Cecelia and Kate — With Patricia C. Wrede. Young adult. (1988-2006) Publisher: A great deal is happening in London and the country this season. For starters, there's the witch who tried to poison Kate at the Royal College of Wizards. There's also the man who seems to be spying on Cecelia. (Though he's not doing a very good job of it — so just what are his intentions?) And then there's Oliver. Ever since he was turned into a tree, he hasn't bothered to tell anyone where he is. Clearly, magic is a deadly and dangerous business. And the girls might be in fear for their lives... if only they weren't having so much fun!
     
 Sorcery and Cecelia (The Enchanted Chocolate Pot):
A Unique and Fascinating Read
To best understand Sorcery and Cecelia one has to first flick to the back of the book in order to read the authors' afterword in which they explain the format and history of their story. After hearing of a game called "The Letter Game," Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer decided to have a go — each took on the persona of two young women in a more magically favoured 1800's, and wrote to each other concerning their activities. Patrica Wrede plays the role of Cecelia Rushton, living in the country and somewhat envious of her cousin Kate Talgarth (Caroline Stevermer) who is being presented to Society in London. And so the correspondance began, each woman drawing on the magical angle of their created world as well as a 'Jane Austen' flavour, so tell each other of the gradually more dangerous escapades that they both get up to.
Kate in London is well into the process of socialising and mingling, despite being overshadowed by her far more beautiful sister Georgy. But whilst watching a neighbourhood wizard Sir Hilary being installed at the Royal College of Wizards, she comes across a little door in the building that leds to a cloistered garden, where a woman named Miranda Griscombe tries to kill her via chocolate poured from a bright blue chocolate pot! It becomes increasingly difficult when her cousin (Cecy's brother) Oliver disappears while at a night time function, and everywhere she goes she seems to run into the odious 'Mysterious Marquis', a one Thomas Schofield, whom seems to be the target of Miranda's malice.
Cecelia meanwhile has come into contract with Dorothea Griscombe (any relation to Miranda?) who unintentionally seems to attract men to her like flies to honey, in particular James Tarleton, who prowls around behind bushes and under trees with very little skill at such activities. Finding herself quite accomplished at the magical arts, despite her Aunt Elizabeth's hearty disapproval, Cecelia begins to take lessons, 'borrowing' several books from Sir Hilary's library which may lend clues to Kate's situation in London...
Such does the story go, expanding with each letter, with each girl helping the other along, though in the entire course of the tale neither of them come face to face. It is a highly original way of telling a story, and for the most part works very well in presenting a tale. If there is one trouble, it is that we are never in any concern over the girls' safety in their escapades, as we know that they remain intact in order to write the letters chronicling their dangers. Furthermore its difficult to keep track of the myraid of characters that keep pouring into the storyline and their relationships with one another — three-quarters of the way through the book I gave up and began again from the start!
But Sorcery and Cecelia (why Kate is excluded from the title is a mystery since I found her story and attitude far more enjoyable than Cecelia's) is a funny, witty, exciting read, filled with magic, interfering aunts, enchanted chocolate pots, romance, adventure and a certain tone that reminds us continually that it is real letters that we are reading — we never really find out what the story was behind that goat that the girls are continually alluding to! —Rebecca Fisher
The Grand Tour: "Someone is Up to Something...It's a Different Sort of Battlefield..."
We last saw the cousins Cecelia and Kate at the conclusion of Sorcery and Cecelia:The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, in which they had foiled a devious plot and found true love with their new husbands, Thomas Schofield and James Tartleton. The story was unique because it was told in the format of letters between the two cousins, each one telling the other about their separate adventures; and as they did with their previous collaboration, the authors Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer each take a character (Wrede is Cecelia; Stevermer is Kate) and write to one another, each one adding aspects to the story till they join up at its conclusion. Things are a little different this time around considering the authors write in the format of a journal and a testimony, instead of letters.
The Kate and Cecelia stories (so far there have been three) are set in a parallel dimension; a magically inclined 18th century world where Leonardo da Vinci is known as a great wizard as well as a great inventor, Napoleon invaded Europe with the help of magicians, and there are constant references to a Royal College of Wizards. Inspired by Jane Austen's delicate style and wit, Wrede and Stevermer must be commended for their world-building technique. The world that they've created is completely realistic, as well as highly enjoyable to explore within the context of the story.
The two couples are setting off for their honeymoon on the Continent, visiting the famous sights of Rome, Milan, Paris and everything in between. However, when a mysterious woman delivers an equally mysterious package, Kate, Cecelia, Thomas and James find themselves caught up in another international plot, this one including old foes, new foes, stolen royal regalia, ancient artifacts, magic spells, and a fiendish plan to seize control of Europe. The plan that the couples uncover is successfully conceived and plotted throughout the course of the story, and turns out to be rather ingenious. Several of the villains are motivated for different reasons, and naturally there is a mastermind behind it all that is playing a game all their own.
Attempting to negotiate their social commitments with their investigations, as well as the minor inconveniences of travel (where do Kate's gloves keep disappearing to?) the two young women are eventually caught up in a chase across the Continent. Stevermer and Wrede fill their book with interesting examples of how magic is worked, such as game-cards that — when shuffled — tune out the noise of the party around the players, the creation of 'focuses', seemingly ordinary objects that serve as the source of magician's powers, and charmed earrings that can never be lost.
The Grand Tour is more Kate's book than Cecelia, considering that we are reading Kate's private journal and Cecelia's official statement. As such, Kate is free to divulge in more personal detail, particularly in her loving relationship with her husband Thomas, whereas Cecelia is writing an official document and simply stating the facts of her experience. However, there is a definite human element to the story that is very touching, particularly in the love between the four main characters. Thomas and Kate share a romantic marriage, whilst Cecelia and James have a more tempestuous one, and the friendship between the four of them is beautifully portrayed (I especially liked the big brother/little sister bond between Thomas and Cecelia). This of course leads to the wonderful wit that is strewn throughout the tale; wry little comments and amusing in-jokes that fit the characters perfectly — readers of the first book will understand Kate's reaction to an endangered goat!
I personally enjoyed The Grand Tour more than its predecessor Sorcery and Cecelia. Because the story isn't switching back and forth between two separate situations of the two heroines, the story is more fluid and organized; as well as much less confusing (it was hard to keep track of events when constantly switching between the two letters). In any case, whatever your preference, all Wrede and Stevermer collaborations are highly recommended. If you enjoy Jane Austen or Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, then you'll love these collaborations too (though they are obviously written for a slightly younger audience). Keep your eye out for the third installment which is amusingly hinted at in the conclusion of this book: "We'll just have to wait ten years and see..." —Rebecca Fisher |
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