The Enlightenment, but make it magicians. That little phrase made frequent appearances in my brain as I read H.G. Parry’s delightful historical fantasy, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians. The cast of characters included real historical figures such as William Pitt the Younger, William Wilberforce, Maximilien Robespierre, Camille Desmoulins, and Toussaint Louverture, and three countries in a re-imagined version of our world. The fight for liberty is very similar, except in this version the poor and oppressed are fighting for liberté, égalité, fraternité, and the right to practice magic. Knowledge of the actual history isn’t necessary, but those who remember from high school and college will get a kick out of how close Parry hews to real events while still writing an enchanting tale.

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians opens with one character, an African woman renamed Fina by her captors, in a slave ship on her way to Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). Her harrowing opening offers one view of the stakes characters are fighting for. We slowly learn that, centuries before the events of this novel, vampire kings ruled Europe. They were removed at great cost, but remnants of their harsh rule remain. No one but aristocrats and royalty are allowed to practice magic. Commoners and enslaved people are subject to harsh magics and penalties if they use their natural talents. By the time the 1780s roll around, enslaved people on Saint-Domingue and the poor in France and England have had enough.

After Fina’s introduction to the harsh world of the 1780s, the novel splits into three parts. In Fina’s third of the story, we see a revolution erupt as the enslaved people break free of their magical and physical restraints and seize their freedom. In France, Maximilien Robespierre rises from obscure rural lawyer to revolutionary leader who overthrows the ancien régime—with the help of a shadowy figure who promises power in exchange for “favors.” In England, William Pitt the Younger and William Wilberforce are taking a more gradual approach to change by trying to nudge parliament into expanding the rights of common magicians and banning the slave trade and slavery (respectively). Two of the revolutions (Haiti and France) are nightmares of fear, blood, and fire but, in contrast, Britain’s slow progress feels painfully slow.

The role of rhetoric, surprisingly enough, plays a bigger role in A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians than magic itself. The walls of the House of Commons are even enchanted to respond to particularly great oratory. Thus, there are many conversations where characters discuss how far they need to go and how they should proceed. I daresay the conversations depicted here mirror historical conversations had by their historical counterparts (you know, minus the details about magic) as they plotted their revolutions and political maneuvers. These conversations thankfully don’t bog down the narrative. Rather, they had me thinking about how far I might go to win my rights if they had been stripped away or entirely suppressed by an unjust government. The book also had me wondering what kind of magical ability I might want if I lived in Parry’s world. There are also plenty of battles—notably the storming of the Bastille—to keep things interesting.

I had a great time reading A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians and would definitely recommend it to fans of historical fantasy and alternate histories. Parry is absolutely brilliant at blending fact and fiction. The characters jump right off the page (Desmoulins is a particular favorite of mine and Wilberforce is a goddamned hero here and in actual history) as Parry brings them back to life, with the added twist of sometimes being able to do magic. Even the fact that the book ends on a cliffhanger wasn’t that much of a problem for me. I normally hate cliffhangers but this book would probably have been another 500 pages long if Parry had tried to resolve everything in one volume. I will definitely stay tuned for the next installment of Parry’s fantastical history of revolutions.

Blending real historical moments and adding a fantasy flair is usually my cup of tea. I am not a fan of boring history i want something that engages me. This engaged me that i was looking up the events that were mentioned and comparing where the author brought in the fantasy elements. You can tell the research was done by this author and the depth of the events and spread of time that was covered was phenomenal. Declaration of Rights of Magicians is intelligent and very well thought out novel that will make it difficult to remember their no army of the undead in history.

My issue with this book is the length i got drawn in at times other times i was bored out of my skull. I rated it a 3 as i made it to the end of the novel and i felt i had learned something from the story about a part of history i knew very little about when i started the book. I give the author props as i always aim to learn something new and i did indeed learn new information. I also never thought i read a novel with historical references woven with magicians, vampires and an army of the undead .

I think anyone who enjoys historical novels woven with a twist of magic will enjoy this book but I recommend reading it in small chunks so you can process what transpires and don’t get bogged down in all the historical references.

This book was absolutely refreshing.
No Harry Potter kind of magic, but a "realistic" (if you allow me this word) approach to real problems related to magic itself.
Parry's writing is a delight! The characters are well defined, it's so easy to empathize with all of them. The narrative has a good rhythm, and the creative effort of install magical references on real history was perfectly achieved.
I'm not used to give 5 stars, but for this book are more than deserved!!!!

