A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians

The Shadow Histories #1

by H.G. Parry

It is the Age of Enlightenment -- of new and magical political movements, from the necromancer Robespierre calling for revolution in France to the weather mage Toussaint L'Ouverture leading the slaves of Haiti in their fight for freedom, to the bold new Prime Minister William Pitt weighing the legalization of magic among commoners in Britain and abolition throughout its colonies overseas.

But amidst all of the upheaval of the early modern world, there is an unknown force inciting all of human civilization into violent conflict. And it will require the combined efforts of revolutionaries, magicians, and abolitionists to unmask this hidden enemy before the whole world falls to darkness and chaos.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Historical Fantasy, Adult, Magic

545 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2020

About the author

H.G. Parry lives in a book-infested flat in Wellington, New Zealand, which she shares with her sister and two overactive rabbits. She holds a PhD in English Literature from Victoria University of Wellington, and teaches English, Film, and Media Studies. Her short fiction has appeared in Intergalactic Medicine Show, Daily Science Fiction, and small press anthologies. The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Alix Harrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sprawling, rich, indulgent, epic, profoundly political, delightfully magical--if you've ever wanted a magic-infused retelling of late 18th century Atlantic politics, this is your book. I just adore a historical novel that takes history seriously, as more than mere aesthetic, and this book takes the political and moral upheavals of the era with gravity and attention. I loved it.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Thank you NetGalley and Redhook for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Symbols had power
only as long as people gave it to them.

I've read my share of Historical Fiction novels and those in the Fantasy genre, but it's not often that I read a story that merges both. There's something hallucinatory about mixing the two, especially when one has grown up hearing and learning so much about a specific group of people—such as the aristocracy of the French Revolution and its monarchs. A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians, however, merges the two seamlessly and gives it such a credence that you can almost believe that the inclusion of this magical battle might have been all true.

One of the things that stood out to me the most, was how authentic in tone this book was written. H. G. Parry has brought about a story that sounds like it has stepped right off the 18th Century, with the tone, manners and ways of life that one expects as such. The verbiage is so perfectly poised that it's even easier to get lost in the story.

While we follow characters from the Caribbean, London and Paris, it's those of Paris that steer the plot. And they are the ones that touched my heart the most. It's impossible not to be moved especially because many were real individuals. To see a version of what they would have experienced—such as Robespierre, Desmoulins, Marat—is fascinating. There is not only certain growth, but intricacy in the path that many of them take that is very original to the novel, an in-depth view of their lives and their struggles. And while I knew how many of them came to an end, it was still impossible not to be touched when they fell. Camille Desmoulins's demise stood out, nearly poetic in sorrow.

The one thing that I would have appreciated and sadly don't feel that was attained, was more attention on Fina's part of this story. Considering not just her background but the torture that she lives through, and the fight that she faces to be a free woman, she deserved to stand out. France aside, there is plenty of the journey of England's Wilberforce, Pitt, and their respective supporters and opponents. But when it came to Fina and Jamaica, then later Saint-Domingue and that group of characters... Yes, we get to know them, but not in the way that we become acquainted with the rest. Not unless it played into the path of our mysterious and cruel vampire antagonist.

The magic system in this book is not something new, but it was still interesting and who doesn't enjoy watching storms occur by one's will or fire dance for its magician. And this reclusive and dark leading character, who stirs up Robespierre's mind into building a fevered cause that ends in thousands of death holds one of the most interesting kinds of magic. Dark magic is in this novel, expectantly, the most fascinating of its type. This is magic that will not just stir fear, but that will bring action to what others attempt to accomplish. Step right up to see those who can mesmerize, resurrect the dead, and even control others by freeing or withholding the other person's magical abilities. The very human term of vampire in A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is different to the “norm” in the best of ways.

There is a lot of political intrigue in this story, more so than I ever care to purposefully seek in fiction, yet it's crucial to the plot and manages to flow without a hitch. And the writing can be dense at times, almost to the point of being slightly dull. But pushing past the latter moments, which never last long, is well worth it. This novel has a lot of heart, and these characters all fight in their own ways for the ultimate price of allowing people to practice magic without the censure that they have had forced upon them for hundreds of years. It's incredibly hopeful at times, and very dispirited in others when history exemplifies just how terrible human beings themselves can be against a system that seeks to aid, thanks our own avarice, anger and selfishness.

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a world where magic is real and controlled by government authorities, H.G. Parry re-imagines true historical events and people, inviting readers to add an additional layer of conspiracy to movements that changed the course of history like the French Revolution or the slave rebellion in the Caribbean.

The premise didn't work for me for a couple reasons.

I felt like this book minimized the atrocities that were committed during the era. The slave trade and the French Revolution's cost in both human lives and suffering is immeasurable, and it felt somewhat flippant to take those events and say, "Well, magic," as the main driving force behind the conflicts.

I felt the same could be said for the subtle twisting of the lives of historic figures.

"His quiet voice spoke of a country built on Enlightenment principles, whose people were virtuous, where magic was a free resource to be used for the betterment of all, where food was well distributed and plentiful, where courts were in the hands of the people and not the talons of the Aristocracy, where the poorest Commoner was free to vote and grow and be educated." pg 155

That is not to say that history or historic personages couldn't or shouldn't be in fantasy novels. It is a hallmark of the genre to take a reality, change the rules of that reality, and then tell the story with the new rules. Though if that was what the author was going for, perhaps she should have staged her story in another world or made the focus of the story characters she invented with the real people living their lives in the backgrounds.

Taking real events, real people and real world locations to drive the story didn't coalesce into the fantasy novel I believe she was reaching for.

I think fantasy, alternative-historical fiction is something that can be done successfully, but I have yet to see its promise fulfilled. This may be an unpopular opinion, but I had the same issues with this story that I had with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Students of history may find themselves frustrated by A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians because of the way the true events are spun. I didn't have any specialized knowledge of the era, but a friend who is somewhat of an expert told me the complexity of the time period is so dumbed down that he was distracted by it.

"It had seemed so simple after the fall of the Bastille. The National Assembly of Magicians had risen up, exactly as Robespierre had hoped. They had issued a proclamation declaring it the right of all citizens to be free to practice their own magic: a Declaration of the Rights of Magicians." pg 179

Setting my concerns with fantasy clumsily applied to horrific real life events aside, my biggest issue with this book was the glacial pacing. Readers sit through meeting after meeting, and it's incredibly dull. But with the time period we were in, it should have been gripping. I told myself that a big payoff for all of this story building was coming, as the book clocks in at over 500 pages, but I felt like it never materialized.

