Curtis Craddock’s AN ALCHEMY OF MASQUES AND MIRRORS is an incredibly accomplished novel, combining various genre-fiction elements to create a story reminiscent of a decidedly more feminist version of The Three Musketeers.

Born with a deformed hand, Princess Isabelle des Zephyrs of l’Empire Celestine would’ve been killed on the day of her birth if it weren’t for the hasty intervention of Jean-Claude, a young King’s Own Musketeer. Charged with protecting the princess, Jean-Claude has stood by her side for more than twenty years, playing the role of the drunkard rather than reveal his shrewd intelligence. But when Isabelle is plucked from obscurity and disgrace to be married to the prince of a foreign nation, the pair will need to do much more than feign ignorance and incompetence to swim in the shark-infested waters of the Aragothic court. Why has Isabelle, reviled for both her deformity and her lack of sorcery, been chosen for this marriage? And is it really an honour…or is it a death sentence?

AN ALCHEMY OF MASQUES AND MIRRORS is by far one of the best, most surprising books I’ve read this year. From the very first chapter to the last, this story had me in its grip and I was desperate to know what would become of our heroes. As with any good historical fantasy set at court, there’s a boatload of intrigue to untangle, and just when I thought I’d figured out who was behind what plot, Craddock pulled the rug out from me. International politics, familial feuds, a shadowy Temple, and individual motives all converge to obscure the truth(s) behind Isabelle’s sudden rise in status. From assassination attempts on airships to political maneuvering at masquerade balls, there isn’t a dull moment to be had as Isabelle and Jean-Claude race to stay ahead of their enemies.

Adding another layer to the complexity of this story is the world building, which is some of the finest I’ve come across in ages. The cultures of French-inspired l’Empire Celestine and Spanish-inspired Aragoth are rich and subtly developed; I never once felt like Craddock relied on info-dumping to establish the political or social landscape that our protagonists were walking (or should I say flying) into. Even the sorcery of these nations is distinct, with l’Empire society ruled by the Sanguinaire blood sorcerers and Aragothic society topped by the mirror-travelling Glasswalkers. The highest ranking Temple officials in both nations also rely on a series of steampunk artifacts imbued with shadowy powers, and I can’t wait to learn more about them in the sequel. What we did see of these magics and devices through Isabelle’s eyes was particularly interesting, as her empirical philosophy-driven mind dissects their components and explains them with a scientific-feeling detail that you don’t often find in fantasy novels.

But as with every great book, it’s the characters in that really make AN ALCHEMY OF MASQUES AND MIRRORS stand out, and Isabelle and Jean-Claude are at its heart. Their surrogate father/daughter relationship is beautiful, heartwarming, and also provides lots of comedic relief after some of the more dire moments. Jean-Claude’s loyalty, love, and pride in Isabelle’s accomplishments are evident throughout the story, and his willingness to sacrifice his personal desires for her safety made me a fierce fan. Isabelle herself relies and dotes upon Jean-Claude despite the fact that he can be something of a political nightmare, standing up for him when others are too willing to be discomfited by his unorthodox tactics. Their warm relationship is a welcome contrast to the scorn and cruelty heaped upon Isabelle by most of society, especially her own biological family. There are hints at other intriguing relationships to be further fleshed out in the sequel, and I for one am dying to see where Craddock takes them. After just reading this, I’m certain he won’t disappoint.

With a twisty plot, fascinating world, witty repartee, and heart, AN ALCHEMY OF MASQUES AND MIRRORS is sure to be a sleeper hit with fantasy readers.

I received this book via Netgalley.

I adored <i>An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors.</i> A polymath, physically-disabled princess who is delightfully clever! An aged musketeer, utterly devoted to the princess he loves as a daughter, and brilliant in his own way! A world of floating islands and blood magic and mirror-projections! Villains who are complex and creepy, never falling into caricature! This really has it all. The world-building is complex but never overwhelming; I was hooked within the first few pages, and was eager to grab any chance I could get to read onward.

I am excited to read more of Craddock's books in this world. I'm now a fan.

I received an eARC of this novel from NetGalley.

