Illusions of Fate

by Kiersten White

Dive into a world of enchantment and romance in this lush fantasy, which Stephanie Perkins, international bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss, called "an absolute delight-a magical, sparkling, dangerous world with witty repartee and a romance that will light your heart on fire." Fans of Libba Bray and Cassandra Clare will fall in love with this captivating stand-alone novel from Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of the Paranormalcy trilogy. Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets the gorgeous, enigmatic Finn, who introduces her to the secret world of Albion's nobility. It's a world that has everything Jessamin doesn't-power, money, status ...and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, and the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess them. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits, can stop him.

• ISBN10: 0062135910
• ISBN13: 9780062135919
• Publish Date: 9 September 2014
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 304
• Language: English

Reviews

[nightingalereads]

This book is so severely underrated that it makes me want to toss copies down to people from rooftops. Illusions of Fate is possibly the best standalone fantasy I have ever read. It has a Howl's Moving Castle vibe, complete with quirky magic and warring wizards. The story follows a girl named Jessa, who is studying in a foreign country that is reminiscent to England. She sticks out due to the fact that she's from an island country and has darker skin. The prejudice and racial stereotyping she faces was handled so well, I thought, and realistically. Along with "fate", the theme of stereotypes actually plays a prominent role in the main plot, which was refreshing to read in a fantasy.

The story kicks off when Jessa runs into a magician and gets tangled up in magical and political warfare. First off, I loved Jessa as a protagonist. She's witty and level-headed, and I immediately grew attached to her. The magician she encounters is charming and mysterious, and I just loved him to death. There's also a magical blackbird, who Jessa names Sir Bird and who completely stole my heart. He is the purest soul.

The only qualm I had with Illusions of Fate was the villain, who was interesting but lacking in cohesiveness. He is dang scary though - let's just say there's a scene involving fingers and a hammer that scarred me a bit. In comparison to Kiersten White's other books, I thought this novel was leagues above her Paranormalcy trilogy, which I enjoyed enough when I was younger but did not love. I was especially impressed with her writing and characterization in this book.

To wrap up, Illusions of Fate is now an instant favorite that I'll be revisiting for sure. Though the story felt complete, I almost wish there were a sequel.

[Jo]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

The day Cynthia of Afterwritten posted her review highly praising Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White, I bought my own copy. It had been a really long time since I had read any high fantasy YA, and with such praise from Cynthia, I was sure it was going to be amazing. Sadly for me, it was just ok.

Jessamin has left her island of Melei to go to Albion, a grey and sunless country, to further her education. Because of her darker skin and hair, she is scorned and constantly called "island rat". But then she meets Finn; a beautiful, charming, aristocrat who takes a shine to Jessamin after saving her from an attack. Finn can't seem to stay away from Jessa, and soon she finds herself caught in the middle of a power struggle. For the nobility have magic in their blood, and the dangerous minister of defense, Lord Downpike wants more power, and believes Finn has the key. With more power, Lord Downpike believes Albion can take over and colonise the Iverian continent, just like they did to Melei. Now Finn has a weakness in Jessamin, and Lord Downpike will do whatever it takes to get what he wants.

Firstly, can I just take a moment to say wow over that cover. It's absolutely gorgeous! So, so pretty! It's just a shame the book didn't wow me as much. It's not that Illusions of Fate is a bad story, I just think it's my personal taste when it comes to high fantasy. I like my high fantasy - even stand alones - longer and with a lot more detail. Illusions of Fate fell a little short for me.

However, Jessamin is a protagonist to admire. She has moved to a completely different country, a place she knows she will be thought of and dismissed as "other" for her race, for the purpose of learning more. Despite being very intelligent, because she's female, she can't study the advanced mathematics she longs to study, so she's studying history instead, while learning what she can in advanced mathematics in her spare time - not that she has much of it, having to work most hours outside of school at the hotel where she is staying, just to afford her servant's room. Jessamin is strong-willed and determined, and she won't let anyone tell her that she is undeserving of the future she wants because of her gender or race. She's formindable, and she's completely wonderful.