Then, in one of my reading pet peeves, the author ends by setting up a sequel.

I don't mind a long book. But please, tell the story.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

“For a second, the shadow remained still, and the world around them held its breath. Then, with a shriek that faded into a sudden rush of wind, it dispersed into vapor and blew away into nothing.”

I read the author’s first book “The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heap” and I thought that it was charming and witty. Unfortunately, those qualities were missing from this book which is set in England, France and Haiti. It is based on the French Revolution and the Haitian slave revolt - but with magic and vampires. It uses real characters such as Prime Minister William Pitt, Toussaint L’Ouverture and Maximilien Robespierre and sets them in a world in which magic is reserved for the aristocracy. It keeps slaves under control, but its' use in war is forbidden.

I don’t think that the events depicted in this book really cry out for a fantasy retelling, but my main problem with the book was that it was exceedingly boring. The conversations and debates about magic (including necromancy, fire magic, blood magic weather magic and shadow magic), abolition, commoner’s rights and political maneuvering were interminable. It took me forever to finish reading this. When I was 80% through the book I suddenly realized that there was no way that things were going to be resolved in the final 20% of the book and my heart sank. I do want to know how things are going to turn out but I don’t know whether I have the strength to read part 2 of this. There was just too much talking and it drained the life out of me.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF - 50%. An earnest, painstakingly researched, blow-by-blow alternate history of The French Revolution and associated events. Magic fuels the primary events detailed within its pages, including a magic serum that allows slave owners to control their slaves, a peasant class denied the ability to use its magic, a prime minister with a dark family secret. It sounds like it should be awesome, yet it never aroused in me anything beyond a mild curiosity at first, progressing into mild impatience. This is largely a book about people talking politics. Historians might be more pleased with the alternative versions of historical figures - Robespierre is practically the only name I recognize, but that's certainly not the author's fault.

It's clever, yet curiously bloodless, and it takes far, far too long to get to any point. I just learned that A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is the first in a series and offers little resolution, and that (plus the fact that it's due back at the library in two days) means that I'm done.

[aarya]

DNF

2020 resolution: do not finish books that are boring me to tears! Because, god, this is boring as hell. And it shouldn’t have been because I’m the perfect audience for this. I majored in political science, took several classes on political philosophy/18th century revolutions, and am extremely interested in this era of history.

And yet. So boring. Not enough magic, weird narration/POV shifts, lack of investment to any of the characters after a long time... time to call it quits, I think.

Also: I feel very uncertain about the slavery/plantation depiction (it’s a major part of the book) and am unequipped to critique it. Will look for reactions by Black reviewers on the issue.

As usual, your mileage may vary, so please read a sample and other reviews to decide if this alt-history fantasy is for you. One person’s “I’m bored to tears” is another’s favorite book.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Genevieve Cogman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rich, eloquent, fluid, detailed, positively mesmerising.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher (Orbit/Redhook) and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is a truly brilliant example of alternative history. Parry managed to stay completely faithful to the persons and events that make up the true history of this time period while deftly adding in the existence of magic and exemplifying how that existence might have impacted the French Revolution and the British fight to abolish the slave trade. Historical figures like William Pitt, William Wilberforce, Toussaint Bréda L’Ouverture, and Maximilien Robespierre are all exquisitely portrayed both as individuals that really existed and fictional characters whose minds were are invited to explore. Parry balanced this contrast beautifully. She could have rewritten history in a way that made it somehow less. She could have stayed so true to history that the narrative felt more like a nonfiction text than a novel. But she did neither of those things. She was able to bridge that divide in a way that both informs and inspires, that encourages both historical curiosity and fantastical imaginings. I’m truly in awe of what she was able to do with this novel.

“And beneath the surface, something was moving. Something that spoke of change, and of revolution, and of blood.”

One of the things I loved most about this book is how the importance in friendship is demonstrated in each of the three plot-lines. Pitt and Wilberforce, Robespierre and Camille, Toussaint and Fina (a character of Parry’s own imagination) are the central hubs around which this triune story orbits, and their relationships with one another play incredibly important roles in history. These relationships are what kept the story from seeming too dry. I especially loved the friendship between Pitt and Wilberforce, and was always excited when the narrative swung back in their direction. Parry has a gift with her craftsmanship of witty dialogue that feels appropriate to the time period without ever seeming stuffy. I found every debate and conversation a pleasure to read because of this.

“It isn’t about proving what we can be. It’s about becoming what we can be.”

Slavery is the most heinous act we as humans have ever wrought upon one another. I didn’t think it could be portrayed in a worse light than its reality, but Parry managed to make it even more horrifying with her addition of spellbinding slaves by forcing them to ingest magical elixirs that deprived them of all outward freewill. I can’t imagine not being able to control my body at all, with every single blink and twitch dictated by someone who has decided that I am property. And to make matters in the book even worse, the spellbound slaves are still completely aware inside their minds and are screaming for release and fighting a losing battle for control of their own bodies. The concept is terrifying.

“To some extent, we all have the capacity to become monsters.”

While I very much enjoyed the book, I must confess that I found myself getting bogged down in the legislation pretty frequently. This isn’t Parry’s fault, as the synopsis is very clear regarding the plot of the book, and it’s a plot that is necessarily very reliant on legality and politics. However, this obviously results in a slower pace and less action that some fantasy readers expect from the books they choose, so just be aware that this book is more of an alternate history that involves magic than it is a fantasy novel. While I haven’t yet read it myself, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell sprang immediately to mind within the first twenty pages, and I believe that fans of that novel will find Parry’s sophomore work very appealing.

“I sometimes think ‘just this once’ is the most dangerous phrase in the English language.”

My only other qualm with A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is Parry’s choice of ending. For such a large, often meandering novel, the ending felt very abrupt and left me unsatisfied. If there is a sequel planned, I will be much more content upon learning of its existence. But as I went into this book believing it to be a standalone, I was a bit frustrated when I read the final chapter and saw that I had reached the end before more of the plot-lines were tied up.

“Liberty, what crimes are committed in your name!”

Parry is a brilliant author. She has a wonderful flow to her prose that feels both effortless and highly intelligent. I know how much research goes into a book like this, but Parry tells the story in such a way that the reader is able to forget how much work went into it and simply lose themselves in the writing. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both novels I’ve read from her, and I can’t wait to see what she puts out next. But I’m clinging to hope that said next book will be a continuation of this particular story.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

In this alternate universe, set around the era of the French Revolution, magic is a genetic trait which only the nobility is permitted to exercise, and only if their strain of magic is not classified as dark magic, such as vampirism or necromancy. The Knights Templar act as an international religious judiciary which registers all magic users, polices the use of magic, and even imprisons or executes offenders. The novel follows several historical figures, from William Wilberforce to Robespierre to Toussaint Louverture, as each grapples with how magical oppression intersects with the real historical oppression they fought.