Isabelle is despised and neglected by her cruel father because she was born with a deformed hand and without bloodshadow magic. The neglect is fine by her because that means she has more time to follow her passions by illegally studying math and science. Although Isabelle is a princess, she doesn't believe she has any future prospects until an offer of arranged marriage to the Prince of Aragoth opens up her world. Isabelle travels from her home on Isle des Zephyrs in l'Empire Céleste to the Kingdom of Aragoth with Jean-Claude, the King's Own Musketeer who has guarded since birth and is her dearest friend. Isabelle and Jean-Claude quickly learn that the two locales are quite different from one another - for one thing the people of Aragoth don't deal with things by bloodshadow but by glasswalking. The two also find themselves caught up in dangerous intrigue - the prince's previous fiancee was murdered and en route to Aragoth and Isabelle herself is nearly murdered proving that there is a plot against her. If Isabelle and Jean-Claude want to have any chance of survival, they'll need to get to the bottom of this mystery and try to prevent an oncoming war.

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock is an absolutely marvelous read that has easily become one of my favorite books of 2017 so far. There is so much to love about this new release, but the stunning world building, unique magic system, and outstanding characters are what really took my breath away. To begin, the world building is so complex, layered, sprawling, and absolutely immersive that I'd say it rivals the likes of The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, A Song of Ice and Fire, and Shades of Magic. I could vividly picture the world of the Risen Kingdoms. Essentially, nations are composed of floating islands surrounding a gas giant (like Jupiter) as the remains of a world destroyed long ago, and to travel between nations people sail via airships. On that note, it's clear that the Risen Kingdoms have a long and rich history that I would love to know more about in the future.

The magic system of Isabelle's world is also hooked me right away even though Isabelle herself has no magic. It's been awhile since I've seen one quite so cool that has such a rich history behind it within the novel. I don't want to give too much away, but in their religion only a few types of magic are legally sanctioned for the leading families. Two that play a major part are the ability to cast bloodshadows and to glasswalk. Bloodshadows are blood red, can feed on human life, and can enslave others by turning them bloodhollows - this ability is particularly frightening, especially considering that the sorcerers controlling the bloodhollows can spy on their enemies using the eyes of those they've magically enslaved. Of the two, though, glasswalking, sounds both cool and convenient - sorcerers who have this ability can travel quickly by moving between mirrors - yet it could also go wrong with very dangerous consequences for the glasswalker.

Finally, I'd like to talk about our two leading characters, Isabelle and Jean-Claude, for both are the heart of the story. Isabelle is incredibly refreshing as a no-nonsense, clever, and curious young lady who has decided to take her education into her own hands when it comes to topics that are off limits to women like math and science. She even publishes scientific papers under a male nom de plume, plus she sneaks equations into her sewing and paintings. To say the least, Isabelle is a woman I could really respect and my respect and appreciation for her just continued to grow over the course of her story. As much as I loved Isabelle, though, Jean-Claude totally steals the show. Jean-Claude is a King's Own Musketeer who is incredibly loyal to Isabelle. He's protected her and been there for her as the father she's never really had since her birth. He's seen some pretty brutal stuff and he's getting a bit older - he's probably in his upper 40s - so he isn't quite what he once was, but he's the kind of person you'd want to have on your side no matter what. He's also very brave and has a cynical wit to boot.

Overall, I can't recommend An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock enough. If you love fantasy with with a steampunk flair, epic world-building and fantastic characters, 17th century French and Spanish history, The Three Musketeers, and Treasure Planet, I have a feeling you'll love this novel, too. I can't wait to see more of this world!

I kind of got bored towards the first half of the first book, so I set it aside and never came back to it.

I had so much fun reading this book, I’m going to have add a new author to my watch list.

King’s Own Musketeer Jean-Claude saves the newborn Isabelle’s life and is commanded by his king to safeguard her as she grows. Isabelle is despised by her noble family because she does not display their hereditary magic; she is also reviled because she was born without a fully formed hand. When she is offered the opportunity to marry the prince of a neighboring kingdom to secure alliances, she takes the chance so she can escape her home. However, Isabelle and Jean-Claude quickly realize that her marriage is enmeshed in larger plots that place them both in danger.

This book has a lot going on in terms of worldbuilding. Based on the cultural elements presented, the world seems roughly equivalent to 17th-century Europe, with kingdoms that are analogues of France and Spain. However, their territories consist of airborne landmasses rather than continents, with some sort of historical cataclysm to blame for sundering the world; skyships are necessary to traverse the expanses in between the floating lands. Each of the kingdoms has its own set of nobility with a specific inborn magical talent. But there’s also technology, with a religion in which members of the upper priesthood sport implanted prostheses of various types, remnants from a past civilization.