Jessa also has one hell of a backbone. She stands up to Finn when he treats her in anyway she deems unacceptable, whether it be him trying to wrap her up in cotton wool or control her in an effort to keep her safe. She makes her own choices and her own mistakes and she owns them. She won't be the a quiet little mouse that is happy to do whatever a man tells her to, simpering and without a thought of her own, like most of the women of Albion seem to do. She knows her own mind, and will not be swayed just because Finn is pretty and nice to her, or because of her ever-developing feelings for him - even if he genuinely does have her best interests at heart.

That makes it sound like Finn isn't a great guy, but that's not the case. The very reason that Finn notices Jessa is because she's her own person and stands up to him. Finn is actually a very caring person; not only does he care about Jessa, but about the world as a whole. He knows is Lord Downpike gets what he wants, there will be war and people will die. Albion, with Lord Downpike at the lead, will invade and force their power over anyone in their way, until it has conquered. Finn is the only person standing in the way of Lord Downpikes schemes, and until Jessa, he's put everything else aside to make sure the uneasy peace continues. I didn't really feel the romance, though. Finn seems to get very attached to Jessa so quickly, it's almost insta-love but without me feeling the emotion. It lacked for me; I didn't feel any real chemistry or tension between the two, despite the numerous times it was supposed to be there. I just didn't feel it.

And there wasn't enough world building for me. I like the politics of high fantasy, the manouvering and out-manouvering, struggles on a large scale. I think I would have preferred it if Lord Downpike got what he wanted, and then people went against him to try and stop him. It would have been a much bigger fight, a bigger stuggle. In Illusions of Fate, it's pretty much Finn against Downpike, and that's it, with Jessa standing by Finn's side. I didn't understand the magic fully, we didn't get too see that much of it in action, and in all, it was just a bit too nice. Even when he was being nasty, Lord Downpike was still very polite and well mannered. I know that's supposed to make him more sinister, but it just didn't work for me. There just wasn't enough of too many elements for me. I've read another high fantasy stand alone novel, so I know it can work, but Illusions of Fate just didn't cover what makes a high fantasy for me. This is more like high fantasy-light.

Illusions of Fate is a good story, but just not good enough for me, sadly. Do read some more reviews before deciding against reading it, though. It might be your cup of tea.

[ladygrey]

There were definitely things I liked about this book. It's a unique premise and different world building. It has very good characters. But it's also a Kiersten White novel.

White does several things well. She writes quick, easy reads. She mixes things up. Her characters are pretty good. But a part of the quick, easy variable is that she's a superficial author. So, as much as I like the characters and the world - I want more. I want depth, because this is a cool world. And I want nuance. I mean, Jessamin is supposed to be a strong heroine but she's kind of obtuse. It's a little annoying that every time Finn wants to do something nice for her, her response is "Stop controlling me!" Now, in real life there is a fine line between when a man gives you a dress because you are a trophy and he's defining your identity and when he gives you a dress as a true gift to pamper you and display your beauty. A story without nuance can't draw that line and so every gesture of protection takes on an intent of weakening her, every gift has to be resisted because she can't succumb to him. Until she realized her obstinance was hurting other people and then she seemed to understand the difference between being gracious and being controlled. She became much more bearable at that point.

Eleanor is fantastic and surprising and fun. I adored her. Finn is dashing and charming and funny. Even the bird is interesting.

And also, I liked that it was a stand alone novel so everything is wrapped up (very neatly and quickly). But again, I liked these characters (mostly) and this world. I wanted more - for it to be delved into and the magic explored and for scenes to take their time and the characters to dwell on moments.

But that's not what Kiersten White writes. Sometimes it works better than others. Mind Games, for instance was perfectly suited to her style and gave us complex characters with conflicting desires and choices and lots of action. This... would have been much better with... more.

