imaginative and there is genuine, visible work put into crafting this alternate history fantasy world. I appreciated that the book didn't sweep under the rug the everpresent threat of the suffocatingly patriarchal/misogynistic society of the time.
Even though I was excited at the start, I think having the wrong expectations for what kind of story this would be soured me on the experience and made it a struggle to finish.
I really wanted to like this book. Based on the description and the cover, I expected something more "dark academia" and less "YA urban fantasy wearing the aesthetics of dark academia".
The biggest craft weakness I noticed throughout was the pattern of "show and then also tell"; leaving no room for subtext, ending so many paragraphs with an, imo, redundant sentence repeating plainly what could've been already easily inferred. Or adjectives after "said", or multiple instances of "Aria said. And she meant it." All these felt to me like the story anxiously overexplaining, not trusting the reader.
For a debut novel, though, I would've ignored these issues.
Unfortunately, the two characters who frustrated me the most were the protagonist and the villain.
My frustration with Aria really just stems from the plot's need to make her lose all self-awareness to manufacture tension: lying and violating someone's privacy multiple times, then not only being indignant and angry when she learns that that person might have doubts about trusting her, but the story seems to invite us to feel for her in this. As opposed to acknowledging that she earned that distrust.
The villain... Their motivation seemed to change and shift from scene to scene. At first I thought the story might go for the "the villain's grievance against an unjust system makes too much sense, so the story discredits it by making them go too far and hurt civilians" trope. Then it seems like they might just be unhinged, their motivation pathologised. But the final reveal made me write the note: "I'm sorry, this is a cartoon".
The rest of the cast was okay, I didn't have strong feeling about them one way or the other.
Actually, I did like Scail a lot at first, but eventually she proved to be pretty one-note.
The premise is very imaginative and there is genuine, visible work put into crafting this alternate history fantasy world. I appreciated that the book didn't sweep under the rug the everpresent threat of the suffocatingly patriarchal/misogynistic society of the time.
Even though I was excited at the start, I think having the wrong expectations for what kind of story this would be soured me on the experience and made it a struggle to finish.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I think it takes some genuine writing skill to be able to write female characters. Often times authors shoot to write a balanced [female] character, but land on either extreme; either they are overly brash and confident, or so meek, that they seem to cower from their own shadow. Jamie Cass, in my opinion, has already nailed this balanced approach with Aria Shaw, our main character in Starfall (especially for a debut book!). Neither did he make her infallible, nor imperfect, and each chapter we saw Aria change and learn through each of her experiences. I think she is a very well-written, and most importantly balanced character. And perhaps my favourite (admittedly minor) part of Aria is her willingness to reach out and create a community for herself.
I think this book had a very unique take on the “traumatic event awoke magic in you” trope, and though my initial thoughts were that the magic (or magick if you prefer) system was too complex, the explanations in the book were sufficient enough. I think the author expected the reader to fill in clues faster than context was actually given in the book, but I personally didn’t mind this. If anything, it gave an opportunity for the mystery to grow, and made it hard to guess what was going to happen, but consequently, sometimes big reveals went over my head and I had to figure out why the characters were reacting so strongly.
With that being said, the world and character building in this first book is marvellous, and I think Cass has left so much room to explore and expand, even for minor characters. It’s beautifully moody, and really hits that dark academia vibe. I think this book is an incredible start to the series, and cannot wait for the release of the next book.
"Still human. I still cry for the dead. Even if I’m to blame. Still human. Just about."
I think this book had a very unique take on the “traumatic event awoke magic in you” trope, and though my initial thoughts were that the magic (or magick if you prefer) system was too complex, the explanations in the book were sufficient enough. I think the author expected the reader to fill in clues faster than context was actually given in the book, but I personally didn’t mind this. If anything, it gave an opportunity for the mystery to grow, and made it hard to guess what was going to happen, but consequently, sometimes big reveals went over my head and I had to figure out why the characters were reacting so strongly.
With that being said, the world and character building in this first book is marvellous, and I think Cass has left so much room to explore and expand, even for minor characters. It’s beautifully moody, and really hits that dark academia vibe. I think this book is an incredible start to the series, and cannot wait for the release of the next book.
"Still human. I still cry for the dead. Even if I’m to blame. Still human. Just about."
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for granting my wish to read Starfall!
