A Fresh Take on Magic
Okay, so let’s start with what hooked me right away, the magic system. I’ve read a lot of fantasy books in my life, but this one felt genuinely different. In this world, some people are born with special abilities, and they’re called Arcanists. Their power lies in drawing magical tarot cards. Normally, each card requires a very specific type of ink, and if you don’t have that ink, you can’t summon the card’s magic.
But here’s where our main character, Clara, completely stands out. She can draw any card with any ink and it still works. That’s a game changer. This wasn’t just some gimmick either; it opened up so many possibilities. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen a system quite like this before. It’s layered, dangerous, and has that addictive “what card will they pull next?” vibe.
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Clara’s journey takes her to the Arcana Academy, where arcanists are trained for three years. If they succeed, they serve the crown. If they fail…well, let’s just say exile or death is very much on the table. The whole setup gives the book high stakes right from the start. And then there’s the first trial: the students must give up one possible future forever. Like falling in love, starting a family, or reuniting with someone they’ve lost. Imagine being forced to choose which part of your life you’ll never get to have. That blew my mind.
The sad part? The author barely explored this trial. It was brushed over when it could’ve been one of the most powerful themes in the book. I was screaming in my head, “No, dig into this more!” Still, the idea itself was brilliant and one of the most unique things I’ve read in fantasy.
A Dark Academy and a Corrupt Crown
The story doesn’t just focus on magic, it also dives into politics and power. Clara starts the book in a dungeon, where she’s been locked up for a year. She absolutely despises the monarchy, and for good reason. The system is unfair: non-arcanists are treated horribly, and even arcanists who fail at the Academy are exiled or killed. It’s a setup that screams injustice.
Enter Prince Kaelis, the guy Clara hates with every fiber of her being. He’s the one who pulls her out of prison, but not because he’s a good guy. He has his own agenda. He pretends they’re engaged so she can avoid prison, and in return, she has to help him with some of his schemes. Enemies forced into an alliance? Check. Pretend engagement trope? Double check. You can already see the tension brewing.
The banter between Clara and Kaelis was one of the highlights for me. Their back-and-forth brought moments of humor to an otherwise heavy story. I found myself smiling whenever they clashed, and honestly, I wanted more of that energy. But I get it, the book is dark, serious, and packed with plotlines, so lighthearted banter takes a backseat.
The Academy itself gave me total dark academia vibes. Imagine Hogwarts, but deadlier and much more corrupt. There’s nepotism everywhere, rich kids get a free pass, and the poor are ground into dust. It felt a little too close to real life sometimes, like reading fantasy and nonfiction at the same time.
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The Highs and Lows of the Storytelling
Reading this book was a rollercoaster. Sometimes I was completely hooked, flipping pages like there was no tomorrow. Other times, I was confused, slightly bored, or overwhelmed by all the details. The pacing wasn’t consistent. The first half leaned heavily on exposition, lots of explaining, backstory, and internal monologues. Some of it was necessary because the world is dense, but at times it felt like the author didn’t trust readers to keep up.
The middle section also dragged a little. There were moments when I wished the focus had stayed on the actual academic trials or the training. Those were fascinating, but instead, we got long monologues or slower scenes that could’ve been trimmed down. The story shines brightest when it leans into the action. Card battles, heists, magical trials. Those parts had me completely locked in.
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One quirky detail I noticed? Almost every character in this book has a dramatic, heavy fantasy name : Dristin, Sorza, Kaelis. And then there’s Clara. Just Clara. The most normal name in a world of over-the-top fantasy names. I couldn’t help but laugh about it. It’s like giving your chosen one the name Bob while everyone else sounds like they stepped out of an epic poem. Miss Kova, why the discrimination? 😂
Now let’s talk about the romance. Once upon a time, I only cared about romance in my books. These days, not so much. But a good slow burn still hits the spot, especially if it comes with banter. Clara and Kaelis definitely had chemistry, but I wanted more development. The tension was there, but the payoff didn’t land as hard as it could have.
That being said, I loved Clara as a protagonist. Instead of the usual “weak girl grows stronger” arc, she was already strong and had to hide her abilities. Watching her save herself rather than waiting to be saved was refreshing. Plus, she had solid female friendships, and the book passed the Bechdel test with flying colors.
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Final Thoughts: What Worked and What Didn’t
This book had a lot going for it. The magic system was creative, the world was layered, and the themes of corruption and classism gave it depth. It also had representation that felt natural.
But it wasn’t perfect. Here’s where it fell short for me:
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Academy life wasn’t fully explored. The trials and lessons were some of the best parts, but they weren’t given enough time compared to the endless explanations.
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The world didn’t always feel “lived-in.” It was detailed, yes, but sometimes it felt like a backdrop rather than a breathing, nuanced place.
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Side characters were hit-or-miss. A few felt like stereotypes, and their interactions felt like I’d seen them before in other books.
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The stakes didn’t always feel urgent. For a book with exile and death on the line, sometimes the tension was oddly flat.
Even with these flaws, I still had fun. The card battles? Epic. The magic lore? Fascinating. The ending? Beautiful but very rude (seriously, authors need to stop breaking my heart like this). And despite the slow patches, I would actually reread this because I think it would be even better the second time around, once I already understand the complicated worldbuilding.
So, should you read Arcana Academy? If you’re into dark academia, ambitious worldbuilding, and unique magical systems, I’d say yes. Go in knowing that it’s dense, a bit uneven, but ultimately rewarding if you stick with it.
For me, it wasn’t flawless, but it was memorable. And honestly, that’s sometimes better.