Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The Shape of Magic is an immersive beautifully written debut novel. I loved the magic, the friendships, and the exploration of academia and power structures. And Kevyn is my absolute favourite!

An academic fantasy unlike anything I've ever read, this captivating novel blends history, fantasy, and mystery to tell an intricately crafted story filled with rich characters, an engaging magic system, and a richly detailed world! Thank you to NetGalley and to Miki Publishing for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This magical academia story revolves around Volta and her two friends who are all pupils at a magical university. The plot unfolds as there is a threat of war and an unexpected visit from the royal family.

The setting seems to be some time ago as several things we are very familiar with and often use as a part of every day life seem to be new here. The magical world set up within the book is pretty detailed and I was able to follow the nuances of it that were laid out in the book. I particularly enjoyed the magical properties of the actual school.

I felt like the plot advanced nicely throughout the book and at a good pace. I didn’t find parts that moved too slowly or glossed over details too quickly.

As for the characters, I enjoyed them all. I was especially drawn to two of the more secondary characters, Kevyn and Laufey. Kevyn was an absolute delight and hands down my favorite character in the book.

This was an enjoyable read and I hope to see more books from this author in the future.

The Shape of Magic is thought provoking and often throughout feels like the story is wrapping you in a warm embrace. I felt like the story starts a bit slow but it keeps a steady pace until around 65% which is when it really starts to pick up. I definitely recommend it.