Evocation (The Summoner's Circle, #1)

by S.T. Gibson

[Quirky Cat]

Book Summary:

Once upon a time, David Aristarkhov was considered a magical child prodigy. Unfortunately, like many child prodigies, there comes a cost. For David, that price hits him like a curse - literally.

The family curse is catching up with the last of the Aristarkovs, and it is only with the help of his loyal yet oddly estranged friend/ex-lover that David will stand any chance of surviving.

My Review:

Huh. I don’t know what I expected from Evocation, but I don’t think it was this. I mean that in good and bad ways. It’s magical and dark in equal measure, but it also deals with human emotions and relationships.

Let’s take a step back. Evocation consists of three perspectives: David (the cursed one), Rhys (David’s ex and political rival), and Moira (a different sort of magician, also Rhys’ wife). I loved how different their views of magic were, and I felt like this added a lot to the story.

That said, the heavy focus on their relationship drama was a bit much, at least in comparison to the severity of the curse. I don’t hate where it ended up; I simply feel like some parts could have been written more cleanly.

What I really wanted was a deep dive into the magic and magical system of this world. We got that a bit, but it is shallow compared to what I wanted. It left me feeling like Evocation is more the introduction, with hopefully the rest of the Summoner’s Circle giving readers (well, this reader) what we’re looking for.

Highlights:
Urban Fantasy
Romantic Subplot
Ghosts & Curses

Trigger Warnings:
Child Abuse (Physical and Emotional)
Alcoholism

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