Yet another fantasy school that I wish I could enrol in: Magnalia House

Magnalia House was the sort of establishment where only wealthy, talented girls mastered their passion. It wasn’t designed for girls who were lacking, for girls who were illegitimate daughters, and certainly not for girls who defied kings. I, of course, happen to be all three of those things.

It is quite often with a bit of apprehension that I pick up a first book by a new author. There’s no reputation, no recommendations, and no familiar writing style. However, I knew from the first three sentences that this book was for me, and was unable to put it down until the end. At three in the morning.

What it’s about:

Brienna has spent her adolescent years in a special boarding school, trying to attain mastery in one of the arts, and showing little promise. But why is she even allowed to be there? As her time in Magnalia House draws to a close, her true adventure is only beginning, with memories of a long-lost relative starting to surface, leading her into a world of intrigue, plots and deception.

My personal thoughts:

A beautiful read! I found the main character extremely loveable, as a fellow book lover and history buff. If you like Tamora Pierce or Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, you will definitely come to love the beautiful world crafting and lyrical language that Rebecca Ross provides. There are sweet elements of sisterhood, complex courtly conspiracies and a delightful slow-burning romance.

Another plus is while there is a second book on the horizon (bring on 2019!), it can comfortably sit as a stand-alone. No agonizing cliffhangers here!

Tl/dr: 9/10. Lovely fantasy read. Pretty words. Would read again.

The Queen’s Rising
by Rebecca Ross
Published by HarperCollins New Zealand
ISBN:9780062471345

Where sci-fi and fantasy collide: Carve the Mark

When looking for a book to read, there are a few boxes that I prefer to be ticked: strong female protagonist, sassy side characters, fantasy dystopian futures with rebellions and creative interpretation of both sides being morally grey (hey, I didn’t say that the check list was realistic).

Carve the Mark, upon first glance, appears to fulfil this perfectly. There are bad guys, there are good guys. Both think they’re good, both have morally corrupt aspects. And in the middle of it all, there’s Cyra and Akos, diametrically opposed foes, bound together by fate.

My personal thoughts:

I have not read the Divergent series (gasp), and I tend to avoid authors who have copious amounts of fan service behind them, worrying that their next book will fall flat as a pancake. My initial hesitation was correct. It took more effort to get past the first fifty pages of exposition than reading all of Brisingr by Christopher Paolini.

Things happened. Characters that I was supposed to somehow be attached to died. The main character’s gift was hurting her. That’s it. You can now skip the first fifty pages and get into the actual story. You’re welcome.

Once it actually got into the story, I was pleased to find it improved. Relationships and conflicts felt real, there were a few twists that I didn’t quite expect. However, what I truly found great about this book was its main character Cyra.

My best friend from high school suffered from chronic pain, and I found the description of Cyra’s curse to be relatable and realistic, not shying away from the ever-present pain. It wasn’t something that could simply be lifted by magic. It was something that had bad days and worse days, and through therapy and self-reflection could be managed.

TL;DR 7/10, but skip the first bit

Carve the Mark
by Veronica Roth
Published by HarperCollins New Zealand
ISBN: 9780008159498

Love, jealousy, and more than a little stabbing: NZ Opera’s Tosca

Tonight I had the delight of watching Tosca, performed by New Zealand Opera. In the spirit of joy and discovery, I brought along my mother, who was lucky enough to have this be her maiden voyage to Puccini’s works. Indeed, I would have her begin her experience with no other. Love and jealousy, deceit and more than a little stabbing, Tosca embodies everything I love about French drama and Italian opera.

Tosca is originally set in Italy in the early 1800s (in this performance, still in Italy, but pushed forward to the stylish 1950s). It focuses on the diva Tosca, her lover, Cavaradossi, who is accused of helping a prisoner escape, and the devious Scarpia, the Chief of Police, who desires Tosca and sees an opportunity in her desperation when her lover is arrested. The more modern setting was very tasteful, the ominous mafia undertones fitting almost too well with the political pressure within Italy, certainly connecting the audience more than Italy’s situation in Napoleonic times.

Orla Boylan as Floria Tosca. Image supplied.

Favourite character? Scarpia, of course. His leitmotif looms ominously throughout, providing dread from the moment the curtain rises. Teddy Tahu Rhodes provided a brilliantly full sound, and stole the show for me. His embodiment of Scarpia continually drew my eye back to him, commanding and leaving others in his shadow (at times, literally, due to clever stagecraft).

Favourite song? Lucevan Le Stelle. I sniffled my way through it, and even my mother had her eyes prick with tears in the heartfelt rendition by Simon O’Neill as Cavaradossi. His vocal performance of this piece was especially superb, the pauses speaking as much as his smooth and soaring phrases. You can have a taster of this in O’Neill’s 2015 performance in the video below.

Favourite moment? Spoiler alert: Tosca’s dramatic end. Nothing says defiance like jumping off a prison tower, crying ‘See you in hell, sucker’ (*ahem, not an exact translation). Orla Boylan provided a Tosca that was funny, believable and heart-breaking, with a voice and costume selection that delighted my diva-prone heart.

Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Baron Scarpia. Image supplied.

Kudos, of course, to the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, whose accompaniment outshone every production of Tosca I have watched. The mark of an excellent supporting orchestra is its seamless interactions with the performers, heightening the emotion and not overwhelming, which the CSO accomplished. The Freemasons New Zealand Opera Chorus featured as well, supporting with a variety of characters, and a fair few familiar faces to the Christchurch musical theatre scene.

All in all, a brilliant night. It definitely makes me want to go and reread my copy of Scarpia by Piers Paul Read, which provides the story from the perspective of the notorious Baron.

As someone who loves opera, I would highly recommend the experience. The show runs from 8 to 16 March.

Further information

• Ticketing information for New Zealand Opera’s Tosca.
• Find recordings of Puccini’s Tosca in the library.