Winter's Dawn

Flos Magicae #1.5

by Arden Powell

Thomas Brighton, a professor of theoretical magic, has been accused of treason. Imprisoned in the bleak Blackwood Gaol as he awaits his trial, he is cut off from his magic and his studies: a fate worse than death for the scholar who has devoted his life to academia. His only company is Winter, the mysterious prisoner in the neighbouring cell. As Thomas' trial drags nearer, their whispered conversations are the only thing keeping him from giving in to boredom and despair.

Winter is a radical, a murderer, and a traitor to the crown. Everything Thomas fears and looks down on. But as Blackwood continues to crush his spirit and his magic, Winter might be his only ally. And Thomas might be Winter's only chance of escape. Because if Blackwood and its guards don't kill them both, the hangman's noose surely will.

Winter's Dawn is a 24,000-word fantasy novella with a male lead and a nonbinary love interest. It is part of the Flos Magicae series, set in an alternate 1920s universe with magic. All the stories are standalone historical fantasy romances and can be read in any order.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Queer, Historical, LGBT, Magic, Novella

87 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 24, 2022

About the author

Arden Powell (they/them) is a Canadian author and illustrator with stories in Lightspeed Magazine, Baffling Magazine, and Haunt Publishing, and whose books include The Faerie Hounds of York, The Bayou, the Flos Magicae series, and their short story collection, The Carnelian King and Other Stories. A nebulous entity, they live with a senior rescue hound and an exorbitant number of houseplants, and enjoy the company of both.

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Reviews

[Felicia Davin]

Thomas Brighton is a professor who ends up wrongly imprisoned in a magical prison that his research helped design. In the confinement of his cell, he discovers that the adjacent cell is occupied by a mysterious Irish revolutionary named Winter. There is a Count of Monte Cristo-style secret tunnel between their cells, and speaking to each other is the only relief from the misery. This novella is such a ticking bomb of tension, and the explosion is dazzling.

[Kara Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greatly enjoyed this one. I love the contrast of Winter's crimes (active violence) against Thomas's (passive violence) and how the weight is given to both. I don't want to give too much away, but the contrasts are truly what made this work so beautiful. This one is definitely darker than the other two books in the series thus far, but hope blooms anew in such a desolate story.

[A.E. Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second work I've read by Powell and it was just as lovely as the first one. Powell is an extraordinarily talented writer. My heart immediately broke for Thomas Brighton, a professor of magic accused of treason. While he awaits sentencing in a cold jail cell, he befriends the inmate next door, Winter. As doom descends around Brighton, he finds solace in conversations with radical Winter. The bond these two develop is intense and powerful. A perfect read that will warm your heart on a cold night.

[Victoria (Eve's Alexandria) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favourite of the Flos Magicae series from a romance perspective, because I didn’t feel the characters had enough sustained contact to get to know each other and connect in such a short space of time. But the world building was fascinating, and the setting beautifully written, though dark and brutal - the prison that’s at the heart of the story is deeply atmospheric. It shows Arden Powell’s range too, from the fluffy pining of The Bachelor’s Valet to this song of rage, revolution and revenge.

[Mariella Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unlike the other stories, this one focused mainly on magical theory and equations. There was less banter and more philosophical discussion. And the rat was my favorite character. 😂

This is probably not my favorite of anything I’ve read in the series before, but it’s not badly done. Just less topically interesting to me. And much harsher than the rest. However, it touched more on the idea of wild magic so I’m interested to see where that goes.

[Rozarka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up because I wanted something short and I liked previous works set in this world. This story was quite different, no lightheartedness, no fun. But that much was evident from the summary alone. It wasn't as depressing and bleak as I feared though and I quite liked the main character, with his hyperfocused mind and obliviousness to the world around him; and what imprisonment changed about that.

[Verdelite · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise and I'm always happy to see some NB MCs. Unfortunately, there was imo zero synergy of any kind between the two leads.

[Ru · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*
I really enjoyed this novella, with its mixture of thoughtfulness, justifiable rage, political discussion and kindness, all wrapped in a magical bundle!

I especially enjoyed the discussions about types of magic, about the beauty of the magic as a theory versus the beauty of it as an intrinsic wild force, and how colonial power structures affect this.