The complexity of the worldbuilding is matched by the plot, which features a LOT of political intrigue. At times it was difficult to keep track of who was conspiring with whom about what, which was a little frustrating. However, the pace of the story is so quick and the plot drew me along so well that I decided just not to worry about it and keep on reading. There’s certainly plenty of action featuring guns, bombs, and swords to keep the story moving along.

Isabelle and Jean-Claude were both great characters. Isabelle, a mathematical prodigy, is intelligent and also very brave in facing the perils of her new position. Musketeer Jean-Claude is aging and not as physically able as he used to be, but he makes up for it by being extremely wily. He’s got a shrewd understanding of human nature and a glib tongue that allows him to talk himself out of danger more than once. Together, Isabelle and Jean-Claude make a formidable team, and I would love to see them in action again.

This book was an extremely entertaining read, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel.

An eARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors has a lot going for it: a well-presented quasi-historical setting, steampunk elements, a dashing hero, a courageous heroine. The plot and characters caught and held my attention throughout, and the pacing was generally well handled, keeping me turning the pages late into the night. The book throws the reader straight into the world of the story; however, careful world building takes place as events progress, gradually painting a full and colourful picture. The only major thing that stood out as a negative for me was the ending, as I found the proposed future romance forced and confusing in light of the future against which the characters had been fighting throughout the entire story. Despite that, this was still a most enjoyable read sure to please fans of steampunk-inspired fantasy.

This was an interesting book, but very slow-moving. I had a very hard time getting drawn into the action because it seemed like it took such a long time for things to get going. Even when "exciting" things were happening, there was not a sense of urgency to really keep the reader on the edge of their seats. When I had to put the book down, there was no real feeling of "I can't wait to get back to this book so I can see what happens next." The world building was good, and the characters were interesting, but just not interesting enough.

This was a fun book with smart characters. Most of the characters used their brains and had different motivations. Because a good deal of the book is about political climate of a made up land, it took me a bit to remember who was who. That and the betrayal of one of the characters was very predictable were the only downsides. Other then that I have my fingers crossed that this will turn into a series.

Early on in this book, I almost set it aside for excessive cruelty. Fortunately, that turned out to more or less be backstory, establishing the status quo against which the protagonist fights, intelligently, effectively, and with loyalty and compassion.

I could have wished that her mathematical ability - or even her artistic ability - had been key to the plot; as it was, they were colour rather than crunch, but did help to establish her keen intelligence.

There were plenty of good action scenes which advanced the plot, most of them handled by the secondary protagonist - the main protagonist's faithful bodyguard. The crazy major antagonist was ably supported by several less crazy, but powerful, secondary antagonists, and all of the characters got the amount of development I felt they needed.

The setting had its pluses and minuses. On the one hand, a world of floating landmasses above a vast gulf, plied by skyships? Wonderful. On the other hand, recycling Earth cultures, not just for languages and names, but for fashion and actual bits of history (like massive inflation caused by too much gold plundered from the colonies), is not my favourite worldbuilding approach. I suppose it provides a convenient shorthand when the world needs to remain in the background so the focus can be on the characters and plot, but it still seems lacking in imagination to me. The sorcery, though, defies that charge, with varied magical effects that are consistently worked out and used in service to plot development.

The main reason I liked the book, though, was its main character. Determined, highly intelligent, and seeking the good of everyone despite her own cruel upbringing, she was just the kind of protagonist I like to cheer on.

I received a copy via Netgalley for purposes of review.

Gloriously fun. Starts off at a quick pace, and only speeds up from there. It is something of a political fantasy, but I didn't get overly confused by it, which is often a personal issue of mine. I suspect this would be an excellent crossover novel for fans of assorted genres to all have a chance to enjoy.