I really enjoyed the author's first book so I was eagerly anticipating this. I'm also a huge history nerd so alternate history books are my jam and this did not disappoint. This is a bit of a heavy book, and deals with some heavy topics, such as slavery and abuse. It did take me a while to get through it because I needed a break every once in a while, but it was well worth the read. The political era is the perfect back drop to the idea of what right's magic users have as that time in history was rife with the underlying ideas of freedom and human rights. This is a very political book, so if heavy politics isn't your thing, this might not be the book for you. If, however, you find the great thinkers of the late 18th century to be fascinating and enjoy reading about the events leading up to the French Revolution and think that would be fun if mixed with a fantasy world, this is the book for you.

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.

I should have loved this book-- a re-imagining of the late 18th century portrays magic and the rights of magicians as decisive factors in the quest for abolition and the French Revolution. But as the book went on, I found myself feeling, in a book about one of the most tumultuous periods in history, that nothing was happening. Sadly, the most engaging storyline—that of Fina a magician escaping from slavery to join the revolutionary movement of Toussaint Louverture—gets very little coverage, and most of the novel’s action takes place off stage. This isn’t to say that A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians isn’t accomplished. It is. It is clearly well-researched, well-written, features a thoroughly developed and complete alternative 18th century Europe, and there are scenes late in the book about the fate of Camille Desmoulins with deep emotional resonance. In some ways, it most reminds me of Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Unfortunately, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians lacks the spirit (and ironically the magic) of the Clarke book. I do believe that A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians will have an audience, though perhaps a smaller one than the premise would suggest. For me though, I admired it more than I liked it.

This book was an interesting take on alternative history with magic. Sadly it just did not capture my attention as well. I liked the premise of the book yet I found the plot and pacing to be a bit slow and uninteresting. I just could not find any interest in the story and I wish I could have. I usually enjoy alternative histories and magic plots to be just my thing. There were a lot of characters and the politics just was not as interesting to me. I think someone who enjoys reading about fantasy and politics will definitely have a nice time reading this though, just not me.

Wow. Just wow.
I feel like this is the kind of story that you will either fall headfirst into and devour or you'll find tedious and hate. It's all a matter of being willing to fully immerse yourself in an alternate history of which the French Revolution and the slave trade are powerful, if slightly depressing, elements.
Major props to Parry for keeping historical elements as accurate as possible while infusing the world with what feels like a long magical history that falls into place seamlessly and believably. Getting to see every act from three very different perspectives and getting to know the characters through the years/pages makes for a truly compelling read. Even more so when you grow to feel like they're real people and you just know what's in store for them...
The one thing I could complain about is that it does get rather realistic in the depiction of certain things, particularly the slavery parts of the story. It's almost enough to make one stop reading, but it really is necessary for the story and it really does pay off as an integral part of character development.
Overall, I found this to be a truly original take on alternate history that adds magic to the world in a most realistic way. Undeniably worth the read.

Major thanks to Netgalley and Redhook Books for the chance to read it in exchange for an honest review.

Despite the quite lovely cover and the seriousness with which this book takes itself, it is, in total, less than the sum of its occasionally pretty parts. The ending would have been less annoying had it not taken such effort to get there.

The plot of this book was incredibly well thought out, and that might have been its downfall. I read this in quick succession of several other magician-adjacent novels, and truly thought I would enjoy it equally as the others. Perhaps it's just that I'm not a huge fan of history (and that's a personal problem), but I felt this book moved SO slowly. The way the author threaded the supernatural through mundane historical events was seamless, but each chapter dragged so slowly that I had trouble finishing the book - I found that just a couple pages took a lot of mental energy between understanding the historical significance, the fast-changing narratives and environments, and the bouncing of character to character. The author perhaps bit off more than they could chew, and I found myself lost among the competing story lines especially while trying to keep track of which historical events furthered the plot and which were simply fun to add magic into. This would be a better read for those more inclined for historical fiction with a side of mystery, but unfortunately I just couldn't get myself into it.

I have never read a historical retelling quite like this. The magic system was intriguing! The way the author integrated magic with 17th century history is so complex and imaginative. The plot was VERY political, which is something I normally do not read. But, I enjoyed every second of this book.