I had a difficult time writing this review, because it took me a while to figure out how to put into words my discomfort with the premise of this novel. Normally, I have no problem with how urban/historical fantasy layers magic and myth over reality. I was very much looking forward to reading this novel, precisely because it’s such a fascinating era that seems generally under-explored in the fantasy genre. However, I thought the way the author approached the era was fundamentally flawed.

In essence, Parry has layered magical inequality and oppression on top of historical inequality and oppression, and made that magical oppression the primary lens through which the characters understand that inequality and oppression. The abolitionist movement becomes not just about slavery, but about how magic makes slavery even more evil. (Alchemists dose slaves with a potion that robs them of all power to control their bodies.) The French Revolution becomes not just about the aristocracy’s opulence and indifference to the suffering of their subjects, but also about the freedom to use magical gifts. Colonial fear of slave rebellions becomes not just about slave owners’ fear of economic loss and reprisals for their brutality, but also about their fear of their former slaves’ often powerful magic being unleashed upon them. (This treads awfully close to racist beliefs, still pervasive in our contemporary society, that black people are superhuman.)

Also? In this book, the Haitian Revolution doesn’t begin because the slaves in Saint-Domingue rose up and freed themselves, it begins because a white dude frees them of magical alchemy, at the direction of another white dude, which then allows them the freedom to fully liberate themselves. I find that…problematic…to say the least, because it turns a historical example in which black people rescued themselves into a white savior story.

I wanted to like this book. Parry is an engaging writer, and her interpretation of Robespierre in particular was fascinating. Unfortunately, she needed to handle the historical issues with more care. I have no doubt she was well-intentioned as she wrote this book, but I don’t think she had the knowledge and experience to address the slavery and class inequality aspects in a meaningful way. Rather than weaving the idea of magical oppression into historical events in a nuanced way, Parry keeps the revolution and historical figures, but replaces the causes and context of their fight with one of her own invention.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great pick for history buffs who like a little magic with their history. A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians reimagines the late 1700's in three locations in a world where magic exists and is used as a tool of oppression. Told from the perspectives of real historical figures such as William Wilburforce and Robespierre, we get the French Revolution, the English government fighting about whether to abolish slavery, and the slave rebellions of Haiti.

In this world magic is disallowed for commoners and used to control the enslaved. The ideas are interesting and it's clear that the author has done a ton of research. My difficulty with the book was more a personal preference thing than a matter of objective "quality". While there were moments I was very engaged with the characters and story, especially during the final climax, I found much of the book to be somewhat tedious to read. I think for lovers of this period of history, it could be very interesting but I wanted things to move along at a much faster clip.

I was also told that there would be vampires in the book and kind of? They are simply magicians who generally require human blood to survive, most of whom had been killed off in the past because they were too powerful and dangerous. But the main vampire who is an antagonist remains a shadowy figure. A threat certainly, but in a different way than you might expect from sexy or bloody vampires. Hopefully that makes sense. I think this book will appeal to a very particular kind of audience. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I understand the French Revolution now!

Okay, I always understood the French Revolution, meaning I understood why there was one, and that it got out of control because hUmAnS, but I have never before been able to hold the chronology of it in my head, or remember the various stages, or the political parties or players. And it never descended to the human level for me before, never really reached my emotions because of the ways it's been funneled at me before. It feels sort of perverse to say that a fantasy book featuring vampires and magicians and necromancy is the thing that did it for me, but H.G. Parry is so good at this, whatever this thing is she is doing! I mean, I could be wrong about this, but even though this is an alternate history (because magic doesn't exist . . . that we know of), I'm fairly sure that the historical events of this book follow the timeline of actual history pretty closely.

The book is set in the late 1700s, taking us from the lead-up to the French Revolution through the death of Robespierre and the end of the Reign of Terror. We have four main characters: Robespierre himself, here a magician in hiding; William Pitt (Prime Minister of England, who is a vampire, but not the quite like you're probably thinking) and William Wilberforce (an abolitionist and member of Parliament) in England; and an enslaved woman named Fina in Jamaica/Saint Domingue (what is now Haiti/the Dominican Republic) as the Haitian Revolution begins. 

This is a very political book. We see the behind the scenes of how laws are proposed, mostly through Wilberforce's efforts to ban the slave trade and through England's nascent conflict with France, soon to be brought on by the start of the Revolution. We also see the birth and many birth pains of Revolutionary France, here called the French Republic of Magicians. A big issue in the book, aside from the same issues that we had in the real world, is that only nobles are allowed to practice magic, and non-nobles must register with the government and are braceleted, so as not to be able to practice. Both governments are in dire need of reform, but how best to go about it? We get two very imperfect answers. This isn't even to mention the mess that is Jamaica and Saint Domingue, where enslaved people are not only enslaved by regular means, but by magical means as well. 

Oh, and there's also someone extremely powerful puppeting events from behind the scenes. 

I'm very interested to see how this all ends, how (if) it differs from actual history, and what will end up being the main point of the story (aside from exploring history in a fun and nerdy way). I really ended up being emotionally attached to all of these characters, especially the two Williams, who develop a strong friendship that is sorely tested by events in the book. Robespierre's terrible deeds even take on a new meaning in Parry's hands; there were several moments that gutted me in his sections.

I very much recommend this book for a certain kind of reader. I feel like you will know if that's you. 

[Jenny Baker]

I don’t like DNF’ing a book, especially when I’m hyped up going into it. As much as I love the story synopsis, the writing style doesn’t work for me. It’s written in a dry, passive voice with a POV that keeps the reader at arm’s length. It was difficult for me to connect with the characters and the story, because it felt like the story was written about the characters rather than as the characters.

I love fantasy, but I typically don’t read a lot of historical fiction, so maybe that’s part of the problem. Maybe I should have been more patient, but if I’m not immediately hooked, I stop reading, usually after 50 pages. Sorry, I tried. I’m disappointed, because I really wanted to love it.

You should still give this one a try if you’re thinking about reading it. Most readers loved it, so there’s a good chance that you will too.

[Mona · Rating 2 out of 5]

A FRUSTRATING READ THAT DIDN’T LIVE UP TO ITS POTENTIAL

This book was extremely frustrating.

Because it had the potential to be a good book, but it never got anywhere near that.

It reads as if the author published her first or second draft without bothering with much rewriting. The book has a half baked feel to it.

