Body and Soul (Titan Magic, #2)

by Jodi Lamm

[inlibrisveritas]

Titan Magic: Body & Soul is the sequel to Titan Magic (You can read my review here: Review) and picks up about a year after the first book concludes. Jodi Lamm has such a unique style and having read her other two novels I knew I needed this sequel in my life, she knows how to weave a complex and beautiful story.

Titan Magic feels like an old fairy tale or myth but it holds incredible depth and at times immense darkness. It follows characters we met in the first book as they struggle to deal with Kaspar’s impending chaos and their own trouble souls. The same elements found in book one are also found in Body & Soul such as what it means to be human and just what love can do. I love this dark and haunted world where golems are created and powerful Titans are hunted down, the mythology that Lamm creates and pieces together is incredible and thought provoking.

Madeline, Maddy, from Titan Magic is learning to deal with Marcus’ betrayal as well as having him as a master all while trying to stay devoted to James. Marcus is more tortured than before as he tries to hold up against the feelings giving to him by his own master all while trying to hold onto the feelings he wishes to call his own. Kasper is the youngest golem of the group who has yet to reach Chaos but with each new thing he learns he begins to tipping the scales. I loved seeing how he observed humans so that he could learn to be like them and I especially loved that it provided more thought provoking material on what it truly means to be human. These characters struggle so much under the weight of knowing they are nothing like those they imitate, but often fail to see how truly human like they are. It was also interesting to see how Chaos affects not just the golem destined to go mad with power, but also those around him. Maddy finds herself fiercely protective of him while Marcus struggles to decide what should be done about it. Should Kasper be destroyed or protected, and just how far gone is he? I think that Maddy and Marcus see themselves in Kasper and he becomes a lesson in self acceptance and loathing.

Like book one, Body & Soul had me thinking for hours after I finished. Am I human simply because I was born,will die, and have emotions? Or is there something more too it? What makes me me and not just a collection of all the things I’ve been exposed to? And it’s because of those questions that I am in love with this series and Jodi Lamm’s writing. It’s a wonderful fantasy story but there more to it than just magic and action, it makes you think and that too me is the best sort of book.