A Study of Shattered Spells by Josiah DeGraaf is not just another magic-school book. Because . . .

. . . Chintor Academy is not just another magic school. It has problems. Deep problems. All across the student body and even the faculty. It’s supposed to be the most prestigious academy in the kingdom to turn students into mages, teaching them everything they need to be proficient magic-users with their chosen instruments. But there are a lot of things in the way of this education. And apparently it’s not enough to prepare the Chosen One.  

. . . Emil is not just another Chosen One. He’s known about the prophecy given to the king when he was born. He’s been preparing for it—and pressured because of it—all his life. A life that holds its own secrets. Dark secrets. If you combine Eustace Scrubb (pre-Aslan) with Anakin Skywalker (post-Dark Side), you’ll get an idea of what he’s like. But he’s not the main character.

. . . Kalina is not just another heroine. She was a mage. Her cello broke. She should be dead. Her husband is in a coma. But she’s still alive, though she can’t use magic anymore. And because she’s the only mage to survive her instrument breaking, she’s now hired at Chintor Academy to prepare the prophesied Chosen One to save the kingdom—and her husband.

Starting to read A Study of Shattered Spells was like stepping into quicksand: at first I wasn’t sure if the ground was steady or not, and then there was no ground at all and I was gone. The story grabbed me in and sucked me down, stronger and deeper with each chapter. I read the last 15% in one sitting, and I think I held my breath the whole time. What an ending, and a sweet resolution. (Mostly. *crosses arms* I’m not talking about the last few pages.)

As a musician, I loved A Study of Shattered Spells. The worldbuilding intrigued me from the back-cover premise: a magic system tied to the use of instruments? How unique—and ingenious—is that? I play piano and guitar, and while pianos aren’t featured (next book, please?), I loved learning about the other instrument families, how they can affect the Fabric of the world, and the structure of this Fabric. Way cooler than Harry Potter.

As a teacher, I also loved A Study of Shattered Spells. I’ve taught both high school and college, and while the students in this book are in their mid- to late teens, Kalina’s frustrations, rewards, and dilemmas of teaching can be appreciated by teachers of any age group. The politics. The imposter syndrome. The community (or lack thereof). The difficulty of working with young humans. The beauty of working with young humans. The grueling hours. The ethical quandaries of serving both the students and the school—and the larger community. I loved how relatable Kalina’s character and her story are, and while the reality she interacts with is gritty and unpleasant sometimes, I found it refreshing to have such real issues portrayed so honestly.

Finally, as a Christian, I especially loved A Study of Shattered Spells. DeGraaf crafts a fantasy world with a religious system, principles, and words of truth that echo the God, the faith, and the truth of the Bible—close enough that Christian readers will recognize the similarity (and be encouraged by their application in real-life situations), yet different enough that non-Christian readers won’t feel preached at (and I hope will feel intrigued to learn more).

“If grace was only for small mistakes, would it really be grace? What if grace is for the things we can’t make amends for?”

Riyad, Chapter 14

I appreciated the themes and motifs that align with this biblical worldview:

• the beauty of art with and without a “practical” purpose
• working together
• providence > luck
• grace vs. justice
• sacrifice
• repentance
• standing up to wrong
• treating others rightly
• God using broken and imperfect people.

A Study of Shattered Spells also deals healthily with some tough topics, exploring issues such as

• abuse
• manipulation
• when to leave vs. when to stay
• if people can truly change
• how to know who someone really is
• who to believe when asking for advice.

This book made my soul ache with Kalina’s dilemmas and emotions, and it made my brain think about the situation, who was right (if anyone), and what I might do if it were me. Good fiction shouldn’t just entertain; it should also challenge, and exactly like his short stories, DeGraaf’s debut novel does both. I wish more stories were this thought-provoking. 

“It’s disturbingly easy to kill people as a mage. . . . Killing will become as normal as waving at someone. And you’ll need to learn how to live with yourself for treating death that way.”

Kalina, Chapter 5

Okay, one more: As an artist, I really loved the experience of reading A Study of Shattered Spells. A full-length, adult novel with illustrations? Yes, please! The sketches at the beginning of each chapter are beautiful, and the illustrations throughout—often in the form of study notes, complete with drawings and other students’ comments—added so much to the feel and the world of the story. I vote for more books to have interior art.

On the note of art, can I also take a moment to recognize the masterful, music-themed similes and metaphors accompanying this story. They majorly augmented the beauty of both the story and the worldbuilding. (Sorry, I can’t help the puns.)

Words flew from his mouth faster than a glissando.

Chapter 17

It was a privilege to read A Study of Shattered Spells, and I’m already marking my calendar for the next book—2027 can’t come fast enough.

This book shattered my expectations, and even after this review, it will shatter yours too.