How does an author take a possibly interesting story with intriguing historical characters and ruin it? Turn it into a (mostly) boring slog with some interesting moments?

Because said author, although she’s published before, doesn’t know how to tell a story.

Repeat after me, boys and girls. The main purpose of a novel is to tell a really good story, and tell it in such a way that it pulls in the reader.

(Although of course great writers like Borges and Pynchon can bend this rule and get away with it).


ACADEMIC AUTHOR

Since this novel reads more like an academic paper (or an outline for one) than a novel, I figured the author must be an academic. (The title, which I found a bit pompous, gives us a clue).

Sure enough, it’s in her bio. PhD professor of English.

I think I’d fall asleep in her classes.

ALTERNATE HISTORY

The novel is an alternate history of the real era of the French Revolution, England’s concurrent war with France under Prime Minister William Pitt (“The Younger”), the global abolitionist movement (unsuccessful at the time), and the Haitian Revolution. The novel featured real historical figures such as British PM William Pitt, Pitt’s friend the abolitionist William Wilberforce; French revolutionaries Robespierre, Danton, Desmoulins, and Saint-Just; and Haitian general Toussaint Louverture.

The alternate history of the novel includes various forms of magic and magicians.

GEORGIAN/REGENCY HISTORICAL NOVELS

What is it about recently written novels set during the Georgian/Regency eras of British history? They all seem to natter on and on and on and on about nothing.

Most of the ones I’ve read lately (and there are tons of them) could be cut in half and it would be an improvement.

This was 535 pages, and would have been improved by being cut to 250 pages.

Are the novelists who write about Georgian era England all paid by the word?

PAGES OF VERBAL FILLER

There were hundreds of pages of boring dialogue like “Pitt said…Wilberforce said”, etc. etc.

In Paris, Robespierre incites the storming of the Bastille and of the Tuilleries and skips out on both of them. Since he’s the point of view character in his sections of the book, that means the reader misses out on the most interesting parts of the action (of course), and instead gets treated to someone (I think it was the daughter of the people Robespierre lodges with) remarking that Robespierre is biting his nails lately. Yawn….who cares? It’s almost as if the author deliberately wants to bore the reader.

I nearly abandoned the book, but about three quarters of the way through it gets more interesting.

So why did we need to slog through hundreds of pages to get to the interesting parts? Shouldn’t a good fantasy novel be interesting all the way through?

And where are the editors these days? Do they even exist any more?

FEW SPECIFIC DETAILS OF TIME AND PLACE

I feel as if any good novel needs specific details (using all five senses) to
anchor us to time and place. Especially a historical novel.

This novel took place in the late eighteenth century, mainly in London, Paris, Haiti (called Saint-Domingue then) and Jamaica.

Of course, the epic sweep of a novel with multiple locations can be appealing.

But this novel may as well have been located on the moon. We’re given almost no sensory details of the locations.

HISTORICAL NOVELS AND HISTORICAL FANTASIES

I’ve read lots of brilliant historical novels that give the reader rich sensory details of their time and place.

Hamnet comes to mind. I’m reading another right now, Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin.

And I’ve read plenty of fantasy novels that give us complex and intriguing fantasy rooted in history.

An example of a brilliant historical fantasy that I read recently is The Tower of Fools by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. He gives us a rich depiction of the thirteenth century Hussite heresy, swimming with elements of fantasy and magic.

FANTASY ELEMENTS WERE UNINTERESTING

There are many powerful magicians and forms of magic in A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians. There are vampires (styled “blood magicians”), necromancers, metalmancers, shadowmancers, people who can see through others’ eyes, weather magicians, etc.

But we’re given precious little information about these forms of magic or how they’re used.

Part of this is because for the book’s first half, magic is outlawed and punishable
(how convenient for the author; she can avoid the subject).

But even after magic becomes legal or at least not punishable, no one seems to use it except to advance their political aims.

Another frustration with this book, for me, was that the author gives short shrift to the fantasy and magical elements of her novel.

UNMEMORABLE WRITING

I can’t think of a single line of this novel that I can remember.

By way of contrast, I’m only a few pages into Mistress of the Art of Death and I’ve already encountered this:

“The deer ran, scattering among the trees, their white scuts like dominoes tumbling into the darkness.”

A fresh and striking image. And it was written fifteen years ago about twelfth century Europe.

AUDIO NARRATOR

I found Andrew Kingston’s audio reading rather flat, which didn’t help matters.

But one can’t entirely fault the reader if he’s reading mediocre material.

SUMMARY

This book had great possibilities, which it might have fulfilled with more rewriting, better editing,and more attention to detail from the author (although honestly, she seems much more interested in history than in fantasy, and might have done better with a pure historical novel without the fantasy. Unless the fantasy was a contrivance to sell books, as fantasy is popular these days).

It was at least interesting enough to finish.

But in spite of interesting moments, it wasn’t compelling enough for me to continue to read the series.

Neither the historical aspect nor the fantasy aspect of this book were satisfying.

The next book will be published next month. I think I’ll skip it.

[Tanabrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interessante, molto interessante.
Una rivisitazione dell'intero periodo che copre rivoluzione francese e Terrore, coperto alternativamente sia da un punto di vista francese che da un paio di punti di vista britannici. Con in più un punto di vista bonus proveniente dalle Indie Occidentali.

Il punto di vista principale è britannico ed è quello di Pitt, giovane e brillante avvocato e politico, il più giovane Primo Ministro inglese, ambizioso e riformatore.
A seguire abbiamo il punto di vista, più sporadico, del suo amico Wilberforce. Anche lui giovane, anche lui un politico e brillante oratore, anche se spesso appare in cerca di una giusta causa, di una chiamata.

Dall'altra parte della Manica abbiamo un altro avvocato, il brillante Maximilian Robespierre, che assieme all'amico Camille si ritroverà invischiato da subito nella Rivoluzione Francese, istigandola e guidandola.

Dall'altra parte dell'oceano invece ogni tanto fanno capolino i capitoli dedicati a Fine, una schiava rapita come tanti dall'Africa e spedita in Giamaica a lavorare nelle piantagioni. Una schiava che però vedrà il proprio destino portarla in una Santo Domingo preda della rivolta degli schiavi, proprio mentre in Inghilterra e in Francia politici idealisti (come i tre sopra citati) combattono per distruggere lo schiavismo.


Fin qui è storia, o quasi.
Dove sta il grande interesse?

