A Scheme of Sorcery

by Ennis Rook Bashe

Palace squire Edwynne Dovecote has discovered her life is a lie. She wasn’t born into the nobility- she’s a daughter of the North, an inhospitable country where people worship a mysterious goddess. Even if it puts her at odds with her adopted family, she’s determined to explore her heritage, as long as no one finds out who she truly is.

But Sariva al-Beroth, an ambitious Northern girl who’s started working for the queen, is sick of rude outsiders gawking at her culture. She refuses to be in the same room as Edwynne, let alone share ancestral secrets.

Then the queen falls under a curse, and only Sariva and Edwynne can rescue her. To save their country, they’ll have to survive a ruined underground castle infested with ghosts, a fascist uprising prepared to sway public opinion with mind-control magic… and each other.

Genres: Fantasy, Lesbian, LGBT, Romance

ebook

Published August 16, 2021

Reviews

[AnnMaree Of Oz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This didn't quite work for me. There was a lack of depth, and also a lack of world building and character building. The romance never felt true, to me, and it simply fizzled lamely throughout, with that antagonistic thread. I couldn't believe in them as a couple.

I loved the premise, and especially loved the correlation between our MC's faith and ethnicity of being a "Northerner" to be an analogy for Jewish culture, and the antisemitism that exists. The micro-aggressions (or even flat out racism and overt aggression) that the character of Sariva experiences highlights a lot of important issues that are relevant today, which I appreciated the story tackling. However, sometimes it felt clunky.

The characters and this world that had me a little confused, and lost at times. I just wanted more there, to understand them better. I didn't feel fully invested in the 'quest' and the villainy afoot was quite cliche.

The ending also ended up being very half-hearted, and a little disappointing/anti-climatic.

So not one I would really recommend. Glad I got it on sale at NineStarPress.

[Elpis G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Scheme of Sorcery follows a squire named Edwynne who discovers she’s adopted and wants to learn more about the northern kingdom where she’s from. Sariva; a lady in waiting to the Queen who was originally from the north. Edwynne and

Sariva have been at odds for a while but after the Queen falls under a mysterious spell, Edwynne and Sariva are forced to work together to save her.

I thought this was a solid read but I did find it to be a bit confusing at times to follow. It was hard to keep track of all the characters names and their relationships with each other. Edwynne and Sariva were interesting characters to learn about and I liked how their relationship developed and the similarities they had along with their differences. I also liked learning more about magic and the culture of the kingdom.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick fun read. Both heroines are young, in their teens. Sariva has come to court to find a bride while Edwynne is a squire following her older brother’s footsteps. Because she’s female, Edwynne has to work twice as hard as the male squires, and evidently there is some resentment of her skills. They both serve the queen, but things are somewhat amiss in the queendom. The two girls start off on the wrong foot, but eventually they need to work together on a matter involving the current state of affairs.

The society is gradually revealed as the story progresses. There’s an interesting twist on political activism, but queer, or at least lesbian, relationships are unremarkable and just normal. Because of that, it was odd that there was still prejudice against Edwynne being a squire training to be a knight in the Queensguard, and the only girl who has done so. They have a queen. Women serve as advisors. But then there is also a division of ladies in waiting and male knights. If you look past that dichotomy, it’s still an entertaining book, with magic and ghosts and other things like that.

I enjoyed how the novel moved from the girls disliking one another to accepting each other as they were thrust together. Like everything else, we learned more about the girls and their feelings as they did. The facets of the world are also revealed and developed as the story moves along. I wouldn’t mind revisiting this world.

As is often the case, I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars, lower for the social divisions that seem inconsistent and higher for the adventure and unfolding story, so I'm rounding up.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

2.75 stars

This book features two female characters from very different backgrounds and an alternate fantasy version of our own world set roughly in the Middle East, where magic exists and same gender marriages are seen as normal. It’s interesting to see a character like Sariva, who favors embroidery as a stress release, likes to shop and plan parties, and is actively looking for a marriage, even if it is a marriage of convenience. Sariva is also deeply religious, attending ceremonies, following her Goddesses doctrines, and finding strength in her very religious and tight-knit community. She is not someone who fights the current in an effort to change the world; she would much rather — knowing her limitations and the risks involved with such an approach — go along with the stream, seeing herself as the water that wears away the stone.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely worth the read!

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ennis Rook Bashe is my former student. I should study writing with him.