This is an extremely dense book. I found that I had to put it down and let everything settle before picking it up again. Craddock has created a intricate world with many layers. That world building is worked into the story line as backstory is revealed and characters are developed. For all of that Isabelle is in some ways a typical main characters. Her father does not like her, she has no magic and she loved being left alone to work on her math (something that is forbidden females). All that changes and those changes drive the story. Isabelle is the main character and she is backed up by her faithful musketeer, Jeane-Claude, who comes up with some very unique actions in support of Isabelle. While I had to put it down I also had trouble letting it stay down. It has a very good plot, some very interesting main and side characters, and unique magic. A very well written book.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

4.5 of 5 stars

An Alchemy of Masques and Shadows turned out to an incredible surprise and one of the most engrossing reads I’ve had in a long time. In truth though, I hadn’t known what to make of the novel’s description when it first crossed my path. Its story’s scattered allusions initially prompted me to approach this one with a wariness I usually reserve for unknown quantities, but ultimately this mishmash of genre elements ended up being one of my favorite aspects of the book. There seems to be something for everyone, whether it’s science fiction, fantasy, historicals, steampunk or action and adventure that tickles your fancy.

The story predominantly follows two characters: Jean-Claude, a stouthearted and valiant musketeer who must nonetheless act the drunken fool in order to protect Princess Isabelle, who hails from a powerful family of sorcerers despite possessing no magical aptitude of her own. Their fates first collided on the day of Isabelle’s birth, when the discovery of her congenitally deformed hand almost led her to be killed on the spot. Only through Jean-Claude’s intervention was her life spared, and from that moment on, the musketeer became something of a surrogate parent for the princess.

As Isabelle grew up, her real father was cold and cruel towards her, disappointed in her disability and lack of magic. By trying to force her powers to manifest, he ended up destroying the mind of Isabelle’s best friend Marie, who became a “bloodshadow” after his traumatic magical assault on her psyche. Nevertheless, Isabelle found other ways to flourish, finding joy in secretly studying science and mathematics, two fields that are forbidden to women. She has even conducted her own research, publishing works under a male pseudonym. The only one who knows about this is Jean-Claude, who has looked out for Isabelle for years, making sure she is well-protected from those who see her deformity as proof that she is evil, or cursed.

Jean-Claude’s job is about to get more complicated, however, when one day a half-human-half-clockwork messenger arrives with a missive from the Kingdom of Aragoth, whose Prince Julio has asked for Isabelle’s hand in marriage. Not only are the politics behind the arrangement messy, with a high threat of assassination attempts and other dangers, things in Aragoth are also very different from Jean-Claude and Isabelle’s home of the Isle del Zephyrs in l’Empire Céleste. Instead of using blood-based systems of magic, the sorcerers of Aragoth are Glasswalkers who can pass in and out of mirrors.

Musketeers, Bloodshadows, clockwork cyborgs, Glasswalkers, airships and floating islands…is there anything this book doesn’t have? And as if that wasn’t enough, in the middle of all this is also a disorienting jumble of court intrigue and deadly politics. At certain points, this avalanche of information almost got to be too confusing, too much to take. And yet, just before my brain could short out like an overloaded circuit, Craddock started bringing it all together. Massive in scope and imagination, the world of The Risen Kingdoms became more immersive and real to me the longer I stayed in it. As evidenced from some of the naming conventions, the author draws a lot of inspiration from European history, but most of everything in this story is completely fresh and new.

Also, I can’t tell you what a breath of fresh air it is to read a book where the heroine actually SHOWS readers how smart, strong and capable she is through her actions, as opposed to having the text TELL us again and again—which is never as effective as authors might think. A lot of debuts tend to fall into this trap, but I’m glad this book managed to employ “Show, Don’t Tell” by allowing us to develop a connection to Isabelle through experiencing her actions, words, and feelings instead of resorting to unwieldy exposition. To wit, she stood out to me without the narrative having to idealize her character or use any “Chosen One” clichés, not to mention Isabelle being an overall worthy protagonist also allowed me to sympathize with Jean-Claude’s fierce loyalty towards her. She’s someone who earns the respect and admiration of those around her, and this in turn made it easier for me to root for her too.

Evocative and creatively imagined, An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors is a gorgeously written debut encompassing a splendid mix of speculative genre elements. Lovable characters made this one a joy to read, not to mention my delight at how almost every page would bring something new and awe-inspiring about the world to the table. If you haven’t made reading this a priority yet, you should get on that right away. As a series opener, this book made a huge impression on me, and I can’t wait to see where the story will go next.