[rakesandrogues]

Originally published at: http://muggle-born.net/illusions-fate-kiersten-white-book-review/

Kiersten White's Illusions of Fate is a great light historical fantasy - without it actually being set in the past. The time period of the novel is based on Edwardian England, but the novel takes place in the fictional nation of Albion. As a reader, I got all the best things of Edwardian England such as fancy dresses and galas and cute teacups, but I also got the great world that White created.

Jessamin leaves Melei, her island home, to pursue her studies at a boarding school in Albion. Jessamin struggles to survive in the foreign city and is subjected to discrimination because of her heritage. Jessamin juggles her schoolwork along with the chores at the hotel, where she works in exchange for room and board. But when she meets Finn, her whole life changes as she learns about the hidden magical world within Albion's gentry.

White takes her time to cultivate the world in Illusions of Fate. To be honest, I was really confused at first, and I had no idea what was going on. It took me a while to realize that - Oh, wait! This really isn't in England but a fictional nation that kinda seems like it with its drab gray skies! While I knew that the novel had fantastical elements to it (after all, it was marketed as a crossover between Cassandra Clare and Downton Abbey - I was sold after Downton was mentioned.), I wasn't sure what to expect. The action kicks off from the very beginning, and I found myself a little confused (and WTF?!), just like Jessamin. I wasn't sure what to make of all the crows and Lord Downpike who made it very quick to establish that he was evil.

Despite my initial confusion, I just pushed on, and by a third of the way through, I found myself hooked into the world that Kiersten White created in Illusions of Fate. I love the concept of magic being passed down through generations by the gentry. Even more so, White actually takes the time to explain how the magic works through her characters. Magic isn't something that I just have to accept and believe in; I can learn how it all comes together in this world.

One of the main reasons to read ILLUSIONS OF FATE by Kiersten White are her delightful characters. Her characters come to life through their witty dialogue. I found myself laughing out loud as the characters quickly exchanged banter. It didn't take long for me to like all of the secondary characters from Jessamin's cousin, Jacky Boy, to Eleanor, the debutante that befriends her.

While the romance wasn't 100% swoon-worthy, I have to admit that I liked the chemistry between Jessamin and Finn. Jessamin finds out that she and Finn are fated to each other after Finn's shadow becomes connected to her. So basically, Jessamin walks around with two shadows. At first, I thought it was a weird concept - as did Jessamin, but Eleanor was quick to point out how terribly romantic it was. After a while, I had to admit that she was right.

The ending felt a little rushed to me, and I feel like this is one of the rare standalone books that I wish was either longer or was the first of a series. Just when I was totally captivated by the world Kiersten White created, the book ends. There are no loose ends at the conclusion of ILLUSIONS OF FATE, but I would really love to see a spin-off based on the same world. (A book on Eleanor perhaps? -- YES PLEASE!!!)

Also, can I talk about the cover? In my opinion, it's pretty rare for a young adult book to perfectly capture the feel of a book while still appealing to the market. Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White has such a pretty cover. I admit it; I wanted to read this book because I liked the cover. But the more I read the book, it became clear to me that the different elements of design on the cover are actually relevant to the plot. So props to Michelle Taormina for such a great cover!

Overall, I really enjoyed ILLUSIONS OF FATE by Kiersten White. It took me a while to get into the story, but once I was hooked, I couldn't put the book down.

[Leah]

After reading and loving Kiersten White's debut novel Paranormalcy back in 2011, I have since bought all of her work. Because, sometimes, I can love just one book from an author and I will purchase everything they write, when it's released. (See also: Lauren Oliver). Supernaturally, Endlessly, The Chaos of Stars, Mind Games, Perfect Lies. I own them all. Trouble is, I haven't actually READ any of them. Not one. Though not for lack of trying. So when I spotted Illusions of Fate on Edelweiss, I fell head over heels in love with the cover. Take a look at it, and tell me it's not beautiful. It is simply gorgeous. I'm not a big reader of fantasy novels, or novels set in the past, but I was taken away by the cover for Illusions of Fate, and downloaded it anyway, just because. But, it was actually a really wonderful novel.