Nella magia, ovviamente.
Perché la Storia si fonde con la storia di un'Europa dove da sempre esiste la magia, regolamentata come sarebbe potuta essere regolamentata all'epoca. E cioè con la Chiesa a vigilare, con i cittadini comuni limitati da un bracciale all'utilizzo che ne possono fare, con i nobili liberi di agire entro certi limiti, con determinate magie proibite (e certe discendenze magiche eliminate totalmente, per prevenire il ritorno di grandi guerre magiche combattute in Europa secoli addietro), con gli eserciti limitati da un comune Concordato che impone il non utilizzo della magia sui campi di battaglia. Con lo schiavismo che fa uso della magia per annullare il libero arbitrio degli schiavi riducendoli letteralmente a oggetti, con le menti terrorizzate e impotenti intrappolate in corpi immobili che rispondono solo agli ordini del padrone.

E in tutto questo abbiamo il ritorno di una minaccia antica, la magia oscura e proibita che secoli fa aveva portato alle Guerre Vampiriche e che adesso sta tornando, con un oscuro burattinaio dietro alla rivoluzione francese e a quella degli schiavi, un potente manipolatore che allo stesso tempo ha preso di mira Pitt in Inghilterra...

Come dicevo la cosa è interessantissima, tanto più che lo studio fatto sul periodo è enorme ed evidente, la magia è stata inserita nel contesto in modo magistrale e realtà e finzione si uniscono perfettamente.
L'unica pecca è che, essendo così vicino alla realtà e trattando di personaggi di primo piano, gli eventi storici non sorprendono. E soprattutto il ritmo è assai blando, a volte pare di leggere un saggio del tipo "come sarebbe stata la rivoluzione francese se".

Ma mi è piaciuto, e la fine della storia promette cose ancora più interessanti tra l'arrivo di Napoleone, la guerra dei vampiri e Fine che troverà immagino un senso alla sua presenza in questa storia.

[Kelsea Yu · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHOA! This book was... breathtaking. In scope, in storytelling, in characters and perspectives and emotions and political machinations.

I seem to have read this at just the right and the wrong time, simultaneously. The wrong time, because this story requires an intense amount of concentration, and thanks to the current state of the world, my reading attention span has been SHORT. But also the right time, because this book is basically historical fantasy about abolition in Europe & the Caribbean. The debates, the questions, the implications, and the reminders (both of how far we've come and how far we have yet to go) feel very relevant at the moment, when George Floyd's death woke many up to the way systemic racism has been affecting Black people. (The racism is not new; the awareness being raised and universality of racism as a conversation subject is, at the very least, not something that's been tackled on this scale in recent history.)

It took me a while to get into this book. 25% or so. Before that, it felt like a jumble of characters and places. I could tell there was a lot going on, but my mind had trouble grasping it all.

Then... as occasionally happens, something clicked. (Also, it probably helped that my husband watched the baby for a bit so I could actually concentrate without her constantly trying to steal or click on my kindle.) I found myself riveted. Invested. Fully absorbed. Obsessed. In AWE.

Sooooooooo I do want to give readers warning that this book will take time to get into. I've read some of the other reviews saying it's boring or they DNF'd the book, and I honestly understand that. I considered it as well. But I'm so, so glad now that I read on. It's worth it!

Now, onto the actual book. In the alternate historical world of A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians, magic is strictly controlled. The rights of magicians are under debate, and the author doesn't hold back when it comes to the way magicians of different classes and races (well, Black & White, as I recall no mention of other races in the story) are treated starkly differently. The story is as much about slavery and abolition as it is about the rights of magicians. And more than anything else, at its heart is the question of change. How do we bring about change? What's the best way to upend everything? Must it always turn to bloody revolution, or can it be done through peaceful negotiation? Is it fair to ask oppressed people to wait a single minute for freedom in order to usher in a new era with little or no bloodshed? Do the people who benefit from systems of oppression deserve to die for their parts in perpetuating those systems?

This story tackles all of these questions and more. For someone like me, who loves thought-provoking reads, this story was so powerful and generated so many interesting questions without clear-cut answers. It's all so wonderfully complex and interwoven with such brilliance. The magic, the mystery, the characters, the friendships, the absolutely illustrious quotes (mostly from the debate floor)... all of it. This story will appeal to philosophizers, or anyone who's fascinated by morality and moral quandries.

I also think this story will appeal to epic fantasy readers. There are a LOT of perspectives, and while the subject matter places it more squarely in historical fantasy, in scope and scale it reads like epic fantasy.

I do wish Fina's POV was expanded. We get a lot more of the White character's thoughts than the one Black POV. Granted, this may be a matter of the author exercising caution when writing outside her racial lane? But as a reader, I think it would've been interesting to see more of Fina's world and perspective.

I'm also surprised to see that this book isn't labeled as a series. Perhaps that will change? The ending to the story didn't feel like a full resolution. Maybe that's the point, or maybe I need to actually go research and see if this is planned as a series.

Overall, this book is not going to appeal to every fantasy reader, but there is a certain subset who will absolutely LOVE this book. Thank you to Redhook via Netgalley for providing me a free advanced e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Out today (!!!) via Redhook.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but I found it so slow that I just didn't finish it.

Yeah, I hate doing that and I actually think the kind of slow burn of this book will completely appeal to others, but it just wasn't for me.

I did like the atmosphere of the book very much. But the plot was plodding and the characters never engaged me.

This may be one of those 'it's not you, it's me' kind of books. Hope you have a better experience with it!

[The Nerd Daily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Anuska G

As a historical fantasy enthusiast, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is everything I could ask for and more from a magic-imbued reimagining of the interrelated histories of the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire!

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians presents an alternate version of the late eighteenth century world, a world with magic in it. The story travels back and forth between France, Haiti, and Britain where magic is confined strictly to the aristocracy in the European countries. In France, Robespierre dreams of a country free of constraints, a France where commoners and aristocrats alike use their magic freely. He’ll go to any means to make it a reality, even if that means he has to associate with dark magic. As the abolition of the slave trade is heavily discoursed in London, Prime Minister William Pitt is locked in a constant battle against his own nature. Fina, a slave stuck in a sugar plantation in Jamaica struggles to be free of the enchantment suppressing her magic and join the Revolution. In the midst of it all, an ancient, dark presence is stirring, slowly leading the world into utter chaos.

Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily

[Para (wanderer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, that was the perfect book at the perfect time. It's pretty much a straight retelling of the French revolution except with magic (seriously, if you know history, you know roughly what will happen) and since I'm currently rather taken with the time period, this was exactly what I wanted. My one complaint would be that the pacing could be excruciatingly slow at points.

