How to Talk to a Goddess

How to Talk to a Goddess and Other Lessons in Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker. Semrland Books

Four years ago I read the first book in this series and fell in love with it. Since then I’ve reread it a few times and still go back and read passages I particularly enjoyed. As the book had been released four years earlier, I think it’s fortunate I didn’t have to wait quite so long as the first readers to find out the next part of the story. Earlier this year the audiobook was released and I managed to get a review copy of it. But being new to audiobooks, I didn’t absorb it as well as I’d have liked. And now it’s possible to judge this book more fairly as I really get it now.

At the end of The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic, Nora has returned to her own world. Here we meet her a few weeks later after she has rejoined her old life. Nora is happy to see her family and friends and her academic life has some definite improvements in store. But life feels a bit flat and she’s unsettled. She misses using magic and she misses Aruendiel. It’s a chance situation that provides the opportunity to return to that other world and she takes it. Her return does not exactly go smoothly but she does reunite with Aruendiel and life is good. Perhaps a bit too good to last, actually.

There’s a lot to take in in this installment, with twists and turns along the way that make things difficult for Nora but also allow her to grow and develop, especially in her magic. Unlike the first book, there’s no slow burn in the romance department. Things get up to speed quickly once she and Aruendiel are together again. But it’s not going to be a happily ever after. And to my mind, this book isn’t really about the romance although it’s definitely part of the driving force in the story.

Religion plays a major part in this story, with Nora being a non-religious person faced with being dropped into an environment that is almost totally run by it. Her belief, or maybe it’s better to say lack of belief, is constantly challenged and she finds herself obligated to become an essential part of the system in order to protect those around her. At the same time, she is constantly trying to find a way to leave too. It’s definitely not the life she wanted to return to and there are times when she is ready to stop using magic altogether.

There are a variety of battles that Nora faces in this story and with each, Nora is always conscious of just wanting to win without harm coming to those she faces. Her first major one is a big success, but the cost of it leaves her with really bad feelings despite her actions being her only choice for survival. I think this is part of her character I really like. She has no need for a lot of power and when it’s handed to her, she finds it frightening to experience. She keeps a steady head through most of her experiences and she does figure out quite a lot along the way.

I’m sure there are many who might say Nora is just too nice. But what’s wrong with being nice. And she’s not a pushover. She stands up for herself even though sometimes it doesn’t quite work the way she wants it to. She’s also extremely compassionate, even with those who try to hurt her along the way. She may not like what’s been done to her but she would never wish harm upon others. This seems true right to the end and I think this attitude serves her well in this world.

Aruendiel, despite his advanced age, still manages some development through the story. Even when we meet him in the first book, he obviously has some regrets about actions in the past. He is aware of the hasty reaction he had to the unfaithfulness of his wife and his behavior has put him off investing in that again. Spending time with Nora has opened his eyes to more possibilities for Nora in this world and in his life. He’s interested in her not just for her beauty but also for her intelligence and persistence. He likes many of her qualities although perhaps he didn’t properly appreciate her so much until she was back to her own world.

Although I suppose this could be read on its own, I think the appreciation for it would be much better for having read the first book. There are some questions from the first book that are answered here and we come to know some of the characters just that much more. Not to mention those we meet in this story.

I find this to be quite a fitting sequel and after both listening to and reading it, I am giving this four and a half stars. I would like to thank Netgalley and Semrland Books for providing a free advanced reader copy. I am providing this review freely.