White magic, also known as light magic, is a type of magical practice that is used for positive purposes. Unlike black magic, which is associated with dark intentions and harmful outcomes, white magic is focused on benevolence and the overall well-being of individuals. The practice of white magic can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where it was utilized by spiritual leaders and healers. It involves the use of rituals, spells, and charms to invoke positive energies and bring about desired outcomes. White magic is often associated with healing, protection, and guidance. In white magic, practitioners aim to harness the natural energies of the universe to create positive changes in their lives and the lives of others.
I can’t go into too much detail about the actual plot as this review covers both books in the duology, but I will say that these books deal with corrupt systems, long-hidden mysteries and legacies, oppressed communities, and the weight on young people to change the world. Each of these points are hit so well, and I feel like the pacing of the duology is spectacular. Things keep building and building, while still having moments to allow the characters to breathe, and I was so invested in the mysteries and the work these characters were doing to tear down this mess of a system and rebuild something better. It deconstructs things like the fated mates trope and explores the concepts of love and destiny from a queer lens, which brought me to tears several times.
It deconstructs things like the fated mates trope and explores the concepts of love and destiny from a queer lens, which brought me to tears several times. Wyatt deals with so much in this book, he makes bad decisions and is put into incredibly challenging positions, and we couldn t have this story from anyone else s perspective.
In white magic, practitioners aim to harness the natural energies of the universe to create positive changes in their lives and the lives of others. This can include seeking love, prosperity, or even personal growth. The intention behind white magic is crucial, as it is believed that any harm caused through the use of magic can come back and cause negative consequences.
The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
Bitchery, I struggled with this book. Not with the reading of it, so much, but with trying to parse my feelings and opinions on it, which are complicated. I was very excited about this #OwnVoices book about a trans witch bound in a magical engagement with his childhood best friend, a fae prince. And the initial chapters really drew me in. I wanted to like this so badly. But I ultimately kind of did not.
I respect deeply what this book was trying to do, and there were a couple things about it I quite enjoyed. Unfortunately, my overall impression of this book is that it is messy in execution and suffers from plot bloat, inconsistent and/or flat characterization, and a jarring shift in tone. The central character arc and romance also did not quite work for me. With that said, I also think a decent number of people will be ride-or-die obsessed with The Witch King; hopefully my review can help you figure out if that might be you!
The Witch King is about Wyatt, a young witch. When we meet Wyatt, he has escaped a massively abusive and traumatizing situation and system in his hometown, the fae village of Asalin, and is living fairly happily in the human world with a loving adopted family, including his best friend, Briar. Emyr, the fae prince, then shows up and demands Wyatt come back to Asalin and marry him under the threat of death from a magical betrothal contract they signed when they were children. This is very uncool, although it becomes clear quickly that Emyr is also dealing with some extenuating circumstances. In the initial chapters where we meet Wyatt and start to see Asalin I was pretty drawn into the story, and I was curious especially to see how the relationship between Emyr and Wyatt was going to play out.
Before I get into my critiques, I’ll start with some of the stuff I liked about this book. I love that this book is injecting queerness into fae/fairy romance, a subgenre in both YA and adult romance that is often tragically heterosexual. I enjoyed that the primary characters, Wyatt and Emyr, both feel like complex, completely rendered individuals with shades of gray. Wyatt’s voice as the narrator is also quite distinctive and funny with a dark humor I appreciated. It’s hard not to root for Wyatt, who has an unmatched cranky resilience and a well of (justified!) deep rage at the world.
The value of having a fully realized trans boy main character in YA fantasy really cannot be overstated; as much as I found this book messy and frustrating, I also wish it had been available to me 12-14 years ago because it definitely grapples with things I was also grappling with at the time. On that note, even if I was not always satisfied with the result, I deeply respect that this book makes robust attempts to explore a number of serious and complex issues and experiences, like healing from trauma, individual experiences with gender and gendered expectations, and systemic discrimination (woof). I also liked that even though this book deals with transphobia, it’s not a book about transphobia; it is nice to be in a place where lit with queer and trans characters does not have to make the central plot conflict the queerness and/or transness. I also felt compelled to keep reading, although my attention waned considerably around the 85% mark when it became clear that the plot was getting more messy instead of raveling together cohesively.
I found the world-building interesting if not always robust. The division between witches and fae was thought-provoking. In this world, witches are born to fae parents but use magic differently and look completely human instead of having the horns, wings, fangs, and talons the fae have. There are lots of cool magical creatures in the book, which is always fun. I do think the world could have been explored much more, though, if the scope of the plot was trimmed to a manageable level.