As an avid fantasy and dark academia reader, it felt so natural to reach for Starfall. Set in Oxford following the Napoleonic Wars, Starfall follows Aria Shaw as she, essentially, experiences continual trauma. Said trauma includes, but is not limited to, leaving home, losing close friends, being thrown into the complete unknown, academic pressure, and trust issues...
The atmosphere and world is incredibly vivid. Its clear that the author understands the setting -- makes sense, Jamie Cass is indeed a history teacher near Oxford! This, coupled with the more "traditional" take on fae, Seelie and Unseelie Courts, drew me in and had me looking for the tiny details that might show up later. Never strike a bargain you can't handle with a fae, right?
The middle portion of the book did feel a bit slower than I would have liked, but that did not take away from the overall reading experience. (Not every book needs to be high stakes all the time!) I'm curious to see what happens next, as Starfall is known to be the first book of a trilogy. To further contextualize the 3 stars -- for me this equals a good book, but not one I'm interested in rereading.
Overall, for those who truly enjoy fantasy, historical settings, and a protagonist with grit, I'd recommend picking this one up!
As an avid fantasy and dark academia reader, it felt so natural to reach for Starfall. Set in Oxford following the Napoleonic Wars, Starfall follows Aria Shaw as she, essentially, experiences continual trauma. Said trauma includes, but is not limited to, leaving home, losing close friends, being thrown into the complete unknown, academic pressure, and trust issues...
The atmosphere and world is incredibly vivid. Its clear that the author understands the setting -- makes sense, Jamie Cass is indeed a history teacher near Oxford! This, coupled with the more "traditional" take on fae, Seelie and Unseelie Courts, drew me in and had me looking for the tiny details that might show up later. Never strike a bargain you can't handle with a fae, right?
The middle portion of the book did feel a bit slower than I would have liked, but that did not take away from the overall reading experience. (Not every book needs to be high stakes all the time!) I'm curious to see what happens next, as Starfall is known to be the first book of a trilogy. To further contextualize the 3 stars -- for me this equals a good book, but not one I'm interested in rereading.
Overall, for those who truly enjoy fantasy, historical settings, and a protagonist with grit, I'd recommend picking this one up!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for providing me with a review copy of this text in exchange for an honest review.
Starfall is a Dark Academia novel set in Oxford in the year 1830. I'm not well versed with this genre but upon seeing both the cover art and reading the premise, I found myself intrigued and interested by it.
Firstly I love the main character Aria, she's headstrong and feisty and is absolutely a protagonist that we can rally behind. And her relationship with Scail is a really interesting one that develops as the story goes on.
One slight issue I found was that I found events to be slightly predictable and many characters went down the route I kind of suspected as I read. Also as a reader who has not read a lot of Dark Academia fiction in the past, I did find my interest lost at certain points in the novel - but this is not a negative to the story purely my style of reading!
Overall I found Starfall to be a very well crafted novel with a universe that could be developed in further books should it do so! I believe most people will find this book to be enjoyable and worth their while reading!
Many Thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape books again for providing me with a copy of this book to review and give honest opinions about.
Starfall is a Dark Academia novel set in Oxford in the year 1830. I'm not well versed with this genre but upon seeing both the cover art and reading the premise, I found myself intrigued and interested by it.
Firstly I love the main character Aria, she's headstrong and feisty and is absolutely a protagonist that we can rally behind. And her relationship with Scail is a really interesting one that develops as the story goes on.
One slight issue I found was that I found events to be slightly predictable and many characters went down the route I kind of suspected as I read. Also as a reader who has not read a lot of Dark Academia fiction in the past, I did find my interest lost at certain points in the novel - but this is not a negative to the story purely my style of reading!
Overall I found Starfall to be a very well crafted novel with a universe that could be developed in further books should it do so! I believe most people will find this book to be enjoyable and worth their while reading!
Many Thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape books again for providing me with a copy of this book to review and give honest opinions about.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Starfall is set in an alternative 1830's Oxford, where magic exists along side the familiar, including my beloved Bodleian - this Bod has a resident sphinx which I would be completely on board with.
Jamie creates a richly imagined world filled with humans, Fae and a host of magical creatures, including winged horses flying amongst the spires of the city.
Our heroine, Aria, is fleeing from a traumatic incident and hopes Oxford will give her a new start to begin her studies in the arcane. Her journey becomes more complicated as hidden factions and lingering secrets all intertwine in the shadow of a devastating war.
