A Far Wilder MagicReview posted March 17, 2025.
Macmillan Young Listeners, 2022. 14 hours, 36 minutes.
Review written December 10, 2022, from a library eaudiobook.
Starred Review
A Far Wilder Magic is an atmospheric and amazing young adult fantasy novel about a world slightly removed from ours, but not all that different. It's not a medieval world, but a country from about a hundred years ago, where alchemy is the road to political accomplishments in the country of New Albion.
Margaret lives alone, cutting wood, doing chores, keeping their manor going while her mother is off on a quest for alchemical supplies. She's been gone months longer than usual, and Margaret's not sure if she's coming back. Then at night she sees the magical white fox, the hala, and knows the Hunt will be coming to her small town.
But first, a young man comes to her isolated manor. He's looking for an alchemical apprenticeship with her mother, and he won't take No for an answer. This is Wes's last chance to get a sponsor and make something of himself. He's not good at studying, but he does have a talent for alchemy, if someone will give him a chance. He's a hard person to turn away, however much Margaret doesn't like him.
And then Margaret realizes that Wes might be her only chance to enter the hunt, kill the hala, and win back her mother's attention. She is a crack shot, but she needs an alchemist. And Wes needs a chance with her mother, too. So they start an uneasy alliance.
But both Wes and Margaret are outsiders, not welcomed into this New Albion tradition. They first must compete to win their place in the top tier, and even that is fraught with danger.
And yes, we've got an enemies-to-lovers plot going on. But it's skillfully done, as we see deeply into the characters of both Wes and Margaret -- both their insecurities and their kind hearts. By the time they come together, we're completely on their sides. The spell is woven gently and believably, and it all builds to danger and difficult decisions at the time of the Hunt.
Fair warning is there are a couple of fairly intense sex scenes. The skillful building of the romance makes the intensity seem right for this book.
A marvelously woven novel about two teens figuring out what they want out of life and how to get there.