DNF AT 54%


I loved the idea of this book, and I should have loved the characters too, because we have the kind of characters that usually work well for me. But... but the whole thing didn't really work for me. It's not bad, but it was not enough to keep me interested. I was bored most of the time, and the more I read, the less I was inclined to pick up the book again. I am a bit sad, because the idea is pretty great, but... nope, we didn't click at all.
Around the halfway point, we are introduced to a new character, and the fun thing was that this was a kind of character that usually doesn't work so well for me, but here I really enjoyed Mark. But a single interesting character is not enough to bring forth the weight of the whole book.
It's not that Walden is a bad character; she is dedicated, and usually I love to see characters that love what they do and that are competent at it. And she fits the bill perfectly, but still... I wasn't invested in her, if not marginally.
I don't really know what went wrong between us, because on paper, it should have worked marvellously for me, but... nope, we didn't click.

Something about growing older means that I more and more appreciate magic school books told from the perspectives of the teachers. It is deeply, deeply satisfying to read a story in which, yes, you've got some absolutely brilliant teenagers, who do absolutely normal teenage stuff, like being stupid and insecure and fumbling with relationships and dealing with past trauma and expectations about their future lives, but who also are not , in fact, as experienced and skilled as the adults who have spent decades perfecting their abilities in the same skills that the kids are learning for the very first time. Sometimes the smartest thing a kid can do is to get a responsible adult to fix the problem.

This is like Magic For Liars meets Scholomance: a magic school, one of whose main concerns is making sure the baby magicians don't get eaten by demons, but the main plot is much more sophisticated than just 'oooh, there's a big scary demon, let's defeat it!' That happens in the first quarter of the book. What remains is a much more interesting exploration of what happens after you defeat the big bad. What does the government think about the tools you used for such a victory? How does your own sense of self, your own commitment to your role in life, evolve, as you consider what you did to defeat the big bad? One of the best themes of this book is the idea of choosing which self you want to be, and the idea that this is a choice that you make, and can make consciously. The differences between demons and humans -- and indeed the areas in which they overlap -- make the character work really sing beautifully here.

Gosh, I liked this book so much.

The Incandescent is an engrossing and action-packed fantasy with elements of sapphic romance. This felt like a standalone novel, satisfying enough not to need a sequel, but the world-building is intriguing enough to warrant further exploration. I enjoyed the way the author created a world very much like our own but with magic, like it's just a normal thing that some people like to study, like a law or medical degree. I really enjoyed the unique and original plot and the characters were also really interesting. Our protagonist is a more mature woman, in a position of power, which I love as usually fantasy novels feature younger, underdog-esque femal protagonists so this was a welcome change of pace. There are elements of romance and intimacy but I would definitely class this as a fantasy more than romantasy as the romance is a more secondary plot line. In all, this is an excellent modern fantasy and I look forward to reading more by this author!

The Incandescent is a fantastic story about a magical school, written from the perspective of a teacher rather than a student. This shift in the narrator brought a new light to the magical school genre that I really enjoyed.

The writing style really worked for me. Rather than having a fast pace all of the time, using an older main character meant that problems were met with more composure. This allowed the story to unfold more slowly, increasing my time in the day-to-day life at Chetwood. I could tell that Emily Tesh has worked in a school because the characters all felt so realistic!

Drawing from academia, the magic system was really cool. I liked how the use of magic within the general population was managed as it feels reminiscent of British society today. I would have liked to have seen this explored in slightly more depth through the lens of a certain secondary character (who I wish had been included more). However, the world-building was great and naturally woven into the story. Overall, this was a strong standalone novel with an innovative magic system and an older main character.

The Incandescent is a great standalone fantasy novel! It was refreshing to read a fantasy novel that wasn’t a massive commitment to a series.

I loved the dark academia magical school setting and found it super interesting that the main character was a teacher, it provided a perspective that isn’t frequently explored in school based fantasy novels - in fact, this novel was the first I’d read with a teacher’s POV.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and would definitely recommend it, especially if you’re looking for an amazing fantasy read without a daunting series behind it! Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley!