Illusions of Fate is one of the sweetest, most wonderful novels I've read this year. I really, really enjoyed it. As I said, it's set in the past (I think - and only because there's mention of horses and carts, and the language used it a teensy bit old-fashioned, which I adored and made it seem more real), and I also think it's set in a fictional land. (Which is cool.) We're introduced to a girl named Jessamin, who stands out in the country of Albion, having come over from her native island Melei to study. Until one day she ends up walking down a street she probably shouldn't have been on, and a man comes upon her. She's saved by the enigmatic Finn, the "oldest 19-year-old there is", who walks with a cane and always seems to be wearing a hat. Jessamin thinks nothing more of their meeting, until she's thrown into the middle of a war, between Finn and Lord Downpike, with only her wits to help her defeat him (Lord Downpike, not Finn).

Magic in novels is something that grows on me a little bit more, every time I read a novel featuring magic. Since I've opened up my mind with the books I read this past year or so, I've really found a liking for magical objects and magical beings and so the world in Illusions of Fate was great. The battle between Finn and Lord Downpike was fascinating, even if at times I probably didn't understand the whole thing (but, hey, that's what re-reads are for, to pick up on things you might miss) and I loved that Jessamin was strong enough, and clever enough, to stand up on her own two feet to help herself, instead of having to rely on Finn all the time. Yes, it's nice to have a guy save you, but it's infinitely better to save yourself, am I right? And Jessamin did that nicely, refusing help and refusing to be locked away until the battle was over, and instead being determined to help. I like that in a girl.

Jessamin is probably one of my favourite heroines. I loved that she was brave enough to leave her life on Melei behind, even though in Albion she's an outcast because of her darker skin (which made me sad, and want to smack everyone in Albion who was rude to her). Her witty repartee with Finn was delightful, and I just loved how the two of them bounced off each other, and you could see real chemistry there. It was adorable. I am so glad I read Illusions of Fate, it was super interesting. The magical aspects, the whole "fate" aspect, along with the shadows thing.... Sigh. It made me yearn for someone like Finn, who would attach his shadow to me to keep watch over me, which is totally unfeminist of me I know, but so romantic all the same. Kiersten White is a delightful writer, who can, it seems, write anything she would like - her imagination must be an amazing place. I can't wait to read more from her, and I won't be waiting much longer to dive into the other books I own from her, Illusions of Fate was delightful

[lizarodz]

Find my original review here: Reading with ABC

This is a story about magic, prejudice, discrimination pride, fate, destiny, mystery, good and evil, conquerors, conquered, and most of all, love, friendship and acceptance. Needless to say, I LOVED Illusions of Fate.

The setting and world building is always important when writing fantasy and I think White did a great job. This is not a world that is completely foreign to the reader, but more of a subtle change of a world based on Britain in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Albion is an Empire, its climate is colder and their people are very formal and somewhat repressed. As I said, the names of the countries changed, and of course, the fact that the nobility have magical powers, but it is not completely alien. Melei is a conquered island, full of color, flavors, culture, and passionate people.

I stop midway to standing. “I told you my name?” His sly smile is back, all innocence gone. “I plucked it from the air around your lips. And for the privilege of knowing it, I’ll tell you mine is Finn.”

Jessamin comes from Melei to Albien to attend school. She’s very smart, but it’s discriminated (and bullied!) by the Albians because of her origin and the color of her skin. Yes! You heard right, Jessamin has “dark skin and straight black hair”, way to go with adding diversity. By chance Jessamin meets the gorgeous Lord Finley (Finn) Ackley and her life get a lot more complicated. Jessamin is not perfect and she tries to deny her feelings and underestimates the danger that she’s in, which was a bit aggravating.