This is definitely a heavier book than the others in this magical verse, although less so than some of Arden Powell's other books like The Bayou for example. But it keeps a gentleness about itself, and a kind of internal morality which gave it a more positive feel. Romance did feel like a secondary concern compared to the politics, although it was still present and there was still the HFN ending. I would really like to read a sequel too!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeously written (as always, with Arden Powell!) and much, much darker than their last few novellas, this story is set inside a magic-repressing prison as the same theoretical magician who helped create that prison suddenly finds himself trapped within it after being framed for treason. "Treason," in this case, refers to the act of questioning how much magic every citizen of the British Empire should legally be allowed. Although the hero has never actually questioned that before in his previously comfortable life, his time in prison - and the enigmatic prisoner in the next cell over - leads to all sorts of new, dangerous questions about empire, power, magic and the value of a human life - including the life he's led so far.

This novella is dark and full of morally murky questions and grey areas, with an ending that opens up all sorts of new ones - and I found it all incredibly compelling to read. Also, I just admire Powell's versatility as a writer so much! I can't wait to read whatever they write next.

[Erinn Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delicious queer fantasy morsel procured by Powell.

I was intrigued by the premise of this novelette when it was first introduced, and needless to say, I wasn't disappointed...although once again, Powell has managed to make me thirst for more.

Something I realized halfway through this book: what I love in particular about Powell's works is that they have a wonderful talent for satisfying niche appetites. Sometimes you have a midnight craving for a particular snack. That's what Powell's stories are to me: an indulgent midnight snack.

I would love to see these two characters again, though! Wink wink, nudge nudge...

[Tabitha O’Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this character-focused novella. Characters bonding through shared hardship always gets me, and Thomas's arc was very well done; his experiences during the story cause significant but believable growth, and the shift in his opinion about Winter was nice to watch too. The finale was delightfully dramatic and satisfying, and there's a rat friend!! What more could one ask for. :D

(Spoilers regarding the latter point: rat is killed BUT is subsequently resurrected and is fine <3)

[Amy K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, particularly for the ways in which the characters use and talk about magic, and I’d love a sequel that takes Thomas and Winter to Ireland and beyond.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept, but the romance is really quite muted and rushed here, to the point of feeling shoehorned in just so this could be considered one. I think it may have worked better as a novel.

[Meg]

my first no from AP. everybody gotta have one ig

[the.argumentative.bong · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐ (rounded off)

[Brittanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like Powell's writing - they do a great job setting up a scene and even the characters were interesting and developed in such a short amount of writing - but this was almost too short to really feel complete. The characters' relationship was mostly based off of assumptions and preconceived bias and the sex scene was out of place. Interesting concept, poor execution.

[Shawna (endemictoearth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor of magic is sent to the prison he helped build and meets a gender non-conforming inmate in the adjoining cell. Short, but I think it was effective at the message of 'why do you believe what you believe, we could literally be anything and are more powerful that we know' - Great one for the Trans Rights Readathon, which I'm participating in this year.

Looking forward to the next book in the series, too!

[Kirstine Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas and Winter set each other free.

[Rowena Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Winter’s Dawn is the first work by Powell that I’ve read, and while it left me with somewhat mixed feelings in the end it won’t be the last.

Firstly, I have to say that I loved the setting and the worldbuilding. Powell does an absolutely stunning job of capturing the sheer bleakness of the prison, the cold, the loneliness, the looming presence of the prison walls, and their magic-repressing abilities were remarkably visceral. The atmosphere almost took on a life of its own in this novella and was utterly enthralling, even as it left you almost feeling chilled to your core. That feeling in turn feeds into some of the main themes of isolation and loneliness, the writing is so emotive, and the setting so evocative, that it was impossible not to feel for those living within the present; and it was easy to see how their minds could wander, and they could question everything to try and keep that isolation and bleakness at bay. And how, devoid of distraction, the characters – especially Thomas – could turn to introspection, and be confronted by those aspects of their life that were revealed when everything was stripped away.