Because there are soooooo many plots. Ostensibly the main plot is political instability in Asalin because Derek, Emyr’s cousin, wants the throne for himself. But there’s also the subplot of Wyatt and Emyr’s fraught relationship. And Wyatt and his sister Tessa’s fraught relationship. And Wyatt standing trial for the so-called “crimes” he committed the night he ran away from Asalin years ago. And discrimination against witches by the fae and the secret witch organization trying to fight back. And Wyatt dealing with his trauma and trying to get free of Asalin and Emyr for good. And whether the door into the Faery realm can be opened. And how much Asalin should try to use human technology to modernize. And whether Asalin should make war on humans. There are even more subplots that I won’t describe with specificity because I don’t want to spoil anything, but the vast array of things going on is truly dizzying. It became hard for me to care about the stakes by the end because I was not even sure what the stakes were for most of these subplots.
There’s too much going on and not all of it makes sense. Some of this is interlinked with the character issues in The Witch King. There are LOTS of secondary characters, including Wyatt’s best friend/adopted sister Briar and her family; Wyatt’s sister Tessa and her friend Wade; villain Derek; fae-witch couple Clarke and Jin; Emyr’s parents, the king and queen; other fae royalty; and various other witches. And after reading the book, I have truly no idea who any of them are supposed to be as people because they are almost all either flat or inconsistent.
For example, the only things I learned about Jin in this book were that they are a nonbinary lesbian witch activist dragon handler, which, while very cool, does not constitute a dynamic character so much as a collection of attributes with no legible personality attached. There are also some major character inconsistencies involving semi- or full-blown villain turns near the end of the book that I think are supposed to be “reveals” but did not seem particularly believable or even necessary. Even the main villain, Derek, while extremely stylish and menacing with a whole creepy-sexy-icky vibe going on, does not seem to have much substance other than “is evil” and “wants crown.” (To be fair, two-dimensional villains are a mainstay of many genres, so I was less bothered by this than by the lack of depth to all the other secondary characters).
The only characters who felt real were Wyatt and Emyr. As a result, it often felt like the secondary characters were being driven and jerked around by the plot, instead of plot events naturally arising from character motivations. This is exacerbated by the fact that Wyatt’s character, while well-drawn, is primarily responsive instead of proactive, so Wyatt is not doing a whole lot of driving the plot forward himself. Plot action mostly occurred by secondary characters doing things that are opaque to the reader because the characters themselves are just moving cardboard cut-outs. I think this book would have benefited a LOT from a tighter focus on fewer characters and events that were more developed and explored.
Finally, there’s a big tonal shift in the book that really threw me. The first 40% or so of the book feels dark, complex, and actually very close to adult fantasy in tone. There is a lot of darkness, anger, injustice, and abuse. This is not to say that these things aren’t ever explored in YA, but in this case the early part of the book had a kind of gritty, detailed focus I typically associate with adult fantasy. During this part of the book I thought an intricate but coherent plot was being set up and I assumed characters other than Emyr and Wyatt would emerge more clearly throughout the story. But I was very much thrown by a tonal shift mid-book to something that felt much more YA, with common YA conventions such as “there are clearly and simplistically good and evil characters” and “suddenly we will rebuild a flawed society.” I know this book is marketed as YA, but it did feel a little bit like a bait-and-switch as a reading experience from something more New Adult to something VERY squarely in the YA category.
I’ve laid out some craft issues I had with this book. But ultimately, I think my biggest personal quibble with The Witch King was actually Wyatt’s character arc, which, frankly, exhausted me.
It is made very clear to the reader at the outset of the book that Wyatt has successfully escaped an abusive situation–complete with an abusive family, an abusive society, and a forced engagement from which there seems to be no escape. Then Emyr comes back and threatens Wyatt with literal violence to drag Wyatt back into that situation, even though Emyr supposedly loves Wyatt. This in and of itself is massively fucked up, but once Wyatt arrives in Asalin, he is subject to a bunch of additionally traumatizing and horrifying experiences. Wyatt’s number-one priority in the early book is to do anything to leave Asalin, which, frankly, makes total sense.
But throughout the book, Wyatt starts to feel like maybe his perspective on Asalin (and Emyr) were a little unfairly skewed and that he has some kind of obligation to try to stay in Asalin to reform it. There’s some subtle messaging indicating that part of Wyatt’s problem is Wyatt’s own bad attitude, which felt kinda icky to me.
