It has been a while since I have been on a fantasy kick. So, I was really excited by the three very different fantasy books I had on my TBR: Pledge, Five Broken Blades, and Spells to Forget Us. I had saved this one for last, and it turned out Spells to Forget Us was the perfect way to finish off my unofficial trilogy of magical worlds. Where the other two focused on worlds beyond ours, Spells to Forget Us reminded me there is so much magic in our world - if only we knew where to look.
Luna and Aoife are teenagers dealing with the same problem: the adults in their lives see them as objects rather than people. Luna's grandmother sees her as a way to continue to get their family power, while Aoife's influencer parents see their daughter as an avenue to get views. As a result, they come into their multiple relationships with secrets and baggage they are terrified of putting on each other. I really enjoyed their arcs as they both learned how to stand up for themselves and it felt very important for teenagers to have these arcs. The societal pressure that parents have been putting on their teenagers lately - whether it be through the rise of influencer parents or families who put expectations on children from birth - is something I feel needs to be talked about. And I hope that any teenager who reads this book takes it as a sign to analyze their own life and decide not only to start to figure out what they want to do with their life but also to analyze if they are put into a situation where others' expectations on them are at war with their own.
Now you may have caught I said multiple relationships before, and yes I am still referring to Luna and Aoife - as every time they break up, they forget each other. These magical shenanigans cause them to have multiple meet cutes throughout the book, one even being an almost word-for-word repeat of their first! It drove the plot as it forced Luna and Aoife to form a deeper connection, because each time they remembered each other, they would be forced to talk about the reasons they broke up the last time. While it wasn't exactly couple's therapy, it did force them to confront their issues and how they act in a relationship - and how each of them needed to grow as a result of it.
I also really enjoyed how Aislinn Brophy brought to life Boston - both in a magical and nonmagical way. Having only been to Boston once, I enjoyed getting to know the different suburbs and how I grew to understand why people loved the city. However, I also appreciated the magical world Boston hid. Hidden behind the Veil are magical creatures everywhere, and magical politics guide every step. This world is cutthroat and deadly - though I doubt any of the Witches would want to admit the second. It was a fascinating way to look at how magic brings power, and as someone who adores fantasy politics, I really loved getting to see how their world worked.
That being said, I did find myself wishing the magic system in place had been explained more. Aoife's entry into the magic world would have been the perfect place to get that kind of exposition - however, Luna's resistance to discussing anything magical made it hard to get the information out there. While her refusal to answer questions made sense to the character, it left us with only getting bits and pieces of how this magical society worked: especially since Luna actively did not know much about her own society. In addition, Luna's magic has a dark and sinister tone to it, that reminded me a lot of The Poisons We Drink, however, that part of her magic is never explained. While does not need a sequel, as I thought the ending was perfect for both Luna and Aoife's stories, I do hope if the author decides to write in this world again, they flesh out the way magic works a bit more.
Overall, this book is an excellent addition to the urban fantasy genre - and absolutely perfect for any teens interested in exploring the magic that could be hiding within our world. It's a beautiful and realistic story while looking at problems teens face today that no other generation would have struggled with. I loved the book so much, and I cannot wait to see what Aislinn Brophy does next.
Spells to Forget Us is available for preorder through Penguin Random House and will be released on September 17th.