Finn is a young lord and he’s very powerful, both because he’s a noble and rich and because he’s a mage. I adore Finn! He tries to be so tough and calculating, but the way he fell so madly in love was so sweet. He would do anything for his country, but nothing and no one takes precedence over Jessamin, and that is swoon worthy. I also loved that Finn was willing to share everything with her, even a magic that she couldn’t perform, but understood quite well.

I love their relationship, but if there is something that I would improve is that I wanted more of the romance. I know that part of Illusions of Fate felt “historical” and it is a YA book, but I feel like Jessamin and Finn’s time together could have been more. Also, I think there is room for a sequel or a companion novel to this one. Can you tell I want more of this couple?

“Jessamin, I should very much like to call on you.” … “But,”, he says with a drawn-out sigh, “I’m afraid I cannot, simply because I do like you, ever so much. I should not have stolen this moment as it is…”

The two other main characters are Eleanor and Lord Downpike. Eleanor is also a noble, and l ’m happy that she hit it off with Jessamin as soon as she met her and was able to love her for who she is and not from where she came from or the color of her skin. Jessamin deserved a true friend and she found that in Eleanor (besides, she was so much fun!) The bad guy is Lord Downpike. There is a twist in the plot that I can’t spoil for you, but he’s awful, cunning, twisted, cruel and all a mortal enemy is expected to be.

“Will it hurt?” I hate that tears pool in my eyes, but I cannot help it.

He nods. “It will. Terribly. But only for a moment.”

“Couldn’t you knock me over the head with something first?”

He smiles, but it doesn’t touch your eyes. “Then I would have to fix your head, too, and I’m much better with fingers”

I loved both the writing and the plot of Illusions of Fate. There is magic in this book, but it’s of a different kind that relates heavily in spells, knowledge, ability and know how. The dialogue, banter and conversations are funny and witty, I truly love White’s writing.

“I’m still very cross at you.” “Making you cross with me is a full-time occupation.”
Overall, Illusions of Fate is a must read for fantasy and magic lovers anywhere. Highly recommended.

About the cover: Gorgeous! It is beautiful! The girl with the delicate cup that has a depiction of a cold, foggy city. The ravens are an important part of the story, and I love the colors and the illuminated font.

[jnikkir]

This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved...

-----------------------------

I was sooooo excited for Illusions of Fate, for many reasons. First of all, it's a standalone. Oh, glorious standalones!! I feel like these are few and far between (or at least, the ratio of series-starters-to-standalones feels like 1,000:1 lately). Second, it's described as Downton Abbey with magic. Ummm, yes please.

Illusions of Fate takes place in a sort of alternate-Victorian-England (Albion), where the nobility have magic (but it's a secret that only the nobility know about). When Jessamin, who is in Albion studying to be a teacher, starts spending time with Finn, a noble, and finds out about the magic, she gets thrown into the middle of a conflict between Finn and a man named Downpike. Finn has something that Downpike desperately wants, and he's basically the only one standing between Albion and war.

I really liked the fact that this big struggle and tipping-point was believably pared down to a pretty personal conflict. The book is fairly short, and this was a good way to handle Big Things while still keeping them somewhat manageable within the scope of the story.

Anyway, some background on our characters: Jessamin has traveled to Albion in order to study, so she can someday return to her tropical island home of Melei and be a teacher. But her life in Albion is not wonderful or easy. She's living and working in a hotel in order to make enough money to eat and attend school. And her fellow students have never accepted her - she may be extremely bright and hard-working, but they're extremely prejudiced against her, because she's from Melei. But she deals with all of this in stride - she has a quick wit, and knows that she's just as capable (most likely moreso) than the other students there, so she doesn't let it bother her too much. She's too fierce for that. She's there to learn, so she's going to work hard and do just that.

