A Marvellous Light is one of those books where I'd wanted to get my hands on it pretty much as soon as I heard about it - on reading it, this book seemed to push all my buttons in terms of what I wanted from a historical fantasy book: an interesting setting, a strong relationship and enough of a complete storyline to make me want the next book but not be annoyed by it. Somehow, I still couldn't quite give it 5 stars, primarily because of the issues I had with its pacing at times, of which more in a moment.

The basic premise of A Marvellous Light is pretty familiar: there's a secret magical world and some people who aren't magical work as liaisons between that world and the rest of us, part of their role being to ensure that news of the existence of magic doesn't become widespread. In this case, Robin Blyth is dropped into that job but with incomplete information about what exactly he's been employed to do, as it's usually a job given to people from magical families who have no abilities instead of people who don't know about it at all. His magical counterpart is the prickly Edwin Courcey, who struggles with the fact that he's just not that powerful as a magician and that Robin's predecessor has disappeared without a word. As the story goes on, and the two men start asking questions about what's happened, they discover that there's a plot afoot to take control of some magical artefacts and Robin becomes the subject of a particularly nasty curse with some unexpected side effects.

The main reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was that for a good chunk of it around the midway point, I was left thinking 'well , this is all very nice but it's just not very substantial' and the relationship between Robin and Edwin was being given much more attention than the overall plot seemed to demand. There's some very nice set piece work at various points and it did manage to keep my interest past that stage, though I saw the major plot twists coming along.

In all, if you like historical fantasy then this is probably a book you're going to enjoy. The ending is pretty self-contained, with enough of a cliffhanger to tempt rather than frustrate, and I hope to get my hands on book 2 when it comes out as well.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. This is my honest review of the book in question.

It took me a while to get into this book but when I did I thoroughly enjoyed it and actually flew through it. The book has a bit of everything a mystery, lots of magic, romance and it’s also funny in parts so something for everyone who enjoys a read that’s different. I loved the characters, the excellent writing and stunning settings of the book and as i it’s book 1 of a series I’m looking forward or see just what’s to come in the future. Impossible to describe the plot as it’s much more than just a mystery so I would suggest just pick this one up and go for it and I hope like me you will enjoy it, 3.5 rounded up to 4.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, Tor for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Marvellous Light is an immersive jaunt through an alternative Edwardian England, where magic and magicians exist. We follow Edwin, and newly appointed civil service liason Robin as they try to uncover the mysterious disappearance of Edwins assistant.and the greater threat to the magic community in England.

The wordlbuilding is fantastic, the characters charming and the story a delight to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the chance to read A Marvellous Light.

Content warnings: Violence, injury and death; discussion of emotional and physical abuse of children by family.

This masterful queer historical fantasy romance is a hot contender for my favourite book of the year… It’s getting crowded at the top!

I actually read this book earlier this summer, but I’ve been waiting until we’re only a month out from release to write this review, and I’ve needed every moment to try to condense my thoughts into something more useful than AAAAAHH IT’S SO GOOD. It’s so hard to write about this book without giving too much away! I keep wanting to point out specific moments of dialogue or characterisation that I adored, so I guess if you’ve also read this, please come and yell with me in my Twitter DMs, because I have so many feelings about particular scenes of this book.

It hit so many of my buttons – interesting magic, fabulously drawn characters who feel so real both in themselves and in their interactions, an Edwardian house party full of horrible rich people, and so much more. It’s funny and sweet and dark and fluffy and emotional, and all of this is completely seamless. In parts it’s like if Wodehouse was gay and also magical (and also a lot more perilous). If you’re a fan of KJ Charles and her brilliant historical fantasy m/m romances, then this will almost certainly be up your street; it’s not as dark as Charles’s work, but they share a certain quality of character work and wry wit. I’m a huge fan of Charles, as I mentioned yesterday, but I think I actually slightly preferred this, so hopefully that says something about how utterly fantastic this book is. It feels like the best kind of fanfiction, the kind that knows characters intimately and throws them into ridiculous situations just to show off how perfectly they have the characterisation down. (There’s an ‘I’m drunk and your hair looks soft so I’m gonna touch it’ scene, for goodness’ sake!)

Ugh, I just loved everything about this book.

