Twenty-three-year-old witch Aurelia Schwartz has always had to carefully balance her human life with her secret magical one. With a place at an elite Cambridge university college, she almost has everything she could possibly want within her grasp. Just so long as she follows the rules: Make no promises. Tell no one what you are. And never stay the night.

Except Aurelia’s gift of green magic has begun to fade. Worse still, someone is hunting witches – and stealing their powers. Reluctantly, Aurelia needs the help of fellow witch – and dreadfully arrogant classmate – Theodore Ingram. Together, they seek refuge among his family in the remote corners of an already-desolate town. But as she grows closer to Theodore, the power-hungry witch-killer, too, draws nearer. And they threaten to destroy everything Aurelia holds dear . . .

Modern Divination by Isa Agajanian is complex and emotional, especially the thorny relationship between Aurelia and Theodore. Each character is stubborn and careful, each in unique ways and when they must help each other with the person hunting them, that relationship gets even more complex and emotions rise. 

I love how the world is built, in particular the secrecy of the witches with their gifts and how that magic is written. The details of the story weaves a spell, engrossing the reader in the narrative much like Aurelia coming to know Theodore and his family, as the bonds of affection begin to affect her even as both of them try to hunt down their hunter. The relationship and the magic is visceral and powerful. The ending sets up more to come even as it leaves the reader’s appetite whetted for more of the world and the relationship. 

If you like stories of witches and magic, of emotions and love, this novel is for you. It is complex and emotional with an ending that doesn’t leave everything tied up in a nice neat bow for readers. While I like a happy ending, I also like that the author resisted the urge to have everything be perfectly ended. That dynamic adds to the complexity of the story. And there are some wonderfully visceral scenes between Aurelia and Theodore that will get right under your skin. While the ending is bittersweet in ways, I can’t wait to read more of the characters and the world.

Rating: 5 out of 5 leaves 

MacMillan Publishing

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