Unfortunately, no full review because I didn't know enough at the time to be able to judge historical accuracy (now, the most I can say is that it does a reasonably good job when it comes to the French revolution) and I felt like I can't do it justice without at least some commentary on that.

Still, sequel when???

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just too many narrators.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. I need the sequel.
2. Perfect historical fantasy.
3. A true successor of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell ( no footnotes though ).
4. I am hoping to meet Napoleon Bonaparte in the next book.
5. Read this book only if you like History or Politics .
6. This book is a mytholization of real history and depicts the Abolitionist movements and the French Revolution with a magical twist.
7. A sequel is definitely coming.
8. Ughhh Robespierre .
9. Full of humour and occasional darkness.

* I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review .

[Christina Baehr · Rating 4 out of 5]

It says a lot about this book that it made me cry over the French Revolution, and it wasn’t a fantasy French Revolution but the actual thing itself.

This is a VERY dense book and won’t be for everyone. It’s possibly up to 80% history and 20% fantasy novel. I’d say if you loved the film AMAZING GRACE and also like a bit of magic in your fiction, you’ve found yourself a new favorite book! (Another comp would be BLACKOUT/ALL CLEAR, where the speculative element takes a bit of a backseat to the actual history.)

Loved the strong male friendships that anchor this novel, especially between Wilberforce and Pitt. The conversations between them on faith were very well done. The Robespierre POV is absolutely devastating. Will be reading the next one, for sure.

[charlotte, · Rating 2 out of 5]

On my blog.

Rep: Black characters

CWs: graphic descriptions of slavery, gore, murder

Galley provided by publisher

This book, for me, was approximately 500 pages of boredom. I say 500, because for the first 50 or so pages, I thought I might be interested in it. I was quickly disillusioned, and then dragged myself through the rest of the book, in the vain hope that something might actually happen.

Spoiler alert: it did not.

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is an almost exact retelling of history as we know it, but with vampires, necromancers, and other magic users. Now, you might think that doesn’t sound so bad. But when I say “almost exact retelling”, I do mean it quite literally. About the only thing that changed about it was exact motivations for things.

I don’t know about you, but I’d have thought that, in a world with magic, history would not happen to unfurl in exactly the same manner as our world. Not to mention there’s a good two millenia plus of development before all this supposedly takes place. And I’m supposed to believe that, under conditions so drastically different from our own, there would be the exact same history unfolding in the exact same way?

And, honestly, that’s what made it most boring to me. That, and the fact that it spans so many years before we even get to the crux of the plot (which is only just revealed right at the end of the book, besides), and in those years, what do we get? Literally just intensely detailed political manoeuverings, a million minutiae on how exactly the very tiniest details of the world had changed.

It was, quite frankly, one of the most boring books I’ve ever had to drag myself through.

It’s not like it was badly written either, so I couldn’t just blame my boredom on not getting along with the writing. It was well-written, but dense and so bogged down in the details, I couldn’t even effectively skim-read it.

I was so bored by this book that, halfway through, I went and googled William Wilberforce, only to find out he had a direct hand in the creation of the Society for the Reformation of Manners, themselves a big player in the raids on molly houses in the 19th century. So yeah.

That nixed any chance of me liking his fictional representation and definitely nixed any chance of me liking this book.

But beyond the boredom, there were some other aspects I didn’t really like. Firstly, I don’t particularly enjoy reading about real historical people but fictionalised. It just feels like it can easily edge into smoothing out any nuance. Like how, apparently, Wilberforce was anti-unionist (and also, judging by the Society he formed, homophobic), but of course we don’t get presented with that here.

Oh and then there was the fact that the Haitian slave revolution was written as being initiated by a white man. With the caveat that I know very little about that, only what I’ve read online, it didn’t exactly feel great.

But then again, the whole “slavery but let’s make it even worse by having the characters bound within their bodies and controlled by the masters, because magic” part of this book didn’t feel so good at all.

So maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised.

[Christi M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blending real historical moments with fantasy and magical realism, H.G. Parry creates a story spanning the abolitionist movement through French Revolution set in the late 18th century. Taking historical facts and altering them just enough to fit inside a world where the governance of magic is established by laws and where men such as William Pitt argue on behalf of the commoners who should have more rights and freedom in regards to magic use.

The breadth and scope of the what the author is undertaking is amazing. To research such a political span of time in European history and to adjust it in such a way to where parts of known history are now integrated with magic was truly phenomenal to read. Undeniably A Declaration of Rights of Magicians is an intelligent and well-thought out the book and I am left wondering if my knowledge of the actual subjects will forever be changed.

However, merging the two together also comes at a cost. At times, I was drawn into an incredibly intriguing story and other times I felt like I was back in history class waiting for the bell to ring. It was during these times that I felt the story dragged a little or at least my excitement for the story diminished as we saw things occur off screen, but not on. I thoroughly love and appreciate the concept of the book, but there are other historical events or points in time I enjoy more than than the late 1700s. Maximilien Robespierre, William Pitt, Toussaint Breda, George-Jacques Danton, William Wilberforce among others were names learned long ago – mostly for a test.

Politics can be quite an intriguing subject none more so than the events leading up the French revolution and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction from an alternative world perspective or at least one that is slightly altered. But unfortunately for me, this story didn’t work out as much as I had hoped.

Rating: 3 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Redhook Books for the advanced reader copy and opportunity to provide an honest review.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a simple creature. If a novel has Robespierre as a character, then I will read it. Thus I picked A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians up at random in the library, saw his name in the blurb, and borrowed it. The plot centres upon the French and Haitian revolutions, with magic. An enticing prospect, I must say. Although I quite enjoyed it, I found it couldn't live up to the expectations raised by that prospect. I liked the chapters set in the midst of the French and Haitian Revolutions most, predictably enough. However, the largest share of narration goes to the English, specifically Pitt the Younger and William Wilberforce. They have a great many discussions, which were charming at first but began to pall.

My main quibble is more fundamental. There is an inherent tension in the narrative between adherence to how history actually progressed and the inclusion of magic. Rather to my surprise, the former was given absolute priority. The idea seemed almost to explain how historical events could have taken place in just the way they actually did, even if there was a huge population of magicians and the 15th century had been ravaged by 'vampire wars'.

I found myself wanting more historical divergence, as the lack of it somehow made the magic seem trivial. Surely revolutionary France's war against most of Europe would have gone differently with the addition of undead soldiers? Surely politicians with powers of mesmerism would achieve things that their non-magical counterparts could not? And surely the prevalence of magic in the population would have additional social consequences beyond those shown?

