The Sorceress and the Postgraduate

5.0 out of 5 stars Ingenuous time slip Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 April 2018 Format: Kindle Edition The blurb intrigued me. A sorceress suspended in time and then released in the 21st century. What a brilliant time slide premise. How would a 14th century gal thrown into the 21st century cope? The obvious conclusion is that she would be nonplussed initially. But, for how long and could she overcome her initial amazement and fit into the 21st century? One might even argue why she should not. Many of the modern inventions were figments in the imagination of our forebears. Electricity and other discoveries have simplified our life and modern conveniences are easy enough to grasp when one is not in awe of them. Nevertheless Tilley adroitly resolves this and other dilemmas in his novel with insight, ingenuity and a huge dollop of writers licence merging history, fantasy and sci fi to weave an irresistible yarn. For Tilley's sorceress Constance is no ordinary gal. This becomes more evident when one realises the era Constance lived in and Albrecht's friend Leo’s identity. Her antics will not fail to amuse one. Tilley's sorceress is clever, quick on the uptake but could do with a few scruples. Unsurprisingly, the protagonist Darcy is quite taken with her. One can see how Albrecht Durer was enamoured with Constance all those centuries ago. The gal has natural charm. No sorcery here. Oh, by the way, there is actually a difference between a sorceress and a witch. Really! One did not know that. Cool I'll buy that. A charming tale told in an equally charming manner with nail biting moments interspersed throughout the book. Tilley has certainly nailed it, down to his candid and simplistic style. Unfortunately it is too simplistic for an adult not least an Oxford postgrad hence the problem of genre. It would however suit a YA audience and a change of genre is well advised. Shame since the plot would delight an adult audience. Despite this obvious drawback, the book is a compelling read. For a debut effort, Tilley displays extraordinary imagination, acuity and craftsmanship. With natural flair, he elegantly sets his readers up painting a tale that leaves one gasping in astonishment at the depth of his effort. His characters are well developed and the plot well thought in every detail making it credible. Who thought that sci fi and witchcraft oops sorcery went hand in hand? In Tilley's world of course! Certainly an author to watch out for in the future. Since I love it it gets a 5*.