I wanted to love this sooooo much, and I almost did. I love Emily Tesh's writing and it's just amazing this time around, too, so really she stays masterful at her craft. And once again her stories prove to be unique: Yes, magical boarding schools might not be new and we've read hundreds of stories set in them, but I've never read a story like this. This time around, one of the professors is our protagonist, and I quite adored her. She's brash, she's highly skilled, she owns her sexuality and she knows what she wants and doesn't want. I liked how she talked about pedagogical and didactical methods in teaching, I'm a teacher myself after all although my students are much younger. I liked the way Tesh built her magic system and found the idea of a giant powerful demon living basically under the school in the demon realm super intriguing. Honestly, the first half of the book was pretty much perfect for me.
It did lose me in the second half, though, especially around the middle parts of the story. Later on there's an interesting perspective switch that I liked but other than that the pacing slowed down considerably, it all felt a little meandering and I didn't enjoy the romance aspects, mostly because as badass as the Butch Super Warrior Lady was, she was just not given enough page time. I would have loved their romance to be developed more organically on page because it felt a little choppy the way it was written. There are also some rather predictable plot developments, one in particular that made Walden, our protagonist, look pretty stupid.

So yeah, still a very atmospheric and great read that lost its momentum due to slow pacing and story developments that felt a bit contrived, but Tesh remains an auto-read author for me.

I really loved the perspective of the book being a teacher, rather than students. I think the world building is strong, Dr. Walden is an interesting character and I enjoyed how more layers are revealed as the story progresses.

✅ bisexual representation
✅ magic school setting
✅ demons

This was a lot of fun! I immediately enjoyed Walden's voice and sense of humour, and it's always nice to find a new magic school book. The pacing worked well with a slow reveal of Walden's history. Most of the book really seemed to centre around the daily life of a teacher (albeit a magical one) with a couple of *incidents*, and I wasn't sure how the book was going to end but that last 20% was a real rollercoaster.

Definitely recommended if you're looking for fun, standalone fantasy read :)

I love the concept, but unfortunately I found it pretty boring. I'm not quite sure if it's the characters or the writing style but i was left feeling a little underwhelmed.

Oh I loved this! Dark Academia is just my jam, plus I loved Emily Tesh's Some Desperate Glory so I was anticipating a good time. It felt like both a love letter and a critique of the UK boarding education system and hooked me immediately.

I deeply enjoyed Dr Saffy Walden as the MC, with her dry and witty voice, and it's great to get a dark academia book from a proper adult's point of view, someone who's grown and competent and yet who also has flaws.

This book is my outstanding read of the year so far. And it’ll have to be something REALLY special to knock it into second place before the end of 2025. It’s also a love letter to the teaching profession and all that teachers do. I’ve read a fair few books that include teachers – no one has ever portrayed the sheer unending nature of the job in such a realistic manner. It also defines what teachers aren’t. They’re not friends or buddies of the children they teach – they can’t afford to be. I loved Tesh’s unsentimental assessment of what teachers represent and the limits of what they can do.

I also love Saffy Walden, who is at the height of her powers and constantly on a knife-edge. Chetwood Academy is the top school in the country providing magical tuition. It also happens to be a private boarding school which charges a great deal of money for said tuition – a school with a history that stretches back hundreds of years. A school surrounded by hungry demons, desperate to tuck into the deliciousness of young, inexperienced magic-users – and the top predator, who has previously attacked the school with devastating results – Old Faithful. The biggest, baddest demon of them all. It’s Dr Walden’s job, amongst teaching A-level Invocation, is to ensure the wards in and around the generously sized campus and all its grounds are secure enough to keep out all but the most inoffensive imps.