I did like the details given of laws around commoners using magic and the Concord against use of magic in war. I would have appreciated more about how the aristocracy used their magic, given they weren't subject to such restrictions. I suppose this is just the latest instance of my compulsion to interrogate fantasy novels: what role is magic playing here? Is it a technology, an energy source, a determinant of social standing or power? Is it a renewable resource? Is it learned, inherited, or both? What are its limits? Many different kinds of magic are mentioned in A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians, without much indication of an underlying source or system. I did appreciate Toussaint L'Ouverture's comment on this topic:

"You're still asking your magic to answer to a name," Toussaint said. "Magic doesn't belong to categories. Mesmerism, fire magic, weather magic - those are terms invented by white men, who like to bind things. Magic can't be bound. And the names they have are the kinds of magic common in Europe. Africa has its own kinds of magic - and because they're not recorded in the same way, they seem still more mysterious to Europeans."

Fair enough, but this is a little frustrating for a reader trying to understand this magical world. What are the shadows, for one thing? Presumably ghosts? I also wasn't keen on the twist that both the French and Haitian Revolutions were being masterminded by a vampire for his own purposes. That somewhat put me off reading the sequel, in fact, as revolutions are far more interesting to me as popular uprisings than as shadowy plots by just one man. I was charmed by the concept of vampire William Pitt, mesmerist (and necromancer!) Robespierre, and weather mage Toussaint L'Ouverture, but found it odd that their powers did not seem to change their historical roles at all. A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is nonetheless exciting and readable, with thoughtful treatment of slavery and its abolition. Those with lower emotional investment in the French Revolution and less inclination to pedantry regarding magic would enjoy it more than I.

[Sammi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so boring that I've been avoiding it like hell for the past three weeks, ensconcing myself deep into the fanfiction mines of AO3 just so I can feel something that's close to happiness again. It was only when, one morning at 2 AM in a delirium, I seriously considered watching My Hero Academia so I could have new depths of fanfiction to plunder that I realized that I truly was in a bad place, and that I needed to call it. That's how close I got. This bastard almost made me watch My Hero Academia. And that is not acceptable.

So here it is. My gravestone for this book. DNF at page 390, a little more than 3/4s through this tome.

This book is, to put it lightly, boring. The premise is basically "what if the French Revolution happened because of magic?" which sounds fine, in theory (I picked up the book, after all) but I think the premise of this idea was as far as the author was willing to go, because it doesn't really follow through with it. Or with anything, really.

So, fine. What IF the French Revolution happened because of magic? Well, it happened WITHOUT magic, so piling something else on top of it seems reductive, but whatever. But sure, let's throw this (not very thought out) magic system on top of the prickly situation of Europe in the late 1700's. Or not. Because there's no indication that there were any other tensions going on in France other than the magician issue. What about the huge population increase that led to mass unemployment and starvation? What about the right to vote and right to carry arms in self defense and all that other boring stuff that I just copied off the wikipedia page, which seems like more research than what the author did? Nope, everything is just because of magic. Slavery happened because of magic. Riots happened because of magic. Robespierre is a brilliant orator because of magic.

EXCEPT ALL THOSE THINGS HAPPENED FOR REAL IN REAL LIFE. What's the point here? It becomes less interesting when you just throw "lol magic" on top of everything. God I could read a history book and get the same information except it would be true and might actually teach me something useful. Do you hear me? You made me consider reading a NON FICTION BOOK

And can we talk about the magic? Because it's garbage. "Lol magic" is probably the best description of it because there are no rules, no restraints, no sense that any sort of thought was put into it at all. People can use fireballs when the plot calls for it. People can be brought back to life. People can use mesmerism to sway their audience. There are vampires. And people don't have to be taught how to use these things, they just can (again, when the plot calls for it). It's just so lazy.

Blech. If the prose was something to write home about then it might have been worth it, but it's not. It's fine. It's dry. It reads like a history book which, again. I'd rather just read a history book if that's the case. The characters are all based on real life people, everything that happens is based on real life events, and just...why? That's my big question here. It brings nothing new to the table. Why bother?

Well, I'm not bothering anymore, because I'm done. And now this albatross is cut down I can go find something I actually enjoy.


PS--I'd better not see ANY blasphemy against Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel in regards to this book, because I know it's out there. I can sense it. I can feel it like ill tidings on the wind. Don't even come at me with that nonsense.

[Arden Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fantasy retelling of 18th-century British struggles towards the abolition of slavery, centring Prime Minister Pitt and abolitionist William Wilberforce, and the French Revolution, featuring Robespierre. But with magic.

This book is 99% political debates, either in parliament itself or in personal conversations between politicians. The French Revolution was one of my favourite topics in school, but that was quite a while ago now, and if we ever covered the English side of things during that time, I've long since forgotten. Which is to say that I'm familiar with and fond of Robespierre (the miserable wretch), but pretty much every other figure in this book could have been entirely fictional and I frankly wouldn't know. I'm trusting that the major players are in fact genuine historical figures, and that the research and attention to detail is as meticulous as it appears. In any case: familiarity with the events will give you additional depth and maybe enhance your enjoyment, but you can read it as straight political fantasy and likely have just as good a time. The weaving of magic into unalterable historical fact is as deft as it is engaging.

Engaging too are the characters themselves, who make the endless parliamentary debates a fascinating read. Pitt and Wilberforce stood out as my favourites, if only because I'm weak for any pair with such fast friendship (and that specific type of banter Parry seems to do effortlessly, like catnip to me). Robespierre was remarkable in that, for all his paranoia, cowardice, and willingness to be talked into such despicable acts on both a personal and political level, he was incredibly compelling, if only because I wanted to see him get what was coming to him. He wasn't without sympathy, but I appreciate a book that won't shy away from the flaws of one of its main perspective characters.

If the book itself has any fault, it might be the suggestion that certain great acts of history, both the Haitian slave uprising and France's Reign of Terror, were influenced by a shadow figure pulling infinite strings in infinite minds to his own ends, rather than being orchestrated by the people themselves. Which seems to shift both credit and responsibility away from humanity, in all its capabilities and all its horrors. Your mileage may vary on whether the second book sufficiently corrects this stance.

In any case, it was an excellent read; I immediately moved onto the second book without pause. Although, I do have to say that there is something unnerving in reading about endless government coups, civil uprisings, and bloody revolution these days. Especially through the lens of historical fact rather than fantasy. Some may find it cathartic, or even inspirational. Despite knowing how the Reign of Terror ended, one may perhaps sympathize with Robespierre's intentions behind it.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first one, I was absolutely enthralled with this book. Historical Fantasy’s not my usual genre, but this one gripped me in a way few books do. Between the complexity and nuances of all the lead characters and the way the author was able to so seamlessly integrate magic into our own world, and account for how society reacts to magic, I absolutely fell in love.

