This review of Heir of Uncertain Magic appeared previously in the May 2023 Historical Novels Review. Heir of Uncertain Magic is the 2nd in series. I also reviewed the first book, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms.
Victorian Magic and Romance
This second book in Holmberg’s Whimbrel House series, set in Victorian Boston and a nearby island, continues both the romance between Merritt and Hulda and the development of an intriguing magical system. The story picks up directly from the first book and is probably best read in sequence.
The types of magic, passed on in family lineages, are growing less common and weaker. So Merritt’s discovery, in the first book, of his latent magic should be a cause for celebration, but he only wants the voices of the animals and plants he can hear at all hours to shut up and leave him in peace. He seeks Hulda’s help with these incomprehensible “communion spells,” as well as his other, even less understood burgeoning powers. They’ve admitted their affection for each other, but this romance remains as uncertain as the magic Merritt inherited from his previously unknown biological father. Merritt will have to face the hatreds and secrets that scar his relationship to his family, both to learn control of his magic and to allow himself to love Hulda.
Worries on the Job
Hulda, also, has personal demons to face. Her boss and mentor at the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has disappeared. The men who arrived to take charge in the meantime raise Hulda’s suspicions. Will her life’s work be wiped away? Then there’s the hints of connection to the evil Silas Hogwood who nearly killed Merritt and Hulda in the first book.
Charm and Endearment
Holmberg charmingly keeps the reader engaged with another twisty plot and characters who are both funny and endearing. The dangers are frighteningly realistic despite the magic, including types of mind control and a Victorian prison for people with magical powers. Recommended.
Finding a Copy of Heir of Uncertain Magic
If you’d like to buy a copy, this is the Amazon link (affiliate link).
And this is the Bookstore.org link.