Sunday, January 17, 2010

Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle


Twins Persephone (Perse) and Penelope (Pen) Leland live in England in 1837. They have received an uncommon education, learning math and other subjects not generally taught to girls - and they've been tutored in magic. Now that their eighteenth birthday is approaching, it's time for them to go to London, join the Season, and find eligible husbands. Keeping their magic a secret and dealing with the ton would be difficult enough, but they also discover that their governess has been kidnapped as part of a magical plot. Time grows short as they try to find Miss Allardyce (not to mention husbands) amid the many complications of the social whirl.

This was an enjoyable story, and a fairly quick read. There are quite a few characters, but they are all well-developed and easy to keep track of. The story is certainly interesting and adds a bit of fantastical mystery to the historical plot. I would definitely recommend this to teens interested in stories about Regency England, magic in the "real world", or those looking for a bit of light fantasy with a little mystery.


Note: This book focuses on Persephone's story; Penelope's story is continued in the second book, Betraying Season.