This is one of the best dark academia books I've read. I adored the boarding school setting, but told from the perspective of a teacher instead. Walden's commentary had me chuckling throughout and I found the magic system fascinating to read about. I thought Some Desperate Glory was an excellent book but ET has outdone herself with this new book

I’ve read dozens of dark academia books, but this is the first one that focuses almost entirely on the experience of teaching and being a teacher. I really enjoyed it—it's well-written, thoughtfully crafted, and genuinely stands out from what the genre has delivered so far.

Plot-wise, the book is an interesting example of a situation where one seemingly small decision from the past, when exposed to additional external factors, spirals into large and complex outcomes, both miraculously good and disastrously bad. The story is grounded in the academic calendar of Chetwood Academy, a prestigious boarding school that teaches magic, with all the characters serving as educators within its walls.

This book perfectly blends elements of magic with the real-life dynamics of the British educational system. Surprisingly, what I enjoyed most wasn’t the magical aspects—though those are absolutely fantastic, and the demon-fighting scenes are genuinely impressive—but rather how authentic and grounded the main character’s life as a teacher felt, even within the walls of a magical school.

The story is clearly well-researched, and it's obvious that Emily Tesh draws from her own experience as a Briton, an Oxbridge alumna, and an educator. Dr. Saffy Walden, the FMC, is the Director of Magic, yet she faces the same challenges many teachers encounter: trying to do her job well while working within a system that doesn’t always support her. She’s 38, single, and caught in that liminal space—neither “young” nor “old”—which adds depth to her personal journey as she tries to balance work and life. I also appreciated the subtle yet pointed commentary on how women are often perceived differently than men in the same age/professional position.

If you’re expecting a book mostly about magic, you might want to adjust your expectations. This is primarily a novel about the experience of being a teacher, with a poignant yet spot-on commentary on the institutional challenges educators face. It’s the kind of book that will stick with you long after you’ve finished it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I requested this as soon as I saw it was available, having loved the authors previous book (Some Desperate Glory). This new offering did not disappoint and has firmly established Emily Tesh as one of my favourite authors. I loved almost everything about this book, characters, story and worldbuilding. I appreciated the attention given to the actual process of teaching magic (it is very obvious that the author has a teaching background here) however, I will admit that for some people the frequent mention of the tedious side of teaching and the exploration of inequalities within the education system may be a bit too much. The ending was very satisfying. Highly recommended for those who like dark academia!

A heartfelt thanks to netgalley, the publisher and the author for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Incandescent is the first Emily Tesh novel I’ve read, so I can’t compare it to her previous works. What I can say, however, is that The Incandescent delivers exactly what its premise promises: a magical academy, from the perspective of the professors. And by that, I mean paperwork, endless meetings, departmental drama and all the bureaucratic headaches that come with academia.

I really, really liked the lessons. In so many magical school books, actual lessons are either glossed over or skipped entirely. Here, the classroom has a real presence, and it felt fresh and grounded. Another major plus: the protagonist is 38 years old! More older protagonists in fantasy, please! Seeing magical academia from a faculty member’s perspective is a rare gem, and Emily Tesh executes the concept with intelligence and originality.

However, while I was intrigued by the premise, I struggled a lot with the execution. The plot's _incandescence_ is buried under layers and layers of paperwork, digressions, meetings, and Walden obsessively managing every detail. I had a really hard time getting into it, mostly because of the style. The novel is constantly derailed by long, unnecessary tangents that appear at the most inappropriate times (even during life-threatening scenes involving demons!). Why? These digressions often made me lose focus, and I started zoning out pretty frequently.

And if it wasn’t a tangent, it was an infodump or a character dump. The entire second chapter is one long block of exposition. All of this dulled my reading experience. I get that it’s probably intentional, because Walden is a character who sees the world in a very methodical, categorized way, as she breaks everything down into lists, boxes, checkmarks. But it made for a very dry, almost clinical reading experience, with little emotional connection or warmth. At times, the reading experience was genuinely frustrating, I felt like I was constantly waiting for the story to move forward, only to be pulled into yet another digression or detour that drained all the tension and momentum.

I’m honestly sad, for not liking this book more, it genuinely had the most exciting premises and a well-developed plot . However, I think it might appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven novels and slower pacing. If you liked The Scholomance and are curious about a behind-the-scenes take on magical education, this could be the right book for you.

The covers are gorgeous, especially the UK edition. That hot pink!

This review has spoilers.

The first 1/3 was exactly what I thought I would be reading - a magic school from the perspective of a teacher - and I adored it.
The imp in the photocopier who ate chocolate digestives! The "oooh, enemies to lovers??" with Laura. A butch lesbian love interest (practically unheard of)! A centuries-old demon summoning!

There's a big ol' demon fight at the school and a spur-of-the-moment kiss (and me, maybe foaming at the mouth).

Then, after the fallout from the demon shenanigans and Laura getting canned and leaving....... I don't even know what happened.

Actually, no - nothing fucking happened.

Nothing happened apart from excruciating minutiae about being a teacher. Nothing happened apart from a posh smarmy dickhead being introduced and oh of course Saffy starts fucking him. Nothing happened apart from bungled in-your-fucking-face social commentary.

Finally, finally, the plot starts moving. The Phoenix takes over - but in the milquetoastiest way possible. There was no build up. Saffy realises oh hang on, this pompous knob is actually up to no good and also he's shagging the 23-year-old.

And then, yeah, the teenagers save the day, and gosh the Phoenix would've got away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids!

Two stars, only because of how much I loved the opening.