The story hooked me from the first sentence and didn’t let go. Tesh is an amazing storyteller, whose characterisation, plotting and scene setting are top-notch. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy following a skilled, confident protagonist – which is a pleasant change, anyway – we also got to see her vulnerabilities as the story progressed. And that story… Not only am I an avid reader, I also write – which means I often get an accurate sense of where the story is going. That isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker, so long as the tale is engrossing and well told. But not this time around. I happened to be reading this one in a café and I actually yelled with shock at one point in the story. That doesn’t happen all that often.

The downside? Tesh doesn’t write series, so I ended the book with a deep sense of loss. But that was balanced by the happiness that comes when I read a masterful read by a highly talented writer at the top of her powers. That also doesn’t happen all that often. Very, very highly recommended. While I obtained an arc of The Incandescent from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing a eARC for this book. I wasn’t paid to read and review this and any opinions expressed are my own.

The first half of this book had me completely hooked—utterly captivated, enchanted, and desperate for more of its magic. A solid 5 stars right out of the gate.

The middle section didn’t quite reach the same dazzling heights, but I was still thoroughly enjoying myself. It felt like a comfortable 4.5—still compelling, still rich with atmosphere and emotion.

Then came the final ten percent. And… what happened? A major narrative moment—arguably the moment—was skipped over entirely. I was eager to experience the events that transpired, instead, we got a sudden cut to black and a six-month time jump. It felt abrupt and unsatisfying.

I appreciated the ambition behind switching narrative tense and the shift into second person, but without a clearer setup or transition, it was jarring rather than illuminating. Seeing the Phoenix take over before shifting to its perspective might have helped smooth that moment and made the tonal pivot more impactful.

The climax, as a result, landed with a thud rather than a blaze. Which was a real shame, because Tesh writes fight scenes so well. The showdown with Old Faithful was a high point—absolutely electric and gorgeously choreographed. I genuinely thought that was leading into a final epic crescendo.

So much of this book sang, with rich worldbuilding, layered and well-developed characters, and a refreshingly original take on the magic boarding school trope. I especially loved the teacher POV—unique, emotionally resonant, and grounded in the day-to-day life of the school in a way that made everything feel tangible and alive.

Ultimately, I still really enjoyed The Incandescent and would rate it a strong 4 stars. The bulk of the book is brilliant—but I can’t help mourning the 5-star experience this almost was.

Really enjoyed this one! It's so much fun to read a magical dark academia story from the point of view of an adult teacher, rather than the students, and it was very entertaining to get that adult perspective on the various teenage dramas. The magic system was new and intriguing, and the characters were likeable without being two dimensional. My one gripe was that it was kind of obvious who the villain would be - but then maybe that was deliberate, and I certainly wasn't expecting the aftermath of that revelation. I've already recommended this to most of my friends - definitely a winner for me.

I love the idea of following an teacher instead of an student, but this book didn't connect with me. I did not care about the plot and I found the worldbuilding quite uninteresting.

Read courtesy of NetGalley.

This was among my most anticipated books for this year. Academia, magic, sapphic longing. The actual novel was really unputdownable, fascinating and utterly fun. And for all the HORRID lack of work-life balance that struck me as a self-inflicted injury from the character, the teaching was described in a way that did work for me as a teacher, most of the time.

I also love how Tesh writes fallible and imperfect protagonists. Walden can get so horribly frustrating and it reads so real. Stuck in her ways, short-sighted, passive. But her narration is all the more compelling for that. I wish the novel had been a little longer, so the students could have received greater space. I wish the romantic storyline had been a little better paced (but probably so does Walden). The proportions didn't always work for me, but I still loved the overall story and can't wait for Tesh's next book.

If I may be a little nit-picky, once again, I find myself, ultimately, a little unsure if I agree with the politics of the text (or maybe, if the text has fully cohesive politics in significant ways). But that's for every reader to decide for themselves, I suppose.

Thank you to Little, Brown and NetGalley for providing me an eARC to review!

I wanna caveat this by saying I didn't think I would be a fan of the concept of this book, and only picked it up because I'm an Emily Tesh stan, so this is definitely a more 'it's me not you' kind of 3 star.