I love stories that capture that sort of golden Wodehouse-y atmosphere, that slightly silly but terribly formal sense of British society. The scenes at Edwin’s ancestral home, with his charming but awful siblings, are an absolute delight – there’s such delicious tension between the ridiculous (magical house party games that rival the Pall Mall Bridgerton scene!) and the dark (how badly those games can go wrong). If you’re a fan of social comedy, this will be right up your street, and if you love sentient estates and family house magic, even better (this would definitely suit fans of The Lord of Stariel). The darker aspects are great too – this isn’t all fluff, but it’s all immensely enjoyable even when the tension is high. Oh, and the dialogue is absolutely killer – I found myself reading with a smile so wide my face hurt, and shouting or laughing in several places, and stopping to explain great scenes and why they were great to my (very patient) husband.

Robin and Edwin’s relationship is central to the story here, and I loved watching them grow from prickly distrust to something intensely important and healing. Both men have internalised so much trauma from their families, and watching them work through that is joyous – and the fact that the character work is so spot on that we can tell in their every action why they are the way they are, and how it affects them, is masterful. I can’t sum it up more than saying that these two people feel completely real, and beautifully drawn in their emotions and backstories. But the side characters are impeccable too! I loved Robin’s capable assistant, Adelaide Morrissey, who knows his job better than him, and her sister, who’s somehow even more capable, and Edwin’s sarcastic ex, and loved to hate all Edwin’s siblings and their horrible friends. There are going to be two more books in this series, and though I’m terribly sad to leave Robin and Edwin behind as main characters, I’m so excited to delve into some of the secondary characters as they come to the lead.

Listen, I could rave about this book for hours, but I think you’ve got the gist – I love everything about this and need more from Freya Marske immediately. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to pick a favourite book this year, but I know that A Marvellous Light will be jostling hard for that top position. Basically, if you like historical fantasy, queer romance, sentient estates, adventure, magic, good characters, or just plain fun, preorder this immediately. I loved it so much – NetGalley will only let me give five stars, but know that in my heart (and on my blog) it’s getting the elusive ten out of five!

✨Came for the pretty cover and author quote - @alix.e.harrow I’m looking at you, ‘Mystery! Magic! Murder!’ yes please!
✨Stayed for the kissing! Thank you @freyamaske for this utterly delightful, joyous read. I loved it! ✨

‘A Marvellous Light’ is a period murder mystery, featuring a sweet, sexy, slow burn m/m romance… imagine a kind of queer Sherlock Holmes/Downton Abbey mash-up with all the magic. I know, genius!

✨Non-magical himbo, the recently orphaned and minor baronet Robin Blythe finds himself mistakenly appointed civil service liaison to the ‘hidden in plain sight’ Magical Assembly. Which is a shock, seeing as he had no idea magic was actually real. His magical counterpart is the clever, careful and studious Edwin Courcey. A tightly wound man who always plays by the rules, is unappreciated by his powerful family and REALLY does not enjoy having to babysit someone with no magic experience. Unsurprisingly they don’t get on.

However, thrown together by an office break-in and dangerous curse, they must attempt to crack the mystery of what happened to Robin’s predecessor and why a mysterious and violent group of magicians are after a missing enchanted object. Initial oh, so polite frustrations become a tentative friendship and maybe something more, as the homoerotic tension is ramped up when the pair end up at a magical version of the classic Edwardian house party. Think clever, unkind guests, Edwin’s unpleasant siblings, and danger at every turn. Throw in a brilliantly inventive magic system based on cats-cradle, semi-sentient blood-oath bound enchanted houses (with William Morris wallpaper!), a murderous hedge maze, and nods to the growing women’s rights movement in the form of Robin’s sister, Maud, and his secretary, the splendidly competent Adelaide Morrissey, and you have an unashamedly sweet, witty and fast moving read. I honestly haven’t had so much fun in AGES! ✨

Robin Blyth has ended up in an obscure civil service position following his parents' deaths, his predecessor having vanished without trace. Edwin Courcey is the liaison to his office, a member of Britain's hidden magical society. When Robin is dragged even further into the wonderful and menacing world that Edwin inhabits, they find themselves bound together as they investigate the disappearance of Robin's predecessor and the sinister plot behind it.
Gripping

