Book Review - Stephanie Burgis's Thornbound
Published by: Five Fathoms Press
Publication Date: February 14th, 2019
Format: Paperback, 204 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
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After Cassandra Harwood's felicitous meeting with Miss Juliana Banks at Cosgrave Manor Cassandra's life has purpose again. Miss Banks showed Cassandra that despite losing her own magic she could help those who wished to follow in her footsteps. Cassandra could teach the next generation of female mages because Miss Banks, much like Cassandra before her, has a dream. Miss Banks wants to become a mage so that she can marry the love of her life, Miss Caroline Fennell. Miss Fennell has ambitions to join the Boudiccate, like her cousin Lady Honoria Cosgrave, but a politician must be married to a mage. Therefore Miss Banks intends to be that mage. And Cassandra will help her. After all Cassandra was finally able to marry the love of her life, Wrexham, so why shouldn't Miss Banks? Thus Thornfell College of Magic was born. Thornfell is the dower house on the Harwood Estate and hasn't been used since the family's infamous recluse and amateur botanist Romulus Harwood planned to live there prior to his sudden death. Cassandra's spent six months fixing the house to her exacting specifications. This school will be perfect. It has to be. Because the Boudiccate is sending an inspection party and if they say so the school can be shut down immediately. Of course they were supposed to arrive in a day or two, not at the same time as the students. But at first Cassandra is hopeful, the assigned mage, Mr. Lionel Westgate, is her husband's boss, Lady Honoria Cosgrave is reasonable, and Miss Caroline Fennell obviously wants the school to succeed, but Mrs. Annabel Renwick is a different story. She was the tormentor of Cassandra's youth. With Annabel present there is no chance of a fair inspection. Thornfell College of Magic is as good as done. Especially once a dangerous fey contract is signed in the middle of the night on a sinister alter in the library. Then a member of staff disappears. Once Annabel goes missing there looks to be no way that Cassandra can save the school. Now she's fighting for the lives of her students not just their right to an education.
This is what it's all about people! Thornbound is my jam. While I very much enjoyed Spellswept and Snowspelled I view them now as mere background to this awesome volume. This was our final destination and it is magical, in more ways than one. There's dangerous fey, old grudges, and even older secrets to be revealed! This book has everything I could ever want in a Regency Magic story. But what I really latched onto was this idea that Cassandra creating a school was a selfish act. The education of others, becoming an educator, is perhaps the most selfless thing one can do. You are concentrating on teaching the younger generations all they need to survive. But Cassandra is being told she is selfish. Mr. Westgate tells Cassandra that her decision to open the school has negatively impacted her husband's career. Wrexham is being overworked and forced to do the worst jobs as some sort of punishment for his unconventional wife. Likewise the Boudiccate hint that the school is hurting Cassandra's sister-in-law's political chances. Amy has always wanted to be a member of the Boudiccate, but every since her heart fell for Jonathan Harwood her chances have been slim. But the Boudiccate hints that if Cassandra were to give up her foolish venture then perhaps Amy could be slowly reintroduced to their political way of life. It's like the powers that be are gaslighting Cassandra. They are telling her she's a horrible selfish person because she isn't thinking about the great good. But what is the greater good? Is it what is good for the whole of society or what is good for those who maintain an iron grip on their power by not letting change happen? In fact isn't change really what is the greater good and therefore shouldn't Cassandra's school be embraced? I really felt this deep in my bones. I have been called selfish when I wasn't at all, it only looked as such from someone on the outside looking in. But is it selfish to go after your dreams, especially when encouraged by those you love, even if they get hurt? Perhaps if they are willing to make the sacrifice you should be willing to believe in them? Dreams and change are hard, but Thornbound shows how very important they are.
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