The lyrical writing brings Aria's Oxford to life, the magical systems are clearly explained making it easy to get completely immersed in the story.
Atmospheric fantasy, historic locations and engaging world building - what's not to love.
I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity read this as an advance copy, I also have my physical copy on preorder and am looking forward to reading it again in January.
Congratulations Jamie on a fantastic debut, I can't wait for the next installments.
Jamie creates a richly imagined world filled with humans, Fae and a host of magical creatures, including winged horses flying amongst the spires of the city.
Our heroine, Aria, is fleeing from a traumatic incident and hopes Oxford will give her a new start to begin her studies in the arcane. Her journey becomes more complicated as hidden factions and lingering secrets all intertwine in the shadow of a devastating war.
The lyrical writing brings Aria's Oxford to life, the magical systems are clearly explained making it easy to get completely immersed in the story.
Atmospheric fantasy, historic locations and engaging world building - what's not to love.
I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity read this as an advance copy, I also have my physical copy on preorder and am looking forward to reading it again in January.
Congratulations Jamie on a fantastic debut, I can't wait for the next installments.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a great start to a historical fantasy series!
My favourite thing about it was definitely the atmospheric Oxford setting. (So much so, I'm planning a cheeky get away to Oxford with my partner 😅) The author does an amazing job building an alternate war-torn Oxford, mixing great dark academia vibes with UK folklore/ fae.The whole world feels super well-researched. I found myself doing a bit of extended reading for myself because I was so interested in learning more.
It has more of a YA vibe than I had anticipated if I'm honest, but the execution is so much fun and in some ways I'm glad it wasn't my usual cup of tea in regards to dark academia!
The pacing starts out a bit slow to build up that rich atmosphere... but the plot really kicks into gear in the second half. The characters are complex and have great backstories.
Even though the big villain reveal at the end wasn't a total shock, the journey was totally worth it!
I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
My favourite thing about it was definitely the atmospheric Oxford setting. (So much so, I'm planning a cheeky get away to Oxford with my partner 😅) The author does an amazing job building an alternate war-torn Oxford, mixing great dark academia vibes with UK folklore/ fae.The whole world feels super well-researched. I found myself doing a bit of extended reading for myself because I was so interested in learning more.
It has more of a YA vibe than I had anticipated if I'm honest, but the execution is so much fun and in some ways I'm glad it wasn't my usual cup of tea in regards to dark academia!
The pacing starts out a bit slow to build up that rich atmosphere... but the plot really kicks into gear in the second half. The characters are complex and have great backstories.
Even though the big villain reveal at the end wasn't a total shock, the journey was totally worth it!
I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars. Aria is a student hoping to apprentice in magic to Professor Ashcroft in Oxford, after she has had to flee her family home. In the sky, hangs a red star which is an ominous omen and could fall at any moment. The world of Oxford is quick to embroil her not only in her studies, but a murder mystery involving the fae.
I really enjoyed a lot of this book. While the beginning and set up to the story is slow, Jamie Cass paints an image of an alternate Oxford that is shattered and recovering from a war and trying to rebuild Aria is a plucky character. She does suffer a bit from Mary Sue syndrome in that she is a special person who has these abilities others don't have. But I do think the author handles it well and she does have other flaws that balance it out.
The second half of the story really started to pick up and suddenly I couldn't put the book down! I Am really looking forward to the next book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC
I really enjoyed a lot of this book. While the beginning and set up to the story is slow, Jamie Cass paints an image of an alternate Oxford that is shattered and recovering from a war and trying to rebuild Aria is a plucky character. She does suffer a bit from Mary Sue syndrome in that she is a special person who has these abilities others don't have. But I do think the author handles it well and she does have other flaws that balance it out.
The second half of the story really started to pick up and suddenly I couldn't put the book down! I Am really looking forward to the next book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was phenomenal!
The world building was definitely my favourite part, it is such a cool and "believable" blend of history, fantasy and politic!
I also liked the characters, including the too head-strong protagonist, Aria. It is a character archetype that sometimes I found frustrating but I didn't mind her and it worked within the context of the story.
The overall plot is intriguing and kept me guessing.
Also, it is so refreshing to finally see a dark academia book where it is not just an aesthetic but there is really a realistic academy setting and people that actually study in it.