Look. I’m all for growth and change and introspection in my characters. Early-book Wyatt has a lot of internalized self-loathing and a moderately self-destructive streak because of it. But I was truly not sold on the idea that it represents positive character growth for an abused minor to be sucked back into an abusive situation and then have to put in the effort and labor to fix that abusive situation themselves. Now! I respect that for some people this character arc will actually feel empowering. Wyatt gets to come back to the place that hurt him and remake it to be a better place. However, I could not help but think basically the entire time that I was reading this book that Wyatt probably would have been happier to keep living with his human family, free from what amounts to a bullshit abusive cult that he escaped. Like I said, it made me TIRED.
This feeling was compounded by the fact that I was never quite sold on the romance, either. Emyr was a sufficiently compelling character; the story successfully shows that there is more complexity to the prince than his initial demand of Wyatt indicates, and that he is also struggling under the constraints of fae society. And there are some genuinely swoony moments between Wyatt and Emyr, including a classic “there’s only one bed” accidental cuddling situation.
But ultimately, I thought the relationship between Wyatt and Emyr as presented in the book was toxic and codependent. Wyatt is Emyr’s “fated mate,” which involves some element of magical compulsion that Emyr feels around Wyatt that Wyatt does not feel for Emyr. This lends an obsessive element to Emyr’s “love” for Wyatt that is never adequately addressed. The story also never fully reckons with just how abusive and truly damaging to Wyatt Emyr’s initial threatening behavior is, even if Emyr is also struggling. In fact, Wyatt ends up feeling he’s been too hard on Emyr, which I…did not think was true. It’s clear that Wyatt and Emyr have hurt each other repeatedly throughout their relationship and nothing presented in the story made me think the dynamic had changed enough for them to be healthy together.
So, while there were aspects of the reading experience I enjoyed, The Witch King kind of bummed me out. This is almost certainly partly a result of me having too high of expectations since I was so excited by the idea of reading a fae romantic fantasy with a trans main character. This is a book I really thought would be for me that was ultimately just not for me. (I also have to stop being drawn in by the compelling premises of YA speculative fiction when many common conventions of the genre do not work for me). However, as trans main characters in fantasy, especially YA fantasy, are not thick on the ground, I do think if this is something that appeals to you it is probably worth at least giving this book a shot. Wyatt is a compelling and memorable protagonist and is the strongest part of this book even if I did not personally feel fully satisfied with his arc. I also think lots of people will be drawn in by the humor and probably more personally compelled by the romance than I was, which may carry many readers through the plot and character issues. In conclusion: your mileage may vary but I hope I’ve helped you better figure out by how much!
White magic is often associated with spiritualism, as it involves connecting with higher powers or supernatural forces. It is believed that white magic practitioners must have pure intentions and a strong connection with the spiritual realm in order to successfully perform spells and rituals. One of the key principles of white magic is the emphasis on free will and consent. Practitioners of white magic believe that it is important to respect the choices and desires of others, and they do not attempt to manipulate or control others through their magical practices. Instead, white magic focuses on personal empowerment and promoting positive change. Many people turn to white magic for guidance and support during challenging times in their lives. White magic spells and rituals can provide comfort, clarity, and a sense of hope. They can be used to attract positive energy, ward off negative influences, and help individuals overcome obstacles. While white magic is generally associated with positive intentions and outcomes, it is important to approach it with respect and caution. Like any form of magic, white magic can have unintended consequences if practiced improperly or without proper understanding. It is essential to consult experienced practitioners or spiritual leaders when engaging in white magic practices to ensure safety and effectiveness. In conclusion, white magic is a practice that involves using rituals, spells, and charms to harness positive energies and create desired outcomes. It is associated with healing, protection, and personal empowerment. The practice of white magic requires pure intentions and a strong connection with the spiritual realm. It is important to approach white magic with respect, caution, and guidance from experienced practitioners..
Reviews for "Using Crystals and Gemstones in White Magic"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really disappointed in "Whats white magic". The storyline was weak and the characters were incredibly underdeveloped. I found it difficult to connect with any of them, and ultimately, I didn't care what happened to them. The pacing was also off, with slow moments that seemed to drag on forever and rushed moments that left me feeling confused. Overall, I felt like the book lacked depth and substance.
2. Alex - 1 star - "Whats white magic" was a complete waste of time. The writing was amateurish, filled with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. The plot was predictable and uninspired, and the dialogue was cringe-worthy. I couldn't believe I actually finished reading it. I kept waiting for it to get better, but it never did. Save your money and skip this book.
3. Mark - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to "Whats white magic" based on all the hype surrounding it, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The world-building was interesting, but it felt like the author didn't fully develop it or take advantage of its potential. The magic system was poorly explained and inconsistent, leaving me confused and frustrated. The main character was also quite unlikable, making it hard for me to root for her throughout the story. Overall, I found it to be a disappointing read that didn't live up to its promising premise.