[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Kaloon has changed. Magic is allowed now. And to help foster a positive relationship between Mages and the general population, the teens of Kaloon will attend Maldevon Academy together (along with any Magical Animals of appropriate developmental level).
The transition to accepting magic came with a high price. The Battle for Unification was a terrible war between the kingdom and Dark Mages. It was only after Kaloon won that the kingdom’s twin princesses, Flissa and Sara, could truly live as individuals instead of pretending to be one Princess Flissara (see Twinchantment for the whole story).
Sara is far more excited about starting school than Flissa. While Flissa’s great with all the academics, the social scene stresses her out completely. Flissa would be happy to stay at home.
School doesn’t turn out like either of the girls expected. Sara keeps saying the wrong thing and offending her new classmates. And she freezes up in front of the magic teacher she wants to impress. Flissa is actually the one who makes a friend on the first day.
Soon the girls’ personal experiences are secondary as they watch the various groups on campus strike out at one another. Kids and teachers are still fighting the magic vs. non-magic war, just in more secretive ways. Is there any chance of Kaloon truly being unified?
Review
I liked this one even more than the first book! The integration storyline with magical and nonmagical factions was fascinating. Even better was the way the relationship between Sara and Flissa evolved! For the first time, the girls get to publicly be themselves. But they’re still discovering who they are after having a shared identity for so long. I loved this aspect of the story!!
There’s a great mystery here, too. Who is trustworthy? Who is working a secret agenda? The relationship between the princesses gets fractured over these questions. Sara is determined to uncover the truth. And her suspicions include some of Flissa’s new friends. For the first time there’s a wall between the sisters – literally and figuratively.
Fans of middle grade fantasy should be sure to check out this series! I think the books are better enjoyed if they are read in order. You can see my full review of Twinchantment here. I’m hopeful that there will be more stories starring Sara and Flissa and all their friends.