The Conductors by Nicole Glover is a historical urban fantasy, that merges history and magic seamlessly, giving readers a unique experience.
Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy of The Conductors in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mood Reading at its Finest
To be honest, I had trouble finishing this book. I would start it, think to myself, “this is really good. let’s go!” and a few pages later, I’d lose it. When it comes to mysteries, I have to be in the right mood, and The Conductors is also a historical fiction, which I have to be in the right mood for.
I was speaking with my friend Jae on Twitter when I finally finished it (three tries. Stupid mood reading!) and told her it had nothing to do with the book. The failing for taking so long to finish it was mine. I encouraged her to read it, because, in her words, “Underground Railroad with magic? I’m So in!”
Yeah, you read that right.
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Synopsis
Benjy and Hetty, our main characters, were conductors for the Underground Railroad. They are also practitioners of celestial magic. Something they were each born with, and which caused its own struggles as they grew up as slaves in the south.
The Conductors… Then
The cool thing about The Conductors, is that not only is it Historical Fiction, and describes some of the struggles slaves endured to get free, but it’s also Urban Fantasy, in that Hetty and Benjy are practitioners of magic.
Their abilities with magic helped, a LOT, allowing them to move easily and swiftly in their work to free slaves to the north. Even after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation, slaveowners still wanted to hold onto the status quo.
Hetty and Benjy would travel to the south, and help these people move to the north, where they would be able to hold jobs, and be part of society.
The Conductors… Now
The Conductors takes place several years after Hetty and Benjy quit being conductors, but their magical abilities have made them popular as investigators. Whenever something would happen in the black community, Hetty and Benjy were usually at the forefront to find out what happened.
When the latest murder hits close to home, killing a friend of the family, Hetty and Benjy hit back hard, and work tirelessly to find out why Charlie was killed, and why he has a Cursed mark branded into his chest. Obviously, there is more to Charlie, and to magic, than meets the eye.
I would love to be able to give you an excerpt, but I received an uncorrected proof. I can’t publish an excerpt from an uncorrected proof. I may update this post later, once I’m able to purchase The Conductors, as well as the sequel.
My Thoughts
Once I was able to get past my own issues with being a mood reader, I thoroughly enjoyed The Conductors. Normally, when I DNF a book, it’s because I found something problematic with the storyline, or the characters weren’t grabbing me…something. That wasn’t the case with The Conductors. I honestly liked the story, loved the characters, and urban fantasy is always fun.
After my second attempt at reading, I could have contacted Netgalley, told them I couldn’t finish it, and just not leave feedback. This would have been my right as a book reviewer.
I knew I would be able to finish it, though. I really just needed to give myself grace, and know I’d get there.
Which I did, and I’m so glad!
The Characters
One of my favorite parts of a book is how the characters come together to create the story. A book can have an amazing storyline, with plenty of action, but if the characters feel one dimensional, I’ll lose interest pretty quickly. On the other hand, if a character is amazing, but the storyline is kind of blah, I’ll have the same reaction. It all comes down to that balance between character and story development. Indie authors seem to have this skill set in spades, though, so luckily I find amazing stories and characters to go along with them. The Conductors by Nicole Glover was no different.
Hetty
The Conductors has a TON of cool characters. My favorite was Hetty, by far. She’s the main character, and the one through whose eyes we watch everything. The Conductors doesn’t switch points of view like most books do, so it was an easy read. I didn’t have to switch my brain to, “ok, now Benjy is talking, or now Charlie is talking.” It was all Hetty, and I think that made it easier.
Benjy
Benjy is Hetty’s husband, and in a lot of ways he reminds me of my own. Benjy is laid back, relaxed, and the perfect antithesis to Hetty’s fire. He has his own secrets, though, and as they come out, we get to watch his relationship with Hetty evolve, and it’s really cool.
Hetty and Benjy’s marriage is one of convenience, and the reader is given the idea that they aren’t in love. But c’mon, what would an urban fantasy be without a little bit of romantic intrigue? I won’t give too much away, but I loved seeing their relationship grow and evolve through the story. I’m excited to see more of them in the sequel, because they truly make a good team.
The conductors is set in Philadelphia, which I don’t actually know much about. I was able to imagine quite a bit of it, though, through Nicole’s storytelling. She focused on the characters but gave just enough of the setting that it was easy to “watch” everything happening.
Magical Realism
Hetty and Benjy practice “star” magic, which was a super cool addition to the story. Instead of just using “spells,” like in quite a few urban fantasy books, they rely on sigils made from the various constellations. For example, “Gemini” would have various uses, depending on the will of the practitioner, but he or she would have to draw it in the air. It’s a unique way to add magic to a historical fiction story, and one I’m so glad I got to be part of.
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Recommendation
If you like magical realism, historical fiction, or like I told my friend Jae, “Underground Railroad with magic,” then you need to read The Conductors by Nicole Glover. Hetty and Benjy are two of the coolest characters in a historical fiction novel, and I’m willing to bet you haven’t read a book like this one. Ever. I will be adding book two to my schedule very soon, so I can continue their story. I’ll let you know once I do!
I need The Conductors by Nicole Glover! Take me to Amazon!
Conclusion
Have you read The Conductors? What did you think? Leave me a comment below. I promise, if you like historical fiction, and urban fantasy with magical realism, you won’t regret giving this book a chance.
I’m really looking forward to getting Jae’s opinion on this book, because I know, while she’ll love it, her reasons will be different from mine.
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Until Next Time, Friends!