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians hits a point for me few books seem to manage, which is to so thoroughly integrate magic into the small minutiae of society that I’m never left wondering, why don’t people just do X with magic? The book starts with both leads, William Pitt in England and Robespierre in France, fighting for the rights of Commoners to perform magic. If a Commoner family was able to use weathermancy, they would have been able to water their crops and not starve, if a Commoner firemage could heat his house, he wouldn’t risk freezing to death. It’s these little details that I thought fleshed out the book, and this re-imagined 18th century that gave the worldbuilding so much life.

On a larger scale, this Western Europe 18th century has just come out of the American Revolution, and revolution, freedom for all magicians, is in the air. The center of this book is politics, the slow gradual freedoms and allowances that Pitt manages to muster through in England, sharp, explosive rebellions taking place in France, and a fight for freedom from slavery in Haiti.

I admit having absolutely no knowledge of the French Revolution, or this general time period. About halfway through, I asked several friends who’d taken French in high school what role Robespierre had in the Revolution because he seemed like a pretty neat, smart dude. I was laughed at. Turns out, Robespierre was the one running around with the guillotine. Which, frankly, speaks so well to how these characters are developed and characterized. Robespierre doesn’t start his life a bloodthirsty tyrant, and it’s fascinating to be able to follow him throughout this book, reading from his perspective, and seeing that slow descent into tyranny.

Similarly in England, we have William Pitt and his best friend/close political colleague William Wilberforce. Pitt and Wilberforce have this fantastic bromance (is it weird to say important historic political figures have bromances?) and through it, we are able to really delve into the psyche of each. However, with their good friendship emphasized so heavily, it’s clear to the reader that, like all people with different goals and worldviews, they’ll one day have a falling out. And when that happens, as the reader, I feel that I knew both characters so well that I’d never be able to pick a side.

It’s rare that I enjoy Victorian/Regency-esque prose, but Parry really knocks the writing out of the park. The best way I can describe it is Victorian enough, but not so much that it stifles the rest of the story. Pacing wise, the book is fairly slow. For a book about revolutions, the story itself is surprisingly character-driven. Personally, I enjoyed taking a deep-dive into the minds of our different leads, but I’ve had friends complain it’s too slow. Parry is flexing her knowledge of the French Revolution and it shows.

There are two points I want to make note of, however, not necessarily as detractors, but just good information for a reader going into this book. The first is that this book is not a standalone. Beyond the French Revolution, the English trying to decide how to respond, and the Haitian revolution, there’s a shadowy 4th party in the background, pulling strings and pushing pieces around. That character makes small appearances here and there, which led me to believe that they were the final boss of the book. Which they were not.

The second is that when we follow Pitt and Wilberforce, their main focal point is the abolition of the slave trade. While the book doesn’t delve much into the arguments of the opposing side, avoiding it entirely is impossible as well. Even on the Abolitionist side, the arguments often used delve into the economic value and worth of a human life, and in many situations, these debates, to me, were portrayed as old white men calmly discussing slavery with little-to-no input from former slaves. For me, these discussions came off as extremely sanitized with little acknowledgment from the Abolitionists of the racism that was surely rampant during the era. Especially with the current political climate in the US and the Black Live Matter movement, this language may be triggering to some readers.

Overall, I rate this book a 5/5. I was stunned by the worldbuilding and the integration of magic into 18th century Europe and I loved the writing and the sheer character development of the characters we follow. Extremely topical for our current political climate and an absolutely fascinating read! Definitely in contention for my favorite book of 2020.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine all the political turmoil of the Age of Enlightenment: the abolitionist movement, male suffrage, the French Revolution. Now add magic.

This is an intense but wonderful novel that kept me hooked almost from the start. The plot follows three storylines: William Pitt and William Wilberforce in England striving to end slavery; Maximilien Robespierre in France preaching freedom from the tyranny of the French king; and Fina, a slave in the Bahamas determined to escape and fight. Oh, and did I mention the vampires, necromancers, fire mages, and alchemists?

If that seems like an ambitious intertwining of stories, it is. Yet it flows surprisingly well. Perhaps it was simply that I listened to it on audio book. But each storyline carries its weight and pushes the things forward. (Though not forward enough! I'm definitely going to need the sequel pronto!)

It is an impressive historical work that uses many figures from history without diminishing their real-life contributions and passions. In particular, I appreciate how the book handled Wilberforce's faith.

I also loved how weighty this book was. Actions have consequences and they never feel cheap. The story centers on how one compromise can lead to another. It contrasts where characters draw the line with their actions and how those lines lead to different outcomes.

The story doesn't have much by way of romance but it does have incredible bromance. 10/10 for creating friendships I genuinely cheered for.

But perhaps most of all, the story kept an internal tension throughout all three story arcs. The villain starts out shadowy and a little confusing but continues to grow as an intense threat as the book progresses. It was the common thread that kept me hooked even while years pass by.

If you're a fan of philosophy, political theory, legislation, the movie Amazing Grace, legal precedent, the French Revolution...basically, any of the drama of early 1800s, I recommend giving this one a try. It isn't necessarily exciting from an action standpoint, but it sits comfortably with the debates of the era and the magic only adds to the real-life drama.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians" is an incredibly clever and bold approach to the fantasy genre. It's an alternate history of the late eighteenth century, the time of the French Revolution's madness and excesses. Shuttling between London, Paris, and Haiti, it's a world filled with magic. In France and England, magic is suppressed by law. The Knights of Templar regulate magicians. Only aristocrats can use it. In France, its use is limited by bracelets. In Haiti, the enslaved drink a potion each day to suppress their magic and keep them subservient. But, Revolution is in the air and in Haiti and Santo Domingo, there is open rebellion. In London, abolition is hotly debated. In Paris, Robespierre breaks open the gates to the Bastille. Exhaustively researched, very detailed, at times, the reading is dense and too-filled with political minutiae so that it's not always a smooth read. It's definitely not for everyone. Nevertheless, the concepts are fascinating.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

[Diana]

Dnf'ed @ pg 306

This has been a love at first sight turned boring book. I loved the summary and the first 300 pages. Then I felt like the story keep stalling, that it took lots of things into consideration: politics, real story, slave abolotion, the fall of the monarchy in france, britan answer to that and to the abolition of the slave trade... but the main problem was that there was too much of everything and I was missing more ejecution, more action.
I didn't mind at the beginning because, honestly, it's such an engrossing story! But I ended up not wanting to read anymore.