Happily

The first book I read by F. T. Lukens was In Deeper Waters and I absolutely loved it. I prefer standalones or duologies best so this was the first standalone book that I actually would have liked to have gotten a sequel. Not because the story felt unfinished, but because I could easily see the characters having more to do, growing in their roles and relationships, and building up the world. Because I thought so highly of the first book, when Barnes and Noble had a preorder sale, I preordered So This is Ever After as a paperback to match the copy of In Deeper Waters that I already had. For some reason I was determined to read my copy first so I ended up waiting for several months where I could have gotten a copy from the library and instead waited for the paperback to come out. Lesson learned but it was worth the wait.

And let you die in peace? Never.

So This is Ever After delivers exactly what the title promises - what happens when you have reached the happily ever after? Arek has successfully (though perhaps not always gracefully) responded to his call to adventure, gathered his ragtag crew, and beheaded the evil overlord reigning in terror over the land of Chickpea. After perhaps the most unceremonious crowning in history the new king needs to navigate appointing a council, navigating foreign relations and oh yes fulfilling a magical, unbreakable caveat that threatens to make him fade from existence if he does not fulfill it by his eighteenth birthday. With a blundering, comedic presence to rival Percy Jackson, Arek endeavors to balance his newly appointed royal powers and duties, maintaining friendships and court positions, and quite a few attempts at romance.

An unexpected favorite of mine of F. T. Lukens' writing style is how the characters talk like modern people but just slightly altered. E.g. on page 59 someone gets "thrown under the cart" instead of a bus and on page 199, Arek buttons his mouth closed to show he will not spill a secret, instead of zippering it closed. It added a lightheartedness to the story as well as reliability for the characters. This also plays into how the characters have more contemporary views and personalities. Besides the clear LGBTQ+ representation, they also refuse to fall into historically accurate thought processes. Arek thinks, "No harm done in allowing people to express themselves how they want," (Lukens 163) after allowing two of his friends to dress in a way that makes them feel comfortable when the expectations were to go with traditional clothing. Something that made Clockwork Angel difficult for me to read at times was the fact that readers are put inside the mind of a female in the 1800s who, at least for a time, believes the gender roles forced in that time. This book showed a stark difference and I loved it. Since it is historical fantasy, I see absolutely no drawback to this decision.

I love how bumbling Arek is. He steps into making decisions and isn't thrown by making mistakes or needing to ask for help. Despite his blundering actions, the people just love him. It reminded me of a quote from Harry Potter, "Those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it." Arek consistently doubts whether he wants the crown and especially whether he should have the crown, but then just as consistently proves he is doing a spectacular job at it. He makes mistakes, reacts appropriately, then makes some more. He gives out forgiveness and second chances and earns them back in return. Arek is truly one of the most heartwarming characters I have read in a while.

"This isn't fair. We followed through on the quest. We fulfilled the prophecy. This" -he waved his hand around the bedroom- "is supposed to be done. I thought we'd find a person who was... a responsible adult." (43) Some of the characters hop right in to their new roles while others more so see the reality of teenagers tossed into running a kingdom. It keeps the feel very much in the YA realm and reminds readers that the characters are allowed to think their problems are a big deal even in the grand scheme of what is going on.

One of my automatic points of intrigue is found family. Since they were working through a prophecy the amount of chance involved may be minimal but there is still an assembled group of very different people that come together first for a cause and then for each other. Each of the six have distinct personalities, skills, relationships, and intentions. F. T. Lukens balances getting enough of each without feeling like readers are drowning in names and faces to remember. The variety of characters also help add in to the humor throughout, seeing them play off each other, "Did you give back the peacock?" I asked, giving her a knowing look. She sighed and crossed her arms. "Yes," she grumbled. "I sent back the peacock." (Lukens 102).

Since fantasy is my favorite to read, I enjoy being able to compare different magic systems across books. What stood out to me the most about magic in So This is Ever After is the way it is viewed by the people in this world. After the terror-filled reign of the Vile One, most of skeptical at best about anyone who even has the ability to perform magic. Matt, being the one of the main cast who can, is much more aware of these views and how he uses his magic because of that. It was something that reading through the mind of Arek, we weren't even really aware of until Matt brings it up. Arek and the others love Matt so they never seem afraid or wary of him but Matt is all too aware of how the other members of the kingdom behave around him. He tells Arek, "Our people only knew of the Vile One and everything he'd done and everything he planned to do. And no matter how good I was or how innocent or kind, my magic would be associated with him. It didn't matter if I used it for the benefit of the village. They'd only see the same power flowing through my veins as it did him" (Lukens 137). Something about seeing how highly Arek views Matt and comparing it to how Matt knows so many view him really struck a chord.

I liked the struggle that Arek had with his title. When he first begins making moves that prove to the people in the kingdom he deserves the crown, he begins to be called King Arek the Kind. I knew it would be handled well when Arek's first reaction was "There were worse things to be than kind, but it felt like weakness. Is that how the populace would perceive me? Kind? Naive? Gullible? Soft?" (Lukens 103). For all the Hufflepuffs, Arek learns that, especially when one has gone through hardships and seen injustice in his world, "there is strength in kindness," (Lukens 190).

So This is Ever After was very much up the same path as In Deeper Waters, as well as I would say the Simon Snow series, and touches of Percy Jackson and What If It's Us and even perhaps a bit of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It is a quick read, doesn't get to heavy on any topic, and is a standalone so requires minimal commitment if you're not looking for a huge time investment. But absolutely worth the read. Fun, charming, clever, funny, and magical in a modern-feeling castles, knights, and kings setting.

I smiled to myself, thinking how a simple piece of parchment had led both of us here, to this castle, to this moment. Who knew where the next words I'd write would lead us. But I was finally ready to find out.