This book satisfied all my cravings at once - a queer magical romp set in Edwardian England with loveable characters and romance - what's not to like?! When Sir Robin Blyth takes over a suddenly vacant governmental post he doesn't expect Edwin Courcey, his liaison, to be a magician. Or that magic even exists. Or to be dangerous in any way. Or for it to have anything to do with his predecessor's disappearance. Soon they are both visiting stately homes, magical mazes, chasing villains and looking for answers. I loved everything in this book: the story, the humour, characters (including the side ones), the imaginative world building, steamy romance and mystery. I also liked the way the author shows characters' vulnerability, and also lets them grow and change. The best thing about the book? It's the first in the series! Cannot wait to read the next one.

Freya Marske's A Marvelous Light is my most anticipated book of 2021 so I felt very lucky to get access to it on Netgalley.
It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel as it's so well written (I understand the author has a background in fanfiction and it shows!).
Edwin Coursey and Robin Blyth are now two of my favourite literary characters. It was so fun to follow their adventures and their romance was definitely a highlight of the book.
The side characters were well written and I'm hoping that one in particular has a bigger role to play in the books to come.
The only downside of reading it early is now I have to wait what will seem like forever for the sequel!

Thank you to Tor, Black Crow PR, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I realise that a book is more than just it's individual parts, but, phaw, that was a lot more steamy than I expected. Also, I expect many of you to be laughing at me going "you didn't expect that??", in which I reply, "well, yes, but, okay then".

Right, got that out of the way.

A Marvellous Light is the story of Edwin Coursey and Robin Blyth, one a magical liaison in the English government and the other his non-magical counterpart. Following the disappearance of his predecessor, unwitting Robin finds himself a) finding out the magic is real, b) cursed and c) wondering why this Edwin fellow is so uptight and prickly. This all leads the two of them gallivanting to the countryside in search of some way to break the curse, and maybe, just maybe figure out what the hell is going on.

I think the strongest aspect of the book falls on the writing; Marske has a wonderful turn of phrase, and the interactions between characters are delightful at points. Although that might be me appreciating dry snarky Englishman. the writing alternates between humour and rather vivid descriptions throughout the story, and it's a joy to read (although the NetGalley copy REALLY could have used a once over).

Character wise, Edwin comes across as this chilly no nonsense type during his first meeting, but gradually starts showing that a lot of it is just insecurities and how he's been treated due to his low magical power throughout life. That, and a far larger fondness for reading and research than people, which is very much a mood. Robin on the other hand, is a gregarious outgoing sporty type, who is what I assume people call a cinnamon roll. Maybe? Someone correct me on that, I'm in unfamiliar territory. At any rate, they're very much the opposites of each other, and the chemistry with their standoffishness is delightful.

Also, as a sidenote, as much as I really enjoyed Edwin and Robin, I think I'd love a story centred around Adelaide Morrissey and her sister. In the background being all casually competent, I see you.

Overall, the story manages to be tight, compelling and delightful. There was a lot to appreciate and I never really felt pulled out of the story by any of the characters or their actions. While perhaps a wee bit steamy for my overall reading tastes, I'll be lining up fairly quickly for it's sequel.
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'A Marvellous Light' was the perfect escape! I loved the setting of the underground magic in Edwardian London, and although this has definitely been done before, this felt like a very fresh take on the concept. I don't read fantasy novels very often, but I'm so glad I requested this one.
The mystery of the curse was definitely enough to keep me reading, but the chemistry between Edwin and Robin was what made this book so good.
I honestly liked everything about this book!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for your next magical or romance read, look no further!

Set in Edwardian England and deftly depicting class, racial and gender discrimination as well as the need to hide homosexual relationships, this book builds a world of dwindling magic, unsuspecting civil servants and almost sentient English country houses around the Edwardian High society.

Edwin doesn't have much magic to his name, but he does have a fierce mind and drive to understand the mysteries piling up around him as unknown forces fight for the full power of magical society and also his demented siblings are, quite frankly, doing his head in.