In many ways, Thomas was the perfect gateway to this insular world of the prison. Wrongfully imprisoned, but also not innocent – he was ill-equipped for life within those walls and the impact of isolation, and this story was a journey of undoing to finding himself. I found the theoretical magic aspect and Thomas’ life at the university, to be the weakest aspect of his character (and the driest part of the book) – although I think part of that was just because I would have liked to see more development of that aspect, it was a fascinating idea for a magical system and society shaped around it, and I think in a longer book it would have been a stronger aspect. As it was, it intrigued me but left me wanting more than wasn’t forthcoming.

Winter was a different matter and left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, they were a compelling character and a fantastic counterpart to Thomas. Wild magic was theoretical magic. Chaos to the ordered life Thomas had lived. Violent and radical, in comparison to Thomas’ crimes. There was certainly something that made me want to read more about them, and I am always happy to encounter well-written non-binary characters, but there was so much about them that I wanted to know more about. The element of mystery worked to an extent, but I guess I found myself just wanting more.

The romantic aspect was the one that worked the least for me. Not so much because there wasn’t any chemistry between Winter or Thomas, or grounds for them to seek companionship with one another. Given the situation, the looming threat of death, the bleakness of their surroundings and the weight of isolation and loneliness, it feels natural that they would reach out to the one person they could communicate with regularly. And, I did like that there were cautious steps to begin with, and differences of opinion. But, it felt like there was too much weight put on the relationship by the end for the time that had passed, and I wasn’t sold on it having reached that stage – I could see it being a work in progress, and I liked the aspect of exploring the human need for connection that is woven throughout, but it felt more like a friendship that was masquerading as something more. And this in turn weakened the ending for me, as I found myself looking for something more than the relationship between the two of them.

So, yeah mixed feelings. On the one hand, the setting and the atmosphere were fantastic, and I really enjoyed Powell’s prose. But, the characters and the romance just left me wanting something more. Still, this was an enjoyable read, and an excellent exploration of loneliness and seeking human connection and introspection.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

just extraordinary story

Rating: 5🌈

What an extraordinary story. It takes place in an alternate England, where magic and its users are to be strictly regimented, constrained by laws and prevailing ruling opinion. Anything or anyone with opposing viewpoints or uses of magic are quickly apprehended, accused of treason, and sent off to the impenetrable Blackwood Gaol to “await “ trail.

Magical, depressing Blackwood Gaol, who’s dampener’s prevent any of its prisoners from using their magic. Runes inscribed onto manacles, or embedded into the very walls themselves, seem to crush the very essence of magic within those jailed there.

We start with the journey of Dr. Thomas Brighton, imprisoned,accused of using dangerous magic . He’s a professor of theological magic but now he’s being thrown into a single dark cell in Blackwood. In an instant he’s gone from esteemed introverted college professor to someone who has lost everything.

It becomes a intimate portrait of a man in isolation, learning what it means to be deprived of nutrition, stimulation, references of times. We see it lead to bouts of depression, poor health as the cold and non existent meals tear at his physical condition, especially the loss of the magic that’s always been such a essential part of him. It’s raw, gritty, and real.

The person in the cell next to him? Winter, convicted of treason and murder. First a disembodied voice , then a hand, through a tunnel.

The relationship these two people build is at first tenuous. Especially when Thomas finds out that Winter is unapologetic about their murder sentence.

But isolation has let Thomas have more time to think about all those preconceived notion’s he’s held , about magic, and non-binary Winter is about to have a few more revelations to come.

The story builds , towards a February execution date for Winter and a increasingly questionable trial date for Thomas, as they talk, learn about each other’s magic and history.

I thought this was just a masterpiece of speculative fiction. The universe is created, the people clearly seen in those cells, for all the walls around them, and the HFN ending just amazing.

There’s two previous stories I haven’t read . I will get to those asap.

Meanwhile, put Winter’s Dawn (Flos Magicae #3) by Arden Powell on your Must Read List. It’s incredible.

I’m highly recommending it.

Flos Magicae:
The Botanist’s Apprentice #1
The Batchelor’s Valet #2
Winter’s Dawn #3

[Murphy Wyrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this point, we all know how uncomfortable isolation can be. We have all had perhaps too many chances to feel just how being left alone with your thoughts can make you re-examine what you thought you knew, what you thought mattered most.

