Kate and Cecelia must write each other as Kate has gone to London to make her debut, while Cecelia remains at home in the country. It is not long before Kate has found herself in the midst of a dangerous magical feud and she must apply to her cousin for advice. Meanwhile, Cecelia has made a charming new friend and is increasingly curious about a male neighbor who seems to be keeping tabs on her friend, but not with romantic intentions. As Kate becomes more embroiled in schemes, Cecelia soon finds that her own situation is far more exciting than it seemed. As the two girls begin to fall in love, they also find themselves getting closer to danger.
Imagine a regency romance, plenty innocent for teen or pre-teen consumption, but with modern enough language that it is completely accessible. Infuse it with magic and a bit of intrigue, and you have Sorcery and Cecelia. Written in the form of letters between two cousins, Kate and Cecelia, both of whom are smarter than they are pretty, this book was utterly charming. I would happily recommend it to tweens and teens who like magic or historical fiction.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – Girls have admirers. There’s a mention that barren women who want children might use charms (the magical kind) to try to achieve their goals. A girl is worried she will have to marry someone other than the person she likes. There is flirting. There is an offer of marriage. Men kiss ladies’ hands. Love spells are a major factor. The word “hetaera” is used as a slur to a woman and since most people won’t stop to look it up, it’s probably harmless, but be forewarned that it means concubine or courtesan and some definitions explicitly refer to “sexual relations with clients”. A character’s virginity is mentioned. There is a marriage by special license and a comment that a girl is not likely a virgin anymore. There is kissing. There is a mention of someone being born on the “wrong side of the blanket” which is a euphemism for being born out of wedlock. A couple embraces.
Profanity – “damned,” “drat,” “damn,” “hellishly,”
Death, Violence and Gore – A poisoning is attempted. There is talk of killing someone to gain property. A spell nearly strangles someone. A character’s sibling died. Characters lives are in danger, but it isn’t done in a scary way. A woman’s husband was killed doing magic. An unsavory character dies. A man hits another man. A man threatens to kill another. A chair is smashed over someone’s head.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – A man takes snuff. People drink claret.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.