Recently saddled with his inheritance and titles, Robin is struggling to financially recover from his parents' mishandling of their estate enough to support his sister pursuing an education and he takes a civil service position to help with the income. Athletic, sure of himself and always at ease, Robin is the polar opposite to the uptight and unbending Edwin. When Robin is mistakenly given the job of liaison to the magical community, however, he finds himself in over his head as he ends up cursed, having visions and....apparently needing to save magic from street thugs?

It is a brilliant set up for both the magical world this book contains and the well matched, very steamy, romance that develops.

I cannot wait for the next book! I want to see more of the wonderful Morrisey sisters and I desperately want to see Edwin come into his own as a magician.

In this Stranger Things meets Dr Norrell and Mr Strange mashup, uptight Edwin Courcey runs the Office of Special Domestic Affairs and Complaints, a Black Ops office reporting directly to Prime Minister HH Asquith. When his assistant goes missing, the bouncy boxing baronet (reluctant) Sir Robert (Robin) Blyth. Neither is comfortable with the arrangement but both are soon tied to a single goal: to release Blyth from a crippling curse (and find him a new job).
Aided by the immensely capable typist and right-hand woman Miss Morrissey, and impeded by Courcey’s magical malicious family, the two cross city and countryside to try to free Robin from the curse and solve the mystery of the missing assistant. They do this amid a wonderfully wrought Edwardian world. Freya Marske wields her pen like a wand in building the lush Edwardian world. It is as rich, dense and juicy as Christmas cake. What a treat.
The magic weaves itself delicately around the romance between Courcey and Blyth that develops in stops and starts as they suss out whether the other shares the same feelings. Their relationship blossoms like a rose. It is erotic and tender, sassy and funny, heart-breaking and life-affirming. Imagine being able to put all that into a tense and thrilling fantasy, but the wizardry of Miss Marske truly knows no bounds.
The main characters are vividly depicted, and the secondary characters bound off the page. The adventure hangs off the mystery of finding what happened to Reggie Gatling (the missing assistant), what he has left behind, and the solution of Robin’s affliction. Much to my delight, a group of crones (such an underused magic power team) holds the key to Courcey’s dilemma. There is a promise of a sequel and I cannot wait to see how the crones and the indubitable Miss Morrissey step up to assist. Fans of LGBTQ+ fiction will revel in it, but it is a universal tale of love, courage and (best of all) magic.
My immense gratitude to Freya Marske for a fresh and exciting read and to NetGalley UK and Tom Doherty Associates for the opportunity to be thrilled by this eARC.

I can not begin to describe how beautifully crafted this novel is.

Brimming with magic from start to finish, a mystery to keep you turning pages, a romance to have you grinning, and a cast of characters that'll delight and appal you. I just loved every single second of this and can't wait to see where Marske takes the sequel.

There's a murderous hedge maze, magical wallpaper, magic games to stave off boredom, badass women, and ridiculous men.

Robin Blythe was unaware of the magic in the world, but with his new government job, he's thrust into a world he never expected, and is immediately cursed by the bad guys as inscentive to deliver information to them. Enter Edwin Courcey, a not very powerful magician, but the only person willing to help right now.

Cue you: falling in love with everything about this book.

A clever melange of magic, mystery and romance.

The book starts with a rather gruesome death in St James Park, which sets the scene for a world where magic is hidden from the general populace. But then we′re in a more prosaic location, a government office where Sir Robert Blyth is having his first day in his new job. A job where he has no inkling of what he is supposed to be doing, and where he has ended up by mistake. A piece of devious revenge has made him the Special Liaison to the magical society, which is going to be tricky since he had never heard of magic before his first morning on the job. His counterpart on the magic side, Edwin Courcey, a magician of meagre power, is reluctant to work with him, wants to find out what happened to his predecessor, and to get a replacement liaison who has some idea what he should be doing. Robert, informally known as Robin, is happy to go along with this plan, until he is attacked by magic and then finds himself thrown into the company of Edwin and his eccentric family. As he gets to know Edwin better, and finds a mutual spark growing between them, he enters willingly into solving the mystery surrounding the attacks on his office.

