Title: Highfell
Grimoires
Author: Langley Hyde
Information on
series: Not part of a series
Audience: Adult
Rating (scale of
1-10): 5 - I wasted too much time trying
to pick between 2 and 3 on a 5 point scale
TL;DR: In a
steampunk-fantasy world of flying ships and ancient spells, a young man
discovers his place in the world (and quite a bit of romance too).
Longer review:
When his parents die deep in debt,
Cornelius ‘Neil’ Franklin and his sister Nora find themselves cast upon their
uncle’s generosity. For Nora it means an
introduction to society as a prelude to being married off; for Neil it means a
menial job teaching other orphans at Highfell Hall, a charity school owned by
his uncle. Raised to assume a position
in the highest strata of society, and recently graduated from the finest of
boarding schools, Neil keenly feels his loss in station but begins the book
resolved to make a go of his new life.
The world of Highfell Grimoires is entirely fictional, taking place in an
invented country, but is functionally Dickensian. Imagining Victorian London as a starting
point makes the author’s lack of world-building (for a fantasy novel) easier to
handle. Layered on top of this familiar
world is a veneer of steampunk and fantasy elements. Emanating from various spots in Hyde’s world
is the magical aether, a substance
that can be harnessed to power spells or machines. Familiar steam-punk contraptions are powered
here not by steam or clock-work, but by spell-infused engines which harness the
power of the aether.
While lacking a bit in depth, the world
of Highfell Grimoires does have two
very interesting aspects. The aether, with help from enchanted
turbines, keeps gigantic ships floating in the skies. These aetheria
(the plural of aetherium) add a very
literal, vertical stratification to the socially stratified society. I thought it was a nice touch that the
richest estates and best schools occupy grounds that aren’t just socially out
of reach of the lower classes - they literally float high above the poorer
sections of town.
The grimoires
of the novel’s title are the second unique element Hyde brings to her
world. Each family keeps a book of
spells passed down through the generations and sealed by a bloodlock, which only opens with a drop of blood from a family
member. Spells are written in metallic
ink over pages embedded with wire. When
traced by a finger in the presence of the aether,
a spell is cast. Neil’s interest in
spell-casting is largely academic. He
enjoys learning the ancient languages they’re written in more than actually
performing magic, and unfortunately only two spells are actually cast during
the entire novel. The author really
misses an opportunity to exploit her inventiveness in creating a cool system of
magic.
Highfell is a lower aetherium, and though Neil tries to keep his expectations low, he
doesn’t think nearly low enough. His
students are unusually smart, but are kept underfed and live in
near-squalor. He shares a dingy room
with Leofa, a gruff and well-muscled man that identifies himself as the
gardener (though there is no garden).
The school’s care-takers, the Nobbsnipe family, though they are clothed
in the vestments and manners of the upper-classes, are immediately recognizable
as one-note villains (to the reader, but not Neil, who is frustratingly slow to
catch on to too many things throughout the novel).
As Neil begins to piece together some of
the mysteries of Highfell Hall, he also begins to notice just how handsome he
finds his roommate Leofa. In fact,
readers interested primarily in romance will find much to like in Highfell Grimoires despite its
shortcomings elsewhere. Neil, though
naïve, is intelligent, pure of heart and endearingly dorky, while Leofa begins
gruff and mysterious, and only later reveals unexpected vulnerability. Both of these characters, and their
relationship, evolve convincingly and satisfyingly through the novel.
The plot moves quickly, but
predictably. Neil usually takes an extra
chapter or two to catch onto things that the reader has already guessed. The novel’s resolution is exceptionally
clean. Everything is tied up too neatly,
and every character, good and bad, seems to get exactly what they deserve. This makes the novel feel as if was written
for a younger audience, even though Neil and Leofa’s relationship culminates in
scenes too graphic for most YA readers.
Hyde’s writing is concise but descriptive. She proves especially adept at describing
Neil’s thoughts, and the conflict between his feelings for Leofa and his
upbringing in a society that deplores homosexual relationships. Unfortunately, Hyde’s editor did her no
favors. Sentences with obviously missing
words are commonplace enough to be detrimental to the reading experience.
I chose to read Highfell Grimoires after seeing it listed as a starred review in
the fantasy section of Publisher’s Weekly.
Perhaps these expectations made me rate the book lower than I should
have. Highfell Grimoires might not be an especially good fantasy novel,
but it really functions well as a sort of new adult romance in a
fantasy/steampunk setting.
Read alikes:
Boneshaker (and the rest
of the Clockwork Century books) by Cherie Priest: Readers who enjoyed Neal and Leofa as
characters will like Priest’s main characters.
They tend to be interesting, multifaceted and non-traditional types cast
as heroes. Boneshaker’s Briar, a middle-aged widow and single mother with a
checkered past, is a good example. The
series takes place against the backdrop of the American Civil War in a
steampunk universe that has none of Highfell
Grimoires’ magic, but does add zombies.
Leviathan
(and the rest of the Leviathan trilogy) by Scott Westerfeld: This young adult series throws together two
very different teens on the verge of the First World War. Westerfeld’s steampunk world is amazingly
deep and original. Fans of Highfell Grimoires may enjoy that much
of the action takes place on an airship, and will certainly enjoy the romance
(albeit a heterosexual, chaste one) that develops between the main characters.
Other Blind Eye Books: Blind Eye Books, publisher of Highfell Grimoires, apparently
specializes in sci-fi and fantasy titles featuring gay and lesbian
characters. While I haven’t read any, it
seems likely that there are other titles in their catalog that will appeal to
fans of Highfell Grimoires.
Dungeons & Dragons by John Rogers - This comics series, published by IDW starting in 2010, matches Rat Queens’ sense of fun and adventure, but dials back the adult themes. As you might expect from an official tie-in to a large media property, these comics are very well made but ultimately play it a little safe. Start with volume 1, Shadowplague.
Skullkickers by Jim Zub - An unlikely pair of adventurers seek gold and glory while facing down ever-more strange and deadly foes. Skullkickers matches the weird humor of Rat Queens but loses the emotional core.
Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set by Wizards of the Coast - Not a book so much as a box that contains several booklets, some loose sheets, and an assortment of dice. If you’re this far into fantasy about parties of heroic adventurers, maybe you should just take the plunge and give D&D a try. One of the best things about Rat Queens is the bond of friendship between the four leads. D&D is all about cooperating with your friends to tell grand stories and defeat hideous villains.