This novel as a long and nice read and different than what I expected it to be, which I liked. There are a few adventures in this novel and constant plots going about. Everyone has their own agenda they wish to bring forth, turning allies into enemies and enemies into allies. Nothing is what it seems to be and it can keep you on your toes.
Isabelle, a princess, has a deformity and does not possess magic like the rest of her family. She has suffered much from her family. She is extremely intelligent and clever, but has to keep it hidden because she is a woman. Her only ally is Jeane-Claude, who saved her at birth and continues to keep an eye on her for the last 24 years. He gives society one appearance and uses that to find out information. After all, people give more information when one appears to not be quite so smart.
Isabelle agrees to marry Prince Julio and escape her father's clutches. However, any bride-to be of the prince's has mysteriously died and Isabelle is next on the list. Jeane-Clause will do everything to protect Isabelle from those who wish to harm her. Isabelle will need to use all her deductive skills to figure out what is really occurring on as she and Jeane-Claude travel from the Isle des Zephyrs in l'Empire Céleste to the Kingdom of Aragoth. There, Isabelle will discover things about herself and question the prince whom she is supposed to marry. However, nothing is at it seems and the court of Aragoth is a dangerous place where everyone hides behind a mask. As Isabelle and Jeane-Claude get closer to the truth, enemies from all sides will try to stop them in different ways and use whatever deception is necessary to achieve their goals. There are many plot twists in this novel and expect the unexpected.

I been looking for a book that read like the three musketeers but modern. I love the feeling of action and adventure and swashbuckling frolic. I am very looking forward to the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge for the opportunity to read a digital copy of this book.

The three star rating is me bumping my rating up because the author presented such an unusual fantasy world in this novel. I liked seeing his imagination at work. The landmasses, known as skylands, float in the air and are large enough to support cities, towns, and all other expected forms of life. No creepy critters or giants or gnomes or zombies but almost regular people, except of course for the clockwork parts added on to some of them. Some skylands are larger than others but they all have one thing in common -- if you fall off the edge you are just plain gone. A great way to get rid of an enemy! Transport between the islands in the air is done in skyships which are equivalent in almost every way to old wooden sailing vessels. Navigation is a chancy thing because the ships float on air currents and some interesting obstacles can happen with wind speed and velocity as you sail near to the place you want to dock (still floating). The people are classified as either clayborn or of a royal house and are strictly ruled by a king, a queen or both. Each kingdom's royal genetic line has its own magical power. Those were really interesting.

The characterization of Princess Isabelle is where the author let me down. I have a problem with a main character who goes for chapter after chapter being shunned and abused physically and verbally until she is a cowering, quivering mass of jelly only to emerge instantly from her shell and accept the job of bringing peace to all the kingdoms of this fantasy world. Without a single mention of learning how to even curtsey let alone negotiate with some pretty evil dudes, Princess Isabelle agrees to marry a prince sight unseen in order to convince the warring kingdoms that peace would be better for everybody involved. Plus I waited absolutely forever for Isabelle to discover what her magic power was only to be so totally underwhelmed that I had to go back to read that part again to see what that magic power is. I'm still unsure.

So, have no fears, this is just the first book in what will be a multi-book series. I won't be along next time because it is absolutely unheard of for a book to take me over two weeks to read. I honestly thought it was never going to end.

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors caught my eye first because of the cover and second because of the description, and I must say that I very much enjoyed it.

My favorite part is that Isabelle and Jeane-Claude are both awesome leading characters. Isabelle is a fantastic heroine, headstrong and smart, but in a patriarchal society that would have her killed should she reveal her secret studies into science and math. Jeane-Claude is a king's musketeer whose sole mission is to protect Isabelle, but he hides behind the guise of a drunken exile so no one takes him seriously. The story follows each of them in turn, and though the story is in third person, I still felt a strong connection to these characters.

Besides the well-developed characters, the action and the danger they face insert just the right amount of tension into the story, and add to that the mystery and the political intrigue, the fights and the narrow escapes, and even a little bit of romance, and you have one excellent read.
And, the ending is satisfying. No spoilers here, but I wasn't able to guess the outcome, and when it came, I closed the book feeling like it couldn't have ended any other way. I'd love to read another book in this world, but this one looks like a standalone.

Anyhow, overall this book was awesome and I loved it. I strongly recommend this to folks who enjoy high adventure, magic, and intrigue with a touch of steampunk.

I received the review copy of this book from NetGalley.

This was a magnificent epic tale of a struggling Princess fighting an oppressive conservative society with her hard-won intelligence and learning. There are epic struggles with the religious regime, marriage negotiations, feudal sorcerer royalty, weird geography, sword fights and she still saves the world.