The book has a clever variation on magic casting with spells woven using hand gestures, and the ability varying between members of the same family, so the range of magic becomes apparent, and later in the book a variation that may be of particular importance for Edwin. I found Robin the most appealing character, he seems a bit of a ′jock′ to start with, but reveals kindness, courage and an open mind. And Edwin′s sharp edges are explained and sometimes softened by interacting with his family, and by the vulnerability he allows with Robin. Other characters go from being bit players to having a major importance to the plot and the magic world gains even more layers. It broadens out into a fascinating story with an abundance of clever ideas, and I think a good read for anyone who likes to explore the challenges that magic introduces to a story.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

A Marvellous Light is a dual narrative fantasy novel set in 1908, following the protagonists, Robin and Edwin, as they unravel a magical conspiracy. After a clerical mishap, recently orphaned Robin is assigned as the new civil service liaison to a secret magical society. Which comes as a bit of a surprise, considering he didn’t know magic existed. Edwin is the grumpy and bookish magical counterpart to Robin’s liaison position, who would much rather have Robin’s predecessor (Reggie Gatling) back. But when Robin is attacked and placed under a terrible curse by a sinister group of men, Edwin and Robin come together to get rid of Robin’s curse and uncover the mystery of Reggie’s disappearance.

After the excitement of the opening scene, I found that the next few scenes were a little slow, receiving tip-bits of Edwin and Robin’s respective personalities and backgrounds. If you experience this too - please don't give up! The plot soon kicks into gear, and I was pulled back in. The world came alive, Marske seamlessly blending the intricacies of a unique magical system (it’s based around cats-cradle and I’m obsessed!) with observations of the Edwardian elite. Edwin and Robin are joined along the way by an array of vividly conceived secondary characters. I loved the no-nonsense Morrissey sisters (I hope we see more of them in the sequels), and, while absolutely awful people, Edwin’s siblings and their ‘set’ were entirely believable. There were moments where I felt I was reading an infinitely more interesting, magical, Mrs Dalloway. There were also some amazing locations, such as Sutton Cottage (which I can’t gush about too much because of spoilers!) and Edwin’s library, which I wish I could visit.

At the centre of the novel is the romance between Robin and Edwin. It was heart-warming and, like the rest of the narrative, beautifully written. I’m not sure how to put Edwin and Robin’s dynamic into words better than Robin already does:

'Robin managed to hold his tongue on saying something truly unwise like: You look like a Turner painting and I want to learn your textures with my fingertips. You are the most fascinating thing in this beautiful house. I’d like to introduce my fists to whoever taught you to stop talking about the things that interest you. Those are not things one blurted out to a friend.'

This novel does have explicit scenes, so just be aware if that’s not for you (although they are skippable and I highly recommend reading the rest of the novel).

As you could probably tell, I loved this book and I can't wait for the sequels.

Ever since I heard about A Marvellous Light, it’s been high up on my anticipated reads list. So, obviously, as soon as I had access to the ARC, I put everything else down to read it. And I did enjoy it, I promise, even as this sounds like a set up to say it was disappointing. But it’s one of those books that, the more I think on it, the less I think I loved it.

The story sets itself up as a fantasy mystery but in actual fact, I think it’s better described as a fantasy romance where the vehicle for these characters meeting (and falling in love) is a mystery subplot. I guess that’s just too much of a mouthful in terms of marketing, however, but I would stress that you don’t go into this expecting it to be heavy on the mystery because it’s not. At times, the mystery completely drops by the wayside (along with very much worldbuilding, which is fine. I guess).

Now, this is no bad thing! But if we’re looking for where I perhaps lost my enjoyment of the book. Not saying I don’t like fantasy romance, because I do, but I also like more accurately marketed books, and this… was just enough inaccuracy that I went into it expecting something different. This is entirely a me thing, I realise, and shouldn’t have had bearing on my enjoyment… and yet.

The primary reason for that being the knock-on effects it had on pacing. As I said, at times the mystery was set aside completely. Case in point, they end up at a family house party and the whole murder mystery thing is forgotten about for a good few chapters in favour of developing character relationships (not a bad thing!). I think what I’m trying to get at is that the integration of the romance parts of the book with the mystery parts wasn’t great. At times, it felt like they were flipped between, like the book couldn’t be, at once, mystery and romance.

I say this though, on the whole, as having liked the book. But I think this was a major reason as to why I didn’t love it.