In these, Thomas' experiences are relatable. "Winter's Dawn" begins with the bookish professor being dragged into Blackwood Gaol, a prison built to suppress magic. Even in these troublesome circumstances, Thomas is more fascinated by how it all works than he is by his own circumstances. As he is left to his own thoughts, he finds himself thinking more and more about things he had taken for granted; the system which found him in jail in the first place, his sidestepping of moral obligations as he assures himself that his interests are purely academic- no matter what others may do with them- and how he might judge and relate to others.

Readers of Arden Powell will know that their books can range from happy sunshine-filled hugs to dark and menacing things that will haunt a reader for days. This falls closer to the second and left me wondering until the last moment what the fate of our main characters would be, though it is done in a slow, quiet way befitting of the isolation it portrays.

Winter, the non-binary love interest, was especially well written- something I appreciated as a non-binary reader. The text never indicated their assigned gender at birth, and while they may be a morally grey character, that facet of their personality was not tied into their gender as so many other writers have tried to do. It is simply a fact, a part of them no more or less important than the color of their hair or eyes.

I suggest you read this if you want your heart to be slowly torn open and examined before being roughly patched together again.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[mace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of this novella takes place within a single prison cell while the main character is in isolation, which I was somewhat skeptical about. It ended up working well for me, though. Professor Thomas Brighton has been locked up because some of his research into magic and its properties has been deemed too radical. He meets Winter, the person occupying the cell beside his, and strikes up a conversation and a tentative companionship, all the while Thomas is waiting for his impending trial.

I really liked the way Winter gradually challenged and deconstructed Thomas’s worldview. They’re an Irish anti-monarchist who may have killed a few politicians and leaves Thomas questioning everything he has ever known. What they said about gender and the way it stops mattering for many people when they’re in isolation without having to consider the gazes of other people observing them really resonated with me. Winter and Thomas’s relationship does not have a lot of on-page development, but I enjoyed what was present and the promise of their future together.

If you like shorter works with unique magic, queer romance, and atypical settings that both implicitly and explicitly question systems like academia, monarchy, and the justice system, this is a good novella to pick up.

Content Warnings: animal death, brief suicidal ideation, malnourishment, intrusive thoughts, themes of severe isolation and loneliness, mentions of murder

Please note that I received a free eARC from the author in exchange for a review. This has not influenced my opinion in any way.

[Rishika Aggarwal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like Arden Powell's other Flos Magicae books, this is a lovely, quick queer read that's the perfect length to serve between longer books.

This might be the most character focused of the series so far, and I enjoyed the exploration of Thomas's character in the solitude of Blackwood Gaol, and the discovery of Winter through his eyes. This is also the bleakest of the series so far, and I enjoyed the shift from light and fluffy to something slightly darker and more concerned about the worldbuilding of the series.

I also enjoyed the inclusion of the little rat friend in this story! It was cute and cute animal friends are always welcome!

That said, this did feel like part 1 of a 2 part series of its own. I'd love to see the end explored further, and an exploration of Thomas and Winter in Ireland as they get to know each other more. As it stands, the book felt a little unfinished, which is why I've rated it what I have.

As a final note, I enjoyed the exploration of Winter being NB through Thomas's eyes. One thing I appreciate about Arden Powell's books is that there's never any worry about the characters being rejected, and even though Thomas may not quite have understood Winter's identity, he was never queerphobic towards them. I appreciate the writing a lot in these situations, and it's part of the reason that I keep coming back to these books (that and the delightful romances that they write). I can't wait to get to the next one in the series!

3.5/5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Parts of this story feel fiercely pointed, others are gentle and almost sweet. If I'm honest, there's more that's pointed than gentle here, and that's clearly by design. The imaginary England defined by it's carefully regimented, rigidly policed magic (best embodied by the prison whose very structure dampens and contains all within it) is both fantastical and familiar-- it's exotic, but it's recognizably allegorical, at least in part. Thomas, who falls victim to the system he once relied on, has his life changed by a person named Winter, whose wild magic and wild ideas about freedom and agency are anathema to his understanding of the world, as well as the only possible antidote, just maybe, to his current suffering. (While we're on the subject of allegory, I'll just note that the Winter, as a name, is a world of symbolism in and of itself). There's a lot to think about here-- about what freedom is, where it comes from, how much thought structures reality and possibility, and the power that comes from making connections with others. I'll be thinking about this story for a while, and I'd definitely recommend it as a rewarding read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kassu · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars.

