Book Review: The Incandescent by Emily Tesh 10/5 stars

 Yes,  10 out of 5 stars. 

One thing that I think really shows the mark of a good writer is when they are able to tell multiple different kinds of stories and they are all stories that keep me riveted to the page. (or in this case- the headphones!) Emily Tesh is that author.  Their books fall into the Fantasy genre, but each series/book seems to be entirely different.

 In 2024, I read Some Desperate Glory  - Tesh's Hugo Award wining Space Opera.  And honestly, I had a pretty rough go to begin with, and came very close to DNFing the book, but after talking to another reader - I dove in and by the end I was entirely invested.  This Space opera/thriller took on issues of identity, gender, and belonging (and so many other things) within a redemption arc that gave me hope that even very dislikable, rigid people can change. In the end, I loved it. 

When I saw an Advanced listener copy up on Net Galley, I ran for it. 

As a small time Blogger, I was surprised and so excited when the "you're approved" email arrived! 

     I jumped into The Incandescent  with no fore-knowledge of the plot, the story , the general anything.  I actually assumed it might be another set in space novel. 

The cover kind of gave off Sci-Fi Vibes in my brain and I was there for it! 

Nope, Tesh switches things up, taking us on a fantastic journey in a British magical boarding school, where Demon incursions can be unpredictable, and students are as charming and fascinating as a certain other wizarding novel that's fallen out of favor among many for many reasons.  I did indeed feel as reading this, that this novel was perfection for kids who grew up on that certain Wizarding series, and now feel a bit lost as the author has gone off the rails. This novel gives us a grown up magical academia story with all the heart and soul that one could hope for in a novel. (I think it's much better actually, and is in no way an imitation.) Given the widespread reach of the HP novels and the setting of Tesh's novel, I think comparisons are inevitable. It's clear that while the setting is a setting is similar, this is not a "fan fiction" .   After about the first 4 chapters, I realized we weren't all going to be transported to a Space Station and settled in for a read that gave me a distinctly cozy feeling despite not really being a cozy kind of novel exactly. 

     Tesh's tale is told from the perspective of an Adminstrator/Teacher who's in her late 30's.   Frankly, I found this point of view to be completely engaging and entertaining.  As a boarding school student myself, the descriptions and situations that Saffy (our protagonist) and her students and colleagues find themselves in was maybe a bit too on the nose at times!   While my boarding school was most assuredly Non- Magical, I had many moments deep in my own childhood memories. The adult POV felt right as I was easily able to relate to the protagonist without having to remind myself that I was once 12!  

The plot centers around Saffy, her final year students, and Saffy's relationships as well as some truly impressive demonic incursions. Saffy is proud and wears that pride, essentially on her sleeve. She's determined to protect her school- especially because there was a time long ago when she failed to do that.  While there were a few predictable moments, they didn't dissuade me, as I got the wonderful feeling of "I was so right!" when the reveal truly occurred. It offers magical battles, A wily phoenix like creature,  a subtle romance sub-plot, charming and whimsical details (imps occupying copiers and clocks) and a deliciously satisfying ending in which Saffy learns that one can't really go it alone, and indeed, sometimes it's possible to become a danger to what you propose to protect. She's the master at getting out of her own way there at the end! 

The narrator was Zara Ramm. It was well read and her reading of the novel did not distract from the story. I'd gladly listen to her narrate again, She doesn't "do the voices"  and I didn't feel like the narration lacked from that at all. 

   Is this a novel for everyone?  Probably not.   I've already had one negative comment on my video review from a die hard wizarding world fan, ah well... Is it a novel for a lot of people? YES - I think so. I mean, I'm already planning on sending my sister a copy! (She too had the boarding school experience).  

Let me know if you pick this up!   Happy reading! 

STATS

First Published  May 2025

Pages: 432

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  violence, child death (not on page references to) , grief, infidelity, body horror, body injury

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)