I will say that, although I enjoyed this book, I felt like Fina should have been more of a prominent character. There was so much room there to expand on the horridness that is slavery and all of the challenges Fina faced.

I felt like I couldn’t quite connect with the characters though. It is a very plot driven book and it makes the characters seem like they are kind of a second thought.

Overall I give A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Redbook for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

Prior to reading the this book, if you had told me fantasy and realistic historical fiction could be combined effectively I would have been skeptical. H. G. Parry weaves a gorgeous story, effortlessly bringing together the politics of 18th century France with the magical elements of a fantasy story. The language, cadence and writing style used all add to the authenticity of the story. We follow characters from Jamaica, England and Paris - all lending their own voice to this unique story. I very much enjoyed A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians.

The brilliance of this novel lies in the characters. Although it is a slow book at first, the characters are built masterfully into the plot to provide enough tension and climax to wrap it all up nicely at the end. My favorite parts were the relationships between all of the major characters and how they were tied into the historical fiction right at the roots. Definitely up there among some of the best historical fiction I've read in the last few years.

So thoroughly researched and exactly what the history nerd in me wanted to read. I cannot express how hard I screamed when it transpired William Pitt was a vampire.

I feel like what this book had going for it was also ultimately its downfall. I found it incredibly smart that Parry wove magic into pre-existing historical events. The subtlety of that change feels like a perfect example of how alternate history should be done, and yet the choice of events itself don't make for a compelling story. The French Revolution and demolition of the slave trade are both incredibly interesting on their own, and yet taking it from a political perspective is exhaustingly tedious. Previous reviewers are right, there's just not enough magic slipped in to make it captivating. The POV shift from France to England to Jamaica wasn't balanced enough, I thought. There was so much focus on the politicians in parliament and the revolutionaries plotting in France, and not nearly enough of the slaves taking action in Jamaica. The slave rebellion chapters were so sparse, I was genuinely confused by the end how it fit in with the rest of the novel, which is ironic, given how the slave trade is what drew all the characters together. I found myself wondering what the point of including it at all in the plot was.

This book is very heavily reliant on telling and not showing, so a lot of the action is explained through dialogue, instead of the reader getting to see the action directly for themselves. So although the history was all extremely detailed, the fantastical portion of it all felt incredibly vague in comparison. Vampires are mentioned as the main point of conflict of the plot, and yet we never see them at their most sinister, short of causing chaos and twisting people's minds. None of the magic felt particularly well-developed, and not used nearly enough. Things like the magical revolts could have taken up more page time, and the politics a lot less. I just didn't find these white men in history particularly interesting, and would have liked a varied perspective.

Overall, I was just very bored, but it did make me want to read around the French Revolution, which I'm already fascinated by...

Well, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this book as a whole. I know that I wish it was shorter because there were a lot of times that I felt like it dragged. I know I didn’t love the politics. But I also know that I did love the concept and I was able to connect with a character. I also appreciated the obvious talent of the author. I’ve spent a full day thinking about how I feel before sending in a review, and I’m still not sure I’ve come up with anything solid. I’m on the fence with my feelings. 3 stars.

Combining real historical events from the 18th century with magic, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is a must read for any fan of historical or fantasy based fiction. Following major British and French political figures as they navigate the often chaotic 18th century with the addition of magic made for a great read. While the story starts off a bit slow it builds into a tense, politically charged narrative that is hard to put down. Following in the footsteps of Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke, this story combines magic and history in a great way. By basing it on true events and adding in magic, it made it feel that much more real. While this title may not be for everyone, I will definitely be recommending it to anyone looking for something in the vein of Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norell. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an early review copy!

I don't know if this book will have a sequel or not, but if there is one I will be reading it.
I like the characters and the writing, the story was fun and enjoyable.

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 those 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.

H.G. Parry's A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is nothing less than epic. On the one hand, it is a fantasy novel, full of magic—much of it dangerous magic. On the other hand it is firmly grounded in global history at the time of the French Revolution. The presentation of figures that are simultaneously fictive and historical is nimbly handled, and these characters are depicted with a fullness that lets readers share their concerns and obsessions. And, in general, the fact that almost all of these characters are trying to achieve what they perceive as a greater good makes the novel even more compelling.

If you love fantasy and alternate history, you will love this book, but it will also appeal to readers who normally stick to literary fiction or nonfiction historical writing.

I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.