This was a very different book from the first two, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a bleaker one, focusing more on the world and magic than romance. It's incredibly interesting and I'd really like a sequel of this couple, both to see their actual romance (hopefully) blossom and to see what they will do to the world. But I don't feel this story itself unfinished at all, though it could also exist as the first part of a clearly longer book.

Both main characters are intriguing and flawed, Thomas with his scientific mind and Winter with his wildness, and they complement each other. Both have kindness in them, but definitely also ruthlessness.

Expecting a fluffy MM romance might result in a disappointment as this is barely a romance and not MM either, as Winter is nonbinary. I didn't mind not meeting my slightly skewed expectations, but I was otherwise distracted with life, and read the story in smaller parts with several interruptions. As the book is a claustrophobic tale happening in a (very non-)magic bubble, I wonder if the interruptions killed too much of the atmosphere. I'm quite sure I'll do a Flos Magicae re-read at some point and then I'll try to read this again in one sitting, might end up giving it a higher score.

[Jen]

This was engaging and atmospheric and I enjoyed it as a unique short story about magic with a bit of a mystery unfurling throughout. The characters were interesting and despite the short length, I felt emotionally invested.

The romance didn’t work as well for me here. I love the idea of two lonely MCs seeking out companionship and slowly learning about one another. And their very different pasts made for a really interesting contrast. But I never really felt a strong spark or connection between them or felt that they knew one another all that well. We are told they talk often, but we only see a few interactions. And while they definitely needed one another and relied on one another, I didn’t feel that lasting connection between them. Love and even strong fondness just didn’t seem present for me. It felt more like friendship, which I’m fine with, but as a romance it was just missing something for me. I did love Winter’s character very much, I just wish I’d felt more of a spark and growing fondness between the MCs.

[Amy (I'd Rather Be Sleeping) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually wound up liking this book to a surprising degree, actually. I do wish that this series would settle down and I could actually know what I was getting into - at least vibe wise - because so far, all three books have been so vastly, vastly different in terms of content and themes.

Anyway, we started off on very shaky footing, but I would up liking both Thomas and Winter - Winter possibly more, and I wonder if that is just because I prefer their character that much or if it's because we don't get to spend any time in their head.

I am also very, very curious as to how the pair of them will influence the wider world of Flos Magicae - because for the first time, this book feels like it's the start of a plot and I will be very disappointed if it's not, if nothing comes of this story and Thomas and Winter are never mentioned again.

(There's a not so small part of me that wonder if they are being set up as the main villains of the series.)

[Sakuko · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this a lot weaker than the other two parts of this series. It did not read as a romance to me at all. The characters interact way too little on page for it to be one, and in the end it does not feel like a match driven by actual feelings, more like companionship in a harsh situation.
Even the world building was somewhat lackluster in this one. We're just restricted to this one place and Thomas really does not think about very interesting things, that expand the world. Theoretical magic and university, which sounds pretty much like any none-magical university, that's about it. The wild magic would be interesting, where it actually explained in any way. Winter is sadly pretty bad at putting it into words, and in the end I just... did not understand what was going on at all. I'm not sure if it was my tired brain or the somewhat enigmatic writing, but I was just lost.

[WillBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great installment in this magical world! It's aptly timed in that part of the story explores themes of isolation and loneliness, like we as a world have been experiencing with the pandemic, though in the story it's through the imprisonment of our main character Thomas while he awaits trial.

I really liked the exploration of the humanity of prisonners, of people who are seen as disposable.

While the story may seem bleak at first as we face Thomas' imprisonment with him, I think it's ultimately an uplifting story. And I loved the character of Winter, our non-binary rep!

*I was provided an ARC by Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book doesn’t really fit into any category as it’s so different. Not in a bad way. I was sucked into this story right from the opening line. I’m trying hard not to give much away but it’s difficult to say much about the story without saying too much. Read the blurb and if it sounds like something you might like then I highly recommend it. Fascinating is the main word that I would use. Arden Powell says that they usually write one off books but I would love to read a sequel to find out more about what happens to these characters. Enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.