Book Review: “Rust In The Root” by Justina Ireland

“Rust In The Root” by Justina Ireland (2022)

Genre: Fantasy, YA, Fiction, Historical

Page Length: 448 pages (hardcover edition)

Synopsis:

It is 1937, and Laura Ann Langston lives in an America divided—between those who work the mystical arts and those who do not. Ever since the Great Rust, a catastrophic event that blighted the arcane force called the Dynamism and threw America into disarray, the country has been rebuilding for a better future. And everyone knows the future is industry and technology—otherwise known as Mechomancy—not the traditional mystical arts.

Laura disagrees. A talented young mage from Pennsylvania, Laura hopped a portal to New York City on her seventeenth birthday with hopes of earning her mage’s license and becoming something more than a rootworker

But six months later, she’s got little to show for it other than an empty pocket and broken dreams. With nowhere else to turn, Laura applies for a job with the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps, a branch of the US government dedicated to repairing the Dynamism so that Mechomancy can thrive. There she meets the Skylark, a powerful mage with a mysterious past, who reluctantly takes Laura on as an apprentice.

As they’re sent off on their first mission together into the heart of the country’s oldest and most mysterious Blight, they discover the work of mages not encountered since the darkest period in America’s past, when Black mages were killed for their power—work that could threaten Laura’s and the Skylark’s lives, and everything they’ve worked for.

Review:

Rust in The Root is a thrilling and entertaining fantasy that takes readers through an alternate version of US history. The novel follows the main character, Laura, who lives in a world divided full of technology and magic. When she joins the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps, she quickly learns the job is more than she signs on for. Will Laura and the mages be able to conquer the Blight before it’s too late?

I loved the unique concepts of Mechomancy and Mages (which also slightly reminded me of Huxley’s Brand New World). The story is fast-paced, and the addition of multiple point-of-views adds to the overall experience. Laura is a quick-witted young queer woman whose honesty often lands her into more trouble than not. Though some may think she’s all talk she is able to think on her toes in times of danger and find resources in the most barren of places. Though tough on the outside she is very vulnerable and hopes the job at the Bureau will help her on the path to following her dreams. She is uncertain of her future and the Bureau’s quest allows her the chance to delve into the extent of her true powers. I enjoyed the mentor relationship with the Skylark who sees a bit of herself in Laura and with the other mages featured in the novel as well.

The inclusion of real photos from locations and people from that era highlights the devastation of blights but also tie-into the themes presented in the story. Some of the fantasy elements are cleverly woven into the text as allegories to real life. It helped to ground the concepts of the story for readers but also brings a strong awareness to our own reckoning with US history, racism, sexism, and equality among other topics.

The fantasy elements as well as the magic system were complex and well-written. I enjoyed the attention to detail within the world-building. It helped transport me to Laura’s world and the laws that exist within it. There was so much intricacy put into the fantasy elements that hooked me into the story and left me wanting more. Some of my favorite parts were when the crew of mages fights against the blights using their powers to rid the towns of their constant destruction of anything and everything. The novel had everything from talking animals to a mysterious grimoire. Because the fantasy elements were so detailed, I would have loved the inclusion of a character chart and/or a glossary of the special terms included in the novel’s world.

If you’re a fantasy reader looking for a fully fleshed and immersive world with high-action and memorable characters, this standalone novel comes highly recommended!

Final Verdict: