Let's Talk Books

Although it started life as fanfiction, Knightley’s The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy, part one of the Dearly Beloathed duology, has done what few fan-fic-to-trad-fic works has managed: it has become a well written book in its own right.

One of the issues with fanfiction which becomes published fiction is that fanfic relies on the shorthand of knowing the world, the characters, the relationships and dynamics which already exist, and any other detail the author doesn’t want to explain. When the work is then transitioned into becoming its own thing, the author, suddenly, has failed to world-build, to character-build, to answer questions. The familiar is gone, and what remains is pockmarked and moth eaten, made holey by its severing of association with the source material. Brigitte Knightley does not have this problem. She has neatly, and with great attention to detail, filled in those blanks. Her world is soundly built, detailed, sprawling, and unique. Her characters have depth, motivation, and other relationships. Her magic system, politics, and social mores are consistent and easily understood. If I didn’t know that this had once been fanfic, I wouldn’t know.

Osric Mordaunt is going to die. Not in a philosophical ‘our time will come’ kind of way either, in an ‘imminent possibility of execution’ kinda way. He’s unwell, his magic failing, and if his order finds out, it’s curtains for this handsome, slightly dramatic, young assassin. Cue Aurienne Fairhrim, she is the healer of a generation, a marvellous, miracle-working scientist, whose expertise, and past fascination with the old magics of their nation, might just save his life. That is, if they don’t kill each other first. Forced together, through no small amount of coin and meddling on Osric’s part, the two race against time to save him from the consequences of his nature, all the while contending with the power and politics that separates them, and a growing closeness they can’t deny. But there is more than Osric’s life on the line. A pandemic rages, politicians and nobles seem unwilling to help, murky deals are struck which put them both in danger. Something is building, and this unlikely pair might be the only ones who can do something about it.

TIUTFFYE is a unique blend of science-y forced proximity, humorous exchanges, budding romance, lewd jokes, and moral quandary. It has some similarity in vibe, plot, or humour with Cursed Under London, Sorcery and Small Magics, and Assistant to the Villain, but ultimately it is entirely its own. An ideal read for those who love banter, slow-burn, and enemies-to-reluctant-allies-to-maybe-something-more. Laugh out loud funny, with moments of tension and the hint of feet-kicking romance to come, this is an all round great read.

Minor loss of points for SPaG errors early on, but this is a galley so hopefully those will have been caught!

I look forward to the release, and I am keeping everything crossed that I can 1) pick up a beautiful edition of this from somewhere and 2) might just get approved for the second one!

4.5 stars.