CASTERS AND CROWNS

Crown Princess Aria has mentally tallied every mistake she’s made since she was 8, but one moment of misguided optimism sees her trapped by the greatest mistake of her life.

The execution of Charles Morton, heir to his family’s estate, drags the kingdom to the brink of war. Eighteen-year-old Aria, against her father’s orders, tries to broker peace with the grieving Dowager Countess Morton, who stands for the maligned magic-wielding Casters, but her negotiations fail, with terrible consequences. Charles’ mother places a curse that will kill off the king’s line one by one over the course of 100 days. Meanwhile, newly orphaned Guillaume Reeves faces troubles of his own. As a Caster, he’s stripped of the title of baron, crushing his hopes of having a voice in the kingdom. When circumstances bring Aria and Guillaume together, what starts off as an exercise in mutual benefit (and distrust) steadily blossoms into something deeper—something that might mend the break between Casters and crown for good…assuming they don’t run out of time. Though the worldbuilding is somewhat shallow, the intricate plot unfurls steadily, allowing for deep character development. Lowham gives familial relationships as much weight as the slow-burn romance, which feels wonderfully believable. Heavy themes—the overcoming of internal and external trauma, the difficulties of effecting change against generations of prejudice—are handled sensitively and are served well by the rich prose. Most characters present white.

A leisurely paced fantasy with refreshing emotional depth.