Sorcery and Cecelia

Dude. This book rocks.

I mean, it's children's fantasy, so mind-blowing, life changing it ain't, but still. It's great fun. This is another candy bar read.

The story follows Kate and Cecilia, two teenage types in post-Napoleon England where magic is real. For those who know Patricia Wrede, think the Mairelon the Magician universe. The book is an epistolary (series of letters) written between the two girls. The authors each picked a character and a storyline and while the two are connected, they aren't. One of the girls is "coming out" (to high society, not the other way) and the other is stuck in the country. Intrigues arise, magic abounds, and an enchanted chocolate pot takes a central role.

A chocolate pot. That's one of the things that makes it so much fun. The authors are aware of the level of ridiculousness and manage to make it entertaining without even acknowledging just how silly they are.

Evil witches, the beautiful cousin gambling family fortunes away, the stiff chaperoning aunt, sinister magicians, the Mysterious Marquis... it's all great fun.

Again, Children's Literature. Not Shakespeare. Tamora Pierce and His Dark Materials are far more entertaining than some adult marketed science fiction. Have you read the latest Anne McCaffrey books? Did you regret it as much as I did?

Any girl/woman with an interest in sci-fi/fantasy should read Patricia Wrede. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles is too cute and has a great sense of humor.

Again, it's not fantastic literature. It's not life changing and the plot is, shall we say, predictable. But if you're gonig to read kidlit, this is the way to go. An entertaining, easy read.