Reviews

The Magick of Master Lilly by Tobsha Learner

tericarol21's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

jmatkinson1's review

4.0

Master Lilly is an astrologer who also dabbles in the occult. In London in the 1640s the former is acceptable but the latter is a death warrant as both Royalists and Puritans seek out witchcraft. Lilly is a favoured astrologer whose dealings with prominent people on both sides mean that he has knowledge that could be valuable but also dangerous and Lilly is learning to balance both sides. However when he falls in love with a troubled noblewoman Lilly discovers that the predictions he reads in the stars can be more trouble than he wants to know.
It was not until I reached the end of this book and read the author's notes that I realised that William Lilly was actually a real-life character who had a certain degree of fame as an astrologer. So captivating was Learner's prose that I assumed the tale was of a fictional character. Of course the plot and detail are fictional but by marrying the fantastical and bedding it into a well-researched tale of the antecedents of the Civil War Learner has created something special.

pigsonice4's review

dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

thebooktrail88's review

4.0

Travel back to 1600s London

This was a unique read to say the least! Magic in the time of 1640s England? The role of the magick people, the astrologers in the court when outside the walls the Civil War was exploding? When those who practised magic were sent to hang...

It's a book to immerse yourself in for this is a world recreated from real sources and real historical facts. This excited me when I found out the main character William Lily really existed!

There is a LOT of research in this novel and it rarely gets in the way. However, some parts were tough going as the facts come thick and fast. Stay with it though as the story creaks and groans, sparkles with magic, gasps with the fight between science and religion and ooh the language! The language!

This is what I think might divide readers as it's mostly written in the language of the time. Almost sounds Shakespearian in that olde English way of conversing. I've done English at uni and love Shakespeare but it did slow down the reading somewhat. It wouldn't have been as effective in the modern tongue however but it could have been toned down somewhat I think.

Overall, this is a magical interlude in the stench of London, the pomp of the English court and the shadows of the scientific world and the religious one. There is a LOT to love discovering about the belief system of the time, of the way you could read the stars, the charts and try to both heal and change events. I found the whole story fascinating and almost wanted to go out and buy a telescope and some incense. It's all very immersive.

A tome of a read - but keep this on your wooden desk, close to your quill pen and paper for you shall be writing notes on the wonder of a world hidden in plain sight.

farahmendlesohn's review

3.0

Read for the magic which is fun, but not for the English Civil War history which is at best interestingly wrong headed.

nietzschesghost's review

5.0

'The Magick of Master Lilly' is a gripping and engrossing historical thriller about Master Astrologer and learned magician William Lilly. Given many people have hanged for practicing magic, Mr Lilly is taking quite a chance in continuing with his ways. This is a fictional account of England's most renowned astrologer based in the turbulent times of the English Civil War which took place in the seventeenth century. At its core, it is a novel about the injustice in terms of the treatment those suspected of being witches received at that time.

This is an impressive book which comes across as meticulously research by Learner, and boy can she write! Wow! Admittedly, it took a little while for me to get into the style of writing, but once I was over that hurdle there was absolutely no stopping me! By the time I reached the end I was incredibly sad as though I was saying farewell to a friend. Some historical fiction novels are a real struggle to get into and then to maintain interest can often be a chore rather than a pleasure. Not here! Since I finished I have pre-ordered a copy as an addition to my book shelf and have recommended it to all my bookish friends. I truly love it when a book touches you that much that you feel the need to gush about it everytime you open your mouth! The characters are beautifully drawn and very believable. Of course, Lilly is the star of the show, and I found him so, so intriguing as a person, but the other secondary characters are sufficiently developed too. There is even some humour and dry wit sprinkled among the prose, and I for one always appreciate a giggle when i'm reading. Learner is an author to watch for sure, and I look forward to enjoying her future work. Stunning!

Many thanks to Sphere for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.