But moving onto some positives, this was a book where I immediately loved both of the characters. It always helps with dual POV books (and romance in general) that you like both of the characters, and that was definitely the case here. It was the characters that really carried the book for me and they’re the reason I’ll probably end up reading the sequel.

I realise this review has mostly been somewhat meh, if not actually negative, but I did enjoy reading this book. I finished it in a single sitting, having been fully consumed by the world and characters. It’s only afterwards, when I sat to think about it, that I found I was picking holes.

Freya Marske's A MARVELLOUS LIGHT is one of my most anticipated books of 2021 and unlike a couple this year this did not disappoint. Marske's debut is best described as wonderful fanfiction and I mean this as the highest compliment. We all know that top tier fanfic is an incredibly engaging story, fun, slightly angsty and is incredibly written while playing with tropes we all love in a new and exciting way.

For me A MARVELLOUS LIGHT has all the notes I adore in my stories from enemies to lovers, angst and magic, and a Romance that is a slow burn and utterly captivating. I thought Robin was wonderful and balanced out Edwin perfectly so when we swung from one POV to the next the transition was easy and the two voices were distinct enough.

Overall one of my favourite reads of the year and thank you NetGalley and Tor for an early copy and I am so excited to see where this series goes!

Perfect for fans of ‘Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell’ and ‘Sorcerer to the Crown’, ‘A Marvellous Light’ is a historical fantasy and queer romance set in Edwardian England.

Robin Blythe starts his new job as a civil servant to discover he has been appointed as a parliamentary liaison to a magical world he didn’t know existed. But before he can find his feet in this dazzling new reality, he is cursed by rogue magicians searching for a magical artefact hidden by his predecessor. His magical counterpart, Edwin Courcey, is his only hope to remove the curse before it kills him – unfortunately Robin and Edwin are very different people and don’t exactly hit it off.

I was thoroughly charmed by this story - an intriguing magical mystery with a Bridgerton level of romance.

4.5 stars
Dazzlingly sharp and enchantingly funny, Freya Marske’s stunning debut takes the charm of Downtown Abbey, adds a dash of magically induced deadly peril and a sizzling LGBTQ+ romance to rival even Brigerton. An Historical Fantasy that simply cannot be missed.

When Young Baronet Robin Blythe agreed to take minor governmental position,he never expected to be appointed parliamentary liaison to a secret magical society—he never expected to discover magic existed at all!

But due to the administrative mix up, Robin becomes cursed by mysterious attackers and plagued by visions. Determined to get answers from his missing predecessor, he’ll need the help of his antisocial,magical society counterpart—Edwin Courcey.

Unwillingly thrown together, Robin and Edwin will discover a dastardly plot that threatens every magician in England—and a secret that many have died to protect.

This was such an incredible book, the writing was exceptionally detailed and the world building truly exquisite, it’s honestly hard to believe it’s Marske’s debut novel—her prose is simply ‘Marvellous’.

The characters were really well written and full of complexity,Edwin and Robin especially. The scars of Edwin and Robin’s pasts (via childhood experiences and upbringing) were perfectly captured by Marske; bringing a sincerity to their emotions and actions ,that made them feel all the more relatable (and real.)

I loved the opposites attract relationship between the hostile, standoffish Edwin and the sociable,fun loving Robin was —it’s clear from the beginning that they have chemistry but,watching the slow build of their attraction (and relationship) was absolutely swoon-worthy.

The attention to detail in the descriptions was also pretty great—as an art lover I enjoyed the mention of William Morris wallpaper and Tiffany glass (and Robin’s sheer love of both)

I also very much enjoyed the manor house party/murder mystery vibe, very Agatha Christie meets Deborah Harkness. I’d definitely recommend to murder mystery loving, historical fantasy and LGBTQ+ romance fans.

Also thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

If you are a fan of magic and mystery set in Edwardian England with a large spoonful of gay romance. Then this is the book for you.
This has been compared to Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell, The Binding and also Red White and Royal Blue, though, like a few reviewers have said, I don't feel that Red White and Royal Blue is a good comparison apart from having a gay romance.
This is a book to think about, not one that I feel most people will race through. There are lots of characters and situations that you will need to remember and also many clever subtleties that you will miss if you read too quickly.