Overall it is a very strong debut novel and I am excited about what comes next.
I am very grateful to Netgalley, Hodder escape and the author Jamie Cass for providing me with an earc and the opportunity to read this in advance!
The world building was definitely my favourite part, it is such a cool and "believable" blend of history, fantasy and politic!
I also liked the characters, including the too head-strong protagonist, Aria. It is a character archetype that sometimes I found frustrating but I didn't mind her and it worked within the context of the story.
The overall plot is intriguing and kept me guessing.
Also, it is so refreshing to finally see a dark academia book where it is not just an aesthetic but there is really a realistic academy setting and people that actually study in it.
Overall it is a very strong debut novel and I am excited about what comes next.
I am very grateful to Netgalley, Hodder escape and the author Jamie Cass for providing me with an earc and the opportunity to read this in advance!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was so excited to be granted this book because I love British fantasy, and loved the idea of a new Oxford fantasy, but unfortunately Starfall was almost a DNF for me as I just didn’t get Aria. Many of her decisions didn’t make much sense to me, and her friendships and relationships were really bland. I’m not much older than Aria so I expected to hard relate to her but she seemed sooo young for her age.
I made myself keep going with the read because I didn’t want to fail to review, and started wondering if it’s a men writing women issue or something because the plot and world building and all that were fine. But I need to be swept along by 3-dimensional characters who makes me feel something and instead I just felt frustrated by her blandness, I’m sorry.
But thank you to the author and publisher for giving me this NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review.
I made myself keep going with the read because I didn’t want to fail to review, and started wondering if it’s a men writing women issue or something because the plot and world building and all that were fine. But I need to be swept along by 3-dimensional characters who makes me feel something and instead I just felt frustrated by her blandness, I’m sorry.
But thank you to the author and publisher for giving me this NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed Starfall! I think it's a really solid set up to a fantasy series-- I have so many questions still left but just enough answered that I'm content with how book one was wrapped up. I will admit it took me a little while to get into it from the start. Aside from the first chapter or two, the pacing did seem on the slower side with far more questions than answers as concerns the worldbuilding (I was also maybe expecting more fae... sooner), but it really did kick into gear in the second half. I also had a great time reading the more traditional approach to fae! I think Jamie Cass nailed the atmosphere. The writing of the setting and the foreshadowing were excellent and I could always get a really clear picture of each scene. I'm really looking forward to book two!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this arc!
I had a really fun time with this book. It has great dark academia vibes and I also enjoyed the fae and magic elements underpinning the story. Additionally, the characters in this book were complex and had interesting back stories. The pacing and plot were also well-done and the entire book being set in Oxford really added an additional layer of atmosphere. Highly recommend if you are looking for a page-turning fantasy novel.
I had a really fun time with this book. It has great dark academia vibes and I also enjoyed the fae and magic elements underpinning the story. Additionally, the characters in this book were complex and had interesting back stories. The pacing and plot were also well-done and the entire book being set in Oxford really added an additional layer of atmosphere. Highly recommend if you are looking for a page-turning fantasy novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a master piece of writing set in my favourite era this book book is so good the mix of the historical side and fantasy side is so well written I am so glad I got to read this thank you
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Jamie Cass’ debut, Starfall, is an atmospheric read featuring extensive world-building of both the magical and political varieties. It’s set in an Oxford which won’t be familiar to those who know the city of dreaming spires, as this is Oxford as a cesspit of a city. England’s capital, in fact, and suffering the ensuing political and environmental ramifications. It’s also full of all manner of magical creatures, including the fae. Though, much as this is not an Oxford we recognise, this is not the fae as we know them.
Starfall is billed as dark academia for adults. But (in what is becoming rather a recurring theme for this review) I’m not convinced that fans of this burgeoning sub-genre will find many of their beloved elements here. In fact, it repeatedly struck me while I was reading that the readers who would find the most appeal in this are teenagers. And curiously, particularly teenage boys, though the protagonist, Aria, is a young woman.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
Starfall is billed as dark academia for adults. But (in what is becoming rather a recurring theme for this review) I’m not convinced that fans of this burgeoning sub-genre will find many of their beloved elements here. In fact, it repeatedly struck me while I was reading that the readers who would find the most appeal in this are teenagers. And curiously, particularly teenage boys, though the protagonist, Aria, is a young woman.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
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