Book Review: THE INCANDESCENT
Thank you to Tor Books for sending me a copy of The Incandescent in exchange for an honest review. About The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
Doctor Walden may be one of the most powerful magicians in England. She spends her days, however, as Director of Magic at Chetwood Academy, corralling chaotic sixth-formers, attending endless meetings and holding back the demonic forces that threaten the school's ancient wards. She's brilliant, composed, and trusted to keep 600 students safe. But demons are cunning, and Walden knows all too well the danger they pose — especially when the greatest threat may be the darkness she carries within.
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The Incandescent is a unique work of dark academia that examines an often-unseen side of the story: what the teachers are up to. Emily Tesh does a great job of balancing the administrative side of things with a constantly evolving magical mystery.
Walden is a great character to follow through this story. She's fond of her students, and she loves her job. However, she also often finds these teens exasperating, and she's just plain tired. She isn't as old as she makes herself sound — only 37 — but she's weathered years at Chetwood, both as a student and a teacher. Walden's experience as 'academic turned educator turned school management' gives her a unique view of the school she cares so deeply about, unique from other dark academia protagonists.
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Because of our narrator, The Incandescent appears as almost a slice-of-life story. A lot of the plot focuses on Walden going about her day, completing tasks she sees as mundane. Getting her students ready for exams, running staff meetings, maintaining the wards that keep demons from emerging to eat everyone — the usual. Narrative Shift
The stakes, however, soon get much bigger. Lurking on the borders throughout is an ancient and powerful demon that feeds off of stray magic. This is where things get more interesting. Fans of Tesh's other work know that she isn't afraid to dramatically change gears partway through a narrative. Without giving too much away, the focus shifts to a deeply personal one. Tesh deconstructs Walden's carefully constructed image of professionalism and intellectual brilliance, revealing her capacity for self-deception. Her choices, especially after a near disaster, lead her down a path of errors towards even more danger.
Through this narrative shift, Tesh dives into discussions of privilege, bias, systemic prejudice and survivor's guilt. Somehow, it all feels truly natural within the plot she created in the first half of the novel. As a result, she demonstrates the real-world consequences of her characters' actions. While hope and healing are possible, it will always take time.
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The Incandescent combines the thrilling energy and high stakes of the fantasy genre with a subtle, literary exploration of personal and professional lives. Tesh blends the fantastical with the ordinary in a way that feels seamless, with a deep appreciation for both realms. Check this one out if you love dark academia, magic and deeply personal stories.
The Incandescent comes out on May 13 and is available for preorder from your local independent bookstore or Bookshop.org.
TW: alcohol, blood, body horror, child death, classism, death, death of a parent, fire/fire injury, gore, grief, infidelity, injury/injury detail, murder, self-harm, toxic relationship, violence
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