I'm not a cozy fantasy girl and not really much of a dark academia girl, so going into it I wasn't expecting a whole lot. I liked that we got the perspective of a teacher which I haven't seen before in the genre, and Tesh's characterisation clearly came from a very personal love of teaching and watching her students grow. Dr Walden seems like a workaholic and loner at the beginning - which she is - but I liked the slow reveal of her backstory colouring why she is this way, and actually how deeply she cares for her students. The magic system was also cool, and I liked the idea of demons being attracted to areas like schools because of all the wild magic around and being brought into being by personifying them, and being able to explore the lingering memories of the history of the school in the magic plane. There was a section near the end which I thought was especially slay and kind of gave me everything I wanted, but it was unfortunately very short-lived.

I think a lot of my critique boils down to this just not really being my thing - the very end in particular felt like a bit of a let down after the very cool climax, and since the focus was often on the relationships and the school rather than the cool demon magic, I was just kind of hoping for this to be something it wasn't. I also thought a lot of the plot hingeing on Dr Walden being charmed by a hot man was something I kind of thought she was above/past, so it seemed strange to me that she would be so taken by it (though I guess hot cop lady was kind of off limits so maybe it was like a channel for that and girls just wanna have fun I guess).

Would recommend for fans of A Deadly Education and An Academy for Liars but looking for something with an older protagonist and a bit cozier.

Magical ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ₊⊹⁀➴ 4.5
─..★.──────────

I didn't realise this was going to be a Slice-of-Life style story and it is hit and miss if those can hold my focus at the moment, unfortunately I think I need to set this one aside for a bit - but The Incandescent is so so well written and I am so impressed with Emily Tesh that I want to share my thoughts here anyway!

This is my first read from Tesh and I don't know quite what I was excepting but this type of humour and whimsical world building was not it. From page one she expertly introduces us to this wonderful and eerie magical school where demon possessions are as much a daily nuisance as traffic jams, and inanimate objects can become cursed if you talk to them too much. I loved the magic system, this idea of making a space for a demonic entity by giving an object an identity with words like 'you' and 'them'. The possessed copy machine was ADORABLE and I would die for him.

Walden is a refreshing and enjoyable protagonist to follow, she is smart and introspective, and chronically underestimated. I love that she is shown throughout the story to be so powerful, even if, from appearances, she might not necessarily fit the stereotypical look of a dangerous woman. She is empowering and confident, and yet relatable, and I am sure that many reader will like her. Her care and affection towards her students really shines through in the way she talks about them. And even if it is not a found-family story, I do think people who enjoy that trope will vibe with this cast.

The pacing is on the slower side. But as I said above, I wasn't anticipating this to be a little bit Slice-of-Life and it definitely is. You get to see all the inner workings of the school and the faculty, and their lives outside of the classroom. I enjoyed this even if my brain was fidgeting through it. I think for readers who do well with cosy fantasy this will be a good match even if I wouldn't quite class it as cosy. The stakes are definitely there and there are action scenes as well.

Overall, I would highly recommend this one. It might not be for me, but it so well crafted and humorous, and the possessed copy machine is everything I promise.

────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
✦ Rep: sapphic love, bisexual FMC, diverse characters
✦ Mood: playful, cosy, humorous

3.5🌟 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘖𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊.

I'm in conflict with this one because the writing itself is lush and thoughtful and chock full of everything that makes a dark academia novel good. It differs from the usual offerings by following the POV of a middle-aged (ish) teacher on a mission to stop her school from being overwhelmed by demons (guiding her A-level students though examinations and incursions both). It's a love letter to teachers and academia and learning to let go of the past, and the magic systems are there to facilitate those themes rather than as their own draw. Am I any clearer on why demonic magic is used in this alt-contemporary society by the end of the book? No, not really.

I think I struggled with The Incandescent slightly because there was no real drive to the plot. It wouldn't be fair to call our FMC (Dr Walden) passive, but the majority of the book is people coming to her with problems (both minor and major) and her just kinda dealing with them? Taking it all in her stride. And then several weeks pass and it's just on to the next problem. I also really can't deal with second-person perspective, and we got at least a couple of chapters of it (YUCK).