Finn runs into Jessamin (almost literally) in the street one day, and is struck by her tenacity and ability to take care of herself. Finn is... wonderfully charming. He's exactly the sort of love interest I wanted to see in this book, actually - way too charming for his own good, thanks to his magic, but also really sweet, with a great heart. His and Jessamin's chemistry was so believable and fantastic *cough* even though it took way too long for anything to come of it *cough* umm... what?! You know I'm in it for the ships, shut up. It was definitely a slow-burn, but plenty romantic. <33

But in addition to the ship, there is also a wonderful friendship, in the form of Eleanor, another noble who ends up befriending Jessamin and Finn and helping in their struggle against Lord Downpike. Eleanor is the biggest gossip in Albion (her words! not mine!), and I had my doubts that I would like her very much, but she is incredibly loyal, willing to take risks, and is the perfect addition to their team. Also she says things like, "Unlike the pacing wonder that is Jessamin, I am content to sit inside all day, reading and writing letters and napping. I'm quite suited to a life of protective custody." CAN WE BE BFF'S, ELEANOR?? ...No but seriously.

 
In conclusion...

I know I haven't revealed many details about this book, especially the plot, but that's really because I don't want to - it's short, it's a standalone, and there are many things that are just less fun if you know them going into it! I think the main thing to take away from this very-much-not-detail-filled review is that, this book is good. It's sweet and fun, while at the same time tackling important issues like prejudice, and love, and selflessness.

So in lieu of details, I'm going to give you my feels:



As you can see, I very much enjoyed this book. And in all honesty, it wasn't the plot that made me love it - it was the characters. They were wonderful. They made me laugh and sigh and shake my fist at them (Jessamin was the source of much "YEAH YOU GO GIRL," but also frustration!!), but I loved them.

Downton Abbey + magic = a recipe I highly recommend.

--

There were books involved...

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

Absolutely thrilling and beautifully written, Illusions of Fate, will captivate and wow readers with it's beautiful setting and wonderfully imaginative characters. You'll be swept up in a beautifully lush romantic atmosphere and brilliant shining characters that will tease and tantalize you, as you turn the pages. This world is gorgeously magical and compelling, that you won't be able to put it down until you have finished the last page. It's been said that Illusions of Fate is like Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare, but I think it's surpasses that in so many ways. The wit and enchanting charm that this young adult novel possesses, will definitely work its magic on readers by keeping them entranced in this amazing world.

I love how headstrong and likable, Jessamine truly is. She's such a determined and strong willed character that it's hard not to admire her and to want to cheer her on, as she works hard to obtain what she's working towards. She's your typical young adult and she has a lot of burden on her shoulders. She also comes off a tad bit judgmental, but who isn't at that age? I really admire the realistic way that White wrote her, which showcased her likable qualities as well as her flaws that were frustrating at best, such as being stubborn for stubborn's sake.

The side characters, like Eleanor are also just as wonderfully vivid and memorable as Jessamine is. There are many fantastic qualities about them that make them all likable, fun, and wonderfully easy to connect with. Finn, is hands down, probably one of my favorite characters in this book. Ahhh, he was just so amazing in so many ways, and I completely fell in love with him. I love how he was so determined to stand against the war, he didn't just fall in line with the majority. He stood up for what he believed in and he didn't care whether anyone knew it or whether it would end up hurting him at a later date. Strength and bravery like that are definitely good qualities to have in my book.

The romantic sparks between Jessamine and Finn ended up being as charming and endearing, as I hoped it was going to be. Once Jessamine let go of her stubborn streak and they really came together and left a smile on my face. And just how romantic was that whole shadow thing? These two just seemed to work better together, than they did apart on their own and it was so sweet to see their relationship grow and flourish and become so much strong as the story went on. No words, I just want to draw hearts around them, because they made mine smile.

I admired the way thatKiersten White was able to brilliantly stitch together the political and racial issues of that time so flawlessly, in such a way that it blended seamlessly with the magical fantasy aspect of this novel. It gave the plot a bit of edge and amped up the tension. Illusions of Fate is a richly lush and beautiful mysteriously written young adult novel, that I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys paranormal fantasy romance and the Victorian era. It's not heavy on the historical side, but it has just the right amount mingled with witty banter, colorful characters with charming quirks, and a gorgeous atmosphere that readers will definitely want to sink into.