By Sinclair Adams
The master of all things sass and sadness is back – Adrien Desfourneaux and magic-user enemies and allies return in Angel Eye, the sequel to Madeleine Nakamura‘s spellbinding debut novel Cursebreakers. I had the privilege of reviewing Cursebreakers last year and praised the story for its unique worldbuilding, great dramatic tension, and above all – its compelling protagonist. I am delighted to say that Angel Eye is a stellar addition to the story of Professor Adrien Desfourneaux that holds up the captivating aspects of the first book, and builds upon it with a unique story that brings the characters to new and shocking challenges.
Picking up shortly after Cursebreakers, Adrien is ready to adjust to normal life after the conspiracies and meddling with magic that turned his world upside-down in the first book. Adrien is ready to get back to teaching, unblock his electrokinesis and source of magic, and try to patch together his reputation among his peers–all under the watchful gaze of the unpleasant and elitist inquisitors, who still suspect that Adrien may be using his powers for nefarious deeds. In a world in which magic is at almost everyone’s fingertips, it doesn’t take long before tragedy once again manifests in phantasmagorical forms. An “Angel of Death” begins the lives of comatose patients, including those that Adrien once looked over. After the events of the first novel, Adrien finds himself unwillingly involved as both a reluctant sleuth and a potential suspect. And let’s just say, the case against him is stronger than I could have ever expected.
Continuing seamlessly from the first book, Adrien’s character voice as the protagonist and narrator is immaculate. Adrien is truly one-of-a-kind. His sour perspective on the people around him is unforgiving and can be well worth a snicker, but his commentary on his own life paints a less-than-flattering picture. Adrien has a sizable ego that likes to be stroked, yet he also is overly critical of his perceived shortcomings, including his bipolar disorder. In short, Adrien is funny, complicated, sometimes even cruel…all the trimmings of a captivating lens for the story.
Another enjoyable aspect this book carries from its predecessor is that even though the world is fantastical and appeals greatly to the aesthetic senses, all of the characters are adults. Adrien and his friends desperately want to go about their normal lives, but the plot of the book demands they set all of that aside and have the worst aspects of themselves tested. For a fantasy tale with magic, there is little to no whimsy, instead prioritizing the creation of a world in which fantastic powers come with harsh decrees on how a society is to be organized. In its own way, it is oddly humorous to see heroes of this story trying to resist being called to adventure, and instead longing for “normal” quests like going to work and trying to get a date.
Alongside Adrien, almost all of the characters return from the first book, including Adrien’s two closest friends: his in-house healer and platonic soulmate, Malise, and the gruff and socially oblivious soldier, Gennady (my personal favorite). As the story pulls Adrien in many different directions, we unfortunately do not get to spend a lot of time with either Gennady or Malise, though they do have many stand-out moments that speak to the depth of adoration and trust that Adrien feels for his close friends. A character from the first book who does not make an appearance is Adrien’s ex-boyfriend Casmir. In my review of the first book, I noted liking Casmir a lot due to the brutally honest and complex relationship he shared with Adrien as both his lover and his “keeper” to help him with his mental health struggles. However, Casmir’s absence in this book is more than filled up by newer additions to the dynamic cast, including a breathtakingly charming love interest, a suave new keeper, and a pair of wicked inquisitors who make me want to tear the book in half.
The world of the Cursebreakers saga is adjacent to our world on earth, but enhanced by the presence of magic and enchantments infused in every fiber. But it is not without a strict structure to its society. The magics of the world do not exist in a vacuum; they greatly shape how classes exist and how each “type” of person fits in. In such an unbending and time-tested system, corruption and injustice are inevitable. Adrien and his friends once again find themselves not only wrapped up in conspiracies about bad guys in the shadows, but also must navigate how to appeal to people higher than them in the pecking order.
The plot truly unfolds as Adrien realizes that he is closer to the “Angel of Death” than he thinks, once again putting him at risk of losing everything about the life he has built, including his own sanity. Adrien has honest and difficult conversations about his mental afflictions with himself and his friends, including a deep dive into his past before the events of the first book. These difficult moments are written with such delicate consideration for the characters.
Something I mentioned in my review of the first book was that I would have wanted to see more gripping and distinct antagonists; with Angel Eye, my wish came true. Chillingly so. Without giving too much away, the “bad guy” of Angel Eye is not only a twist, it leads to some heartbreaking scenes as we see Adrien being brought to the limits of not only what his powers are but with what he believes he is worth.
On the topic of “worth” and how it is perceived, Angel Eye brings Adrien an entirely new test: a budding romance with the most kindhearted and handsome man one could dream up. As a reader, love stories are not my favorite genre, but this one was so sweet and genuine that I was taken in by each of their scenes. Adrien is a flawed man, but he’s exactly the kind of man that’s worth rooting for.
Alongside the themes of claiming new romantic love, there is the theme of true friendship. As the tragic events of the story isolate Adrien from his people, Angel Eye serves as a wonderful and timely reminder that there is nothing more important than the people in our lives who are good to us. As Adrien’s new love interest puts it, “Anyone could be terrible.” So when you find the people who aren’t, it gives you all the more reason to hold them close and fight for them.
Angel Eye is a fantastic sequel to the Cursebreakers story. It does what a good sequel does by building up, raising the stakes, and exploring the characters even further. Returning to this world was a delight that had me gripping the pages in anticipation, or relaxing in the soft-fantasy ambience. I look forward to the continuing adventures of Adrien Desforneaux, the reluctant professor whose power comes not from his magic, but his stubbornness to help others in need. This book is a must-read for fans of the first Cursebreakers book. For those who have not read the first Cursebreakers book, I do not recommend you start with Angel Eye. It’s the type of sequel that requires you to read the first one for the full context of the characters and setting.
Sinclair Adams (she/they) is a writer interested in speculative and science fiction narratives. She earned a B.A. in English from the University of Las Vegas and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Chapman University. She was an editor for Ouroboros Magazine, Chapman’s journal of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other speculative fiction. Follow her on Instagram @sinclairwrites.