Starred review from May 6, 2024
Hamill (A Cosmology of Monsters) returns with a dark and enchanting account of four friends whose dabbling in the supernatural as teenagers threatens their present happiness. In the 1990s, Hal, Athena, Erin, and Peter discover the Dissonance, which enables them to transform negative emotions into great feats of magic, and form a power-hungry coven. In 2019, now adults and their coven dissolved due to some unstated disaster, the friends must reckon with the consequences of their impulsive adolescent actions. Toggling between the two timelines to tease out what happened between now and then, Hamil weaves a tale of magic, teen angst, the power of enduring friendship, life in small-town America, sexuality, and the use of religion (in this case, Christianity) as a tool of subjugation. As the friends learn more of what they are capable of, they also discover what, and who, is behind the forces of Dissonance, building to a shocking conclusion that will change them forever. Fantasy readers won’t want to put this down. Agent: Kent Wolf, Neon Literary.
December 1, 2024
Decades after teenage mishaps with magic left a coven shattered, those still remaining are drawn to the sole survivor of a summoning gone wrong. Erin, Hal, and Athena still long for the lost magic called Dissonance--now lost--and the relationships that shattered so long ago. Meanwhile, Owen has been kidnapped by the violent, possessed body of his crush, learning in the hardest way that magic is real. Hamill (A Cosmology of Monsters) weaves the past and present into a teasing narrative, holding tight to revelations so as to maximize listeners' anticipation. Soneela Nankani narrates the whole cast, embodying each character's quirks, insecurities, and guilt as they navigate the dangers across their lives. She portrays their true wonder as children discovering their power, facing off during their first tests, and traveling to new worlds. When depicting the grown-up versions, Nankani voices doubts that are more bitter and tinged with a grief that's only hinted at deep into the novel. The characters' need to recapture the victories of their youth and choose better will resonate with many listeners. VERDICT A great listen for fans of Naomi Novik's "The Scholomance" trilogy, where magic is hungry, and children are disposable.--Matthew Galloway
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