It I'd been in the mood for something slower-paced and more meditative, this would have more than scratched that itch. I accept it was likely a ME problem that it couldn't always hold my attention. A shame, because it was refreshing to read something so resolutely British. The school lunches! The underage pub drinking! The gross commute into London! The seasonal sports rota that was thrust on you every Wednesday afternoon! I also liked what it had to say on educational access and privilege and the state vs private sector.

There's genuinely a lot to love here, but I'd be surprised if anyone was drawn into binge-reading it. Very much a chapter here and there kind of novel - a gentle contemporary fantasy read with some nice (if rather contained) world building.

dnf @ 7%

i'm sorry i really tried to read it but it was literally just straight up info dumping 7% STRAIGHT. and it got too much i'm afraid😟 i was really excited to read this book too so it's a little disappointing 😣 and maybe it's my fault and that the timing is wrong but oh well😔
maybe in the future i will give this a try again but for now i have to let it go

There are so many magical academy books now that they have become a definitive sub-genre. While the first fantasy book to feature a magic school was Ursula K LeGuin’s The Wizard of Earthsea in 1968, the current trend can clearly be traced back to the Harry Potter series. Since then there has been a flood of books about magic schools, dragonriding schools, vampire schools and so on. The majority of books in this genre are pitched at the YA market – they are about children and young adults surviving school and its strictures and in particular in spite of the adults that inhabit it.
Thankfully, for those of us who have grown up, there is now a corner of this sub-genre that is pitched at adults. Lev Grossman’s Magician series started this more mature trend and since then we have also had Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House - a dark journey into the ancient houses of Yale. In her new novel The Incandescent, Hugo winner (and clearly: teacher) Emily Tesh, flips the script a little further. This is a magical school novel in which the protagonist a head teacher and the secret to defeating the demons which threaten her school: being a great teacher.
When The Incandescent opens, Dr Saffy Walden, Director of Magic at the prestigious Chetwood school in the UK is writing up a risk assessment for a demon-summoning practical that she is conducting with her A-level class the next day. Even here, Tesh is more interested in the universal mechanics of school bureaucracy than the fantasy aspects of this task.
That practical, when it happens and the consequences of it will echo through the rest of the book. Because Chetwood, an exclusive private school, due to its role and its practices is a magnet for demons. Most of those are small and manageable and live in the school’s electronics, but there are bigger, more dangerous creatures in a shadowy other world that are summoned and used for their power but can also be extremely dangerous. Saffy’s job is not just to teach the students at Chetwood but to keep them safe, a job that keeps being made more difficult either by school bureaucracy, failing ancient protections, or something mysterious and more sinister.
Saffy Walden is a great central character to carry this story. In some ways she epitomises the trap for teachers – educated at Chetwood, scarred by her experiences there as a teenager, but back there as a teacher so that she carries that history with her. As a result, Saffy is an amazing teacher but is not so good at other parts of life such as romance or relationships. Her knowledge and belief in the protection that her knowledge provides is also a blind spot and her journey in this story is a really unique and fascinating one.
As already intimated, Tesh is just as interested in the art and magic of the teaching profession as she is in the world of demons. There is plenty of commentary here about how best to relate to teenagers in a way that makes them want to learn and what makes a good teacher. There is a whole chapter where Walden is required, despite her reticence, to give careers advice.
But Tesh is also interested in interrogating the whole private school system in the UK (reflected very much in the Australian education system). And, in particular, the role of expensive boarding schools like Chetwood in the educational ecosystem and the advantages that it gives. Tesh also does this also through Saffy’s interaction with those who were not academically trained in magic, particularly one of the Marshalls (think magic police force).
Overall, The Incandescent is a great fantasy book with plenty to say about the real world which it is drawing on and mirroring. Readers will come for the mystery and mayhem and the detailed world building of a school for magicians that attracts demons. But they may well come away with a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the teaching profession and questions about the way education is organised and what it is for.